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“I don’t know what you mean.”

I did, of course, know what she meant, but I was not about to admit to ogling Levi like he was my last meal. And I did not want to make too much of his blown pupils back there. He did love his cookies, after all, maybe he’d just really wanted one. Yes, it was certainly the biscotti he’d been lusting after.

“I think you’ve been withholding more information, D. You’re gonna tell me everything in the car.”

“You really think Pete’s going to let you drive, huh?” She glared at me. “Okay, that was me trying to change the subject.”

My phone started ringing in the living room. “Maybe I should . . .”

“No, you listen, and you listen good.” Sabrina moved closer as the telephone stopped ringing. “You are not falling in crush with him again.”

“I don’t think that’s an actual thing ‘falling in crush,’” I argued, and the phone started ringing again.

“I’m not going to use the word ‘love’ with that fuckboy. You were crushing on him when you were a stupid teenager, but he blew it, several times, so he doesn’t get another chance.” The ringing was making me ready to jump out of my skin. Apparently, it was driving Levi crazy too.

“Should I get that?” he called from the living room.

“Sure!” I cried back, not thinking clearly. I mean, who would be calling me except . . .

Oh god! I darted out into the living room to stop him, but it was too late.

“Ashleigh? Wow, yeah, it’s great to hear your voice.” Levi stood next to the couch, phone pressed to his ear, a stunned smile on his face. There was so much honesty in his voice that I wilted a little. Had I secretly hoped that he still hated her after all these years for breaking his heart? Maybe a little. Because I’m a jealous, petty person. “How are you?”

One thing about Ashleigh was she didn’t need much encouragement to tell you her life story. And for a few interminably long minutes, I stood there stupidly while Levi nodded along with the appropriate “Really,” “That’s amazing,” “Uh-huh.”

Her last words to me echoed in my mind. I’ve been thinking a lot about Levi, wondering what would have happened if I’d said yes. No one’s ever loved me like that.

Finally, I snapped out of my stupor and moved closer to Levi, gesturing at him to give me the phone. The last time we’d talked, Ashleigh had been two seconds away from booking a ticket to see me. I simply could not deal with that right now.

Levi’s eyes met mine and he smiled; everything about him softened. “Yeah, I’m at Indy’s . . . uh . . . Diana’s right now. We’re on a mission this weekend to get her that fellowship she’s been after.”

I grimaced and waved my hands in front of his mouth so he’d stop talking. He frowned. “Oh, she didn’t tell you about that?”

A car honked outside the building. I’d never been so happy to see Pete in my life.

“Sorry, Ashleigh,” Levi said. “We have to go. Listen, let’s catch up sometime, all right?”

I snatched the phone from him. “Ashleigh, I’ll call you later.”

She practically shrieked into the phone. “What’s going on, Deedee? You’re spending the weekend with Levi?”

“I’ll explain everything later, okay?” I hung up before she could freak out anymore and muted my phone.

“You didn’t tell her that we ran into each other?” The hurt expression on Levi’s face made my heart drop even further into my stomach. Oh god, what if this whole time he was waiting for the right moment to ask me to put them in touch?

“No, I didn’t,” I said, then annoyed at the self-pitying tone of my voice, I jabbed my finger at him. “And I don’t have to justify myself to you! If you want out of this weekend, now’s your chance.”

He shook his head, still dazed. “No way. I’m coming.”

“Fine.” I stomped back to my room and hoisted my bag over my shoulder. “Let’s go, Sabrina!”

***

I forgot how fast Sabrina liked to drive. I gripped the ceiling handlebar as she took yet another tight curve around the hill.

“Are we almost there?” I grit out from between clenched teeth. My bladder was about to burst. Sabrina had insisted we not take any breaks on the three-hour drive to Lake Como. She was convinced that Levi would only use the opportunity to convince me to get in the car with him. He and Pete had not been happy about the driving arrangements. Levi probably because he wanted to grill me about Ashleigh, and Pete, because he was secretly in love with Sabrina.

“We’ll get there when we get there.” She shifted gears as we careened over the hill. The lake, hallelujah, finally came into view. It was stunning. Mountains climbing straight out of placid waters straight into a sky full of billowy clouds. Gorgeous palazzos peeking out at every turn. But all that water just reminded me of how bad I had to pee.