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I grabbed the phone and prepared to take a picture. “Sure. But I want a picture next.”
“You guys don’t have to walk me to the door.” I was afraid Bones would be there, lurking in the darkness as he waited for me to return. I’d been gone all day, wedding dress shopping, shoe shopping, and having a long lunch and dinner. He was probably losing his mind in insanity right now.
“We aren’t walking you to the door,” Mom said. “You’re inviting us in for a glass of wine and apple juice.”
Shit, I hoped I still had some in the cabinets. “We’ve been drinking all day.”
“So?” Mom asked, her inner Barsetti coming out.
“I miss wine,” Sapphire said. “Once this baby is here, I’m picking up the bottle again.”
I got the door unlocked and stepped inside. The lights were on when I knew I left them off, so Bones was in there.
Probably in my bedroom.
He wouldn’t reveal himself to my family so I didn’t have anything to be worried about, but it still gave me anxiety knowing he was there. My family and their biggest enemy were breathing the same air at that very moment.
I managed to find a bottle of red in the kitchen, and I poured two glasses. “This is all I got. I must have drunk the rest.”
“That’s fine with me.” Mom sat on the couch with Sapphire. “So we got your shoes and your dress. All you need to do now is find some jewelry.”
I carried the glass into the living room, along with a glass of water for Sapphire. “I can see you wearing a simple diamond necklace. Your dress is already so stunning that you don’t need much.”
“I agree,” Mom said.
“I’ll think about it,” Sapphire said. “Conway usually gives me jewelry to wear to his shows, so I suspect he’ll have something in mind for me.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Mom took the glass from me and took a drink. “Vanessa, I talked to Matteo the other day.”
Shit. Bones was in the other room, and I didn’t want him to hear this. He was already a psychopath when he wasn’t even jealous, so hearing about the man I went on a few dates with would make him tear down the wall. “He mentioned running into you. He said his father’s customers are big fans of our wine. It’s crazy how much the Barsetti Vineyards have connected us to families all over Italy.” I wanted to steer the conversation away from my romantic life, especially when the man I was sleeping with was listening to all of this. Wine was an easy topic for all of us to discuss.
But Mom didn’t go for it. “He said you weren’t ready to date, but you guys were still spending time together. I think that’s nice. You two have so much in common, and I think you could really hit it off under different circumstances.”
I held my breath, expecting Bones to break down the wall between the living room and the bedroom. “He’s a very nice guy. But yeah, I’m not interested in dating right now. I think I need to be alone for a while before I get into another relationship…” I didn’t know how much time I had before Mom started to pressure me to see Matteo or someone else, but I knew I had a few months, at least.
“Have you talked to the man you were seeing?” Mom asked.
I felt terrible lying to her, but I didn’t have any other choice. “No.”
“That’s good,” Sapphire said. “Stay strong. It’s really hard to cut someone out, but it’ll be better in the end if you stick to your guns. I’m sorry it didn’t work out, though.”
“No, it’s okay,” I said weakly. “Not all relationships work out. It’s normal.”
“It is,” Mom said. “Relationships help us grow. Now that you’ve been in love, you know exactly what you want in the next man.”
I couldn’t picture myself ever falling in love with anyone else. What I had with Bones was rare, even if it didn’t make any sense.
“I know I should stay out of your personal life, and whatever you decide, I’ll support.” Mom held her glass of wine but didn’t drink it, focusing on our conversation more than the beverage. “But I really think Matteo is a fine young man. He’s handsome and charming, and I can tell he thinks the world of you. He’s an experienced man who knows exactly what he wants in life, and I think he wants you. From what I gather, he doesn’t need to wait around for anyone. The fact that he continues to talk to you in some way hints at some kind of connection on his part. His father tells me he’s never brought a woman around because he’s never been serious with anyone before, but he keeps trying to spend time with you…”
