AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I tell Aaron everything. I tell him how Rafael and I met. I tell him we’ve been talking in person, long distance, and everything in between. I admit to where my second vacation took me. I share the PG version of our relationship, and that he was with me last night.
Aaron stands very thoughtful and quiet while I spill all of my feelings, including that I’m in love with Rafael. “I know you’re just letting me talk and I really appreciate it, but I need unbiased advice. Sylvia is team us all the way. I appreciate that too. I can usually read you and I totally can’t right now. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
He looks down into the open mouth of his wine glass as he swirls the liquid around inside. After downing the large sip that’s left he slides his fingertips across his lips. “Ava…I’ve never seen you this happy or apprehensive. I have questions.”
“You can ask them. I mean, shit, I just laid a pretty big bomb at your feet. I’d be more surprised if you didn’t have any.”
“How much did you share with him about your past? What did he share with you?”
“I mean…I told him everything about Vince, how we met, why we split up, all of it. He told me about how he’s been linked to many actresses he partnered with. Some of it was true, some wasn’t. I know how that game goes. You and I both do. Aaron, I feel like you’re trying to tell me something without telling me something.”
“Ava, I don’t know how to say what I need to say.”
“Just tell me.”
Aaron opens his mouth to speak then stops. His eyes rotate from mine to something behind me. I turn around to a sea of flashbulbs going off. The light blinds me for a moment. As the white of the light begins to fade back into the orange and blue tones, I see what Aaron was fixated on. Julian and Alexandra are in the open doorway from the lobby into our theater space, talking to a small group of guests that just finished their red-carpet walk.
Julian has his arm wrapped around Alexandra’s back with his hand gently laying on the side of her bump. Next to Alexandra is a woman. She’s dressed in a strapless flowy black dress. Her hair is nearly as black as her dress and is in a sleek thick ponytail. The strands of her hair nearly hit her tiny waist. A couple of actors from Julian’s television show complete the top of the circle.
One last flash goes off as a very tall beautiful man glides into the picture. The profile. The smile. The long lines of his body. Strands of his hair float over his right eye. Rafael is completely stunning in his tuxedo. I smile taking one step toward him. That’s when the world falls away.
He laughs in a carefree way that I’ve seen dozens of times as he shakes Julian’s hand. He withdraws as if he’s going to put his hand back in his pants pocket when the dark goddess reaches out and takes it instead. I watch as her fingers lace with his and her thumb begins to stroke the back. She laughs while turning her cheek to look at him. I can see her mouth moving while her body moves toward Rafael, folding gently under his arm. He softly rests his head on hers before kissing the top.
I feel a gentle hand of my own on my arm. Aaron appears glued to my side. “I’m sorry, Ava.” I can’t respond. I have no words. “I started to tell you. Rafael and Nico have been seen together for a while.”
My stomach turns not only at the image before me, but at the name I’ve heard before. “Nico? Nico. I heard that name at different times on the island. At the restaurant. In the shops. Now that I think about it, I saw the name come across text in Italian. Never once did I think it could be a woman, let alone someone he was with. “That’s Nico?”
“You knew about her?”
“No, but I do now.”
“She’s who I wanted you to meet. She handles everything for him in Europe.”
I can feel a lone tear fall from my eye and down my cheek. “I bet she does. Introduce us.”
“What? Hell no. I’m not doing that.”
“You can do it or I will walk up to them alone. I need to look into her eyes…and his. I won’t embarrass you or myself. I promise.” I wipe my cheek with the back of my hand and take a deep breath that shutters in my chest. “I’m ready.”
Aaron reluctantly wraps my hand around his arm to walk me up the ramp toward the open doorway to the lobby. I can feel my heart beating in my ears with each step we take. The sound around me begins to fade away and all I can hear is his voice, even his breath.
We get within speaking distance and Alexandra notices we’ve come up to their group. “Tell me you’re not leaving already. You just got here,” she says. All the attention from everyone in their circle turns to Aaron and me. I get smiles from everyone but Rafael and Nico.
“Aaron, Ava, have you met Rafael Varallo and Nicolette Rieti?”
Holding my chin up high, I slowly rotate my head to the left. “No, we haven’t met. Hello, I’m Ava Caron.” I extend my hand first to Nicolette. “It’s a pleasure.” Then I offer my hand to Rafael. The light that’s usually in his eyes is missing. His jaw is so tense, I think I hear it crack. His usually olive skin is nearly as pale as mine. “Hello, Rafael.”
I extend my hand to him. He slowly reaches out to take it. “Ava,” he whispers. That one word alone could blow me over. Rafael’s hand wraps around mine. His usual warmth is chilled. Aaron’s fingers grip around my back as I can feel myself swaying into them.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Nico,” Aaron adds.
“Hello. It’s been ages.” She kisses his cheek first on the left then the right. “Where is your lovely fiancée tonight?”
“She had a business obligation of her own. Ava’s decision to join me was a last-minute save.”
“I work with Aaron. I’m just the stand-in. You know how that is, right?” I give them both my best fake smile. “Aaron said I should meet you. He thinks we have a lot in common and could learn a lot from you.”
Rafael begins to shift the weight from his right foot to his left. “I’m always willing to share knowledge. Maybe, if you’re free, we could have a meeting tomorrow?” Nico asks.
