AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"It doesn’t mean anything. He was probably just being gentlemanly. That’s all," I lie out of desperation. "It’s not my fault he chose to come after me to make sure I was okay. I don’t want anything to do with him, okay?"What is wrong with me?
The silence at the table intensifies. I glance toward my mother, who’s watching me with disappointment on her face. Yeah, yeah, so what’s new? I’ve never managed to live up to her expectations. I wasn’t the demure, girly daughter she longed for. That’s my sister.
Me? I never did what I was told. I rebelled. I asked questions. I could never accept the status quo. It’s why I left home to pursue my dreams. I left my sister behind. And while my father and mother loved her, she never had a chance to find out what she wanted to make of herself.
No doubt, they indoctrinated her in the ways of the Mafia and convinced her that her future was that as wife to a Mafioso. If I had stayed behind, I might have encouraged her to think otherwise. On the other hand, if she’s going to marry anyone in the Mafia, it might as well be Massimo. This way, I’m sure she’ll be taken care of. If she were to marry anyone else, there’d be no guarantee of how he’d treat her. I was selfish and left her behind, and now I have to make it right. For all our sakes, I have to give up Massimo... For her.
I glance around the table, then declare, "I have a fiancé."
25
Olivia
How have I managed to land myself in this situation?Oh, what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive.Walter Scott’s words have never rung truer. Unfortunately, I never did take to any of his other poems. But this particular line has always stuck in my mind.
I glance at myself in the mirror. Tug on the sleeve of my dress. It’s a shift dress, with netting for sleeves which run down to my wrists. The hem hits below my knees. It does have a slit that runs up the side so the dress parts when I walk. And the neckline may be a little more daring than usual, but still, totally acceptable. Combined with my favorite Ferragamo's—which were another impulse purchase—I feel more confident in facing the upcoming evening.
I should have totally turned down the invitation, but when Massimo threw it down as a challenge, I wasn't able to refuse. And then I had to go open my big mouth and tell my family I’m engaged.
I wasn’t even able to apologize to my sister about the fact that I hadn’t come clean to her about my prior interactions with Massimo. I mean, what would I tell her? That I slept with her future husband, once—okay, twice—before I had any idea that he would be the person with whom her marriage was going to be arranged. And that to cover it up, I lied to him, and then to my family.Oh, my god!I squeeze the bridge of my nose. This is such a mess. Only bright spot is, I have someone I think can be persuaded to back up my story. At least, I hope he will.
The doorbell to my flat rings. I rented this place with Penny, and another actor friend, who moved back to London after the musical finished its run. I extended the lease by another week, just until I can see this mess through. All I have to do is convince Massimo I’ve moved on, and convince my family I don’t want anything to do with Massimo. Oh, yea, and I have to convince myself, too. No biggie.
I march to the door and throw it open.
The tall man in the doorway blocks my view with his broad shoulders. His dark hair is slightly long, his jaw unshaven. His blue eyes crinkle at the corners as he takes me in. "Whoa, Olly, you sure do clean up well."
He notices the scar on my cheek, though it shouldn’t be a shock, since I’ve FaceTimed him a few times already.
"Shut up." I grab him by his tie and pull him in for a peck on his cheek. "Good to see you, too, Declan. Thanks for coming."
"How could I refuse? Also, I was in the South of France which isn’t that far off."
"You were on theRiviera?" I step back and beckon him to enter. He follows me inside. I shut the door, then watch as he prowls around the apartment. He’s so large that the space, which is normally enough for me, seems much too small with him in it. "If I’d known you were on holiday, I wouldn’t have interrupted you."
"It was work." He raises a shoulder. "Or rather, networking with other producers and actors. Deathly boring. You know how it is." He throws me a glance over his shoulder.
I do know. I was one of them. A struggling actress who made the rounds of parties, lunches, more auditions, all in search of that one elusive role that would get me noticed. I’d landed a few bit parts, but nothing big, until the role inBeauty and the Beasthad come along. It had been as the understudy, of course, but it was regular pay. And it meant returning to Italy, which I’d had mixed feelings about. Not that I had a choice. When a role comes your way, you take it.
"I really do appreciate you coming down here on such short notice."
"Anything for you, Olly, you know that." He turns to face me. "You look good, babe."
"You mean, despite the scar on my face?" I gesture toward my cheek with my hand.
"It’s honestly not that noticeable."
"Noticeable enough to have been ditched by my agent."
His gaze widens, then he scowls. "You needed a new agent, anyway."
I chuckle. "You’re probably right." I walk past him to the kitchen. "And I know you’re right about the scarring. It’s not a big deal, except when the camera zooms in for a close-up, and then it’s right there."
He stares at me.
"I know. I mean, I know it shouldn’t stop me. At most, maybe it should just temporarily slow me down. It’s just, it makes my job even more difficult. It’s tough enough landing an audition, never mind when they find out you have a scar on your cheek."
"And when have you ever let a challenge stop you?" He leans a hip against the counter.
