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“I am.”
He felt more than saw his mother’s eyes move over his face, searching for answers.
“Something’s wrong.”
A statement, not a question. Of course, Isabella would pick up on whatever was bothering him. She’d always been tuned in to whatever he and Alejandro had been thinking.
Before he could answer, Javier Cabrera walked up. Antonio had never been so grateful to see his father in all his life.
“Father.”
Javier reached out and clasped his son’s shoulder.
Antonio blinked in surprise. It was the closest Javier had come to hugging him. Ever.
“Son. Congratulations on your upcoming hotel.”
Had he landed in an alternate reality? One where his father paid attention to his life?
“Thank you, sir.”
Javier glanced at his wife. Antonio noted the beads of sweat on his brow, the shifting of his weight from one foot to another. It took a moment to dissect the motions as signs of nervousness. He’d never seen Javier as anything but unflappable, save for the one argument he’d overheard between Alejandro and Javier when Javier had allowed his anger to rule and raised his voice.
“Hello, dear.”
He kissed his wife on the cheek. Isabella flashed him a strained smile. “Darling.”
They stood there, the three of them, in a long moment of awkward silence. Then Javier mumbled—mumbled—something about checking on the wedding cake, pressed another kiss to her cheek and disappeared into the crowd.
Antonio watched his father walk away then turned to his mother, one brow raised.
“What was that about?”
Isabella’s smile was brittle. “Just some things your father and I are dealing with.”
His mother had always had her head in the clouds every time she’d talked about her husband. Adrian and Alejandro had hinted at trouble the last time he’d seen them, but given Adrian’s contentious history with their mother and Alejandro’s ability to annoy their father just by walking into a room, he’d brushed it aside.
“Things?”
Isabella gazed at Alejandro and Calandra as Alejandro dipped her on the dance floor before bringing her back up to kiss her.
“I’m glad you and Anna have known each other so long.” Her fingers curled so tightly around her wineglass, he was surprised it didn’t shatter. “When you fall in love with a fairy tale and rush in without thinking, it’s easier to get hurt.”
Her words knifed through him, added a new worry. Had his last two weeks with Anna been real? Was what he felt for her real? If he asked her to actually be in a relationship, would they discover that, away from the glitz and glamor of Positano, he had created a fantasy built on the flimsy foundation of lust and old memories?
Or was he being a coward and throwing up roadblocks?
“Darling, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Isabella laid a hand on his cheek. “Your father and I will get through this. I’m so happy you and your brothers have found women who love you as much as they do.”
His heart kicked into overdrive. “Love?”
Isabella smiled. “If she hasn’t told you yet, she will soon. I saw the way she looked at you.”
Words meant to assure, to bolster. But instead they dropped with lethal intensity, grabbing hold of his doubts and insecurities and inflating them until they were pressing in on him from all sides. Anna had kept her emotions in check, giving no hint that she’d cared for him other than as a friend or casual lover. Another reason the thought of talking with her scared the hell out of him. She’d survived, even thrived, despite the heartbreak he’d put her through. How would he handle such a rejection?
The selfishness of that thought hit him hard, swamped him in a tangled mire of guilt, fear and self-anger. He hadn’t changed. Not really, not the way Anna had as she’d grown and blossomed. He’d taken her under his wing to fill the void left by Alejandro. He’d pressured his friend into joining him for a joy ride he hadn’t wanted to go on so he could escape his own illicit desires. And he’d suggested this whole fake relationship to get the media off his back and makehimfeel better that he’d done something to help Anna.
Knowing he’d been right all along, that he didn’t deserve the happiness Anna brought him, nearly knocked him off his feet.
