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Same sea-green eyes as my best friend, but this time with the longest, darkest lashes, the strongest Roman nose, a square jaw, and the fullest mouth. Nico Andretti is absolutely gorgeous and I've had a crush on him since before I was fourteen.
Not that Francesca will ever get that information out of me. And not that it matters anyway since I’m invisible to him.
“Sure,” I say easily, trying to push down the lump that’s in my throat.
Since I’m not driving or having to schedule an Uber, I suck down another mimosa quickly, needing the liquid courage to see and talk to Nico.
“So, Bruno bought me a tennis bracelet,” Francesca chatters away and I’m barely listening. “But I can’t wear it in front of Marco. So, I thought I’ll get Marco to buy me one, too, then he won’t know the difference!” She titters and I frown in her direction.
“Francesca,” I start, but then I realize I’m still in a bikini when Nico’s car pulls up, and I rush to put on a pair of shorts and my tank top. I manage to get dressed before he walks in, thank God, coming in the back of the pool house and waving, jerking his head as if he’s irritated.
I hurry over to his car while Francesca takes her time.
“Thank you for the ride, Nico,” I say, and he grunts in response, getting in the driver’s side and revving the engine to make Francesca hurry up.
She takes her sweet time anyway, just to be a brat, and I chuckle as I slide into the backseat.
“You should have called shotgun,” Nico says, and I can’t help the blush that spreads across my cheeks.
“I don’t mind the backseat,” I say, and Francesca gets into the passenger side.
“You’re driving us to the Espositos tomorrow night, right?”
Nico groans. “I’ve got to be there anyway. Dante is invited. So, I guess I’ll drop you off.”
Francesca grins. “Perfect.”
Nico raises an eyebrow at her as he pulls out of the driveway. “You know, Marco isn’t going to like you going to Bruno’s.”
“Marco is out of town,” she says breezily.
“You’re going to get yourself in trouble one of these days, you know that?” Nico warns, but Francesca just scoffs.
“I’m just having fun,” she argues, and I look out the window so that I stop staring at Nico’s profile.
I had the biggest dreams of growing up and marrying him when I was a teenager, and it all seems so ridiculous now.
As if he would ever want me.
“I’m going to drop you off first,” Nico says to Francesca. “I’m on my way to Dante’s and Aurora’s place is on the way.”
I swallow hard. I’m going to be alone in the car with Nico, which makes the blush on my cheeks deepen and redden.
I know I should be over my little crush by now, but I can’t help it.
He’s just so...Nico.
He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met before. I wish that I had someone like him in my life, like a boyfriend or a husband. I’ve always wanted a family, and I don’t feel like I’ll ever have one.
“You’re going to the Esposito party?” he asks me, looking at me in the rearview mirror.
I nod slowly, keeping eye contact. God, his eyes are so pretty, his stare intense.
“Keep her out of trouble,” he says, giving me a little smile, and my heart skips several beats.
“Trouble is my middle name,” Francesca chirps, and she waves her fingers at me as Nico pulls up at their place.
She lives in a pretty house. It’s just Francesca and their ailing mother living there now. Nico has his own apartment and comes to visit often. Their father had done pretty well for himself before he was killed, so the house was all theirs. He hadn’t ever wanted to be anything but low level, but still he provided for his family. Gave them a roof.
