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“Evie loves you.” I brushed a hair back from her face, wishing I could comfort her in another way. But we weren’t that close. I shouldn’t want to touch her.
She closed her eyes, and I moved when Finn struck up a new song on his guitar.
I lowered my head and spoke directly into her ear. “Never doubt that you are enough.Sei la più bella cosa che c’è.”
My heart pounded hard in my chest as I waited for her response.
Three
HARPER
Never doubt that you are enough.
His words drifted over me, sending tingles down my spine and goose bumps over my skin until the truth of the words settled into my consciousness. And there was just something about how he’d lowered his voice to speak in Italian. I didn’t know the meaning, but I didn’t have to in order to feel the effect of the words—they were like a caress from a lover.
My muscles relaxed one by one until I was leaning into Leo’s body. As we talked, he kept his head slightly bowed, his body curved around mine so that I felt like I had his full attention.
It was an addictive feeling. I’d always felt supported by his family, but I’d never felt this connection to Leo before. I moved my hand from his arm to curve around his back. It brought me even closer to his warmth. I pressed my cheek against his hard chest, waiting for him to pull away and pretend this wasn’t happening.
I closed my eyes and allowed my mind to drift, to pretend that Leo was here as my plus-one, that he was my boyfriend. He obviously adored Evie. Was it possible he could love me too?
I imagined us at a playground, holding hands while Evie played. Her calling out to Leo to help her on the monkey bars or to push her on the swings. It was so real, so vivid, my eyes stung with unshed tears because that dream wasn’t real. It was a figment of my imagination, one I needed to snuff out.
But I let myself play the images like a reel in my head while the music played and couples danced around us. I knew I’d never forget this moment, when we were connected in a way we never had been before.
When the music ended, Leo stepped back, and I looked away, not wanting him to see the crushing disappointment on my face because he wasn’t my boyfriend. He wasn’t even a friend. He was my best friend’s older brother. He was too responsible. Too mature. Too everything for me.
“Thank you for the dance.” I attempted a smile that I didn't think hit the mark before turning to head back to our table. I was stopped by a tug on my wrist.
“It was my pleasure,è stato un vero piacere,” he said with a smile and a wink that made me feel weak in the knees.
My heart fluttered as I tried to regain my good sense and remember that nothing could happen between us. I was friends with Gia. The Giovannis were like a second family to me, and nothing was worth losing them.
As we walked back to our table, he kept a hand on my lower back, guiding me. The warmth of his palm radiating through my body felt good. By the time we reached our table, my legs were shaky.
I collapsed onto the chair, grateful for the cooler air coming in on the breeze from the bay. Someone had refilled our glasses of champagne, so I took a long drink of mine, emptying the glass, needing to soothe my dry throat, and trying to forget that dance we’d shared.
“Gia’s still missing,” Leo observed.
“You don’t think she’s—” My voice dropped off when I realized what I was going to ask—was she hooking up with Silas somewhere?
I’d seen those two interact enough to know the inevitable result would be him throwing her up against a wall and having his way with her. Silas was so arrogant, so cocky, I had a feeling he’d know not only how to handle Gia, but how to show her a good time.
Leo’s brow raised. “What were you going to say?”
I flushed, and before I could respond, I saw Gia moving across the room toward us. Her cheeks were pink, and if I wasn’t mistaken, her lips were slightly swollen. She’d reapplied her makeup, though, so it was hard to tell.
She offered us a bright smile as she sat down. I wanted to ask her what she was doing, but I couldn’t in front of her brother.
“Where were you?” Leo asked, his gaze steady on her.
Gia smoothed her dress. “I was just checking on things.”
“Anything we can use?” I asked her, wanting to give her an out.
After a quick look at Leo, she said, “We can talk about it later.”
Leo’s lips quirked. “So, I can’t know about the secret workings of Happily Ever Afters?”
