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Luca sighs, seemingly unable to find a grain of truth in the lie.
“Nico, now that’s my left foot. Please, cut it out. You’re dirtying my favorite loafers.” He reaches for his drink, almost knocking the small row of candles from the table.
“Whoa, watch out for the open flames, Luca.” I smirk. “Or you may loseanotherpatch of hair.”
“You told her?” Luca whips his head to Avery, who grins into her water and shrugs.
Nico laughs. “Lily Rodin, firefighter extraordinaire.”
Luca’s eyebrows furrow. “What?”
“Just predicting how this week will end if you keep testing out your new paternal side on us,” Nico says.
“Thisweek—” Luca starts.
“Hey, come on, let’s be civilized,” Avery sings. “We all have to be on our best behavior for the game.”
“What game?” All three of us say in unison.
“I signed us up to compete.” She points to the podium behind me.
Chairs are set on a large wooden stage, each corner lit with flaming fire pits. An oversized, vivid-green arch of plant life completes the ensemble. The windows behind the stage are pitch-black.
“What are we playing?” I look toward Nico for an answer, but he shakes his head.
People clamor their way toward the big stage.
“The Newlywed Game.” Avery’s voice is confident and bright despite the ridiculousness of what she just said.
I narrow my gaze at her. “I think I forgot to attend my own wedding.”
Staying at this all-inclusive resort makes me miss the luxury of ourprivateLondon apartment. The only person I had to entertain was the tattooed man sitting next to me, and our games were far more fun than whatever this could be.
“Oh, stop. It’s for a chance for the four of us to win a private yoga session with an expert.” Avery grins at Luca, whose stern, fatherly facade has vanished and is now replaced with a boyish grin sweet enough to be considered charming.
The man is an enigma.
“Don’t these games ruin relationships?” I point out. “One wrong answer, and suddenly you’re wondering if the person beside you is the same one you married.”
“Grim, Rodin,verygrim.” Nico kicks me beneath the table. His cheeks are sucked in like he is trying hard to suppress a smile.
It’s true.
“I’d be ready to stake a bet that at least one couple leaves the stage in an argument,” I say. The look in Luca and Avery’s eyes is enough to tell me I shouldn’t have brought it up. “Never mind.”
If there’s one thing that gets theactualnewlyweds at our table going, it’s a betting game.
“We know everything about each other.” Luca wraps his arm around my best friend’s waist, pulling one of her hands to his lips. “Don’t we,cariño?”
“We’re definitely going to win the yoga session with Davide Benne.” She beams, her head bobbing up and down in excitement. “Now come on, you two. Be good sports.”
“TheDavide Benne?” Luca rises out of his seat so quickly that he almost drags the tablecloth with him, and Avery furiously nods.
Her face might actually fly off.
“Who?” Nico and I ask at the same time.
“Only the best online yogi. Luca watches him all the time.” Ave rocks on her wedged platforms. “He’s got a bit of a man crush.”
