AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But maybe it’ll relieve everyone’s stress.”
I watched Eva think that over. Maybe the Perez team had to go. It was never too late to sell it and recoup some of our money. But would Rafe ever agree to it? I highly doubted it, at least not now. But if the team put his marriage in jeopardy and his health, would he reconsider?
“I don’t know if he’d sell.”
“Well, let’s keep communication open about this. And it’s between me and you,” I said, watching Catia splash all the boys, including my unimpressed brother. Catia then focused her attention on Devin, who had just wandered out with a newspaper. She wanted him to get into the pool with her. Catia had a game she liked to play. The game consisted of two teams, each team trying to keep a ball away from the other team for a long as possible. There was no scoring system, and the point was to settle scores with people who had wronged you by making their lives as difficult as possible. Drowning was not permitted. A Maria Morelli rule. But throwing the ball at someone’s head and attempted drowningswerepermitted, as long as Mom wasn’t watching.
The previous year Rafe had almost poked my eye out, while Catia tried to drown her nephew Stefano. I watched as Catia explained the game to Devin. He was nodding and pointing at me.
“Luna, Devin says he won’t play unless you play,” Catia screamed across to me.
“I’ll only play if he and I are on opposite teams,” I called back.
He nodded in agreement, and I made the next hour a living hell for him. The moment we were in the water, I went after him, and I had the advantage of knowing the rules. It didn’t take him long to discover the object of the game. Fortunately for him, he was a good swimmer and managed to elude me, and he also had excellent control of the ball. When I caught him, I’d wrap myself around his back and pinch his nose. Catia found it hilarious as she attempted to do the same to Rafe.
“This is a bloody workout,” Devin said with exasperation as he tried unsuccessfully to dislodge me.
“I want you to work for it. This is revenge for drinking my slush.”
He laughed, losing his concentration. We both went under the water, and he was able to swim away. Rafe passed him the ball as my brother attempted to free himself from Tony’s niece Carla. Carla had always been interested in Rafe. Before he’d married Eva, Carla would visit each time Rafe was in town, but even though they were nearly the same age, she’d never been able to capture his attention.
I went after Devin again. He quickly passed the ball to Tony just as I caught up to him. Once again I was all over him and he finally gave up.
“I hate that game,” Mom said as I climbed out of the water.
I ignored her and sat on a nearby lawn chair. Catia was following Devin around the yard as he took some fruit from one of the tables Rosa had set up for the occasion. I knew my little sister had a secret crush on Devin and I found it adorable. I suspected Devin knew it too and played it for all it was worth. As difficult as it was for him to relate to young people, he had no problem dealing with an enamored little girl, probably because their maturity levels were the same.
ChapterTwenty-Three
Devin
Everyone had gone to bed after a long day of sun, food, and activity. If we weren’t playing that awful pool game, we were playing bocce or soccer. Maria Morelli had the entire day packed with no time for rest. Also no time for me to check my phone. The investigator I’d hired on Enzo’s recommendation had sent a few texts, and I hadn’t had any time to read them without someone peering over my shoulder. But now with my cup of tea, I sat on the porch with the light on the dimmest setting possible, and pulled out my phone.
Still no leads. It’s possible the man was hired by Blake Carlton. Still working on my contacts.
Keep looking. I need to make sure he’s behind this.
Could it be anyone else?
Pretty sure it’s him.
I’d even given him permission to talk to my parents and Natalie. That had prompted a telephone call from Mum to tell me she didn’t trust my PI and that he was asking too many questions. I tried to tell her that was the point, but Mum wasn’t getting it.
“Why did you hire a PI anyway?” she’d asked when I’d called to tell her. “What a waste of money.”
“I need to know what this guy wants.”
“But why? I don’t understand. If you’re so worried about Paige, maybe you should beat whoever this is to the punch, and make it public.”
I couldn’t make it public. It wasn’t fair to Paige, and the scandal would devastate Luna. I’d nearly lost her during the fight about Charlotte Simpson. This secret could drive her from me for good.
The door quietly opened and closed, and Maria came out onto the porch. She was still in the blue summer dress she’d had on earlier this evening. For a woman in her fifties, she was smoking hot. I could see where Luna got it from.
“I thought I saw the lights on out here. Couldn’t sleep?” she asked with a tight smile.
“Yes. I thought I’d sit out here and relax with some chamomile tea.”
Her forced smile didn’t falter as she took one of the patio seats across me. Could I chug the hot tea and claim I was suddenly sleepy? And risk burning my throat and mouth? It was a risk worth considering.
