na'

he room. My head felt heavy, not from alcohol-I barely drank-but from exhaust

ry of my new life. The villa was eerily quiet. No rushed footsteps, no distant voices

ding downstairs. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air,

greeted me warmly, placing a

oice was hoarse from sle

left early for a short getaw

rring my coff

d slightly. "He just woke up.

had downed drink after drink last night,

etted it, but because of the way Luca had acted aft

eakfast. But just as I took my first sip o

u

lack T-shirt hung loosely over his broad frame, and his sweatpants rested low on his hips.

econd. His expressio

I mumbled,

ridge, twisted off the cap, and took a

t the casual quest

. "I'd imagine. You had

ing my fork. "It w

me with the same unreadable gaze he always had

little too hard. "What's

ugged. "Just maki

er observation-you had fun last nigh

jaw tig

n, excused herself, leaving

ng to say som

orget it. I don't want to start my m

efore I could lea

t waste your

back. "Ex

of his water, eyes locked o

"And what exactly

counter and walked past me, brushing against my should

g down the hall, he murmured,

hless, as his words

was that sup

unusually quiet, except for the distant hum of staff going about their morning routines. She stretched,

d in her hand. Dante. A small smile tugged at her

he greet

hrough, smooth and warm. "I was just t

cking a loose strand of hair behin

oked stunning

nks, though I think most of

u-" Dante let out a dramatic

ck. Before she could respond, Dante continued, "I was thinking... how

. "That sounds ni

l pick you

rfe

ted behind her. Across the hall, Luca's door was slightly ajar. He hadn't planned to eaves

spoke to Dante, the way she agreed so easily to a date. His jaw tensed slightly. He hadn't expected to

he said

rself as she finally stepped into h

e and returned to his book,

a's

k he wasn't reading. The words blurred together, his focus splintered by the

en

door. Then, a faint vibration-a phone call. He didn't

not

nt

ightly around the book as her voice car

sual. It was different from how she spoke

grip

aw ti

He should focus on somet

od. Last nigh

e he was done reading, but bec

ink most of the cred

tically hear

ly, dragging a ha

? He p

o reason

ely no

he way, she laughed at whatever nonsense Dante was feeding her. It wasn'

settled in his chest,

said before t

staring at the ceiling. The hallway we

hy he was still

ng-Luca pushed off the bed, grabbed his keys,

na'

ugh hangers with a sigh. Dresses, skirts, je

oward the window just in time to see Luca's car rolli

was he

ekends unless it was for something import

on it, my phone buz

iping to answ

er voice was warm, a little breathl

tting on the edge of m

wanted to check in. He's right here-

heerful voice came through the speak

"I'm your

orite." His chuckle was genuine. "H

tted. "Everyone seeme

d to hea

re Alessandro laughed and spoke again. "We'll call ag

Talk

d, leaving me

inally pulling out a white fitted top and a soft beige skir

atically reached for my phone again. A quic

new it, I was

Bus

d anyway, scrolling past picture after picture. Parties. Private yachts. Lux

eyes but kep

I sto

stood out fr

No parties, no girls, no ex

oosely over them. The sunset painted golden hues over his skin. He wasn't posing-whoever had taken the pic

ed... p

a

uti

ath hi

him like this. Without the arro

n realized it-I

urned red. My ow

ing at the sc

id I j

a's

e a destinat

st d

ts spiral. Windows down, the wind cut through my hair, cool against m

nd. One minute, I could barely stand to look at her; the next, I was aware of ever

s supposed to attend. That was the next phase of my life, the o

infur

a place I hadn't visited in a while. A secluded lake, hidden away

t sat there, resting my arms on the steering wheel, star

clarity fel

om my pocket. I hadn't spoken to my dad in a fe

ird ring. "Luca! It's

oice more casual than I

oon. How's everything? The

"Yeah. Same

Ele

ed slightly.

r a while ago, I'm g

idn't last long-just the usual updates. When we hung up, I exhaled heavily an

son liked

row

hoto. A photo

been scrolling

ared at the notification. Something flicke

ea what to

na'

one onto the b

liked Luc

cture. A pictur

hat was I even doing scrolling through his prof

probably won

f the thought. I had more i

my

top, a soft beige skirt, and my leather jack

y hair, and decided to style it differently. Instead of my usual look, I

uite

at my r

for my lip gloss

I'm o

n nothing but kind, charming, and easy to be

ag and made my

in the hallway. When she looked up,

enissim

oftly. "Graz

aiting beside his car, leaning against th

s eyes flickered with so

he said, his voice sm

d. "Tha

o my cheek before opening the car door fo

I leaned back, already look

a's

I saw a car roll

t a proper glimpse,

en

her

ey'd be gone before I got back, out of sight, out of mind-

d into the driveway, par

inst

sita

ter of it, I eased my foot off the

t too obvious. Ju

what the hel

reason, I c

na'

occasional laughter. Dante was easy to talk to, and I appreciated how h

Italy was undeniably beautiful-the kind of beauty that felt effortless. It wasn't just the architecture or the way the warm sun

id, pulling into a sma

gold against a dark wooden board. The entrance was framed by lush gr

unbuckled his seatbe

h a teasing smirk.

my side, opening the door and offering me his hand. His old-school chivalry

I said, adjus

" he replie

ce in a golden hue. The air carried the comforting scent of freshly baked bread, olive oil, and something ri

a warm smile. "Buonasera.

Crastle," Da

right t

led through, casting a gentle glow over the table, making the moment feel surreal. The table itself was

my chair before

ints?" he as

d. "Mayb

zed I had no idea what half of them were. I scanned the descriptions, picking someth

k our menus, we sett

arms on the table. "Are you liking Italy,

"I'm liking it. Mo

water in his hand. "Good. I'd hat

d expected to feel miserable here, constantly longing

ect, but it wa

" I admitted. "It's a lot, you know?

oice was sincere. "But at

. "You a

Ah, right. Can

dhood, how he grew up in a family that traveled a lot, and how he fell in love with soccer. I fo

wn life-stories about California, my dad

a while, I wasn't ov

rrying abou

thinking

. here. And

a's

ed Dante's car pull up in front of Luce e Vino. The moment he stepped out a

the kid had taste. Luce e Vino wasn't just any restaurant. It was upscale y

what this

. Even from a distance, I could see how effortlessly beautiful she looked. There was something a

the large windows, seated in a cubicle bathed in soft golden light. The city's glow illumina

y seat, jaw tightening

s smilin

ing a hand down my face.

exist when I wasn't being outright dismissive. And yet, here she was-coo

t lost

knew behind and move across the

rsed. If I were suddenly dropped into an unfamiliar cou

ipping the s

ance from her. I told myself from

t least stop making

sitting across from them, and making an effort-talk

I shook

wasn't

es, and we'd barely see each other again. W

aled sharply, started my