Page 14 of From Rome, With Hate
“Perfectly.” I grin, tilting my head to the side. “Luca is sound asleep in his car seat.”
“Car seat? Are you going somewhere?”
“No,” I chuckle. “But he was fussy earlier. I tried everything. Fed him, changed him, rocked him in my arms. Nothing worked until I put him in his car seat. That seems to have done the trick.”
“Hmm,” Charleigh hums. I picture her smiling. “Sounds like his tastes are as picky and particular as his parents’.”
“Yep.” I laugh. “How’s Santorini? Are you and Asher enjoying yourselves?”
“Yes, and it’s gorgeous,” she gushes. “Santorini is absolutely gorgeous, Jules. The plant life surrounding the whitewash buildings is breathtaking.”
Plants and flowers would be the first thing Charleigh mentions.
“We’re spending the day on the beach and then heading to a room we booked in the village of Oia. They say the sunset viewsfrom there are incredible. I’m pretty sure Asher will never want to go back to New York after today.”
“Who could blame him?” I mutter, sitting up with a sigh.
“I already thought he was insane for booking an entire month for our honeymoon. A month traveling all around Europe sounded exhausting and a little over the top. But now that it’s been two weeks, and we’re already halfway through it, I’m glad he convinced me. The only difficult part is being away from my flower shops. Especially with Selene being on maternity leave.”
“If you want, I can stop by your shops tomorrow to check on them.”
“It’s okay. My staff is sending updates at the end of every day, and Asher would kill me if he even got the slightest inkling I’m micromanaging them from here.”
I laugh again, blowing a raspberry between my lips. “Asher’s one to talk. He’s the one you caught emailing a client the other day when you were about to go snorkeling.”
“You’re right.” She laughs again, then we sit in silence for a few seconds. “How are you doing?” she eventually asks.
“Fine.” I immediately regret the word the second it falls from my mouth. It’s a well-known fact the word fine in our friend group means we’re anything but fine.
I haven’t stopped thinking about Rome and how he seems to pop up everywhere. Just when I think he’s disappeared for good, he’s standing in front of me with that arrogant expression I’m certain he was born with.
Rome is a terrible disruption, even when I don’t expect him to be.
And being here with Luca isn’t helping distract me the way I’d hoped. To no fault of his own, considering he’s only about six weeks old, he’s only making it worse.
Irritation bubbles inside me, knowing this is exactly what Rome wants. To torture me.
“You’re lying, Jules.”
“It’s stupid.” I wave her off even though she can’t see me, still eyeing my gorgeous innocent nephew, sound asleep.
“Nothing going on in your life is stupid.”
I snort. “You’re assuming I have a life.”
“There it is!” Charleigh shrieks into the phone. “That’s it!”
“What is?”
“That…” Her voice levels, quickly replaced with worry and concern. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.” I sigh. The irritation I feel for Rome turns to a heavy weight, dragging me down, as if a rope is wrapped tightly around my ankle, with a concrete brick tied to the other end. “I don’t know. I guess I just feel like a lot has changed this past year. I’m incredibly happy for everyone, but it’s all just happening so fast. You and Asher are married. London and West are making up for all their lost years apart. Selene and my brother are marriedwiththe most beautiful boy to ever exist. And I’m just…” I allow my words to fade with the rest of my thoughts. I can’t say much more. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t tell Charleigh over the phone.
My secrets will forever remain my secrets. I don’t have a choice.
“Like I said, it doesn’t matter, anyway,” I continue. “Life moves on. I have my health, my job, my charity work. I also have shopping.” I laugh, hoping to lighten the mood. I never have told her about the debt Rome continues to hang over my head.
“It’s been a while since we’ve talked about men,” she teases. “Have you been dating anyone or even… you know…”
