a plate. “If you need anything, you only have to ask.”
“Actually, I was hoping you might take me to Maurice’s grave.” I hadn’t attended the funeral. I couldn’t.
“Of course. Just say when.”
“Thank you.” A smile traced my lips. “How’s your father?”
“He’s finding being on bed rest hard. I think Genevieve is ready to throw in the towel.”
“She loves him.” Ari gazed up at him. “She’ll stick by him because that’s what you do when you lov—gosh, me and my big mouth.”
“You don’t need to do that, babe. It’s okay. I’m okay.”
I didn’t ask about Enzo. It was dangerous territory for me. But I knew he had left Verona since Antonio was home.
I locked down my unresolved feelings about him and tried to force down some pancakes.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to stay here, just a few more days.”
“Actually,” Ari said, laying her hand on Nicco’s hand. “We’ve been talking, and we’d like you to move in here.”
“Ari, that’s kind and all, but I can’t—”
“Hear me out,” she added. “We don’t mean live with us, but there’s an apartment up for rent right down the hall.”
“There is?”
She nodded. “It’s only a one bed but we checked it out and think it would be per—”
“Yes,” I rushed out, relief seeping into me. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, I would actually love that.” I wasn’t sure I could return to La Stella without Maurice. It would be a permanent reminder of what had happened. Not to mention that I wasn’t ready to see Luca. He’d been texting me, but it was still too raw. Part of me was relieved to discover he was moving back to Pawtucket.
Nicco had filled me in on the truth; explained how Vinnie blackmailed Luca to do his bidding. But it didn’t diminish the fact that he’d drugged and kidnapped me. I could forgive eventually, but I would never ever forget.
“Of course. We’ll take care of everything. You can stay here until it’s ready.”
“Thank you.”
“We just want you to be happy, Nor, and to feel safe.”
“I’ll get there.” Heartache wasn’t something you could get over. You had to feel it, embrace it. You had to go through it to get to the other side. But every day, I was beginning to feel a little more of the old me push to the surface. I was a fighter. A survivor. And I would get through this. A sense of resolve washed over me, and I tipped my head to the ceiling, inhaling deeply.
I was going to be okay.
My heart would forever carry the scars of Enzo, but it was slowly piecing itself back together. Because I was resilient.
I was strong.
And I would get through this.
It was Saturday night and Matteo and Alessia had come over to hang out at the apartment. The rental wasn’t going to be ready for another week, so I planned to stay with Nicco and Ari until it was.
“Don’t start without me,” I said, getting up. “I need to pee and then I’m going to make a fresh bowl of popcorn.”
We were halfway through a movie marathon, and surprisingly, I was having fun. It was the first day I felt like myself. My cheeks hurt from all the laughter and smiling but it felt so damn good.
It didn’t stop the hole in my heart aching, but I was here and I was okay, and that was enough.
It had to be.
After washing my hands, I dried them on the towel and slipped back into the hall, but the low rumble of hushed voices gave me pause.
“Should tell her.”
“No, she’s been doing better. Knowing will only confuse her,” Ari said.
“I think she should know,” Alessia added. “She’s in love with him. It isn’t fair to keep it—”
“Keep what from me?” I stepped into the room taking the air with me.
“Fuck,” Matteo grumbled, while Arianne looked as guilty as sin.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Enzo isn’t—”
“Matt!” Nicco shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, Nora. It won’t change anything, and Ari is right, you’ve been doing so well. Don’t let—”
“Will someone please just tell me what’s going on?”
“Enzo didn’t leave,” Sia blurted out.
Nicco buried his face in his hand with a heavy groan.
“Guess the cat’s out of the bag.” Matteo smiled weakly.
“What do you mean, he didn’t leave? He said—”
“We know, Nor.” Arianne stood up and came to me. “But he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t leave.”
“W-why couldn’t he do it?”
“Why do you think?”
Pain lashed my insides. “Where is he then?” I cried. Because he hadn’t been around and no