headed back toward where Ari and Nicco were chatting with Isaac.
“You and me, Abato.” Matteo crooked his finger. “Let’s go.”
He moved with ease, dancing literal circles around me. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen Matteo Bellatoni strut his stuff and I soon found myself laughing along with him, letting him spin and twirl me until my feet burned and my cheeks hurt from all the smiling.
Of course, the DJ had to go and ruin it by switching to a slow song, but it didn’t deter Matteo. He pulled me into his arms as if we were old friends. “How are you doing really?”
I eased back to meet his eyes. “I’m okay. Have you… have you spoken to him?”
I hated myself for asking, but I couldn’t be anyone except the girl desperately concerned about a boy, no matter how hard she tried not to be.
Only Enzo wasn’t a boy. He was a complicated, tortured soul. One that would drift into darker seas if he didn’t have an anchor to guide him back to safer shores.
“He texted.”
“He did?” Hope burrowed itself into my chest. “Is he okay? When will he be coming back? What did he say?”
“Whoa there, Nor. He’s okay.” His smile fell a little. “The rest… I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
Matteo slid a hand up my spine, holding me tighter as he rocked us to the sultry beat. “Enzo needs to work through some things.”
“He lost his father, of course he’s going to need time.”
He tensed. It was only for a second, but I felt it all the same. “Matt?” My brows pinched. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Let me enjoy this. It’s been a while since I danced with a girl who wasn’t my sister or cousin. You know, no one wants E to pull his head out of his ass and see what’s right in front of him more than me.”
“But?”
“I don’t want you to be disappointed when it doesn’t happen.”
“You think I should move on.” The words burned through me.
“I think… ah, fuck, Nor. I don’t know what I think. Enzo needs someone like you. Strong willed, beautiful, so fucking smart.”
“Easy there, I might start to think this is your attempt at seducing me.”
“I know when to hedge my bets, and something tells me you, Nora Abato, would eat me alive in the sack.” A playful smirk graced his rugged face.
“Want to know a secret?” He nodded and I added, “You’re probably right.”
The song faded out, the next one dropping a heavier beat. Matteo released me and ran a hand through his hair. He’d garnered quite the audience, girls standing in the wings, waiting to swoop in and bag themselves a bad boy with so much charm and swagger it practically oozed from his pores. But Matteo was a bad boy with a big heart. And I didn’t doubt that one day, he would fall headfirst in love.
But it wasn’t like that between us. I saw him as nothing more than a goofy older brother or cousin.
“Luca seems like a good guy. If you want to give him a chance, he gets my seal of approval.”
“Didn’t know I needed it, but thanks.” I chuckled, trying to disguise the flash of hurt lancing my chest. Arianne had told me to move on, to not spend time waiting for Enzo to come around. But hearing it from his cousin, one of his best friends—and a guy I thought was rooting for me—well, it made my stomach sink into my toes.
Matteo thought Enzo was a lost cause too. I wanted to argue the point, but I knew these Marchetti men and it would be pointless.
Everyone had given up on there ever being an ‘us.’
“Hey,” Matteo added as we walked back to the others. “This is a good thing. Now you can give Luca a chance.” He squeezed my shoulder in reassurance, but he might as well have been plunging a dagger in my heart.
Of all the people aware of mine and Enzo’s short-lived relationship, I thought I could count on Matteo to fight with me.
But I guess he wasn’t a gambling man, after all.
That or the odds were simply too stacked against me, and nobody liked betting on the losing team.
“I had fuuuun tonight.” I laid my head on Ari’s shoulder as we waited for Luis to bring around their car.
“You’re drunk.” She eyed me with concern.
“Only a little bit. We should do this again, every month. Or every other weekend. I miss you, babe. I