Ubert, gather the men. Get the security footage. We need to know what direction she went in. Check her apartment. Check the rec center. Check the—”
I can’t take it anymore. The pain in his voice is too much. He’s all choked up, like I really mean something to him. But I feel pretty guilty, because I wanted him to tell me how he felt, not trick him into it. I wish I’d never agreed to this. The confidence I felt just moments before drains away.
I push open the pantry door and, trying for a joke, go, “Ta-da!”
Alda is immediately in hysterics. She clutches her hand to her belly, laughing like a crazy woman. Tears gleam in her eyes as she points a finger at her son. “Your face!” she cries. “Oh, my son, the romantic!”
A flicker moves across Carlo’s expression. Alda has played tricks like this before, I’m guessing, because he doesn’t look surprised. Only pissed.
“Great,” he sighs. “Fucking great.”
“Oh, don’t be a baby,” Alda scolds.
Carlo and Ubert leave. Carlo doesn’t even look at me, but I don’t want to leave things like this. For what feels like the hundredth time, I go after him.
I follow him up the stairs to the library, where he has a heavy historical volume open. “Looks like a riveting read,” I mutter.
He turns slowly. “A history of the Roman Empire,” he says, still not looking at me. His blue-green eyes dance from the shelves to the floor to the golden globe.
“That wasn’t my idea, you know.” I move close to him. Something has changed between us. I can’t get his expression, from when he thought I was gone, out of my head. It was pure panic, like somebody’d told him he was going to lose a leg. A part of himself. “But … well … I am glad to know how you feel, at last.”
“What?” he grunts, finally looking into my eyes. “Worried because if you went out there, the Irish would be sure to make a move on you?”
I shake my head, annoyed. Even now, with the evidence clear as fucking day, he wants to play games. “Sure, Carlo,” I sigh. “Whatever you say.”
“Hey.” He grabs my wrist. Tingles dance up my arm. His lips press against mine, our first kiss in a day, and quickly, we’re melting into each other. I grab onto his suit jacket. I feel the knotted vines of his arms and caress the bulging mass of his biceps. “I’m glad you didn’t run away,” he whispers, holding his lips close to mine. Fuck, I love that feeling. “Is that what you want to hear?” He pauses. “What is it? Why are you smiling like that?”
It’s true. I’m positively beaming.
“Because I just thought of a way we can get Alda back. I mean, it’s immature. Downright childish, really. But, y’know, it could be funny.”
There’s a moment there, when I say y’know, that Carlo pauses. It’s like the phrase reminds him of something. But it passes so fast I wonder if I’ve imagined it. Then he’s grinning boyishly.
“What did you have in mind?”
Maybe this isn’t the grand fireworks display I was hoping for. Maybe he’s trying to pretend that his panic levels weren’t a thousand when he thought I was gone. But for now, his taste still on my lips, and his smile making me smile even wider, is enough.
“There’s no hiding from it now,” Alda says as the staff brings out the starters. I’m still getting used to the staff, always hovering, almost invisible. I’ve gotten friendly with a couple of them, but mostly they seem uncomfortable if I try to talk to them. “My son is a budding Casanova. I do believe he is in love!”
“Mother,” Carlo mutters. I don’t think he has to fake the discomfort he’s feeling. “You’ve had your moment. Surely you can let it go now.”
Emily giggles, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I missed this,” she says. “I wish you’d recorded it, Mom.”
“Oh, now there’s an idea!”
“You’re hating this,” Emily said, smiling at Carlo.
“How could you tell?” Carlo grimaces.
“Is it worse than the Pillow Incident?”
“Ooh, sounds interesting,” I say. “What’s the Pillow Incident?”
Carlo groans. So this is what it’s like to be part of a normal family. It’s even more obvious now than it was during our last dinner, because that time Carlo was making full use of his jerkiest persona. Now, he’s relaxed a little, though I sense some reluctance. Like he has to still keep his distance. Like he’s making a