“He called over yesterday to ask me what kind of ring you would want.” I stare at her. horrified.||
“And he’s going to go all out with a grand proposal, and I just want you to be excited when he does it, you know? The walls begins to close in around mor
“Russel is a great guy, Vialet. She takes my hand across the table
My eyes well will tears. “Why would he want to get married?“||
Because he
“Because he loves you and you’ve been together for two years now. You guys are great together.“||
“And you told me because
“Because I knew you would read like this and I wanted it to be to me and not him. He doesn’t deserve to see your face fall“]
Sheer terror begins to rais rampant through my body. I don’t want to get married. Deb
“Why not?“]
Her silhouette blurs and get a lump in my thrust, unable to articulate myself.||
is a great guy.” she tells me ||
“I know he is.”
“And you two have great chemistry, and the sex is great.“]
*I know.“]
“And he loves you and he’s great with the kids. Remember how incredible he was when buddy died?” I put my head into my hands
“You should be jumping from the rooftops in excitement ||
I should”
The only reason I told y
1 is because deep down. I knew y
you wouldn’t be ”
“How?” I ask
“What?”
“How did you know I wouldn’t be excited?”
She stares at me for a beat. “I watch the two of you together and it’s obvious that his affection is greater than yours is commitment to the relationship is stronger than yours. He’s one hundred percent all in, and you’re just not ”
“I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me.” I whisper. “Russel is my dream guy, everything about him is perfect. But My voice traits off.
“He’s not him.”
“This has nothing to do with Gabriel,” I snap, annoyed ||
the snaps back. “I think it does. I think you’re still hopelessly in love with Gabriel Ferrars, and no man, no matter how perfect he is will ever live up
“That’s complete bullshit. 1 havre, 1 thought of Gabriel in years.[]
Vandet ” the spierzet my
u learn to love what’s good for you.“]
(good for you” the gives me a sad smile. “He loves you.“]
“If you don’t love him enough to marry him, you need to stop being selfish and let him gia that he can find someone else
screw up my face in tears. “I don’t want to lose him.“]
“Then don’t.” she smiles. “Marry him, be happy. Because that’s what you deserve. A man that worships the ground you walk on.”
The thought of marrying Russel rolls my stomach, in fact the thought of marrying anyone rolls my stomach
“Please, Violet. Think on this, don’t mess up a perfect relationship because you’re scared.”
Tm not scared, Dels, that isn’t 31-
“What is it, then7“]
“The reality is sadness fills me to say this out loud.. something is missing with us.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. If I knew, I would fix it“||
Gabriel
I slide the king into place, “Checkmate.” Mark rolls his eyes||
“Beating you is becoming borang.” I sigh-
* only play with you because you pay me to,” he replies dryly.||
I chuckle and sip my soch
“Why are we playing chess on a Saturday night, anyway?” he asks.||
My eyes roam over to the wall of windows and the twinkling New York lights way down below. “I don’t know.” 1 stp my scotch. “Do you ever get the feeling that there is something missing?”|||
“How so?”
I don’t know, I have everything_and yet.“[]
“If you want something more when you live the life you do, then the rest of us mere mortals are screwed,” he replies
1 sip my drink again as 1 drift into deep thought. “Maybe 1 should get married.”
“Maybe.” He shruga “Ariana is “Perfect” I cut him off.||
he nods.
We start a new game of chess as we both fall into our own thoughts. I always thought when I met the one, 1 would be chomping at the bit to make it legal,” I say as I think out loud
“Not sure if ever get married, to be honest,” Mark replies [
“I want children.”
“You need children to pass all this crap down to the gestures around my apartment
For the record, my eighty million dollar penthouse is not crap.-]]
He chuckles but does it make you happy?‘“]]
“My eyes roam around the penthouse. “Doesn’t appear to.“]
– you poing to marry Ariana?”
vho are you going to marry dien, if not her?“]
“I dont know Ariana is beautiful and adoring Italian and everything I should want. We’ve been together for over a year and I do love her.1
“But you’re not in love with her?”
“Maybe I’m incapable of it.”
“Probably.” He thinks for a moment. “You owe me five hundred bucks.“]
“Thonet being your therapist for free, you know
what solution have you green wr, you just bid for incapable of love,” 1 The back. “And since when did pour price rise?” He chuckles, “The truth is costly:“[]
silk into my apartment just on six and see rose petals scattered up the
What the hell is this?||
“Arvina““Trall confused. As I keep walking, tone rose petals. “Aitana“” Ears fhr runner and see a huge love heart on the floor made of rose petals with flickering candies and music and Ariana is on one knee||
i love you.” She smiles up at me. “I know your’er supponent to be the sime to ask, but Fran’t wait any longer.” No.||
mry me. Gabriel?” she asks hopefully as she looks up at me.[]
~Will you marry nie.
My heart sinks. The very last thing I want to do is hurt this beautiful womans []
“Tlove you sa naich,” she whispers through tears. “Make ine the happiest woman alive and become my husband.“||
And this is it, the moment where I have to choose what I kume is good for me, I drop to my knees in front of her, torn between begging for forgiveness that she his is put up with me and the need to run as far away as I physically can. “Yes.” I softly kiss ber j
you.”
Seven years to the day after Violet let Ferrara Media |||
glance up at the sign hanging over the door
ELLVEN
MADISONFARK
1 push through the door and walk right on–in. “Good afternoon, Mr. Ferrara, your table is this way, sir.” The waller nods with a smile]
“Thank you.” I follow him through the restaurant and see my brother Alessio sitting with my mother at her regular table by the window]
she breaks into a broad smile as she sees mr.
“Maina ” I kiss her two cheeks
1140, mio caro Gabriel” (“Hello, my darling Gabriel.“) She sandles ||
“Alex” 1 pat my brother on the shoulder before sitting at the table
me a glass of wine and passes it over. “Glad you’re liere, Moon can lecture you now.” He raises his wineglass before taking a huge gulp-|||
šty eyes Tick up to my mother. The surrede, mamma? Qualcosa non va?” (“What’s wrong, Manu?“)|||
canceled his date with Arabella” Shur scowl
okyover at mir, deadjuan, and I chuckle ||
like Arabella so much, you should date her yourself,” he replies dryly||
uitimer woman,” she replies.
“abriel is married.”)
“Not yet” i roll my eyes. “Calm down “1
în live weeks, so same thing.|||
“There’s still time to run.” Alessio smirks as he raises his glass to me.
amile and then drop try far inmediately
My mother’s main mission in life is to marry off her children, she’s being set with harsh resistant on all retents:]
1 open the menu, peruse the choices and roll my eyes. “Why do we always come here. I hate vegan food.“||
“And yet you always eat everything on your plate,” Moms replies.|||
“Twant meat” 1 sigh ||
“When you are married, you will want for nothing ”
Ugh. I gulp my wine too. Alessio’s mood is rubbing off on me.||
Nagging is her favorite sport.
“Where is Carina?” I ask.
“Your sister had an appointment:“||
“What did you say to Arabella?” Mother asks Alessin ||
I glance over and see a familiar face, what was his name. I watch him for a moment as I try to place him. Rodney
He worked for me back when Grace was here.]
I wonder.
to him at the har
Chapter 36
Gabriel]
He stands to go to the bar, and before I can stop myself, I stand ino. Torno tra un attimo.” (“hack in a moment“) 1 stride over and stand next to “Rodney,” I smile.
His face falls before he catches it, and I roll my lips to hide my smirk.]]
Soft cock
“Mr. Terrara,” he stammers nervously. “HL“]
“Hello.” I reply. “How are yo
“Good, and you?]
Tim great“]
are you?“]
The bartender walks over. “What will it be?”
“Let me buy you a drink, Rodney.”
“Oh, I couldn’t.
*I Insist.” I smile as I sit down on the barstool “Two Blue Label scotches, please?”
Rodney’s eyes widen at my order. Tve got to go back in work.”
“This will make it more fun, then, won’t it.” I point to the stool beside
He nervously falls onto the stool beside me ||
“The way we parted, it was nothing personal, you know that, right?” “Yes.” He nods. “It was a bad time for me.” I nod. “Where are you working now?” I ask him)
“Ahhh…” He hesitates
“Miles Media” My eyes hold his. “Am I right?“||
“Ah well.“]
“Relax, it’s fine.” I smile. “They are lucky to have you.”
Thanks“]
The water puts the two scotches on the har in front of us. “Thank you.” I pick mine up and lift it to my lips, ahh, perfection]
Rodney sips his and winces. “Strong”
I smirk. “Maybe you’re just weak?“]
“No doubt about it.” He rubs his chest as he feels it go all the way down
“So. “How do I put this? “ha
“Have you seen anyone that we used to work with? 1 act casual
“No.” He shrugs. “I run into Geoffrey every now and th
now and then, he’s c
he’s still with you, obviously.“||
I nod and take another sip as I listen. “What about Miss Coleman, do you ever see her?“]}
He twists his lips. “I haven’t seen her for years.“]]
“I ran into her when she was pregnant at a trade show but haven’t seen her since.“||
My stomach drops. “She’s married?”“]
No, she did it alone. Donor spenn
we
He shrugs “I don’t know, she said that she wanted a child mod didn’t have a partors suistesided he pur shown the thinon speran romant
moved away, no that dur combá bằng np her child in the “What?
Takane at hom as ↑ hten istenily. Those puremant van she when you say.
“Heavily pregnant, like huge
“When wasthis?” |
| lang after I left work, actually. Within a yen në when she felt ”
|_ “Neah.” He showes “shocked me too, if I’m honest ||
“What was theribate““||
“I have no idea. It was “Me Downs as he thinks. “I saw her at Her Apple
When was that?
“No ides, but it was in the your wor both left, I know that because I was still living in Mandurian, Eizmendimi i tenend the warlared after the show.” Hmm. Taip my scotch as i think |||
Rodney keeps talking and 1.
mli tike not my phone and großte:||
Date of Apple convention in Vermont
The date pops up).
July
July
were together in the December of the year before||
Hmm
Weird
That’s seven mondis after we dept together, so the vean nitraily pregnant of the fine–en
“What do you think?” Rodney says I glance up, I haven’t heard a wond he’s been saying.||
“I’m sorry, I’m here with my mother. It was lovely seeing you again,” I cut him off and hold my batsid om
face falls. “Of coumur. Good to see you again “
Goodle * rch bark to my table and Edhown; my intind is paring a million miles per
he was seven months pargnant when he saw her, seven months after we spent the night together, Could Te
ordered for you,” Alesalo says ||
“Grazie “I take out my phone and text Mark||
And Vindet Loirinan||
ballet slurs, Bubba,“tra
“Where sir they?” Lury calls from upstairs ||
“They should be in your closet.” Ivall
(this peanut butter onto my plece of toast ||
her way to lock. “Theyor not
my eyes, it would have been easter to find them myself in the first place because hire
Du have to walk upstairs an
the mess she made while looking for them ||
can’t find them,” she screams, mis the edge of a meltdown. “I’ve looked everywhere“|
Ught, every Saturday it’s the same ||
Kunning around like a chicken, getting read
ready for baller claws ||
dwes
I swear someone must break into our house and hide shit to make my life difficult ||
Tim forever looking for something||
1 walk upstairs and from the corner of my eye rails sight of her twirling in my bedroom, she’s checking herself out in my full–lengili mirror, I stand and Jean against the doorframe and watch her for a moment ||
(18 slinking cute I can’t stand it.||
She’s wearing a pastel pink leotard and tum, little white stockings. Her long clark hair is up in a bun and sine is sex
“Wow,” I smile. Tabulous twirling
“Tu gening really good at thrie,” She holds her hands out all professional like!
“Tea see” I nod. “Very impressive: “||
“Maria says that I might go up to the next class next year,”
I smirk. She will go up because she’s older bat I’ll play along. “Wow, I didn’t know that, Great“||
Ik into her bedrooms and look around at the chaos, everything in out of the buttons of her wardrobe and strung all over her bedroom. “What happened in herr
“What?“]]
“The mess”
“Oh–1 was looking for the ballet shore.
“Could’t be hollered to put things back after?” troll my eyes as I begin to look for these bastard ballet slippers
*This twirling“]
1 rot my eyes as I look around her room, not in the wardrobe, not to the toybox, hot under the bed
Where are these stupid shoes?]]
“Maybe you should go barefoot today.” I call []
“No,” she cries[]
“Well, where did you put them?” “Maria must have touched them.” Ugh, she’s probably right []
Maria han
His living with her boyfriend, she’s here three days a week while I work and she still know more about our house than we do.]
I walk downstairs and text her
Hi Maria
Sorry to Beither you]
Have you seen Lucy’s ballet slippers?||
m
M: Souffles is wearing them
“Cabs for god’s sake.“||
What would we do without you?]
Thanks.
I imader back u
upstairs, and sure enough. Lucy’s giant stuffed elephant is wearing the ballet slippers. “Mr. Snuffles was wearing them,” I call.
“Oh yeah,” she calls, unruffled, “He was too.”]
“Come on, we have to hurry now. Downstairs and in the cor
Irush down the stairs and glance at the window down to the lake. The morning sun is glistening on the water.
This view will never get old ||
“In the car, please,” I call
I hold the piece of toast with my teeth as 1 collect my bags straight after ballet we have Lite League, and then this afternoon we have a birthday party. Saturdays are always jums packed with activities |
1 walk out the front door onto the large veranda and see a
car come down the driveway:[]
“In the car,” I call. “Fuck’s sake,” I muller under my breati]]
The car slops and parks at our place and I frown as t
my heart stops ||
over
Who is this? The back door open and in slow motion I see a man in a navy suit get out of the
Gabriel Ferrara.||
He walks toward me, his height towering over mine. Big brown eyes and hia perfect sepanen jaw. “Hello, Violet,” he says in his deep part of a voice.]
Emotion instantly overwhelms me and I get a lump in my throat, suddenly taken back in time to the girl he didn’t want
I always knew this day would come, but now that it’s here..I’m not ready:[]
