Chapter Thirty-One
It’s almost six o’clock when we get back to Luca’s house. Dani’s dress has arrived, and I hurry to take a shower. Of all the “dates” Luca and I have had, none has ever given me flutters before. There’s so much relief in my heart. Relief he isn’t wasting himself on Jasmine. Relief he cares about me. Relief I’m not lying to his family anymore. Or mine. I don’t know how Luca and I are going to make being on separate continents work, but tonight, I don’t care. I just want to be with him.
The Kinnaird women have brought in a beauty stylist, and the girl stops by as I’m getting ready. “Would you like me to fix your hair, miss?”
“That would be really nice, but please, you can call me Story.”
“I’m Lainey,” she says with a shy smile. “How would you like to wear your hair, miss, I mean Story?”
I pad over to the box Dani sent to see what the dress looks like. When I lift it out, we both gasp. It’s reminiscent of the white gown Audrey Hepburn wore in Sabrina, but Dani has updated it. The strapless taffeta sheath is set off by an organza overskirt that hugs the skirt and barely trails the floor. Embroidered navy flowers cascade diagonally down the skirt from the waist and flit across the overskirt, and there’s an extra band of fabric at the top of the plain bodice to give it depth. Navy elbow-length gloves in satin contrast it. I grab my phone and text her.
Dani, I could kiss you! Thank you!
She answers immediately. I’m glad you like it. I’ve been nervous all day! I want pictures!!
Promise.
“Lainey, could you put my hair up?”
“I know just the thing.” She sets to work, and when it comes time to fasten my hair, she pulls out a beautiful pearled comb.
“That’s not real, is it?”
Lainey shakes her head.
“Because you never know with this family.”
She laughs. “We’ve all been wondering what you were like. Everyone here follows the celebrity magazines for the marquess.”
“Well, there’s no telling what he’ll do next.”
Lainey smiles and places little diamond-looking pins in my hair, running from above and behind my temples to the back twist.
“I can do your makeup, too.”
“Thanks,” I say, “but I’ll do that.” Luca once told me he liked the way I did it, not plastered on in thick coats like the girls he dated for real.
When Lainey leaves, I toss my makeup on and spritz Ma Griffe across my wrists and neck and slip on the dress. Every measurement is perfect. Dani has even sent navy-embroidered white satin pumps. For the final touch, I add my diamond earrings. I gave Luca a check for them, but he hasn’t cashed it yet. I’ll fight with him about that when we get back to Rome. I take a selfie and send it to my mom. Can you believe this dress?
She texts me right back. Oh, Story, it’s perfect. Are you having fun?
Yes, everything’s been wonderful. Can’t wait to see you on Monday!I want to tell her that Luca loves me, that we’re together, but she already thinks we are.
Same. It’s so quiet without you.
I send her a bunch of heart emojis and kisses. I send the picture to Dani, too, and someone knocks on the door.
Luca is in his tux. He just stares at me for a moment.
“You cannae move a cow in that dress.”
“Thanks.”
“You look beautiful.” He checks the hallway to make sure no one is near and pushes me back into the room and kissesme.
“When we get back to Rome,” he says as he cradles me, our foreheads touching, “I don’t want to go anywhere. We’ll sit on your sofa until your mum charges me hotel fees and watch old movies and kiss every time the couple in the movie does.”
“What about when they break up? There’s always a point where they break up.”
“We can kiss then, too. And when they do something noble for each other.”
“So the whole movie?”
“If you insist,” he whispers, and kisses me again. I understand why people call it butterflies, but to me it’s like thousands of little stars, and they’re swirling through me as they light every last cell.
Adaira’s voice suddenly pops in. “Luca! Story! Come on,” she says. “Wow, you two look fabulous, but we need to be downstairs. Now.”
Luca smiles and offers me his arm.
The music room is set up as a ballroom, with white and salmon roses cascading from vases set out on tables scattered around the dance floor. A band plays classy soft pop, and Luca’s grandmother receives her guests at the doorway. Luca and I each kiss her and wish her happy birthday. She fusses over how well we look, and then we move on and I meet Luca’s sister, Lillias, and her husband. Luca’s parents tell us how nice we look and ask how the sailing went.
“Luca rescued an otter,” I say.
“He’s always loved puttering around the islands with the animals,” his mother says, looking at him lovingly.
“Well, tell us, then,” his father says, and Luca launches into the story and gets most of the way through before someone comes and interrupts to speak to his dad.
Luca introduces me to his aunts and uncles and cousins. Andrew comes in and gives me a big hug.
“Luca told you?”
“He mentioned something about you both having stopped pretending to be pretending, since you weren’t pretending. I wasn’t sure when he’d pull the trigger with her, whether it would be before you were clear of the fallout or not, but I was hoping you’d forgive him when he did. You look gorgeous.”
I smile and we say at the same time, “It’s the diamonds.”
“I cannae stand you two bampots,” Luca says. He grabs my hand and whisks me away to meet some family friends. Everyone wants to meet me, since they think I’m Luca’s latest. And, suddenly, they aren’t wrong.
“You must be starving,” Luca says when the buffet is announced. “I ate when we got back. I couldn’t wait.”
“No, I’m too happy to be able to eat.”
“Then let’s dance. I want to hold you.”
We’re on our third dance, and I’ve forgotten that anyone else exists, when Andrew comes over and pulls at Luca’s arm.
“No, Andy, you can’t dance with her. She’s mine tonight.” He snuggles me closer.
But when I look at Andrew’s face, it’s as if I’m Cinderella and midnight struck while I was still dancing with the prince. Andrew can’t even find the words.
Luca stops and shuts his eyes. “It’s out, isn’t it?” I can feel his panic as if it’s an electric pulse from his fingertips to mine.
Andrew nods. “Every tabloid is on fire with it. Rowdy, the charity, the whole shambles. Everyone here thinks you two are just a show and that you’ve been chasing Jasmine all summer, or they will in a few minutes.”
Around us, people are feverishly whispering and a few scroll their phones. Luca’s grandmother stands in the doorway watching us, bewildered. Even the band stops playing. From across the room, Luca’s parents are heading straight for us, and I’m not even sure which one of us I feel tremble.
The duke and duchess ask us to come to the library with them. “You’d better come, too, Andrew,” the duchess says. “I have a feeling you’ve been supervising all this.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
She gestures to the band to start playing. Her lilac evening gown swooshes as she leads the way out of the room while the guests stare and murmur. Luca squeezes my hand.
Luca’s dad closes the library door and strides behind the huge mahogany desk. He’s so angry, he doesn’t say anything at first, he just straightens things on the desk and then pulls up to say something but stops himself and starts the process again.
When he does speak, he aims a laser glare at his son. “It’s just one stunt after another with you. I really thought you had grown up this time. What the hell is going on?”
“This is not Story’s fault,” Luca says.
His father shuts his eyes. His whole face freezes up as if he’s using every ounce of grace he has not to lose it on us.
“Start at the beginning, Luca,” his mother instructs, as if she’s used to having to be the voice of patience in these debacles.
So Luca recounts the important parts of the fiasco. It sounds really horrible when I hear it as a play-by-play.
“Story tried to call if off when we went to Ponza, but I convinced her to stay in,” Luca says, halfway through.
“I went along with it,” I say.
“No. Involving Dani was my idea. Even Andrew tried to warn me,” Luca says quickly.
The duchess pinches the bridge of her nose. The duke bangs his fist on a shelf.
“And this wasn’t about the money for you?” the duke asks, turning to me.
“Of course, it started out about the money. But the money isn’t for me. It’s for a charity, that I don’t run or benefit from in any way, except it will be in my dad’s name. And if you don’t want Luca to give the money to them, then I understand.”
“I’ve already transferred the money,” Luca says, looking at his dad. “It’s my discretionary account, not yours. Story hasn’t wanted a dime from me for anything in all this outside of the charity, which is a really good cause.”
“Continue the story, please,” the duchess says with a dryness that could evaporate the Mediterranean.
Luca swallows and continues. Sometimes Andrew interjects, or they turn to him for confirmation. The first Duke of Dunrobin stares down with a disapproving glare.
The only part of it I can stand to hear is when Luca says, “Story has made me see I could be more than just the future Duke of Dunrobin, that I could actually make a difference in the world and still fulfill my family duties.”
His father looks at me, but he doesn’t seem pleased. “Go on,” he says.
So Luca continues. He tells them about the threats Jasmine made to reveal the whole disaster and why he thought it was still better to walk away. When he’s done, they stare at us.
“Do any of you have anything else to say for yourselves?” the duke asks, as if he’s about to sentence a gang of murderers.
“I’m really sorry to have brought scandal to your family,” I say, though my voice is shaking. “I didn’t think about the consequences you’d all suffer if anyone found out that Luca and Jasmine were dating. I only thought about Luca and Jasmine and Rowdy and me. It seemed like we were taking the risk. Now I see your whole family was. And I’m really sorry. I wanted to do something good in my dad’s name, and at first, honestly, I just thought Luca was a spoiled brat with more money than sense, and so it didn’t matter. But he’s not that at all, and I’ve made a huge mistake.” My mouth is so dry.
“This is my fault, not yours,” Luca says.
“Andrew, Story, would you give us a moment alone with Luca,” the duchess asks, her voice razor edged. Andrew and I nod and slip into the hall.
“Come on,” Andrew says, taking my hand, “let’s get back on the horse before it gets out of the corral.”
“I can’t go back in there. No way!”
“Sure you can. Give yourself a moment and then join me. This will blow over. Eventually.”
I’m just another in the long list of Luca Kinnaird mistakes that eventually blow over. Andrew kisses my cheek and goes back into the party. I want to run up to my room and hide, but then I think maybe I should wait for Luca. Maybe the Kinnairds will want to talk to me again or want me to leave their house. So I wait outside the library. Luca’s mom’s voice suddenly becomes clear.
“That girl is shockingly inappropriate, Luca! What in God’s name were you thinking?”
I step away so I’m not eavesdropping, but before I even can get far enough, Luca says, “It’s pretty clear I wasn’t thinking, isn’t it, Mum?”
My mouth drops open, and for a moment I can’t breathe. But maybe she means Jasmine. Luca surely means Jasmine. Their voices drop and I back away, but then his mom yells, “Bringing a girl like that into this family, this house! And with your grandmother’s party tonight! How could you? You were raised better than this. We have obligations that other people don’t have, Luca!”
“I know! I didn’t mean to ruin tonight! I should never have risked it.”
“Of all your nonsense, Luca, this is the worst,” the duke exclaims. “How you could have even thought she was possible is beyond my comprehension, let alone expecting us to accepther!”
A small sob escapes me.
“Believe me, if I could change things, I would!” Luca’s voice drops again, and I turn and run upstairs to my room. I’m not shocked that Luca’s parents would think so badly of me, I deserve it. But I didn’t think he’d give up on us quite so easily.
I struggle out of Dani’s dress and toss it on the bed. I throw a pair of jeans and a T-shirt on and shove my things into my bags. I run down the hall to Luca’s room and, my hands shaking, practically rip the earrings out. I leave them on his nightstand.
All I can think about is getting home. At least at home, I won’t have to face the Kinnairds again. I run back to my room and text Andrew.
Can you give me a ride to the airport? Now?
He must have his phone in his hand because he answers right away.
The airport’s closed at this hour. What’s going on?
Can you take me to Glasgow? I’ll get a flight somewhere and be in Rome by morning.
Does Luca know about this?
Andy, I’m begging you. I need to go NOW.
Okay, I’ll come help you.
Meet me by the kitchen. I’m packed.
When I come down the back stairs, the catering staff stop and stare. Andrew walks in, and they start to work like choreographed performers, heads lowered but eyes raised. He takes my suitcase and puts his hand on my back. We head for the door when someone calls my name, and Andrew and I both turn.
It’s Will. “Where are you going?”
“I—I need to head back to Rome, Will.”
“Does Luca know you’re going?” He walks over to us.
I can hardly breathe. “It’s for Luca. Your parents are really upset, and I don’t want to make it any worse for him.”
“But you’re the first one of his girlfriends I ever liked,” hesays.
I bite my lip and give him a hug.
“I really loved meeting you, too. But I need to go.”
He pulls back and nods, but he doesn’t look at me.
Andrew and I step outside, and he sends a valet for his car. I can barely stand still as we wait, afraid the Kinnairds will come out and tell me to my face how disgusting I am. Or worse, that Luca will find us and pretend he didn’t just tell his parents he would change meeting me if he could.
As soon as we’re out of the drive, I burst out crying. I cry so hard, I can barely breathe, and I think I’d be sick if there were anything in my stomach to throw up.
“Hey,” Andrew says, “it can’t be that bad.”
“It’s worse.”
“Story, what the hell did Luca and his parents say to you?”
I can’t even tell him. Choking sobs rack my body. Andrew doesn’t say anything else. We drive in silence, except for my sobbing and sniffling. When I wipe my nose on the back of my hand, Andrew pulls a small packet of tissues from the console and hands them to me.
I don’t know how long I cry, but, at some point, I just shudder and get quiet. Andy’s phone has been blowing up, but he doesn’t reach for it. Mine is shut off.
“This is crazy, Story. Just come back to my house and you can talk to Luca in the morning.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” Luca’s parents are never going to forgive me. They expect him to be with a girl from their world, and I can’t even blame them after the way I lied to them.
“There aren’t going to be any flights to Rome at this hour. There may not be any more flights tonight at all by the time we get there.”
“That’s okay. I’ve slept in airports before.” You don’t travel to Maine at Christmas without getting stranded. The lights of houses and towns roll past us, but I don’t really see them. All I see is the way I picture Luca’s face as his mother berated me and he told her how sorry he was that he’d made such a mistake.
When we reach the airport, Andrew insists on coming in to make sure I can get a ticket. He carries my suitcase and backpack. Several of the smaller airline counters and ITA are already dark for the night. I try British Airways, but their last flight leaves for Heathrow in an hour and is already full. KLM wants to send me to Krakow for three days, while Ryanair would take me to Shannon just to get to Heathrow on Monday.
“Story, come back and stay with my family. Tomorrow we’ll go talk to Luca and his parents, together.”
“They don’t want me there, Andrew. Let’s try Air France. The French are chaotic enough to have something.” I just want to go home. And I need to face my mom before she finds out from someone else.
The lady at the counter says they have a flight leaving for de Gaulle in twenty minutes and she can get me on it. They’ll send me through to Rome on the red-eye, and I’ll be home by sunrise.
“Book it, please.” The desperation to get away from Scotland before I have to watch Luca make excuses for why we can’t be together is growing with every passing minute. Of course he would choose his family over me. I just didn’t think it would cost him so little or happen so easily.
“Check your bag at the gate,” she says, and calls them to say I’m coming through. Andy grabs me and gives me a big hug. “I’ll see you in Rome, later this week. I promise.”
I pull myself up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek as if I believe him, and then I take my backpack and bag and run to security. Luca felt like home to me, but right now, all I want is Rome.