Chapter 33 Contessa #3
His eyes have darkened and even from this short distance I notice his jaw moving from side to side.
One hand rests in his slacks while the other holds a lowball of whiskey.
Whenever the light catches the dancing golden liquid, I’m reminded of the glisten in his eyes when he’s pulling me apart with his bare hands.
They’re not glistening now though. They’re opaque, and black.
Eventually, Trilby’s words cut through the haze. “Do you want me to get rid of him? Or we can take a walk. Whatever you want to do Tess. I’m right here.”
I give my head a small shake, my gaze still captured in his. “I’m fine.”
I’m not fine.
My stomach has liquified and the butterflies are careening about within like they’ve been electrocuted. And a stone-cold heaviness pulls me downward, as though something inside me is trying to keep my feet on the ground.
The movements between us slow down until I’m painfully aware that people are watching us as we stare at each other. All I can hear now are my heart beats—hard, short and filled with heavy emotion.
“Benito!” Cristiano’s bark cuts through the tension across the patio and makes me draw in a breath.
Benito doesn’t look away. He holds my stare a few seconds longer, making it subtly but crystal clear he will do as Cristiano asks eventually, but only because he wants to.
Just like there are a million other things he could do, if he wanted to.
When he glacially pans his gaze to Cristiano, the chattering across the patio slowly picks up again and I release my breath.
“Get some food,” Trilby says, in clipped tones. “I’ll be right back.”
She marches across the patio, around various members of the two families, and follows Cristiano and Benito into the hotel. I can’t help the little ball of guilt that forms in my chest at the thought I’ve muddied what should have been Cristiano and Trilby’s idyllic and problem-free wedding event.
“There you are!” Sera bounds over with a plate. “Come on, the food here is so amazing. And I sprayed the whole lobby. There won’t be any more irritating bugs, I promise you.”
I take the plate and follow her to the buffet table, marveling a little at how much Sera has come out of her shell.
She was always the quietest of the four of us but she seems far more excitable and exuberant than she used to be.
Usually, she keeps herself to herself and her astrology charts and tarot cards, but she seems lighter now, somehow.
“This place suits you, Sera,” I say, helping myself to a pizza slice and some salad.
“Does it?” She beams at me. “Well, I do like it here.”
“How’s the job? Are you enjoying the work?” I take a large bite of the pizza and resist swooning because it really is delicious.
Sera’s gaze softens, wistfully. “It’s good. It’s hard, I mean, the place is fully booked all of the time, so we don’t get many breaks but… the guests are fantastic, which makes it all worth it.”
“What kind of guests do you have here?” I’ve always been curious about how the other half lives. As a family, we’re not exactly poor, but we’re not uber rich like some.
She smooths down her dress and it’s only then I notice how amazing she looks. Her figure has filled out in all the right places, the hem of her skirt is just short enough to reveal the bottom of her thigh. Her auburn hair bounces joyfully around her face and her skin is glowing.
“We get a real mixed bag. Wall Street financiers, actors, New York society of course, and also just regular, nice people.”
“Celebrities?” I ask, shoveling the rest of the pizza into my mouth.
“Sometimes, yes. But we don’t get to see them a lot. They often stay in the cottages and we’re given strict instructions not to bother or approach them.” Sera lets out a soft breath. “Doesn’t matter though. I think ordinary people are far more interesting.”
My gaze narrows. Something about Sera is different, but I can’t put my finger on what it is.
“So, what’s the plan for the next few days?” I ask. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.
“So, tonight we’re having a dinner with all the guests…”
My heart sinks.
“Tomorrow is Trilby’s bachelorette party. I have the day off so we’re going down to the beach then up to one of the suites for a girly pampering session.”
“That sounds fun,” I force out, though I’m still mentally figuring out how I can either get out of or survive the family dinner.
“The following day is for final preparations and the rehearsal, then the next is the wedding!” She squeals and bunches her hands into fists, clapping them together excitedly.
“In fact, you should probably try on your bridesmaid dress—Bambi too—as it’s been a while since your last fitting.
We have a dressmaker on site who can make any last-minute alterations. ”
Perfect excuse to get away. “Great! I’ll do it now. Where is it?”
“In your room. I’ll take you there now if you like?”
She takes my plate and hands it to a passing waiter who gives her a huge grin in return.
“How much longer do you plan to stay here?” I ask as we walk through the lounge to the main staircase. I glance around nervously, with half an ear listening for the sound of Benito’s voice.
“My placement is for twelve months, and I’m halfway through that now.”
She looks back over her shoulder at me as we climb the softly carpeted staircase. “I really love it here. I’m hoping they offer me a permanent job. If they don’t, I guess I’ll come home and figure out what next.”
Her shrug speaks of regret but her shoulders are light. The prospect of not getting what she wants doesn’t seem to bother her all that much. Then it occurs to me...
“Are you seeing someone?” I blurt out.
She doesn’t turn back around but I’d spot the immediate flush in her cheeks a mile away.
“You are, aren’t you?” I tease.
“No,” she replies quickly. “Not really.”
“Not really? You either are or you aren’t.”
We reach the top of the stairs and she takes a sharp right away from me. “Then it’s a no. I’m not officially seeing someone.”
“But you like someone,” I muse behind her. “And you speak so highly of the guests…”
She stops suddenly and spins around. “Here’s your room,” she says brightly, the flush still evident in the apples of her cheeks. “Your dress is inside, and your luggage has been put in there too.”
“Why are you being weird?” I frown. “So you like someone, it’s no big deal.”
“It’s nothing.” She shakes her head, bouncing her hair about, but it doesn’t shake the smile from her eyes. “So drop it, Tess, please?”
There’s something slightly pleading in her voice and I instantly empathize. I wouldn’t want anyone prying into the ‘thing’ I have with Benito, even if that ‘thing’ no longer exists.
“Sure, no worries. And thanks for bringing me to my room. Will you be at the dinner too? Or will you be working?”
She wraps her warm hands around mine as if to say a silent thank you for not pushing her. “I’ll be at the dinner,” she says with a smile. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Then she walks past me and heads back downstairs leaving me to ponder the very real possibility I actually would miss it for the world.