Chapter 1
Chapter One
E lisabetta
Elisabetta in the City
Hey all,
I just got notified that I now have 100 readers on my blog. Thanks to all of you who follow me, and welcome to my new fans. I ’ m sure you ’ re all eagerly waiting to hear how my last date went, so I will update you. Though, let ’ s just say I ’ m not getting married anytime soon.
Benji told me to meet him at a McDonalds in Times Square on Broadway. I know what you ’ re thinking... Two red flags in the very first sentence. His name being Benji should have told me he was a dog, and McDonald’s on a first date... Who does that?
To be fair, I thought we were just meeting outside of the McDonald’s, but no, he escorted me inside and said I could choose any three items off of the value menu. When I looked at him aghast...in my thousand-dollar Manolo Blahniks and my seven thousand-dollar Bottega Veneta jeans, he had the gall to say that he was testing me to make sure I wasn't after his money.
Benji had just moved here from BFE, also known as Abilene, Kansas, and was working as the assistant to the assistant of the marketing manager at one of the top five ad agencies...hardly impressive to me.
I played along, though, because he did have the most gorgeous baby blue eyes and silky blond hair. He reminded me of a not-as-hot Brad Pitt.., and I figured maybe his flirt game would be good—or at least his tongue...a girl has needs.
His flirt game was awful. He asked me if I wanted to go back to his place for dessert to nibble on his lollipop. When I asked for a $1 apple pie... let's just say I didn ’ t waste my chocolate milkshake. It ended up over his head.
So, yeah, date #23 of the year went shit.
And I didn ’ t even get to complain to my best friend and roommate, Skye, because she was too busy sucking her boyfriend’s lollipop at his apartment. To be clear, I do not know if she was engaging in fellatio, but I feel like being crude and rude right now.
I ’ m meeting my friends for drinks at a hot new bar downtown, and I ’ m hoping to meet some hot, tall, dark man to sweep me off my feet and show me the way to naughtyville. I ’ ve been a good girl for too many months now.
Some of you commented on my last post and wanted to know what song I was blasting nonstop as I swiped, and I have to admit that it ’ s an oldie, but goody... “Elastic Heart” by Sia.
I may go and listen to it again before I get ready to get drunk AF tonight.
As always, I will update you on the goings on in my life soon.
Always,
Elisabetta in the city
COMMENTS
LisaFranklin1962: Elisabetta, I was hoping this date would have gone better, but I bet your prince charming is out there waiting. Have fun tonight.
Sassy123: Benji sounds like a doofus.
StuckinDesmoines: I would love shoes that cost more than $30. I ’ m living vicariously through you.
FashiondivainBrooklyn: I am one of your new subscribers. Love your blog. Can ’ t wait to read all of your posts.
Hotdude1969: I have a lollipop you can lick as well, if you want...
Elisabetta,
Your uncle Matteo and I have been going through dates for your princess ball in Firenze next summer. There are a number of important families with powerful sons we wish to invite. Let me know if you wish for your friends to spend time here as well. Florence is beautiful in July. Matteo has a villa in San Niccolò and would be more than happy to host you all. Let me know the numbers. Of course, I will pay for the flights and shopping.
I will not be in New York for a few more months. Business in Sicilia is taking up more time than I ’ d imagined.
Miss you bellissima figlia,
Papa
As I reread the email for the third time I realize that the excitement that once existed surrounding my princess ball has dissipated into the universe and left dread in its place. I am no longer interested in being married off to an Italian count or an undercover mob boss's son. I don’t want to be set up with some man that just sees me as a possession, even though it is true that I want to get married, some day.
“Hey, what’s got you looking so pensive?” my best friend, Skye, asks from across the table. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I nod and grab my glass of merlot and take a long gulp.
“You don’t look fine,” Juniper, another one of my friends, adds as she looks sideways at me and stares down at my phone screen. “Bad news?”
“A crappy message from another online douchebag?” Lila asks from her place next to Skye. She grabs a nacho and dips it into the guacamole and takes a big bite. I watch as the gooey cheese sits on her lips as she chews and then licks it up. I stare at the plate stacked high with steak, sour cream, jalapenos, guacamole, and lots and lots of cheese, but I don’t take any of the food. My appetite left me as soon as I opened my email.
“No.” I shake my head and then take another huge gulp. I need a wine high more than ever now. “I’ve taken a break from online dating. Way too many assholes wasting my time.” I glare at Skye as she giggles. I know she’s remembering the incident I had a few months prior with a guy I was seeing who wanted to experiment and have some fun. I still felt embarrassed thinking about that night and the long shower I’d had immediately afterward. “My dad emailed me about the princess ball and asked if you guys wanted to come with me and spend the summer in Florence at my uncle Matteo’s villa in Florence.”
“Umm, hell yes.” Skye nods enthusiastically. “I think we’re all in.”
“I don’t know that Remington would like me to be there for the entire summer.” Juniper grins, sitting back and playing with her long dark hair. She pushes her glasses back up her nose and smiles shyly. She is the picture of a woman in love, with her flushed pink cheeks and healthy glow. She and Remington, who happened to be her boss, have been dating for a couple of months now, and I’m pretty sure they’ll be married within the year.
“Oh, yeah, I didn’t think about that.” Skye makes a face, her green eyes crinkling in the corners. “Kingston wouldn’t be thrilled. How long are you thinking?”
“I am thinking not at all.” I let out a long sigh. “I don’t know that I want to go through with it, after all.”
“Why not?” Lila asks, grabbing some fries. “It sounds like a dream, having loads of hot men after you.”
“You would think so, right?” I pull out a small vanity mirror from my $6000 black-quilted calfskin Chanel bag and check to see if I need to reapply my red lipstick. My brown eyes reflect back at me doefully. My shimmery gold eyeshadow glitters in the bright light, and I smooth my straight black hair before putting the mirror and phone back into my bag. “I’ve always thought it would be a dream to have multiple men trying to woo me, but...” I pause and wrinkle my nose. “I’ve recently come to the conclusion that multiple men don’t equal greater happiness.”
“Are you trying to tell us something?” Juniper’s eyes widen at my comment. She leans toward me, and I can tell she thinks I’m about to spill some juicy gossip. But then Juniper had been a virgin up until Remington had banged the living daylights out of her and made her a sex machine...a self-proclaimed sex machine, though. I have a feeling she and Remington had vanilla sex a few times a week and that had blown her world.
“Are you asking if I’ve had a devil’s threesome?” I wink at her, and her face goes bright red. I love Juniper, but sometimes I find it hard to relate to her innocence. I lost my virginity at sixteen to Enrico Diaz, a gorgeous eighteen-year-old who wanted me to run away with him to Puerto Rico after dating for four months. He’d said we could live with his grandmother while we figured out our lives. He seemed to think we were living in the modern- day Westside Story, and while I’d thought I’d loved him at the time, as teenagers tend to feel at that age, I didn’t fancy living in a one-bedroom apartment with his grandma and giving up all the luxuries of being the only daughter of a very rich man. Even if I’m still not 100 percent sure how my father makes his money. Skye knows that I’ve always believed my dad is involved in organized crime and may or may not be a mob boss, but it has never been confirmed, and he's kept me completely out of that lifestyle.
My mother passed away when I was young, and my dad remarried an older woman from Spain. My three spinster aunts, Lucia, Gabriella, and Evelina, raised me with my younger stepbrother, Romeo, and we’d see our parents once a year for about a week. My dad provided for all of us and was, by all accounts, very wealthy, but I just didn’t have a relationship with him that actually meant anything. He was almost like a benefactor who was blood-related.
My therapist says that is why I have an inability to commit to a long-term relationship. I’ve told her the reason is because I only seem to meet fuck boys, but the truth of the matter is I just don’t know why I haven’t been able to meet a true love yet. I do want to meet someone and fall in love, especially now that Skye is madly in love with Kingston and spending almost all her time with him. I want my own love story. I just don’t want my soulmate to be someone I meet at a ball because their family wants my dad’s money and powerful connections.
“She hasn’t,” Skye responds, and I stick my tongue out at her before we both laugh.
“You don’t know my personal business,” I protest, and she raises her dainty red brows at me. “I mean, I could have had one in the last couple of weeks.”
“You would have called me from the bathroom the moment it was over.” She giggles. “And I would have asked if they took turns or both filled you up at the same time, in different holes.”
“You’re making Juniper blush.” Lila laughs and points at Juniper. “You’re taking away her innocence.”
“I’m not a former nun.” Juniper shakes her head. “I was a virgin in New York City, not Vatican City. Also, I’ve had?—”
“You have not had a devil’s threesome!” My jaw drops as we all gaze at her in shock. “You and Remington are into some kinky shit, huh?”
“No!” she exclaims with a giggle. “I mean, we’re into kinky stuff, but not that sort of kinky stuff.”
“Oh, I was about to say…” I finish my glass of wine and motion to the waiter to bring us another bottle. “But enough about me. How are you guys doing?”
“Liam Gallagher is driving me absolutely crazy,” Juniper exclaims loudly. “I thought Remington was a tough boss, but Liam is like Remington on speed.”
“Tell me about it.” Skye groans. “He needs to find his own legal assistant already. I told Kingston that he offended me by saying I should stick to acting when I didn’t know about the ruling of some obscure case from the Ninth Circuit, and Kingston nearly called him then and there to tell him off.”
“Shall I fight him for you?” I lean forward. “I’d love to knock that cocky smirk off of his face.” I’ve only met the cocky Brit twice, but it is apparent to me that he thinks he is God’s gift to women, with his bright blue eyes and dark brown hair. It doesn’t help that he wears a thin gold chain around his neck and is always immaculately dressed. Not to mention his physique is perfection itself, likely helped by the fact that he boxes frequently.
“No, but thank you.” There’s a defiant look on her face. “If he pisses me off one more time, I will fight him myself. Also, you didn’t actually have a devil’s threesome and not tell me, did you?”
“No, I didn’t. I mean, I’m not opposed to it, per se, if both guys were super hot, super into me, and the moment felt right. But I’m not exactly advertising the fact that I’m sexually open to every man on the dating apps.” I shudder, thinking of all the horrible men I’ve already been matched with. “And the truth of the matter is, I do want to meet one good guy, like y’all.”
“What about Gabe?” Juniper suggests, naming the fourth partner at Chase, Parker, & Spector, Attorneys at Law. “That would be so cool if the four of us were all dating the four partners.”
“That would be cool, and he’s cute, but he’s not my type.” I shake my head, thinking of the handsome man with the dark, brooding eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s very attractive, but he reminds me of my dad, with his serious demeanor and how he’s always working.” I keep my tone light, but I vowed to myself a long time ago that I wanted a man who wanted to be with me more than he wanted to be with his work, and even though I don’t know Gabriel Lucas very well, I know enough to know that his job would always come first in his life. He is extremely hot, but being a workaholic is a huge deterrent in my book.
“Gabe is delicious.” Lila giggles and then lowers her voice as she looks around. “Not that I would tell Max how much of a snack Gabe is, but daaanng, if I was single, he could get it.”
“Really?” I ask her in surprise. “I would have thought Liam was more your cup of tea.”
“I mean, he’s hot, as well.” Lila grabs her phone and makes a face. “Though I have to work for him next week, and I’m not looking forward to it. The man is rude.”
“I can’t stand rude men.” I shake my head. “He needs to find his own assistant already. I can’t believe Max, Kingston, and Remington haven’t told him to fine one by now.”
“They’re trying.” Juniper leans forward. “But Liam brings so much money to the firm with all his business. Remington says Liam is one of their most valuable clients, and they are trying to be patient, but they are going to give him a month more before?—.”
“A month?” Skye wails. “I cannot work for that man for another month.” She presses her hand to her forehead. “He’s literally the boss from hell. And I should know because Kingston was no walk in the park when I first started working for him.”
“What is his problem?” I say loudly, annoyed for them all. “He seriously needs to be put in his place if he thinks he can just treat y’all like crap. He’s lucky I’m not his assistant. I’d tell him where he could get off.” I laugh at the expression on Juniper’s face. “He sounds like a bully. He gets away with it because he’s a client, but if I worked for him, I would put him in his place.”
“I wish you would put him in his place,” Lila exclaims and leans back. “But you’re lucky to be rich enough not to have to work as an assistant.”
“That’s true...for now.” I think about the email my father sent me. I wonder what he will say if I tell him I no longer want the princess ball. How will he react when he realizes he’s not going to be marrying me off to some eligible bachelor? Will he cut me off? I don’t think he will, but I don’t think he’ll be happy. I look around at my group of friends and think about my own circumstances. I’m ready for a change. I’m ready to forge my own path.
“What’s on your mind now, Elisabetta?” Skye asks me, her green eyes crinkled in concern.
“Nothing much. Just wondering if I should accept any dates this weekend,” I joke and shimmy back and forth in the booth. I don’t want to voice my concerns to everyone. I know they think I have the perfect life. The spoiled only daughter of a very rich man. And sometimes, I see where they’re coming from. I don’t like to complain because… what would I really say? I have all the money in the world, yet I don’t have the attention that I want? I don’t have the warm comfort of love that an adoring father would give his child? Would they even understand or care? Or would I just be a pretty rich girl bitching about nothing? How do I explain to them that while I don’t have to work, I envy them all? They've found the loves of their lives, and I feel empty inside.