Chapter Six
Sebastian
“ Alessia, same question.”
All four of us come to an abrupt halt and turn around.
The copy-paste male version of Alessia stares back at us, arms crossed.
Enzo Mazzelli, perplexed-looking groom.
He’s trimmed his facial hair and styled his short black hair with product. His charcoal suit is well-tailored, his shoes are Gucci, and his demeanor screams man of the hour .
All this from the dude who used to wear mismatched clothes to school and Sharpie drawn “tattoos” of Manga characters on his skin when we were kids.
We haven’t spent much time together since I got back to Great River last year—he’s been completely off the radar dating Rosalina in secret so their families didn’t find out—but he’s still like family to me.
“Hey Z,” Alessia all but squeaks, releasing my hand. “Didn’t see you in there.”
“What are you talking about? We made eye contact, and then you took off.”
“We did? Huh.” She jabs a thumb over her shoulder. “Anyway, love the suit. We were just running a quick group errand.”
She resumes her march toward the elevator.
Enzo jumps in front of her to cut her off.
Alessia attempts to sidestep him, and he sidesteps her right back. The two of them start circling each other as if they might start throwing blows or wrestling at any second like they have a million times before.
“Stop trying to run away before I throw you in the fountain,” Enzo gripes, arms outstretched like a human wall. “You know I’ll do it.”
Alessia ducks beneath his arm and lunges for the elevator, pressing the call button.
Visibly exasperated, he gives up on Alessia and turns his what the fuck expression on me. “Why were you holding hands with my sister? And I saw you in the lounge hugging each other. Are you trying to get your dinner poisoned by her girlfriend?”
Wait. He doesn’t know? I turn to Alessia. “Mazzelli. What’s going on?”
She’s staring hard at the illuminated arrow above the elevator door, cracking her fingers one at a time at her side. With a sigh, she makes a painstakingly slow turn to face us.
“Oh, right .” She drags out the i which makes her look like she’s grimacing. “I forgot to tell Enzo.”
“You forgot to tell him?” I echo. “You couldn’t shoot him a text on our long drive in, or maybe tell him ahead of time?”
Alessia’s sheepishness fades in a flash. “Okay, fine. I knew he wouldn’t like my plan so I wanted to wait until he had no choice but to accept it. Sue me.”
Enzo lifts his hands. “Accept what ?”
“Sebastian is my date, okay?” She lifts her chin and appraises our surroundings with a careful eye. “We’re in love and shit. Don’t worry, the caterer is well aware of this plan and she’s on board, so if we could move on to other topics—”
“You’re throupling with Sebastian and Eloise now? You don’t even like men.”
The elevator arrives, and the doors open with a swoosh .
Alessia steps halfway inside to block it from closing. She casts a longing look toward its empty interior.
I cross my arms. “Do not get in that elevator.”
Benji struts past me and Alessia. “If you’ll all excuse me.”
Nora fists his suit jacket and drags him back out. “ Uh-uh . We’re not going anywhere.” Her curious gaze bounces to mine. “I’ve got unanswered questions.”
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter. “It’s not what you think.”
“ Fine .” Alessia steps back out. “No one is throupling. This is your standard, run-of-the-mill fake date. I don’t want our relatives to know about me and Eloise yet, and I don’t want drama during your big week, okay? We know how Dad is, and he’s just one person. Imagine if a hundred of them started on their bullshit.”
Enzo’s face falls. “Less…”
“You didn’t tell our family about dating Rosalina for a year . You can hardly blame me for keeping my private life under wraps, can you?”
A frown wrinkles his forehead. “Well, I don’t want you to lie for me . Ever. And I hate that you have to lie for yourself. I’ll kick anyone out on their asses if they so much as—”
“Nope, nope, nope,” Alessia chants. “That’s why Sebastian and I are doing this. So we can avoid any repercussions that will interfere with what is already a dramatic week. The unhinged Ferraros will keep you plenty—” She cuts off abruptly and shoots Benji an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I forgot you were one of them.”
Benji shrugs. “My family is unhinged. That’s why Nora and I are faking it, too.”
Nora elbows him. “Dude. Literally no one asked and you’re volunteering this information? No more tequila for you.”
Enzo turns to Benji and Nora, as if clocking them for the first time. “So, you’re Rosalina’s brother. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Nice to meet you,” Benji says. “I’ve heard nothing about you. I just found out you were dating my sister a few weeks ago.”
I stifle a laugh. This guy is blunt even when he’s drunk.
“We kept it very quiet,” Enzo says with a shrug. “You go by Benji?”
Benji’s lips pull in a line as he peers down at Nora. “Apparently I do now, thanks to this one.”
Enzo turns to Nora with a curious smirk. “And you’re…?”
“Nora.” She shakes his hand with a bright smile. “Thanks for allowing me to come to your wedding!”
“Any ‘date’”—he uses air quotes—“of my fiancée’s brother is a friend of mine.”
Alessia fiddles with her earring. “Okay well, now that we’ve all aired our laundry, can we agree to not say anything to anyone else?”
Enzo attempts to mess up Alessia’s meticulously styled hair and she swats his hand. “I’m going to tell Rosalina, obviously. But that’s it.”
Benji and Nora both start talking at the same time.
“My sister cannot find out this week,” he says. “She’ll tell my mother and none of us want that.” He shudders.
Enzo scrubs a hand down his face. “You all want me to lie to my fiancée?”
“Not a lie,” Alessia clarifies. “Just don’t bring it up until after the wedding. You’re doing her a favor, I promise you.”
He groans, but it reeks of defeat. “Fine. I won’t say anything. I’ll omit—but not outright lie. And you all have to do your parts. Keep your side of the road clean. Now, if my sister is done avoiding me at my own cocktail party—”
“I wasn’t avoiding you. I was saving our conversation for later.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” Enzo beckons for everyone to follow. “C’mon. I’ll get us a round.”
Alessia throws me a remorseful smile and trails her twin like a baby duckling.
Nora puts her hands on Benji’s lower back and shoves him after Alessia. “You heard the groom. Hi ho, hi ho, it’s back to work we go.”
I massage my temples as I fall into line. So much for our group jailbreak.
Back inside the bustling lounge—where not one person seems at ease—Enzo flags the bartender as we file in beside him. As soon as eye contact between the pair is established, the bartender drops what he’s doing to greet Enzo by name.
“Groom privileges,” Enzo tells us with a smug smile before turning back to the man. “Five shots of Patron, good sir. Actually, make it six. My sister could stand to double up.”
Alessia rolls her eyes but doesn’t disagree.
The drinks arrive. We clink glasses and throw back our shots. Nora’s elbow bumps mine, sending a tiny jolt of awareness through me.
“Oh crap, Nonna Gloria, twelve o’clock.” Alessia downs her second shot and sets her glass on the bar. She winds her arm through mine. “Look at me like I hung the fucking moon.”
“I’m not drunk enough for Nonna Gloria,” says Enzo. He points at his sister. “Hate you for making me lie. Love you for everything else.” He winks at the group as he gets out of Dodge.
Benji and Nora try to make their own escape, but they aren’t fast enough.
Gloria comes to a halt at the edge of our loose circle, trapping us all. “Alessia, there you are!”
Even if Alessia hadn’t informed me, I might’ve gleaned that Dr. Gloria Mazzelli was well off by her St. John pantsuit and diamond necklace. It’s like a disco ball hanging off her neck. Her swoop of white-blond hair is short enough to show off the matching earrings.
But Alessia, for all her eat the rich sensibilities, still respects and values the opinion of her grandmother, which means I will, too.
The air seems to grow thinner as Gloria’s gaze meanders across the four of us, like we’ve stepped off a plane at a high altitude.
The tipsy fun dissolves in the air. Even Nora’s tiny smile falls off as Alessia’s hand slides up my arm.
Gloria extends two hands and Alessia takes them as they air-kiss each other’s cheeks. “I was hoping to meet your Sebastian before I got pulled into conversation.”
Showtime.