When It Falls Apart (The D'Angelos, #1)(86)

“Remind me.”

“We had a private chat about a week ago when I brought Francesca home from school. She cornered me in the hall. She must have told you.”

“No,” he lied.

Fake concern crossed Antonia’s face. “That’s telling, isn’t it? She told me I was a bad mother. That if I wasn’t going to stay, I should just leave now.”

Nothing about this rang true, but Luca kept his thoughts to himself and let Antonia dig herself deeper.

“Franny is excited to get to know you.”

Antonia released a long-suffering breath. “Oh, I know, my darling. And I am so sorry I haven’t been here. But to have your little girlfriend say such nasty things to me, I can only wonder what poison she’s saying to our daughter.”

“Brooke only has Franny’s best interests at heart.”

“How can you really know that?”

“Because she’s proven it with her actions ever since we met.” He let those words settle in and take hold.

“That was meant to hurt me.”

“If that’s what the truth does. Where have you been, Antonia? What kept you away from our daughter all of these years?”

“I don’t want to discuss—”

“I honestly don’t care what you want. We deserve to know. Franny is in a constant state of worry that you’ll disappear again. Maybe if we knew that something in you has changed, if I knew something has changed, I could give her some hope that you mean what you say and you’re going to be around for the rest of her life.”

“I will.”

Luca narrowed his eyes. “Where have you been?”

She looked away. “I went to the mountains, at first.”

“Mountains? What mountains?”

“Colorado.”

He remembered her saying something about her love of skiing. Something he had never done.

“I spent the winter staring into a fire and wondering if I had made the wrong choice. And since I couldn’t say yes or no to the question, I stayed away. I thought it was the right thing to do. For Francesca. For you.”

Luca really wanted to believe her.

“I stayed a season, moved around. As the years stacked up, it was harder and harder to come back.”

“Then you got sick,” he concluded. “Only you haven’t so much as sneezed since you’ve been here.”

She shrugged. “I sleep a lot. Ask Rosa. But yes, being home and spending time with Francesca has given me more energy than I had a month ago. I wish I had been more stable when I had our daughter. Being away from my family and not having the ability to move around wasn’t easy for me.”

Yes, he remembered her complaining about the ties to the restaurant and her desire to fly all over the world.

“And now that you’ve seen it, spent your money, you’re back.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve grown up. I’m ready to settle down.”

“You mean get a job, your own place?” Antonia was allergic to work. Just asking the question was making her squirm.

“I’m thinking about going back to school.”

Luca crossed his arms over his chest. This ought to be good. “For what?”

She looked at the ceiling as if she was coming up with the idea right then and there. “Interior design.”

He could actually see her doing that if she put her mind to it. “Good plan.”

“I thought so,” she said, smiling. “We were good together.”

“In the past.” Luca took a step back. Put more space between them.

The softness of her voice faded, and cattiness moved in. “I have concerns about Brooke.”

“She has concerns about you.”

“Be careful, Luca. She’s an older woman who is likely wondering if she’ll have a family of her own. Clearly you can see she is attaching herself to you, all of you, to fulfill that need. And perhaps we shouldn’t let Francesca get too attached to Brooke’s father. Grandpa Joe, really, Luca? You’re not married to the woman. How manipulative is that, using a little girl to plant the seed of matrimony?”

“I’m not asking for your advice on my love life. And up until last month, you had no idea who Franny was attached to and who she wasn’t. So instead of spending your time thinking about what is happening inside these walls every day, why don’t you sign up for those classes that will help you earn a living?”

Antonia sighed. “I should go.”

Luca nodded, walked toward the door, and opened it.

“Well, hello,” Brooke’s voice came from a half a flight of stairs above them.

Luca stepped back.

Antonia smiled.



“Rumors are flying.” Chloe helped Brooke get into the right position for a Side Angle Pose.

Yoga on the terrace was kicking her butt yet making her feel good at the same time.

“Oh yeah?”

“Salena asked if Antonia and Luca were getting back together.”

“Where did she get that idea?”

“Horse’s mouth.” Chloe changed her pose. “Reverse Warrior,” she told Brooke.

Brooke moved into position. “Doesn’t she realize the rumors will get back to Luca and she’ll have to eat crow?”