All I Believe (Firsts and Forever, #10)(78)

Dante said, “I have to, even though Jerry won’t just step down willingly. If he’s like this with me, how’s he representing us to the other families? The last thing we need is to make new enemies or stir up old ones.”

“You’re right. So, how’s Nana doing with all of this?”

“She’s furious. Ollie’s here now and he’s been trying to help calm her down. But that’s kind of like trying to stuff a swarm of bees back in the hive. She keeps saying she never liked Jerry and that he’s a ‘bad seed’ who needs a good spanking.” Dante chuckled and added, “I’d pay to see that.”

“I would, too.”

“So tell me, how’s everything there? How’s Luca?”

“He’s doing well. His wound is healing, there are no signs of secondary infection, and he’s been able to start cutting back on the pain meds. We can probably be ready to move by the end of the week. The question is, where do we go?”

“Yeah, that’s definitely the question. What are you doing about law school?”


“I formally withdrew from this semester. Beyond that, who knows? I’m not sure if coming back to San Francisco is really going to be an option.”

“I need to get this situation under control, for all our sakes. This is your home,” Dante said. “It’s bullshit that you have to live like a fugitive from your own family. Pretty soon, I’m going to have to force Jerry’s hand. This can’t drag on forever.”

“Thank you again for all you’re doing, Dante.”



“Not a problem. I’d better go, I’m taking Nana shopping in an effort to distract her from this mess. She wants to buy sexy lingerie now that she has a new man. God help me.”

“Good luck. I’ll talk to you soon.” When we disconnected, I turned to look at Luca. He was still in his usual spot on the lounge chair, the book on his lap forgotten as he stared out over the water. He was dressed in a pair of white cotton shorts and a white tank top that set off his deep tan, and he hadn’t shaved in a few days. The short beard just made him look even sexier than usual, somehow.

But the bandages covering his injury were visible, too, and reminded me to keep my libido in check. I crossed the deck and started to reach for his empty glass on the little bamboo side table. “I’ll be right back with some more water for you,” I told him.

He caught my hand and looked up at me. “Sounds like things are still a mess back home.”

“They are, but Dante’s working on some solutions.”

“What if I went away for a while?” he asked, his green eyes searching my face. “If I’m out of the picture, do you think things would settle down with your family?”

“That’s not an option.”

“It would just be temporary. Maybe then you could go back home and try to smooth things over with Jerry.”

“No way. Never mind the fact that my cousin’s totally unreasonable and there’s really no talking to him. I’m not leaving your side, and not just because you’re still healing. Wherever you are, that’s where I belong.”

He gave me a sweet smile and said, “What did I do to deserve you?”

“Something really bad, apparently.”

Luca chuckled at that and got to his feet stiffly. “Let’s take a walk on the beach. We have almost an hour before we’re supposed to meet my brother for dinner.”

“You sure you’re up for that?”

“Oh yeah. This is more sitting than I’ve ever done in my life. I’m about to fuse to that lounge chair.”

“Well, you were just shot.”

“Not ‘just’. Two weeks ago.”

“Nine days.”

“I’m rounding up.”

It was just before sunset and the sky was beginning to turn orange as we walked hand-in-hand down the deserted beach. A warm breeze rustled the palm fronds overhead, and a gentle tide lapped at the shore. “I love it here,” I murmured.

“Maybe we should just stay here forever. We can build a Swiss Family Robinson treehouse and spend our days spearfishing and climbing the trees for coconuts.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“The very fact that you said spearfishing instead of fishing and talked about climbing fifty foot palm trees instead of going to the farmer’s market shows you’re way too Type-A for the quiet island life.”

Luca chuckled at that. “You read a lot into that sentence.”

“I know, but I’m right overall. You’re no good at being idle. I’m not, either.”

“You might have a point, though I really don’t consider myself a Type-A personality.”

“No,” I said, “but my point remains. We both belong in a big city.”

“True. Hey, how about Barcelona? Ignacio will be back there soon, so we’d be starting out with a friend.”

“Not Rome?”

Luca said, “Maybe eventually. For now, I think we need to keep flying under the radar. We don’t know how far your cousin Jerry is going to take this feud, and it’d be way too easy for him to track us down there.”

“You’re right.”