All I've Never Wanted(60)
I shook my head, wondering if he knew how wrong that sounded.
Adriana let out a heavy sigh. “Anyway, Zack’s fine, as you can probably tell. I’m just calling because, well, we have a bit of a problem with the sleepover plan.”
My eyes widened and I set my bowl of ice cream on my nightstand as I gripped the phone tighter with one hand, panic coursing through me. “What—what kind of problem?” I squeaked. I could not have a babysitter! “My parents leave tomorrow!”
The other girl cleared her throat. “It turns out my mom decided it would be a good idea to renovate the entire sleeping wing of our house without telling us first, and they start tomorrow. I’m really sorry, Maya, but I don’t think you can stay here for the next two weeks. I wish you could, but we’re all living in the guesthouse right now, which hasn’t been touched in ages and it’s a bit cramped…”
My face fell. “What? Adri, what am I going to tell my parents? I can’t have a babysitter,” I moaned, flopping down on my bed and burying my face in my pillow in despair. “Can’t I just sleep on the floor or something? I promise, you won’t even know I’m there!”
“Maya, you are not sleeping on the floor for two weeks,” she scolded.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to think of a last-ditch solution. “Maybe I can call Venice and ask if I can stay at hers…”
“Didn’t you say her mom’s vegetarian?” Adriana asked quickly.
I groaned. Right. Venice’s ex-model mom was adamantly anti-meat and refused to let their chef make anything that used to move, while I was strictly carnivorous. I won’t be able to survive on tofu and wheatgrass juice alone for half a month.
I shuddered at the thought.
“Well, what am I supposed to do?” I whined, aware of how childish I sounded.
“That’s where you’re in luck, because I’ve arranged for you to stay at someone else’s house,” Adriana chirped, sounding chipper again.
“Who?” I frowned, racking my brain as to who it could possibly be. It couldn’t be Parker, he was part of the reason my parents wanted me to have a babysitter in the first place. Carlo had been so MIA lately, Adriana probably hasn’t even had a chance to talk to him yet. Which left…
I sucked in a breath. Oh no. Oh, no no no no no. She was not going to say—
“Roman!” Adriana exclaimed happily. “I asked him and agreed! Which means you guys will be housemates for the next two weeks!”
* * *
“This is not a good idea,” I whimpered, cowering in my seat as Zack’s Porsche glided past the giant iron gates that guarded the Fiori estate.
“Stop hiding in your seat, it’s not like we’re sending you off to prison.” Adriana sounded exasperated. “It’ll be fine. It’s just for two weeks. Fourteen days. You can do this. Besides, I thought you two were getting along better.”
“Better. I never said we were getting along.” I stared glumly out the window, but despite my nervousness, I couldn’t help but be awed all over again by the breathtakingly landscaped grounds.
It was like paradise here. The grass stretched out in all directions like a lush emerald carpet, dotted with majestic trees, a koi pond, a rock garden, and bubbling marble fountains that put those in Rome to shame. I could see a small army of landscapers in the distance, pruning the seventy-foot-tall hedges that bordered the entire estate.
“I can’t believe he even agreed to this.” I frowned at Adriana. “Did you blackmail him or something?”
She smirked. “No. I just asked nicely. And guess what? He said yes, no questions asked.”
“Really?” I was a bit suspicious, but who could blame me? I was pretty sure Roman hated me. Ok, maybe not hated, but he certainly didn’t like me very much.
I sighed as Zack’s car finally pulled up in front of the main house. Carlo was missing in action—again. Parker had a family thing—again. I had no idea what was up with those two, and no one seemed willing to clue me in.
I climbed out of the car and was about to get my lone suitcase from the trunk when I realized a tall, silver-haired man was already rolling it towards the house.
Actually, “house” was an understatement. I had been here once before, but last time I was too busy trying not to murder Roman to really appreciate the massive four-story mansion in front of me. No, not mansion—palace. Seriously, it put Versailles to shame. Its red tile roof was set on various levels, giving it a rambling effect, and there were so many windows and balconies I got dizzy just looking at them. A flight of marble steps, guarded at the base by two huge stone lions, led to a set of gleaming French doors so tall I had to crane my neck to take them in. Expensive-looking urns overflowing with greenery and flowers flanked the entrance, in front of which Roman currently stood.
I gulped when I saw him. He was barefoot and dressed down in a pair of gray sweatpants and white men’s tank that showed off his arms. I couldn’t help but stare. I’ve never seen him without some sort of jacket on, but boy, he should stop wearing those so often, because his arms were just…just…
Trying my best not to drool, I snapped out of it and started to follow the silver-haired man, who was probably the butler or something. Only, I think I only imagined walking, because when Adriana nudged me—hard—I realized I was still standing in the exact same spot.