The Beautiful Years V: The Fausti Family by Annie Rose Welch

Author:Annie Rose Welch [Welch, Annie Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-20T16:00:00+00:00

We went to the beach to relax, but I wasn’t so sure that was possible. When we arrived, Collette’s football player and a few of his teammates met us, the one Rosaria had taken for a test drive not among them. Her shoulders relaxed and her face softened when she noticed. Despite her tension easing, there was an uneasy vibe the Italians were giving off in light of the men’s appearance.

Rocco was the worst. Understandably. But he seemed to be controlling the urge to pounce, since the right man wasn’t around. Even Romeo eyed the man Collette met with a hint of—well, I wasn’t sure what to call it, since no feelings existed between them. Still, he seemed offended, puffing up his chest and flexing his muscles. Or they could’ve been twitching. His circumstances had him itching for a fight.

Brando took them in but didn’t react. This made me relax a little.

The football players were head butting a soccer ball back and forth. At this time of the night, the beach was empty save them and us. The small pinpricks of light from the city barely illuminated the rocky shore and the water. Higher up on the mountain, the lights reminded me of flames.

The air was soft and warm. The beach chairs could’ve been king-sized beds. All of the emotional turmoil and the hundreds of steps made me yearn for sleep.

Brando plopped my beach bag down next to one. Since the sun hadn’t come out yet, I left my shorts on but took my sandals off.

Some of the men gravitated toward the soccer players, making small talk and looking at the ball with want. I wasn’t sure the turf here would be conductive to kicking a ball back and forth, but I could see it was coming.

Handing me his shirt, Brando gave me a quick kiss before he took off for the men and the water. Night swimming never bothered him, even when he couldn’t see what lurked below his legs.

I took out one of our towels, rolling it up and using it as a pillow. I used the thin blanket from my bag to spread over my legs. It was bliss having an unobstructed view of the stars right above my head. Sometimes I yearned for a glass ceiling in our villa in Tuscany.

Over the next few minutes the girls all seemed to have the same idea. Violet took the chair next to me. Chiara claimed the one on the other side. Rosaria took one a few seats down, keeping to herself. We hadn’t talked much since the incident with her sister—when my fist met her nose. Rosaria was being quieter than normal, almost hiding inside of herself. Valentina was acting the same way, but her melancholy seemed to have to do with Mitch.

Chiara and Violet started chattering right away, discussing what dresses they were going to wear to a formal dinner Lothario and Bela had planned at a friend’s restaurant.

I let the peace of the night settle over

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