Fragile Longing by Cora Reilly

Author:Cora Reilly [Reilly, Cora]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: novel
Publisher: Cora Reilly
Published: 2020-09-27T22:00:00+00:00

An unfamiliar number flashed across my cell phone screen. After my initial confusion, I became suspicious. What if this was Fina’s number? Samuel had promised to give my number to her. That had been two days ago. Maybe she was already calling? I reached to take the call, my heart beating excitedly at getting the chance to talk to her. I wondered what it would be like to hear her voice after all this time. Over the years, my memories of her had become hazy. Would it be awkward between us?

I trembled when I held the phone in my hand, suddenly overcome with nerves. My finger paused over the screen, and instead of answering, I stared at the numbers. What if it wasn’t a good idea to talk to her? With only two months to go until my wedding, what if talking to her only increased my nerves?

It wasn’t her fault, but she’d become the Damocles sword over my head, the unattainable precedent, an unwilling and yet victorious rival for not only Danilo’s but also my family’s attention.

It’s not her fault.

And yet somehow, I couldn’t stop feeling that it was. If she hadn’t run away with the enemy, our parents and Samuel wouldn’t be as heartbroken. But if she were still here, Danilo would have an even harder time getting over her. It was a paradox.

Not her fault.

The screen turned black, and I released a sigh, but then a wave of guilt washed over me. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to call her back. I’d asked Samuel to give her my number. I wanted the contact, so why couldn’t I go through with it? Had she ever asked for my number? Had she tried to reach out to me?

I stood and headed over to my vanity, where I sank down on the small pouf and stared at my reflection. Even if my hair wasn’t blonde anymore, my resemblance to Fina was unmistakable. Suddenly, I didn’t want this anymore. I wanted to be different. As long as I looked like Fina, but not quite, people would keep comparing us.

My phone rang again, and my stomach clenched with dread and guilt.

Shaking off my irrational feelings, I finally answered. “Hey,” I said, trying to sound casual, but my voice came out shaky and hoarse.

“Sofia,” Fina said, relieved. “I’m so happy to hear your voice. I was scared you changed your mind and didn’t want to talk to me.

A new wave of guilt raced through me. “I was in the shower,” I lied easily. “Of course, I want to talk to you. That’s why I asked Samuel to give you my number.”

“I couldn’t believe it when he told me. I haven’t heard from him in forever, and then he calls and even allows me to talk to you. I’m over the moon.”

She sounded so happy, and not at all like someone new, someone different because she was part of the Camorra. “Allowed? Didn’t Samuel allow you to contact me before?”

She sighed. “I’ve been asking him to let me talk to you so often over the years, but eventually I gave up.

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