Page 41 of Love Him Like Water

When I made my way downstairs, though, I realized I wasn’t exactly alone.

Elian was already hard at work, cleaning up the mess from the party the night before.

“Do you ever sleep?” I asked, shaking my head at him as he broke down the last of the pile of pizza boxes.

“Good morning, Mrs. Lombardi,” he said, giving me a ghost of a smile. “I cut out early last night to catch some sleep,” he said as he turned away. He turned back a second later, something wrapped in foil in his hand.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, sensing something off in his expression.

“You didn’t want this?” he asked.

“What is it?”

“Your dinner,” he said.

“Oh,” I said, the clawing feeling in my stomach making me well aware that I hadn’t eaten. “I, ah, I didn’t come down,” I admitted.

“Why not?”

“I… I didn’t feel… invited,” I admitted, the confession making me feel exposed.

But Elian’s head just tipped to the side, watching me with scrunched brows. “This is your home,” he said. “You don’t need to be invited.”

I couldn’t say what I was feeling.

That this didn’t feel like my house.

Because, well, Elian was right.

This was my home now.

Maybe what I needed to do was act like that.

“Do you think everyone will be coming over again tonight?” I asked.

“Judging by the order for booze I had to place today, yeah.”

To that, I nodded, my mind reeling, trying to talk myself into it, to imagine it.

Walking down the steps.

Making an entrance.

Acting like I belonged.

Maybe if I faked it hard enough, it would start to feel true.

I made my way to the coffee pot, preparing another awful black cup I would need to choke down, making a mental note to pick up some cream and sugar when I went out.

And I did have to go out.

Because if I was going to act the part of a mafia boss’s wife, I had to look the part. No more leggings and roomy sweatshirts. I had to wear something more mature to this party.

“Thank you for ordering that for me,” I said to Elian, watching him turn.

“How’d you know it was me?” he asked.

“Because my husband wouldn’t have thought to,” I told him honestly.

---