Page 110 of Look on the Bright Side

“We have one happy couple who’ll be getting married in just a few weeks,” Anita said, beaming at Sofia and Henry, then turning to Lark and Lorenzo.

“Shit,” Lorenzo muttered.

“Here it comes,” Winnie said, rolling her eyes.

“And who knows? Maybe we’ll have another happy couple to toast soon, too! Oh, Dante, sweetie! So glad you made it.”

“Hi, everyone,” he said. “I’m the brother.”

“No, I’m the brother,” Robbie said.

“I’m the heroic firefighter brother,” Dante corrected.

“Shit. You got me beat there. But I’m the irresistibly adorable—”

“Will you two shut up?” Winnie snapped.

“Thank you,” Lorenzo said.

“To happy couples,” Lark said, raising her glass. “Mom and Dad, Anita and Silvio, Grandpop and Frances, Addie and Nicole, Harlow and Grady, Sofia and Henry, maybe Rosie and Robbie. Cheers!”

Before Anita or any other Santini could add her and Lorenzo to the list, she chugged her drink. “Now, who wants to play cornhole?”

•••

An eternity later, Lark lay in bed, her head spinning from too much sun, wine, family, friction, fright and pheromones.

Dante Santini had kissed her.

She had to break up with his brother. Fast.

TWENTY-ONE

LARK

“Hello! What brings you to the ER today?” Lark asked one Mr.Darren Holmes, age forty-eight. He was a red-faced man with a beer belly, a Red Sox Nation T-shirt and a Boston cap on his head.

“My head aches,” he said, giving her a cursory scan. “Are you old enough to be a doctor?”

“I’m twelve, but I’m very advanced for my age,” she said with a smile. “Just kidding. I’m thirty-three. Tell me about your headache. When did it start?”

“Four days ago.”

“Has it been constant, or does it come and go?”

“Pretty constant,” he said with a slight shrug.

“Did you take anything for the pain? Tylenol, Motrin, aspirin, weed, narcotics?”

“Nope. I had a couple beers the first night, but it didn’t help.”

She quashed a smile. “I see. Do you get headaches often?”

“Not really.”

“Any visual changes?” she asked.

“No.” He scratched an ear.

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