Page 262 of Daddy, Take Me Away
“No, you’re not,” she says, dabbing her eyes with an already soaked tissue. “It may have started out like that, but that’s because it was for a school project, and it didn’t matter. It wasn’t your intention to deceive anyone, Zoë, and he knows that. He’s an asshole.”
Suddenly I realize what that means. If Mark is the one that leaked the story, then Amadeo didn’t break his promise.
My heart does some weird dance in my chest, but it sinks back to its heavy state the moment I remember that doesn’t change a thing. He was still faking everything with me. I was still just his pretend girlfriend.
“Why did he do it?”
Her eyes flick up from her lap and land on mine. “He said he did it for me.”
My brow rises. “How does ruining my life help you?”
“I was upset that you bailed on my rehearsal dinner. He wanted to hurt you like you hurt me.” She looks down at her lap again, where her fingers are shredding the tissue she’s holding. “I shouldn’t have been, Zoë. I should have understood how you felt and accepted it.”
My sister lunges herself into my arms, crushing me in an embrace I feel to my soul.“I was a selfish asshole and you didn’t deserve any of this.”
I pull her back and look into her eyes. “You’re not. You love him. Anyone can see it. And he loves you.”
She nods, again looking at her lap. “I had such a crush on him from the first time we met in school. But that’s no excuse, Zoë. You’re my sister. You should have come before him.”
“Fiona.”
She looks up, her hazel eyes glassy.
“I never loved him. I felt trapped when he proposed. I went along with it because I didn’t want him to be embarrassed and then I got caught up in the drama of it all.”
Fiona swallows hard.
“I should have let you both off the hook a long time ago, but I was hurt. I’m not anymore. We don’t choose who we fall in love with, it just happens.”
“That’s true. If I could have chosen, I would never have done that to you.” Fiona starts softly sobbing again.
“I want you to be happy, Fi, and if he did this as some way to show you he loves you, then forgive him.”
“Really? How can I forgive him for ruining your life?”
“Because he did it out of love. And love is all that matters here.”
“Does that mean you’ll come to my wedding then?”
“God, you still aren’t married?”
We both laugh.
“I still couldn’t do it without you. And Gran-Gran wanted to come home right away to make sure you were okay. She told me what happened with you and Amadeo.” Fiona bites her lip.
I drag in a breath that feels like it’s been laced with razor blades.
“Have you spoken to him?”
I shake my head, my eyes and nose starting to sting.
She glances at the balcony and back to me, pointing at my electronics. “How long have those been out there?”
“Since I got back.”
“So how do you know he hasn’t been calling?”
“Because I was nothing to him, Fi, I was a convenient way to piss off his ex, and that’s all.”
