Page 28 of It's Always Sonny

It doesn’t stick out like it used to. It’s scarred over. But it’s still there. And I still desperately wish I could take it away. I wish I could be the one to help her, heal her, make her happy.

I pause and push aside all the noise roaring in my head and excitement beating in my chest and instead focus on that almost psychic shiver I felt when PJ and I looked at each other.

It’s wonderful. It can’t help but be wonderful.

I take a deep, cleansing breath and focus on that feeling. I thank my heart for keeping me alive and energized and I let some of the frantic energy release into the atmosphere. Then I open my eyes. Old Sonny would have been bouncing off the walls to get PJ to smile a real smile, not that fake one she pasted on to get under my skin.

I’ve grown, though. I’m not the young dumb kid she knew back then. And I’m determined to show her.

The love of my life is here. And I’ll do everything in my power to get her back.

Chapter Ten

Parker

Ispend the next hour and a half giving every family an itinerary, keys (where applicable), and a map of the grounds (plus a QR code to an interactive map for the tech savvy). The rote tasks keep me from flipping out that every person I ever wanted to meet is in the same place.

I met Sonny’s siblings and parents enough times, but he told me countless stories about his Nonna and his cousins. His Uncle Bruno sent him jokes weekly that he was always sharing with me.

I’ve heard a story or seen a picture of almost everyone here.

I was supposed to meet them at Sienna’s wedding, but our breakup kept that from happening.

I was so nervous at the idea of meeting everyone.

And now I’ve met them all, and nerves don’t even begin to describe it.

I make sure everyone has my cell number, even though it’s on the itinerary and I’ve put a second copy of the itinerary in each of the individual accommodations. But it’s practical, not stalker-ish or weird, to be clear, and it’s not like I took their numbers …

My intestines twist.

I cannot mess this week up.

This reunion has to be perfect.

When Nonna tells Sonny’s cousin, Emma, that she refuses to “play corn hole against those cheaters,” anxiety ices my veins over. I’m seconds from changing the itinerary, but Emma tells me that Nonna’s the biggest cheat of the family and Nonna’s eyes twinkle, so I keep it on there.

Everyone spends the afternoon getting settled and walking around the expansive grounds. I talk to some of Sonny’s aunts when Sonny’s mom, Lisa, comes over. I immediately stand straighter.

She lights up when she sees me. I’m standing behind a table, but she comes around it, spreads her arms wide open, and pulls me into the biggest hug I’ve felt since … the last time she hugged me, honestly.

Lisa Luciano doesn’t merely hug. It’s like she opens up part of her heart and fits you into it. She wraps you up so thoroughly, you can’t help but feel better about yourself.

Even me.

Her hug does too many things to my chest and eyes and nose, and no matter how hard I try to smooth my expression, the feeling of her arms squeezing me so warmly is making the circuits inside my head short.

I want her to love me so much, it hurts.

“Parker, you dear woman, thank you for helping us on such short notice!” Lisa says in my ear. Then she pulls away and holds me at arm’s length. “I know we just saw you a few weeks ago at the Super Bowl, but we barely got to talk that whole evening. And now you’re here, and we’ll get to actually catch up. I can’t wait to hear everything you and your company are doing! You are so accomplished.”

We’ve gone from circuits shorting to a full system reset.

I do my best to smile, but it’s like my cheeks don’t know how when my eyes and nose are swelling like this. “Thank you, Mrs. Luciano. How does the itinerary look?”

“Oh, it’s perfect. Everything you do is so thoughtful. But it’s Lisa, remember?”

Lisa’s sister-in-law grabs her attention, and Lisa gives me an apologetic smile.

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