Page 106 of Close Knit

Leo nods along. “Being in touch with his vulnerable side is what makes a man strong.”

“All right.” Resigned, Cameron returns to a conversation with his youngest sister, Francesca. All day, I was sure he was starting to come around, but now he seems annoyed. Similar to how I got when my moms and Juni whipped out their protective shields on my behalf.

We really are alike.

Francesca grips her tiny crocheted steering wheel with a mischievous grin, pretending to drive a bread roll across the tablecloth. “Mine’s epic, way better than all of yours.”

“En garde!” Dante chortles from across the table, brandishing a diminutive knitted fencing sword. His entourage bursts into synchronized laughter. Honestly, Cameron’s brotherlooks so much like Cillian Murphy that my sister would be having a full-on meltdown right now. “Truly, this is a stroke of brilliance. Your creativity deserves nothing less than a crown!”

The rest of the Hastings crew nods in agreement, each clutching their own quirky ornaments. Alec shows off his tiny ice cube, Leo has a miniature laptop, Selene flaunts a basketball, and Ezra proudly displays a wave.

“So, Daphne, Cameron tells us you’re an entrepreneur with a heart of gold?” Leo says, making the entire table hush.

I feel my cheeks heat up but manage a confident smile. “You could say that.”

Cameron rolls his eyes and sighs. “Daphne’s too humble. She was featured in theStone Timesfor donating to the UCSF hospital, and she’s organizing a knitting retreat for mental health.”

“Do you have a foundation set up? We always love to support a good cause,” Leo insists. “Carlyle, get whatever details you need from Daphne, and we’ll make a generous contribution.”

My eyes widen; I’m taken aback.

“Well, right now I’m a one-woman show. No foundations just yet.” I laugh, feeling a bubbly excitement at the thought of what a family like this could do for an important cause. “However, I plan to fundraise at my retreat and donate to organizations that provide anti-bullying services, education, and support for families and kids.”

“That is so kind!” Brooklyn coos. “Trust me, one thing this family knows about is bullies.” She frowns and glances at Cameron.

“Can we not bring that up?” he snaps.

“Of course, Cameron.” Selene looks at him sympathetically and turns to me. “We are genuinely sorry for what happened in the tabloids last month.” She gives me a warm smile. “WhenLeo and I were first getting to know each other, reporters would camp outside of our homes for a photograph.”

Her husband tsks with a smile, shaking his head. “My favorite headline from those years was: ‘Rejected! WNBA All-Star Dumps Tech Billionaire After He Buys Her Team and Pleads for a Date!’ Fucking bastards.” he laughs.

“You never really forget what they write about you,” Selene adds.

“How do you move past it then?”

“Fuck ’em,” Frankie chimes in. The heads around the table break into agreeable nods.

“Newspapers are a business. They want profit,” Leo explains. “The more chatter they can drum up, the bigger they can make something out of nothing, the more papers they sell. It’s as simple as that.”

“Don’t let yourself get commoditized,” Alec adds.

The advice is spot-on.

My life has expanded greatly, and, sure, the bad stuff got bigger too. But now I’m sitting around this table with a bunch of wonderful, supportive people and, most importantly, Cameron by my side.

If Selene and Leo Hastings can build a dreamy life and everyone here can find happiness despite the media circus, I’ve got a fighting chance too.

I’m going to crank up the volume on my life and embrace every quirky, vulnerable, too-much bit of myself.

“All of you are really inspiring.” I beam. “Honestly, I’ve been thinking about using my platform to take a stand against bullying when we get back to London.” After the chat with my moms and Juni, I stayed up all night putting together a list of ways I could integrate resilience into my retreat.

“That is marvelous, sweetheart!” Selene replies with a warm smile. “Whatever support you need from us, please do nothesitate. Carlyle can help set you up with a nonprofit, and we have all the connections under the sun to put you on the map.”

Dante slinks both elbows onto the table and tuts his parents. “You’re scaring her off. Take it easy, or she’ll vanish, and we’ll be waiting years before Cameron finds the courage to bring someone else home.” The table shakes slightly as Cameron kicks his brother underneath it. “Ouch, Cam, always with the violence!” Dante grins, not missing a beat.

A few seats down, Finn catches my eye and winks, his fingers keeping up a steady drumbeat on the table. “Don’t take them too seriously,” he says with an easy grin. “They’ve got a talent for being nosy, but it’s just their way of showing love.”

Laughter ripples around the table again.

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