Page 16 of Marry Me in Rome

I grinned. “My birthday is eight months away.”

“Then you’ll have eight months to look forward to this.” He retrieved something from his pocket and held it out. Two paper tickets.

My heart galloped in my chest. I took them carefully, reverently, and read the words on the front.

“Tayler Laurie?!” I cried. I threw myself at him across the table, wrapping my arms around him. “Thank you, Daddy!”

His arms snaked around me, and I heard the smile in his voice. “You’re welcome. The least I can do for my baby princess. Check the date.”

I stared at the tickets again, afraid the words would change. But no, this was real. “The date says my birthday. We’re going to the concertonmy birthday?”

“It’ll be a three-hour drive, but yes. Your favorite artist is performing here in Arizona, on your birthday. I think we’re meant to be there. What do you think? You willing to go with your old man?”

“Yes! Of course. I can’t believe it. You’re the best!” I hugged him again, and he chuckled through the embrace. As I pulled away, though, a thought occurred to me. Dad often made promises like this, but he didn’t always follow through. I glanced at the dogs on the other side of the window and looked at my lap.

Dad sighed and his chair squeaked as he leaned back in his seat. “I know I haven’t been the perfect father, but I want to do better. The whole Jack thing was a big mistake. Nothing is getting in the way of this. Understand? Not work, not an accident causing traffic on the freeway, nothing. I’ll make sure we get to go, you and me. No matter what.”

I squirmed. He read me too well. “What about Alexis and Kennedy?” They weren’t big fans, but they did like Tayler’s music. Dad had never done anything like this for them.

He leaned forward, placing a hand next to his lips as if to make sure the people at the next table couldn’t hear. “Don’t tell anyone, but you’re my favorite.”

I sat a little taller, the tickets still gripped in my hand. I’d put them front and center on my dresser, so I could see them every day. I pictured us at the concert, screaming for my favorite singer and dancing along to the songs, and let myself relax. “I know, Daddy. You’re my favorite, too.”

I stood on the sidewalk,wrapped in a blanket, watching the corner where Matteo had disappeared.

Rome, I wanted to love you. But this isn’t what I had in mind.

This morning, I’d been trying to memorize my list of tourist sites to see with my sisters. Now we were scattered across the city and waited alone, a drenched little blanket burrito, with no usable phone or camera and awkwardly holding the leash of a dog that wasn’t mine. This day could not possibly be further from what I’d imagined.

“This is all your fault,” I told Dante. Nobody would buy Matteo’s excuse about the dog trying to save me from the river byknocking me into the river.

To his credit, the dog stood obediently next to my leg, panting, looking calm like he stood around the streets of Rome with strangers every day. Matteo had been gone for at least twenty minutes, yet his dog didn’t seem the least bit concerned.

“He could be making fools of us, you know,” I continued. “Maybe he’s at a store right now, changing clothes. Next he’ll be eating pizza at that restaurant we passed, laughing and taking his sweet time while I babysit you.”

The dog closed his mouth and turned to look at me. I’d swear he looked annoyed. Maybe he considered himself the babysitter.

“I wanted us to be friends, you know. But when you knocked me into that river, you kind of sealed the deal.We’re officially enemies now. You and Matteo.”

At least, I’d started out despising Matteo. Then I kind of endured him with a tolerant . . . resignation? Like, if my sisters didn’t want to hang out with me, at least I wouldn’t be alone. But I couldn’t say how I felt about him now.

He was right about one thing. I hated being alone. Abandoned, left behind, forgotten, yes. But especially alone. Even thinking about it made old feelings of dread fill the empty spaces inside. Even now, only Dante’s presence held the panic at bay.

Jillie, stop being dramatic.

As if hearing my thoughts, Dante stepped closer to my leg, his tail wagging.

“Look, I’m not completely opposed to liking you. I had a dog once. He disappeared when I was five. I always thought he would come home someday, but he didn’t. Swore I’d never get another dog after that.”

Dante looked up at me with his big brown eyes, then nudged my leg with his head.

“I guess we’ve been abandoned together,” I told him. “Kinda helps with the whole enemy thing. Maybe someday I’ll even be able to forgive you.”

Slowly, carefully, I lowered my hand to his head and scratched behind the ears. He didn’t seem to care about that one way or another, so I patted him awkwardly on the back instead.

“Distant friends, then,” I told him firmly. “Best I can do right now.”

His ears perked and he stared down the road. Then he took off running down the sidewalk, tearing the leash from my hands. The tag on his collar jingled in double-time as he sprinted away.

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