Page 43 of Marry Me in Rome

I went rigid. And stared at the man. “Wait. You knew about Grandpa?”

“Of course I knew, but that doesn’t matter. The family we once had is gone, but with you three girls, we can create something new. Something better.”

Dad knew about Grandpa’s millions. The millions he wouldn’t let anyone else touch. Anyone . . . or Dad?

The pieces all fell into place like a magical puzzle. Dad’s new marriage failing. The timing of his reaching out to me to “get the family back together.” It couldn’t be a coincidence. The very thought made me feel sick inside.

“How did you really know we were in Rome?” I asked carefully. “Don’t tell me you were on my social media, because we both know you weren’t.” He hated that stuff.

Dad shrugged, but it looked forced. “I stopped by the house to talk to you but nobody answered, so I asked a neighbor where you were.”

I groaned inwardly. Dad was no fool. We could never afford an expensive trip on our own, just weeks after our grandfather’s death. It wouldn’t take too long to put it all together.

“Don’t tell me,” I said. “You lost a bunch of money in the divorce and you need a loan.”

He stiffened. “It wouldn’t be much. Just enough to get me back on my feet.”

“You are unbelievable. Good luck, Dad. Have a nice life.” I turned my back on him.

“Your life isn’t any better than mine,” he called after me. “With your little photos and cats and plants and heavy makeup? It’s all fake.” When I didn’t respond, his voice rose to a shout. “Jillie! Don’t you walk away from me, young lady. Come on, my baby princess. We need each other.”

I opened the door and turned to look at him one final time. “I’m not little, young, or your baby princess. I’m a grown woman who grew up without you, and I certainly don’t need you now.”

Then I let the door slam behind me, cutting off his dumbfounded expression for good.

Rome hadno right to look this beautiful.

It had rained sometime over the past fifteen minutes, because the cobblestone streets glistened in the moonlight and under the street lamps. A lone woman on a scooter whizzed by, and then I was alone. Exactly the way I wanted it.

I wandered through the city, burning off my anger while winding through neighborhood after neighborhood watching for a taxi. It was a side of Rome I hadn’t seen before. Italians hurried along with their umbrellas, heading back to their families or significant others. Barely a tourist in sight. If it weren’t for the chill settling on my bare shoulders, I would have been happy to explore Rome this way all night.

Two days. I’d only known Matteo for two days, and he’d managed to claim my heart and then stomp on it with heavy steel-toed construction boots.

Then this whole thing with Dad. Losing two men I cared about in a single night. All I wanted was to get back to my room on the ship, take a hot shower, and have a good cry followed up with something chocolate from the midnight buffet.

Wait.The cruise ship.What time was it?

With a jolt, I felt around my dress before remembering my phone was in a clutch that I no longer held. When had I last seen it? The studio? But no, I had grabbed it on my way out. I remembered that much.

The restaurant then. Dad had it.

I hurried to retrace my steps. The rain began to pour more heavily on my curled hair, rendering it limp and heavy. My dress dragged, the hem muddy now. Had this thing always been so heavy? I folded my arms as I made turn after turn, struggling to remember where the restaurant was. I’d come farther than I thought.

Just get to the restaurant, find your phone, and take an Uber to the train station.Maybe I’d skip the train ride altogether and take a taxi straight to the docks. It would cost a pretty penny, but I had to get there before the ship left at nine. I had little choice.

I halted in front of the restaurant and grabbed the door handle before realizing the lights were dark.

“No,” I wailed when the door didn’t open. They couldn’t possibly be closed already. I’d left less than an hour ago.

I pounded helplessly on the glass and then cupped my face in my hands to peer through the glass doors. Our table was empty.

With a frustrated sigh, I turned back to the street. A taxi rolled by and I almost hailed it, but I had no money. No translation app, either, to explain my predicament.

“Excuse me,” I said to a woman who walked by. “What time is it?”

She slowed, blinking as she tried to understand my English. I pointed to her watch and she held it out for me to see. My stomach practically dropped to my feet. Almost nine-thirty.

I stepped backward, letting the building catch me before I sank to the ground.No.Not possible. The ship would be long gone by now.

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