Page 84 of Forbidden Arrangement

CHAPTER21

“Well, that was awkward,” David said, looking at me with a curious expression on his face.He turned back to look at Valentina as she ran away and then looked back at me.“What was that about exactly?Don’t you like the painting?”

I stared at the painting that was still in his hands and I shook my head.“It’s great.It’s really great.I don’t even know how you made it.I never even gave Valentina a photograph of my brothers and me.And I don’t even know if we have a photograph like this.”

“Oh, it wasn’t from one photograph,” he said with a smile.“She took individual photographs of all of you guys I guess when you were hanging out and gave them to me.And she gave me the artistic license to put the photos together as I saw fit.”

“Wow.I didn’t even know.”

“Obviously,” he said, raising an eyebrow.“Well, I’ve already been paid handsomely for this painting so you can have it.”

“Thanks.”

He handed it to me and then smiled awkwardly.“I’m going to go if that’s okay.I need to go and fix my chakras.You two have really given me some bad energy today.”

“Sorry,” I said and wrinkled my nose.

“No worries.I’m just really affected by other people’s energy.”

“Can I ask you something, David?”I wanted to speak to him before he left.

“Of course, he nodded, “What is it?”

“You and Valentina.”

“Yeah?”

“I saw you the other day, and you were holding hands.”

“Oh, I hold hands with everyone,” he said, laughing.“Why?”

“Have you ever been together or friends with benefits?”

He threw his head back and started really hard.“Sam, I’m going to fill you in on something.”

“Okay,” I said.

“Seriously, you’re much more my type than she is.”

I stared at him for a few seconds until it dawned on me what he was saying.I pressed my lips together.“Okay then.”

“You wouldn’t trust it,” he said, his eyes sparkling.

And I shook my head quickly.“Sorry.No.”

“I had a feeling you weren’t, but if Valentina is your girl or you want her to be your girl, then I think you need to get it right the next time because girls like Valentina don’t come around every single day.”

“I think I’ve already blown it,” I said, shrugging.

“Maybe, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know.See ya, cutie.”He gave me a wink and then walked away.

I stood there for a couple of seconds and then looked down at the painting.My brothers and I looked handsome and strong.And in the painting, you could see our connectedness.Whatever photographs Valentina took of us must have shown us in our pure light.It was such a thoughtful gift—something I’d never received before.And I felt ashamed of myself.“You’re a fucking idiot, Sam,” I said as I headed toward the sidewalk.I called Stefano.

“Hey, what’s up, bro?”

“I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah.Tell me something I don’t know.”He chuckled like he thought he was fucking Dave Chapelle, telling the funniest joke told to man.

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