Page 57 of Secret Babies For My Brother's Best Friend

Luca doesn’t want another kid. He doesn’t have room in his life for more complications. That was the truth of the matter.

But instead of making me want to hold on tighter to my secret, it made me want to tell him even more. I wanted him to look me in the face and say it.There will never be anything here.

“He has a good heart but no feeling for these things,” she repeated, touching a finger to my chin.

I nodded my understanding, unable to find a response that wouldn’t bring on a whole new set of tears. I wasn’t going to stand there crying over Luca Moretti in front of his grandmother, or anyone. I was done being that person.

“I have to get back,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face.

Nonna nodded and took back her hand. “They’re in the dining room for the speeches.”

“Thank you.” I reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “For everything.”

She patted my hand. “The time will come, and you’ll know what to do.”

I stood rooted to my spot in the hallway for a while after she’d gone into the bathroom, her cryptic words swirling in my head. My life had changed so much since Luca had entered it. I used to know exactly what to do, what I wanted, who I was… But from the moment his lips first touched mine I got caught up in a whirlwind of choices that left me paralyzed. I didn’t like being that person, and I was ready to go back to the Scarlett I’d always been.

The dining room was packed with people when I got there, all crowding around the couple of the moment. Although, it had to be said that Luca’s mother commanded her own special attention as she stood beside them. The more time I spent around her, the more I understood Luca’s reaction to her phone call in his office that day.

I moved to stand just behind him, hoping to get his attention and call him over to talk. I was through keeping secrets. Taking back my life was going to start by getting everything out in the open with everyone. And that began with Luca.

“You…” Luca’s mother snapped her fingers at me.

I stiffened on the spot, shocked she’d even spotted me. I glanced over both my shoulders just to make sure she was talking to me. But when Luca gave way, I knew it wasn’t a mistake.

His mother zeroed in on me and said, “Can you clear these glasses? We need room for the champagne when we do the toast.”

My skin burned under the weight of everyone’s curious stares, probably wondering why the help was so elegantly dressed. I felt myself shrink to the size of a thumbnail, unable to formulate any kind of coherent response aside from a humble nod.

“Scarlett—” Luca called after me, but I brushed him off.

My hands trembled, but I kept my head down and neatly packed the empty tray with used glasses from the table behind Sofia and her fiancé. His mother’s gaze was daggers while I worked.

“What are you doing, Mamma?” he asked, coming up beside me. “There’s staff who will take care of this.”

“She’s staff,” his mother replied curtly. “Yours, mine, what does it matter if we’re family?”

I squeezed a glass too tightly as my temper flared, and it shattered in my hand, shards splintering all over my dress and the floor. Muffled gasps floated out from the crowd, and I wished the earth would swallow me whole.

“Are you okay?” Luca grabbed my hand and inspected it closely.

I pulled from his grasp, rubbing my stinging palm along the front of my dress. I couldn’t look at him, but I managed to blurt out, “I’m fine,” and continued with the task at hand.

“Well, forget the glasses now, girl,” his mother quipped. “Get a broom and fix your mess.” She added a quick clap to her command to make sure I’d jump to attention. I’d never felt more humiliated in my life. “We don’t have all night for the speeches, come on now.”

“Enough!”

Luca’s booming voice snapped me out of my sulk, and when I looked up at him, his face was clouded over with a threatening storm. My gaze shifted from him to his mother, and I saw the way she stuck out her chin, challenging him to say something more.

Every person in the room shrunk back, including me. But not Luca. He stepped between his mother and me, keeping a protective arm outstretched in my direction.

“I won’t let you speak to Scarlett like that,” he said.

The place was so quiet, my own breathing seemed deafening in my ears. I looked around, and all eyes were on the three of us in front. Unfortunately, the happy couple and their speech had long been forgotten.

“Luca, you’re making a scene, please,” his mother said in a condescending tone. “This is Sofia’s night. Remember that.”

Luca scoffed loudly. “The way you’ve been parading yourself around all evening, I’d say you need reminding too.”

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