Page 106 of By Blade, I Love
“We are going to do it in their gardens because it’s right on the cliff over the sea.”
“I bet that will be beautiful at sunset.”
“You think you can manage that in less than two weeks?”
“I can manage it now,” he said. “Nothing is gonna stop me from being there.”
“But you should be able to dance at your sister’s wedding.”
“Like I said, nothing is gonna stop me.”
At that moment, Francesca rounded the corner with a disposable cup in her hand. Her eyes immediately went to me, and they brightened like every other time she looked at me. “Oh, hey. I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Finished up early. Wanted to swing by and check in.”
She walked around the bed and took the seat beside me. With the coffee in her hand, she leaned in and gave me a kiss.
My hand automatically went to her thigh, and I gave her a squeeze.
Her brother looked away and stared at the opposite wall.
“Leo said he can go home tomorrow,” I said.
“Yeah,” she said. “We’re both excited to get out of here.”
“You didn’t have to be in here in the first place,” Leo said as he looked at her again.
“Come on. Who’s going to kick your ass in poker, then?” she teased.
He rolled his eyes. “Wolfe says you’re having a reception at Villa Igiea in Palermo.”
“He did?” she asked as she looked at me.
“They said next Saturday is available,” I said. “I told them we’d take it. Leo says he can make that date happen.”
She looked at my brother again. “He’s been doing well in his therapy sessions. Won’t be able to drink, but he might be able to dance.”
“I’ll definitely be dancing on your wedding day,” Leo said. “And I’m definitely drinking.”
Francesca ignored his last statement and turned to me. “How was your day?”
“You know.”
“I don’t know, actually. That’s why you’re running the show.”
I filled her in on everything.
She gave a sigh. “It’s always something, huh?”
“I’ll figure it out. Don’t worry about it.”
“Now that Leo is going home tomorrow, I guess I could return to the office.”
“Up to you. But you also have a wedding reception to plan.”
“Oh shit,” she said. “You’re right.”
“I can help,” Leo said. “We can sample the menu, do a cake tasting, pick out the alcohol.”
