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He leans forward. “Do tell, you need me to make a man jealous for you?” he asks.
It’s not the first time I’ve asked him for help like this. “Not jealous just … annoy him more like it. He likes watching my socials and I may have told him I was on a date today, so I need your help to make it look like we are on one,” I explain to him.
“Say no more, my sweetheart, I will pretend to be your lover for the afternoon,” he jokes.
“Ew, how about sexy, flirty, man friend?” I add as the waiter brings out the bottle of champagne and pours us both a glass.
“Whatever you need, girl. Can I ask who this man is?” He grins, raising the champagne glass to his lips and taking a sip.
“Soon, I promise.”
Dom’s eyes narrow on me. “You’re never secretive, Natalia.”
“I know, but I promise all will be revealed soon. It’s complicated,” I try to explain to him.
“Fine. I trust you. You’re not in trouble, are you? Blink twice if you need help,” he asks.
I burst out laughing. “No, I’m fine. I got myself into this stupid mess and I’m trying to get out of it.”
He doesn’t look like he believes me, but he lets it go and we spend the afternoon filling up my socials with content to drive Alessandro crazy.
I’m a bit tipsy by the time I meet up with Francesca. She messaged me while at lunch and said she was free for a meeting in the afternoon. After saying my goodbyes to Domingo, I head to her office.
“Natalia, such a pleasant surprise,” she says, greeting me warmly.
“Thanks for taking the time to meet with me. I need a favor,” I cut right to the chase.
Her brows rise high. It’s not normal for the subject to ask the magazine for the favor when it comes to paparazzi pictures.
“I’m listening,” she says.
And I explain to her exactly what I need from her.
7
NATALIA
My heart is racing a million miles as I arrive at my parents’ house for Sunday lunch. I’m about to blow everything up with the bombshell I’m going to drop at the lunch table. I’m so worried. I don’t want my family to hate me, and I don’t want to ruin my family either.
“Hey, are you okay?” Allegra calls out.
I jump, not hearing her arrive, lost in my thoughts as I walk up the path to my parents’ front door. Tears well in my eyes as I try to stuff my emotions back down. I’ve got to keep it together. But Allegra sees something on my face, and she instantly wraps her arms around me and pulls me into her.
“Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay,” she tells me, hugging me tighter.
This is all I’ve ever wanted from my sister, this level of sisterly love. Ever since coming out and falling in love with Giada, she’s no longer a raging bitch and the two of us have been able to work on our relationship together.
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Giada asks.
“What, no,” I squeal.
She looks relieved, they both do.
“What’s going on? You look like you have the world on your shoulders right now,” Allegra says.
“It feels like it. I’ve fucked up majorly,” I confess to her.
Allegra and Giada look between each other, then back at me. “I’m sure it’s not anything that bad,” my sister adds.
