18. Valerie

Chapter eighteen

Valerie

" L adies and gentleman, give it up for the one and only, Valerie Farina. Ambrose Vitale's latest woman of interest," Karyn announces as I enter the kitchen.

"Shut up, my papá is going to hear you."

"Don't worry, he sleeps like a log after taking those pain meds they prescribed." She waves me off. "There's some leftovers in the fridge," she points towards the old appliance as she sits leaning over her phone.

"So last night looked interesting. I didn't think Ambrose was the hand-holding type, but the two of you looked amazing together."

I spin around so fast, my hair smacks the other side of my face. "What?" I spit the stray strand out of my mouth. "What are you talking about?"

She stares up at me, dumbfounded. She turns her phone to face me. "The two of you are on the front page of every news site in the world."

As if cold water was dumped over my head, I feel the blood drain from my face. It all happens so fast I almost feel lightheaded. Slowly, I step forward and look at the screen in front of me, and sure enough, there's a picture of us staring at one another as if we couldn't be more enthralled with each other. "I don't even remember looking at him like this while we were on the carpet."

Realisation comes rushing in, everyone has seen this and probably thinks I'm another one of these women he parades around on his arm. And from the note I found, Mattheo has definitely seen it and is not happy about it.

I'm nearly sick to my stomach as I realise, that no matter where I go, he will find a way to ruin all of this for me.

Karyn reaches forward and scrolls to show me more pictures, one of which is taken from behind, and shows our interlaced fingers resting on the small of my back.

I sink into my chair as Karyn bursts into a fit of laughter. "I never thought you coming home would result in such drama."

"I'm glad my embarrassment is entertaining to you. We weren't even holding hands."

She looks at me, confused before pointing at the screen. "Yes, and I'm a forty year old man with a foot fetish."

It takes everything in me not to burst out laughing, because there's nothing Karyn hates more in the world than feet.

"Okay, I know it looks like we were, but it only happened because he was standing so awkwardly in pictures and I didn't want them to look weird.."

"So, you decided to hold his hand and place it in a more appropriate place. Of course, it makes so much sense," she sips her coffee, a smirk slowly disappearing behind the cup.

"What makes sense?" I ask.

"That you have feelings for Ambrose," she shrugs.

"I do not." I roll my eyes and head back to the fridge.

"Oh yeah, tell that to sixteen year old Valerie who probably creamed her panties when he kissed your forehead last night."

"You fucking stalker!" I exclaim and throw a dish towel at Karyn who dodges it effortlessly. "I thought everyone was asleep."

She shrugs. "The walls have eyes and ears these days."

"No, I just have a cousin incapable of minding her own business," I say, folding my arms across my chest .

I can't tell if I'm upset at the fact that Karyn saw what happened last night, or if I'm upset because she's right about the effect the forehead kiss had on me. She, and probably half the population of Tevici, knew I had the world's biggest crush on Ambrose growing up but because of how much older he was, I always knew it would never happen.

After last night though. I don't know. The signals are more mixed than a cocktail during happy hour. One second he's all over me, and the next it's exactly how things were before–him acting like a caring older brother or like I barely exist.

"What are you two arguing about in here?" my father asks, as he walks into the kitchen with his walker assisting him. He's been using it a lot less now thanks to the physical therapy, but still uses it first thing in the morning when the joint is the most stiff.

"See, I told you he'd hear us," I say towards Karyn and pull out a chair for my father. "Morning, Papá. Sorry for the noise."

"Here you go." Karyn hands my father a neatly folded twenty euro note. I stare between the two of them.

"Oh, yes." My father does a little happy dance. "I knew it, those Vitale boys were always such gentlemen even in their younger days."

"What is going on?" I stare at my father in disbelief as I wait for an answer.

"I bet Karyn that he'd walk you to the door after you two went out," my father says nonchalantly.

"And I bet that you'd be lucky if he opened the car door for you," she shrugs.

"I don't appreciate the two of you taking bets on my dating life, and if you," I point at Karyn, "keep this up, you can forget about that off day since the two of you are getting along so well, I'm sure you'll hate to be separated."

Karyn snickers before walking over and pulling me into a hug. "You love us, so shut up. I have to pack up a few things before I head out."

I nod as she exits the kitchen and return my attention to my father, who is beaming at me like an excited child. "So, how was it?"

"No, absolutely not, we're not doing this." I cringe, and sit down at the table to eat.

"Doing what? I want to know how your evening was. Karyn mentioned it was a pretty big event at an art gallery, did you meet any interesting people?" he asks, and I can hear his genuine interest.

I sigh, there was a time when I told my father everything, but ever since I moved to Paris our relationship has been strained. Well, my relationships with everyone took strain, because Mattheo was practically keeping me from everyone, and everyone from me.

"It was good, I met an art curator from Paris there. He and Ambrose are going to be doing business together, so we spoke quite a bit about art and up and coming artists." I shrug, a part of me wished I'd mentioned how I do commissioned pieces and that maybe he would have been interested in buying one, but I've never been good at putting myself out there.

"I'm glad you're meeting more people in the industry, Fiore Mio . I'm sure they'll all see the potential in you, the way your mamá and I did. Your time will come." He smiles.

The mention of my mamá and his blind confidence in me causes a ball of tears to threaten to spill.

"So, what are your plans for the day?" he asks, changing the subject.

It's Saturday, which means he doesn't have a physio appointment today, so we have a full day to ourselves.

"I was thinking we could go grab some sandwiches at Giovanni's and desserts at Trescatelli's, then come home and binge-watch action movies?"

He places his hand on his heart and smiles at me. "You know how to butter up your papá."

"Of course. I also think it'll be good to get out a bit, especially with the second operation coming up. I don't want you to get cabin fever from being stuck in here all day."

He reaches forward and places his hand on mine. Thank you so much for everything, Fiore Mio. I know you're giving up a lot to be here, and to make sure everything goes well with my surgeries, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it."

"Always, Papá. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, you know I'll be here whenever you need me."

" Fiore Mio , I hate to ask, but I found a few letters… and I'm just a bit worried," he says and immediately I know what letters he's referring to.

We've, or rather I received a few payment warning letters for both the house and an extra loan I took out to help with payments.

"Everything is fine, Papá, I'm taking care of the letters already. No need for you to worry." I smile.

At least I hope there's nothing to worry about.

Nothing will ever be better than lounging on the couch, watching movies and eating snacks, especially with my papá when we haven't done it in years.

"I can't believe he's still doing this, isn't he like sixty now?" I ask, through a mouthful of my sandwich.

"Sixty-three, actually, with two good hips. I could out-stunt him if it wasn't for these stupid guys," he says, smacking the sides of his hips.

"Sure, Papá." I giggle, and he bursts into a chuckle as well.

The doorbell rings and I roll my eyes. "If this is Mrs Bordachelli telling us she's locked out again, I'm going to lose it."

"I'm convinced she either has Alzheimer's or she started purposely hiding the key after your mamá passed away." He bursts out laughing and it rings through the halls, pulling an instant smile on my face.

When I open the door, a female frame burst past me instead. "Nat? What are you doing here?"

"Karyn mentioned you were on ‘papá-watch', so I decided to keep you company," Nat yells over her shoulder.

"Natalia, so good to see you again," My papá says as she sits down next to him and leans into his side, getting comfortable, as if I interrupted their movie night.

"That's my spot," I pout at Natalia. She shoots me a dirty look and shifts closer to my father.

"You get to see him every day. I'm only in town for a few weeks a year. Let me take advantage of my time with my non-biological father too."

I knew that was coming, so I shake my head and sit on her other side to resume the movie. Natalia and I have been practically inseparable since we were seven. She grew up in my house since things were always pretty rough at hers. My father is her father in many ways, and I know she misses him whenever she goes off to the States for work.

"Ohh, is this Blaze Steele? We haven't watched one of his movies in years," she pipes up.

"It's the new one," My father adds. "How's work, Nat? Valerie tells me your world tour is sold out." My father is Natalia's biggest fan, and has been since he pushed her to join the singing competition that landed her, her first record deal.

She waves him off. "Yeah, in seven minutes apparently but shhhhh, no popstar talk while Blaze is on, Papá. You know he's my favourite out of all the big muscle guys you watch."

I scoff, and Natalia's head snaps in my direction. "You love any man that's shirtless and fighting off bad guys."

She shrugs. "It's my type, I like my men ready to go to war for me, what can I say?"

By the time the credits roll, I can hear the soft snores of my father. Nat smiles at him fondly before moving slightly away from him, so I can wake him up and take him to his room for bed. I knew the adventures to the store would tire him out, but I expected him to last until at least 9 p.m.

"So, now for the real reason I came," Natalia starts the second I walk back into the living room.

"Ambrose Vitale? Val, what the fuck? When were you going to tell me about this?" Natalia says, staring at me wide-eyed.

"There is nothing to tell." I retake my seat on the couch and pull out my phone. "He needed a date, and I was free, it's nothing. Just a couple of old friends hanging out," I shrug.

I feel bad about lying, especially about the real reason I agreed to be Ambrose's date. Telling Natalia would mean her worrying way more than she needs to.

"You and Ambrose have never been friends," Natalia pokes .

I know what she's trying to do. It's what she tried to do the entire evening. Stir the pot enough for me to say something that could sound like I'm interested in Ambrose. Which I'm not.

"I was practically third wheeling whenever I wasn't with Leo."

"It isn't third wheeling," I sigh. "There are no wheels, I'm a unicycle riding around on my own."

She stares at me in disbelief before she bursts out laughing. "What the fuck Val? I haven't seen you so defensive over him since we were like sixteen," Natalia laughs.

I frown and focus on my phone again. In my vain attempts to seem unfazed, I seem to have somehow made her suspect it even more.

Natalia isn't wrong, Ambrose could do nothing wrong in teenage Valerie's eyes, but I'm not the same girl I was back then. I'm more mature and less naive, I've been more exposed to the trash of the real world. Especially in terms of men. Especially men like Ambrose

"Okay," Nat says. "If you're okay with the idea of dating Ambrose, then say nothing."

As I'm about to jump to my own defence, I can't help but play out the scenario of what that would be like. What Ambrose would be like as a boyfriend and maybe even mo- "I KNEW IT!" Natalia jumps up, and my heart nearly explodes out of my chest.

"Wait, no," I shake my hands in front of me. "I was weighing up my options." It's no use, my pleas are like white noise behind Natalia's squeals of excitement. "Shhhhh," I hiss. "If Papá wakes up, you can stay over to babysit him," I threaten, and it's enough to snap her back to her senses.

"It's so sweet to see my little Val living out her manifested romance dreams," Natalia swoons

"All jokes aside, no matter how I felt, or feel about the situation, I'm pretty sure the feeling isn't mutual."

"Are you crazy? Did you not see the way he was looking at you? If I had someone looking at me that way I'd jump their bones every second I get," Natalia stares at me wide-eyed.

A small laugh leaves my lips, and I know it's forced. His words replay in my head:

You're not mine to have.

"Trust me, he made it crystal clear. I think the age gap is probably still weird for him," I shrug.

"I don't want to dwell on this anymore. Can we go back to watching movies?" I ask, and she nods.

"Before we do that, did I see correctly that you and Adriano were at the after-party together?" I ask, and Natalia freezes, wide-eyed as she stares ahead.