Page 41 of I Think Olive You

Pulling her into my arms, I spin us both in a circle. Despite the fact that she knows something untoward is happening, Giuliana elicits a squeal of laughter. We slow to a dizzying stop and with her soft body pressed up against my chest I can’t hold back. Dipping my head down to kiss her, I lean in to sample the intoxication of her.

“Oh my god! That was so beautiful!” Kelsey and her bridal party emerge from the trees—excited and ecstatic.

Seriously? Two more seconds and we would have been kissing. Talk about shit timing. A bridesmaid shoves two flutes of prosecco toward us and I throw mine back. Giuliana’s gaze flits between me and Kelsey—confusion clearing into some kind of understanding. I’ll have to explain the miscommunication and my lies. For now, Giuliana’s accepted that the proposal is part of what got us here.

“Grazie,” she says, taking a heavy swig of the shimmering liquid.

Some of the bridal party fawn over the ring. When no one is watching Giuliana worries the white gold band with her thumb. Twisting it to and fro on her finger, the stone catches on the golden hues of the sun’s last bit of splendor.

“Thank you for all the fuss, but please, don’t stop your photo session on our account. I insist!” I say, hoping they’ll catch the hint and let us leave. Threading my hand with Giuliana’s, we make a grateful exit.

The ring band is cold where we touch and silence looms between us as we walk back toward the revelry of cocktail hour. Kelsey’s spread the good news somehow because wedding guests come over to congratulate us. Thank fuck most of them are Italian. The last thing I need is another person recognizing me.

“I’m so excited we were able to make it happen for you! Your fiancé told me how badly you wanted to see the grove and how he had very special plans for this weekend that couldn’t wait.” Francesca gushes to Giuliana, my lies unfolding.

I’m on my fourth glass of prosecco—the bubbles doing funny things to my nose—when Giuliana reaches her limit. Tugging me up some side steps to a private balcony, we stand watch over the party. Once we reach the top she drops my hand, her indulgence for my lies at an end.

“Matteo.”

“Yes?”

“What did you do?”

Night wraps us in her embrace. The strings of lights illuminating the dance floor below don’t reach up to this area. Our balcony is a small alcove overlooking the grounds. Music pulses under my feet. The breeze carries the sound of rambunctious partygoers laughing and dancing. It’s the closest I’ve gotten to the New York vibe since getting here and despite my panic attack earlier I’d been enjoying myself.

Giuliana waits, tension thick between us.

“It got out of hand,” I blurt.

She scoffs, the air huffing from her nose emphasizing my massive understatement.

“You’ve made a liar out of me and I resent that. Forcing my hand like that and pulling me into your pretense… It feels wrong, especially after my father, and Umberto—” she breaks off. I remember what she told me about her father lying about being sick, and hiding the loan. Then there’s Umberto and his hidden intentions. The comparison is apt and I feel like hot trash.

But there’s no time for me to wallow because she’s talking again. “I’m not like them. I don’t want to be. So how dare you?” she accuses before hissing, “Engaged?”

“Francesca said the villa was closed because of a wedding. It got stuck in my head and an engagement was the only thing I could think of to keep us here despite the private event. Francesca got super excited about it and I got sucked in. When I went down to ask about dinner the bride was there. Francesca filled her in on my fake plans, only she didn’t know they were fake.” I lean against the stone terrace, my back turned to the party below.

“But a ring? One that looks and feels very real?” She has her hand between us, examining the proof of my harebrained scheme, and all I can think is how well the ring suits her.

“When I went to town.”

“For God’s sake. What were you thinking? Where did you even get the money for this? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m not here because I’m hurting for money. This plan was stupid and impulsive but I wanted to take care of this for you, to save the situation. I’m not used to being the one to step in and fix things. Back home I’m a fucking joke but here…”

I don’t finish the sentence—I can’t. Because I’m a joke here, too.

“It got out of hand. As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew they were a mistake. I know you’re too honorable to go along with the lies. But I stuck my foot in it. It felt like you depended on me to make this work and then Francesca and Kelsey expected this wonderful proposal—rightfully because that’s what I sold them—and I panicked.”

“It was wonderful, but you can’t go around proposing to your boss.” It’s hard to make out her expression in the dark but there’s sadness there, regret.

Maybe that’s just me.

“Yeah well, maybe I kind of fucking hate the fact that you’re my boss.” I need to leave before I say too much.

Rushing past her, my arm brushes against hers as I start down the stairs.

“Teo, you can’t say something like that and leave.” Her voice follows me down the steps.

---