Page 61 of More Than a Billionaire

Franky thought back to the minutes after the kiss. “I apologized for crossing the line. I told her I’d had too much to drink, that it was a mistake.”

“I see. And was it?”

Franky shrugged his shoulders. His desire not to upset Sebastian warred against his need to fess up about his feelings for Skylar. The promise he’d made not to date her was over a decade ago. Did it even still apply?

But before he had a chance to ask, Sebastian shook his head disappointedly. “Get it together, man. Seriously. Please don’t drag Sky into your long line of failed relationships.”

Franky’s stomach dropped at his friend’s harshness, but Sebastian wasn’t wrong. What if they got together and he followed his usual pattern of being unable to fully commit? What if she left him like all the others? His heart squeezed painfully in his chest, imagining his life without her in it.

“It’s clear you have no idea what you’re doing with my sister,” Sebastian broke through his thoughts.

“Skylar is the most important person in my life. And I do feel something more for her, Bash, but I don’t want to risk what we have. I don’t want to hurt her.”

“It seems like you already have.”

Franky felt tied up in knots.

“Skylar isn’t looking for a good time, she’s looking for forever.” Sebastian patted him hard on the shoulder. “Remember that.”

SEVENTEEN

The fallen leaves crunched underfoot as Skylar strolled around the vineyard with her camera in hand. It was brisk this early in the morning, but she didn’t mind as she inhaled the fresh air, breathing deeply in hopes of a little clarity.

As she walked, she sent up a prayer that God would heal her heart and help her to get past her feelings so she and Franky could remain friends. She wanted him in her life, but she wasn’t sure their friendship could go back to normal now. Not until the memory of their kiss faded. Everything felt different, and she wasn’t sure she could go back to pretending she wasn’t in love with him.

She snapped a few photographs of the grapevines with the sunrise glowing behind them. Her camera had been collecting too much dust lately. She had forgotten how amazing it felt to capture the perfect shot.

Skylar rounded the corner of the trail and was startled by the sight of Luca walking her way.

“Morning,” he said when he spotted her.

“Good morning.”

He rotated and fell into step beside her. “Mind if I join you?”

She shook her head and gave him a polite smile, even though she’d been enjoying the solitude.

“You’re up early,” he said.

“I thought I’d start my thirties with a clear head, and walking out here makes me feel at peace.”

“Me too. I’ve lived other places, but there’s no place like it.”

“I know what you mean. There’s something about it. It feels like home.”

He nodded. “You’re not the first person who’s said that very thing. It’s special.”

They walked on for several minutes in silence.

“You seemed upset about something last night,” he said.

She looked over at him. “What do you mean?”

“Toward the end of your party.”

“Oh. Yeah. Personal stuff,” she replied.

“Do you want to talk about it? I’m a pretty good listener.”

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