Page 101 of Say It Isn't So

Finally, she set her glass down and put me out of my misery, asking, “So what happened last night? You know, after you moved in with Knox.” Lifting a hand up and shaking her head, she added, “Temporarily, of course.”

“Nothing,” I practically shouted, annoyed that was my answer. But that was the truth. Nothing, and I mean nothing, had happened. “He said he had to pick some friend up from a bar and by the time he came back I was sleeping in the second bedroom, so I didn’t even hear him come in. I woke up this morning and he was gone.”

She smacked her lips together and let her eyes wander. “I hate to say this, but you might have scared him off.”

“What?” I refused to believe that. Knox was so chill. And he’d said I could stay with him. What she was saying couldn’t be true. “No,” I decided, “that’s not the case. Knox would have told me if he was uncomfortable with me staying with him.”

“Bianca’s right, I wouldn’t just let a woman stay with me if I didn’t want her to,” Dom backed me as he walked down the stairs, pink fairy backpack in hand. He was here to pick up Isabella so he could drop her off at a playdate. “She’ll be down in a minute,” he said to Maria and winked at me.

And now I was grateful Dom was here because I was able to stick my tongue out at Maria and say, “Ha! You’re wrong on this one.”

Dom ran his free hand along his chiseled jaw before leaving it there as he looked at me. “Unless he feels like he’s between a rock and a hard spot. I mean, see it from a dude’s perspective. He says yes and is stuck in an uncomfortable situation, but comes out smelling like a rose. He says no, though, and he’sstunadfor turning you away when you need his help.”

My mouth fell open slightly. “Knox would not have been stupid if he said no to me.” Then I addressed the elephant by saying, “And I should have known you would see things Maria’s way. You two make me sick sometimes.”

Maria chuckled but looked back at Dom, who was standing behind the couch, his hand on her shoulder now. “We just see eye to eye, that’s all.”

Yeah, bull.“What do I do?” I asked, groaning as I threw my head forward and let my hair completely cover my face. “Why is there not a manual on stuff like this?”

Dom harrumphed. “If there was, would you read it?”

I popped my head back up and combed my hair back into place with my hands. “I don’t know, maybe. After all, I am unemployed, so I have nothing but time on my hands these days.”

Maria leaned over and placed a hand on my knee. “Hey, Dad will realize he made a big mistake and rehire you. He’s just full of steam sometimes.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t even care about that.” I exhaled. “I’m just confused, and I don’t like this feeling.” That was an understatement.

Dom cursed under his breath as his eyes fell to his wrist, staring at the time on the watch. “She’s going to be late for the playdate if we don’t leave now.”

Maria eyed him. “What’s she doing up there anyway?”

“How should I know?” Dom asked, his brow raised. “She just told me she’d meet me downstairs.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Peanut!” Dom called up the stairs. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”

Something told me time meant nothing to that little girl.

A moment later, Isabella came running down the stairs before turning the corner and sliding down the railing. “Catch me, Uncle Dom!” she shouted.

He placed the backpack at the bottom of the stairs and stood there, arms open so he could catch her. Isabella was one lucky girl to have Dom there to catch her and I didn’t just mean that literally. Dom would do anything for Isabella.

She giggled in his arms as he lifted her like an airplane and swung her in the air.

When her feet finally touched the floor, she held up a hand. “Look, Aunt Bibi! I bedazzled the purse you bought me.”

I peered over at Maria and eyed the designer handbag I’d bought her in Milan that was now covered in rhinestones. Dom, Maria, and I all looked at one another before Maria and I finally laughed. “You definitely found a way to make that bag shine,” I said, getting up from my seat and bending down in front of her.

She put the bag in my face and turned it all around. “See,” she said.

I smiled. “You know what, I actually think it looks better like this.” Turning to Maria now, I winked. “We might have an up-and-coming designer on our hands.”

Peanut gasped, her eyes aglow. “You mean it?” Then she looked perplexed, turning her head up to stare at Dom. “But how can I be a model like you, Uncle Dom, and a designer?”

“You come from a long line of strong, independent women. You can do anything you set your mind to,” Dom answered.

I tapped the tip of her nose, and she faced me again. “Plus, don’t forget aboutBellissima.You don’t want to work there?” I asked.

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