Page 158 of My Italian Love Affair

His jaw tightens slightly.

“We didn’t have money, but he still made sure I had boots, kits. Drove me to and from training, no matter how exhausted he was.”

I swallow, suddenly feeling worlds apart from him.

“What about your mother?” I ask carefully.

“She… struggled. A lot,” he says, his fingers toying with a loose thread on his light denim jeans. “Drank too much. Yelled too much. But she loved me. Just… not always in the way a kid needs.”

There’s something heavy in his voice, something unspoken but understood.

I hesitate, then reach over, brushing my fingers over his. He turns his hand, catching mine before I can pull away, holding it against his palm.

And, God help me, I let him.

“My parents weren’t like that,” I admit after a long silence.

Matteo tilts his head. “No?”

I shake my head.

“They were… good. On paper, at least. We didn’t struggle financially. They sent me to a private school, to all of the best clubs, made sure I got into a good university…”

I trail off, letting out a small, humourless laugh.

“They went on nice holidays. Expensive ones. Only, most of the time, they left me behind.”

Matteo shifts beside me, his body angled towards mine, the weight of his gaze pressing into me even before he speaks.

“They just… left you?”

His voice is quieter now, threaded with something I can’t quite place.

I nod, my fingers toying with the edge of my dress.

“They were busy. Still are.” I force out a small, humorless laugh. “I feel like I hardly talk to them at all these days.”

His expression hardens, his brows drawing together.

“That’s -”

He cuts himself off, exhaling sharply.

Then, to my surprise, he reaches for my free hand, his fingers warm and firm as they squeeze mine.

“That’s shit,cara.”

The bluntness of it pulls a soft, breathy laugh from my lips.

“Yeah. It is.”

I glance down at our joined hands, at the contrast of his tanned skin against mine.

“I guess it brought me here, though.”

His grip tightens just slightly.

“Here,” he repeats, voice low. “With me.”

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