Page 3 of Tinsel in Telluride

“It hasn’t been that long,” I counter, picking up my needle and stabbing another piece of popcorn.

But it has.

Almost two years and nine months, to be exact.

“No, no, we’re not getting sidetracked by Leigh’s lack of sex life.” Willow’s gaze narrows in my direction. “Back to business. Why is it we’re not allowed to talk about whatever it is that happened between you and Luca?”

“Oh, yes, do tell, because I’ve got a bet going with Bishop, and I can’t wait to rub it in his face when he’s wrong.” Indie leans forward and pulls the bowl of popcorn in front of her. She rests her elbows on the table and brings a piece to her mouth like she is just waiting for the show to begin.

Willow scoffs. “You’ve got bets going with my boyfriend?”

“So many bets.” Indie wiggles her eyebrows, taunting Willow, who she knows can’t stand not knowing anything and everything.“But that’s not the point.”

“We’ll put a pin in that,” Willow concedes and shifts her gaze back to me. “The point is, what’s going on with you and Luca? And will this affect Renegade Hearts?”

“Seriously, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to work with that tree of a man and then maybe climb him and break your self-imposed celibacy.”

“Weeelll,” I draw out the word and drop my shoulders in defeat, “that’s sort of the problem. I’ve already climbed that tree.”

“Wait, you slept with Luca?” Willow gasps at the same time Indie throws up her hands, sending tinsel flying everywhere and shouts, “I knew it! Bishop owes me fifty bucks.”

Heat fills my cheeks as I pick the tinsel from my hair. “That’s not the problem, though.”

“Go on,” Indie singsongs.

“Luca may or may not be The Scum of the Upper Peninsula.”

“What!” they both exclaim.

I drag my hand down my face. There isn’t a single part of me that wants to relive this.

Luca’s sister Gianna was my first friend when we moved to Shady Grove. She was my best friend. We did everything together. Until the day Luca accused me of stealing a family heirloom in front of the entire town. I still don’t know how the locket got in my bag, but I know it was him. He all but told me it was. From that point on, no one wanted their children to be associated with the delinquent of Shady Grove.

That included Gianna.

When I showed up at our boarding school in the fall, Willow and Indie were there to pick up the pieces. I told them the story, but never his name in fear that they, or their society families, would side with him and the Donati name, and I’d lose them too.

They got me through the school year, even coming up with the nickname for Luca to make me laugh. But every summer until I left for college, I’d go home and was reminded just how unwanted I was in our little town.

And it was all thanks to him.

I glance around the room to make sure there isn’t anyone listening in on our conversation. Most of the volunteers have finished setting up. A few members of the team that agreed to help with the party are all circled up with my son in the corner, trying to teach him to play catch with a crumpled up piece of wrapping paper.

Willow is the first to recover from her shock and rapid-fires a line of questions. “Luca is the SCUP? How did we not know this? Why didn’t you tell us sooner? Is that how he knew your name back at spring training? Wait, when did you sleep with him?”

My gut roils with anxiety, but I answer them in succession. “Yes. I didn’t want you to know. He definitely recognized me, and almost two years and nine months ago.”

And then I wait.

And wait.

It takes a moment, but Willow pieces it together first.

“No,” she gasps, bringing her hands to cover her mouth.

“What did I miss?” Indie asks, following Willow’s gaze to my son. “Oh, fuck.”

Now she gets it.

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