Page 73 of The Proposal

I more than like this man.

This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me,and belonging to him makes me feel a happiness I’ve never known.

I wake in the morning to a barrage of text messages from my sister.

Lucia: My flight just landed. It was sooooo long. Is it wrong that I’m not even excited to be home? I left a big piece of my heart back in Australia.

Lucia: Holy crap, you got a tattoo!!! I’m so jealous. I want one now.

Lucia: I’d give my left kidney to be back there with you and Dante. I miss Australia. You have the best life now, Arabella. I hope you realise that. I’m really happy for you, but super bummed for me.

The sadness that crashed over me when I said goodbye to her at the airport yesterday returns full force, hitting me with the same heart-aching intensity as before.

Lucia: Oh my god!!!! Dante got your name tattooed on his chest. That is so hot. I love it. I even swooned a bit when I saw it too. I hope when Papa marries me off, it’s to a man like him. I want what you two have, Bell-Bell. I want someone who will treat me right. Someone that will look at me the way he looks at you. You two are like the couples in my romance novels.

Me: I’m glad you arrived safely, but I wish you were still here. I miss you so much Lu-Lu, and it’s only been a day. I’m going to ask Dante to work on Papa to see if I can get you back here for my birthday. And what do you mean ‘The way he looks at you’? How does he look at me?

Lucia: Like you are the sunshine in his day … The melody in his song … The best thing that’s ever happened to him.

He does?

Me: I think you’ve been reading too many romance novels.

Lucia: Nope, true story. I have proof. Hold on, I’ll show you.

Before I get a chance to reply, image after image comes through. They are all of Dante. In each one, there’s a relaxed, goofy kind of smile on his face.

Lucia: As you can see, these were taken at different times on different days when he was watching you. He does that often, you know. Whenever you are in the room, his attention remains on you.

It does?

My finger swipes across the screen, moving from one photo to the next. With each swipe, warmth spreads throughout my body. The excitement of knowing he looks at me like this when I’m not paying attention has a tight knot forming in my chest. Do his feelings for me run deeper than I ever imagined?

Me: Wow.

Lucia: I know, right? I want someone to look at me like that. I know you weren’t happy about marrying him, but I think he’s proven he’s not a monster like Papa is.

Everything he’s done since we exchanged vows has been contradictory to my initial perception of him.

When I get to the last image, I raise my phone and hug it to my chest as butterflies take flight in my stomach.

Lucia: I’m almost home, so I have to hide the phone you and Dante bought me. I don’t want Papa to confiscate it. I’ll text you when I get up to my room. x

Me: Okay. I hope Papa is in a good mood when you get there. x

Lucia: Makes two of us. Now that I’ve had a taste of the good life, it’s going to be hell being back here.

Her last message has my heart constricting in my chest.

Lucia: What is that saying? The honeymoon is over.

Me: Oh no, what happened?

Lucia: When I got home, Papa was a complete stronzo. He said he hoped I enjoyed my time in Australia because it would be the last time I go there.

Me: Oh, Lu-Lu

Lucia: I really wish someone would whack him.

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