Page 72 of The Sweet Life

Aaron leaned back in his chair after finishing his meal. “That was great, Gia. Really great.”

He’d ordered her pesto quinoa salad and flatbread. She couldn’t help but notice he’d practically licked his plate clean.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Can I get you anything for dessert?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s a good idea. What was that thing you used to make for me? It had berries and lemon. Semi-something.”

“A lemon semifreddo with berries. I’ll get you a piece. And coffee?”

“Sure. Sounds great. Appreciate it. I haven’t eaten like this since I was married to you.” He patted his stomach. “I’ve missed your cooking.”

She walked into the kitchen, and her mother looked at her. Gia held up her hand. “Don’t say it. I’m just trying to keep the peace for my daughter’s sake.”

“He doesn’t look sick to me, but Sage, she’s a smart girl. We don’t have to worry about her,” her mother said in Italian. Then she picked up her favorite butcher knife. “But if he hurts her, I’m gonna whack him.”

Gia rolled her eyes. “Have you and Bruno been watchingGoodfellasagain?”

After serving Aaron his dessert and coffee, Gia waited on the rest of her tables. They had another rush, and she got so busy she didn’t realize Aaron was still there until she sat a table of four beside him. She got them their drinks orders and then approached his table.

“Anything else I can get for you?” she asked.

He startled, looked up from his phone before setting it screen-side down on the table. “No. I’m going to head out. Thanks for everything, Gia. I’m sorry how I acted last night at the farm. I shouldn’t have said what I did. But I was being protective of you. Your sister never deserved your loyalty. It’s obvious she hasn’t changed. Always has to be the center of attention.” He stood up. “I’m thinking of getting an injunction against the book. The stuff she wrote about me is all lies. She’s slandering my name. And Gia, pardon my French, but she makes you look like an idiot.”

“You read the book?”

“I did.” He handed her a card. “My lawyer’s number. They’ll send you the pages the reporter showed me.” He turned the card over. “My number in case you want to talk. You should think about joining my suit. You don’t want any bad publicity before your big launch.”

After he left, Gia couldn’t get Aaron’s comments about her sister and her book out of her head. She didn’t need him to tell her she’d come across as an idiot. She already knew that. She’d said as much to her mother and sister, but they’d downplayed her fears. Aaron was right, though. They didn’t want anything to take away from the national launch of their product line, especially with the cost of the new industrial kitchen and warehouse.

She considered talking to her mother and Eva about it but vetoed the idea almost immediately. Why would this time be any different from the last forty-five times she’d broached the subject this year? Talking to Flynn was her best option.

He was fair and honest, and he cared about her. He’d see things from her perspective… and Cami’s, which she supposed was for the best. Maybe it was time he thought about himself too. He’d been a teenager and unaware that Cami was pregnant, but Gia didn’t think he’d come out looking like a choirboy, and he also had a reputation to protect. Unless Cami took some creative license with his involvement in her past. Gia wouldn’t put it past her sister to make Flynn look good. Just like she didn’t put it past Cami to make Gia look worse.

She closed up the restaurant, sending her mother upstairs to bed, and then called Flynn. Her call went to voice mail. She glanced at the time on her phone. It was just going on ten. Shedebated driving over to see him. He’d probably be happy she did. He’d been concerned about her last night. Besides that, it had been obvious his girls were still holding a grudge. They’d barely said two words to her. She didn’t want to know what they thought about the arrival of her estranged husband. They probably hoped Gia and Aaron got back together. She wondered if the thought had crossed Flynn’s mind. If nothing else, she needed to see him to put his mind at ease where her feelings for Aaron were concerned.

She didn’t bother changing out of her skirt and blouse and put several slices of lemon ricotta cake into a box for Flynn and his dad. She could eat a piece too. She’d only had time to wolf down some salad on the fly. She set the alarm, locked the restaurant door, and then headed for her car. She’d ask Flynn if he wanted to have dessert outside. It was a beautiful night, warm with a light breeze.

She rolled down her windows and turned up Lizzo’s “Pink” from theBarbiemovie. She still hadn’t seen it and thought it would be a great pick for a family movie night. The girls in the family, at least. She was startled to realize that, up until the last couple of years, other than Bruno, there had only been girls in the family.Me and the girls against the worldhad been a common refrain when they were growing up. This was better, she thought, thinking about Willow and Noah, Sage and Jake. Sage could deny it all she wanted, but she and Jake were in love.

Gia hadn’t missed the little looks the couple exchanged, shoulder brushes when they walked past each other, finger touches, and secret smiles. If anyone had been watching her with Flynn last night, she suspected they would have seen thesame. With his girls there and her sister, Gia had been careful not to rub their noses in their relationship.

She was glad she’d decided to go see him instead of talking to him on the phone. It was ridiculous, but she missed him, and they’d only been apart for twenty-four hours. She pulled in beside Flynn’s beast of an SUV and noticed Cami’s car parked in front of it. She frowned, wondering what her sister was doing here.

She’d moved in with Willow and Noah after she’d learned Gia and Flynn were together and before they’d found out Aaron was their stalker. Gia paused with a hand on the car door handle, wondering exactly how long he’d been stalking them and why. It’s something she planned to bring up with Sage and Jake. After Jake’s reaction to Aaron last night, she wouldn’t put it past him to investigate the man. She’d feel better if he did. She doubted Sage would feel the same, though.

Gia got out of the car and walked up to the side door. She was about to knock when she heard her sister’s voice. It sounded like Cami was upset. Gia left the boxed cake on the stairs and walked along the side of the house, past Amos’s garden. She smiled at the lone daylily. She had fond memories of the night in Liz’s garden, she thought as she rounded the house. Only to freeze at the sight of her sister and Flynn kissing on the dock. The couple were illuminated in the moonlight. They looked beautiful together, just like she’d known they would.

A sob worked its way up her throat, and she pressed her palm to her mouth, spinning on her heel. She didn’t know why but she stopped and raised her phone, taking a picture of the couple on the dock. Maybe as a reminder in case she ever had second thoughts. She ran to her car, slid behind the wheel, and closedthe door quietly behind her. She wouldn’t let them know what she had witnessed. They wouldn’t know they’d made a fool of her. They wouldn’t know the sight of them together had broken her heart. No one would.

She pulled out of the driveway and headed home. She parked in her spot at La Dolce Vita, wiping her eyes as she got out of her car and closed the door. Then she breathed in the sea air, letting the rhythmic sound of the waves wash over her.

“Aaron, it’s me.” She repeated the sentence until she was positive that he wouldn’t pick up on the emotion in her voice and then punched his number into her phone. He picked up on the first ring.

“Let your lawyer know I’m all in. They can file a petition for an emergency injunction on my behalf too.”

Gia hung up from Aaron and got back into her car. She had no idea where she was going. She just knew she couldn’t be here when her mother and Eva found out what she had done.

Chapter Twenty-Four

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