Page 81 of Twice Shy

The clipped British accent jerked him out of his thoughts. Theo Wishart, Luca’s fiancé, stood on the front doorstep looking cold and uncertain. Joel’s stomach pitched queasily. He was the last person Joel wanted to talk to tonight. Well, almost the last. “What do you want?”

Theo frowned, taken aback by his tone perhaps. “I, er… I’m looking for Luca. I wondered whether you’d seen him?” His uncertain gaze flitted to Joel’s eyes and away. “I’m afraid he’s about to do something really bloody stupid.”

Joel blew out a breath. None of this was Theo’s fault, and Joel couldn’t hide the truth from him. Theo deserved to hear it. “I’m sorry,” he said, “but I think he’s already done something stupid.”

“Shit.” Theo’s gaze jerked back to him. “Really?”

He nodded miserably. “I saw them together.”

“Them being Luca and Oliver Snow?”

“I think it’s been going on for a while.”

Theo blinked at him. “What has?”

“Their…fling? I think maybe Ollie knew him before he came here, or—”

“Wait. Stop.” Theo looked bewildered. “They’re not…involved. Is that what you’re suggesting?”

“I’m sorry. I know it must be painful, but I saw them. It looked like they’d had a fight or… I don’t know. There’s definitely something going on between them.” To his surprise, Theo’s mouth ticked up in a weird kind of smile. Shock, perhaps? People responded in odd ways to shock. “If it’s any consolation, it looked like Luca was trying to end it or—”

“Oh yes,” Theo cut in, his smile fading. “Trying to end it before it begins. But, Joel, they’re not having an affair. It’s nothing like that.”

A beat of doubt thumped in Joel’s chest, hard like a punch. “What?”

Theo took a step closer, lowered his voice. “I’m not sure whether I should… Luca only told me this a couple days ago, but…” His gaze flickered to Joel and away. “Oliver Snow claims to be Luca’s half-brother, the son of the woman Luca’s father abandoned him for.”

Joel’s heart stopped beating, the world went silent save a high-pitched whine in his ears. “What?” he said stupidly.

“I think Oliver hoped he and Luca could be…well, family I suppose. But Luca…” He sighed. “His family relationships have been…let’s say, tense, these past few years. I tried to persuade him to think about it, but I’m afraid he may have just told Oliver to, er, bugger off.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “And I’m afraid that’s something Luca’s going to regret.”

Joel only heard every other word, his mind groping to understand. “Brother?” he managed at last. “Ollie’s hisbrother?”

“Half-brother.”

Joel shoved his fingers into his hair, clenching both fists. His chest was tight, he couldn’t breathe. When he remembered the accusations he’d just flung at Ollie…

“Are you alright? You’ve gone very pale.”

“Why didn’t hetellme?”

Theo’s gaze fixed on him, startlingly astute. “Ah. So you and he are…? I wasn’t sure.”

“I don’t know what we are,” Joel said bitterly. Not if Ollie couldn’t confide something this significant to him.

Theo looked concerned, but then his attention flashed to the other side of the drive and his whole body came alert. When Joel looked, he saw Moretti watching them, shoulders hunched and hands deep in his pockets, where he lurked among the parked cars. “Luca,” Theo said softly, and with such compassion Joel’s throat burned.

Why the hell hadn’t Ollie told him? Why had he let him say those things without telling him the damned truth?

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Theo glanced his way again, but his attention was all for Luca.

“Yeah.” Joel cleared his throat, trying to sound calm. “I’m fine. Go speak to Luca, I’m… I’m fine.”

“Listen.” Theo grabbed his arm, lowering his voice. “Let’s keep in touch about this. I think Luca— He’s made a mistake. I’m going to try and talk him around, but it might take a while.” His grip tightened. “Tell Oliver that?”

“If he’s still speaking to me.”

Theo’s face softened. “Well, good luck, then.”

Joel nodded, but he’d need a lot more than luck to untangle this mess.

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