Page 57 of Good Girl Gone Bad

His pulse raced as he began to read the short note written in Italian.

“My dear Marco,

Tomorrow I will give your Patricia the necklace that belonged to your mother. I don’t know if I’ll be around to see her wearing it, but I want her to have it. I know life didn’t hand you a good start, and many times I blamed myself for your unhappiness. There were many days I wished I had taken you out of your father’s home and raised you myself.

I did try once to talk to him into it, but he refused. I should have tried harder. I should have contacted the authorities—those thoughts have always haunted me.

I thought I’d never see you embracing love. When I met Patricia, I saw how you looked at her, and to know you’ve taken the plunge, that you have decided to pursue your own joy, makes me happier than you can ever imagine.

If this letter reaches you, that means I’ve left and have encountered your mother. I’ll tell her about the smart, successful, caring man you’ve become. I’ll tell her, despite the cards you were dealt, you aren’t afraid anymore.

Love you more than anything,

Nonna.”

Marco sank into the chair, dropping the letter to the floor. His limbs felt weak and loose in contrast to the heavy weight expanding in his chest. His heart throbbed in his temple, pounding his veins more than any migraine ever had.

I’ll tell her, despite the cards you were dealt, you aren’t afraid anymore.He could almost hear his grandmother’s voice saying those words. He thrust his hands into his hair, hoping to ease down the agony consuming him.

Lily is right. I’ve been a coward.“A coward,” he said out loud, as if it would bring any sort of clarity about his actions. She could have used giving up her business as an excuse to see him, or hell, even blackmail him—emotionally or monetarily.

That wasn’t his Lily. She was kind, generous, honest. Maybe he’d known that all along but preferred not to believe it, because knowing a woman like her genuinely loved him made it hard for him not to love her back.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He loved her…and he’d been a fool not to learn the one lesson she’d taught him even without enunciating the words—courage. She’d fought for her salon. She’d fought for truth the entire time they were together, getting him to speak about the past he’d thought he’d buried. Hell, she’d even fought for him when she told him she’d fallen for him.

A rush of adrenaline bolted through him, urging him to surge to his feet. Determination filled his heart.

It’s high time I started fighting for her.

…

Lily clutched her bag. Shit, she was running late. She’d spent the day sending out resumes and scheduling interviews at bigger, coveted salons where she’d love to work. Then, Nico texted her and asked her to come to his office. Then, another message from Nico told her about a change of plans. She must go to her salon ASAP because he had some issues he needed to discuss, important setbacks that could halt the negotiations.

Whatever. Who cared, if they were going to demolish the place anyway? By the time she arrived, most of the businesses around her were either quieter than usual or already closed. Some of them had asked for a grace period after selling to Nico, while others were already operating elsewhere.

She reached for her bag to retrieve her keys and open the glass door, then she noticed the door was opened a notch. What? Did Nico let himself in, and maybe wanted to prove a point about low security? Still didn’t make sense, though. Even if he had found big foundation problems with the area, it wouldn’t matter if they planned do away with the strip mall completely.

Sighing, she walked in. Dozens of small, lit candles were scattered everywhere…on the shelves, on her counter, on the floor. The scent of lilies inundated the place, and she noticed several vases of flowers embellishing the space, blending with the fragrance of the candles. What the hell? Did Nico think he could just seduce her since his brother was out of the picture?

“Nico?”

The door to the supply room opened. “Marco?” she called.

Marco walked up to her in silence, so focused. His hair had been freshly washed and his face shaven, but she didn’t miss the dark circles under his eyes. Had he been as miserable as she? “Why did you decide to sell the shop?” he asked.

She switched her weight from foot to foot. Why did he care? Yet, he had come to see her, so maybe her selling it impacted him in a greater way. Or, he was just thanking her with the flowers? He could have had someone send those to her. Money didn’t mean much to him. She tried to tell herself not to expect much from him. That didn’t ease the throbbing at the base of her throat.

“It didn’t seem right to keep it. Before our trip, our deal, I wanted to save the salon at all costs. Then, after you left me that way, it dawned on me that if I had to do so much to keep the salon, then maybe I should use it as a lesson in letting go.”

“You don’t have to let go. I told my brother I’ll raise hell if he buys it from you.”

She clamped her lips. She could take advantage of his generosity, but the idea of creating brand new memories seduced her. Saying goodbye to the place that had made her childhood and young life so happy wouldn’t be easy, but she needed to face reality. She wasn’t a savvy businesswoman. She was a talented hairdresser who would love to have more time to learn her craft without worrying about financial overheads. “That’s my decision. Not yours.”

“True. I just needed to make sure the decision has been yours all along, and no one convinced you to sell it.”

She clapped her hands together. “Well, now you know it. Your conscience is clear. What are you doing here anyway?”

“I’m here for you, Lily.”

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