Emilia (Part 1)(58)
“Not really.”
“Did you kiss him again?”
“Sal.” I drew out his name and punctuated it with a sigh. He was already mad at me about the stupid kiss at our engagement party. There was no reason to add fuel to his jealousy. “We already talked about this. I’m doing what I have to do so we can be together, and I’ve never initiated a single kiss.”
“So that’s a yes.” A chuckle laced with enough bitterness to tilt my stomach trickled into my ear. “Did you ask him about his girlfriend? Or don’t you care that he’s making a fool out of you?”
“I asked him about Sarah, and he’s not making a fool out of me because we’ll be gone soon. He’s the one who will look ridiculous.”
“What’d he say?”
I rolled forward and stretched on my belly, my bare feet tucked in between the wall of dresses hanging from the rod. I rested my forehead on my forearm. “That they were friends and she was there with one of his associates. That’s it.”
“You actually believe him?”
Strangely, I did trust Marcello’s explanation. He didn’t offer me anything other than his word and a flimsy explanation, and yet, something compelled me to have faith in him.
“I didn’t give him the third degree or anything. So yeah, whatever.”
He snorted. “Okaaay. So he tells you a lie, and you accept it. Jesus, Em, he’s walking all over you, and you don’t give a shit. She probably waits for him in his hotel room every night and they laugh at how naïve you are.”
“And tell me why I should care again? In another couple of weeks I’ll never see him again so he can do whatever he wants with whomever he wants. I don’t love him. I don’t even know him. Why do you keep bringing it up? Are you having second thoughts or something?”
My stomach knotted, recognizing the deceit in my words. Even though I didn’t like it, Marcello evoked feelings in me that were becoming harder to deny. Feelings that urged me to turn my back on my plans and take a chance on him. Feelings that threw an uncomfortable spotlight on the chinks in my relationship with Sal. Feelings I desperately hoped would vanish entirely once Sal and I left together.
“Shit, Em. No. You’re right. I’m sorry I keep bringing it up. I can’t stand this.”
“Me neither, but it’s almost over, and he’s leaving soon.”
“When?”
“After my birthday.”
“Three more days. God, that seems like a lifetime.”
“Yeah. Why don’t you come over tomorrow? My dad’s not going to kick you out if you show up on his doorstep.”
“We both know that’s not a good idea.”
“Why? What’s the worst that could happen?”
“Are you serious? Marcello could come after me again. He’s a fuckin’ lunatic.”
“Wait.” I scrambled to my feet. “What do you mean come after you again? Did something happen that you’re not telling me about?”
“He stopped by the bar after he left your house and we exchanged some words tonight. Things got a little heated and he took a cheap shot at me. I’m fine. No need to make a big deal about it.”
I squeezed the phone until the edges of my hard shell case dug into my palm. “Jesus, Sal. I’m sorry. When he asked about us, I had no idea he’d confront you.”
I heard his tires squeal, followed by a loud thump that sounded like his hand slammed against the steering wheel. “The fuck? You seriously told him about us?”
“He knew. He saw us at my piano concert.” The silence thickened, and I wondered if he disconnected the call. “Sal, are you there?”
“I’m here.” His voice sounded strained.
“Are you mad?”
“Mad? I don’t even…what the hell were you thinking?”
“He said he didn’t care the about my past as long as it didn’t happen again.”
He scoffed. “And you believed him?”
The silence stretched thick and heavy, adding more than physical distance between us. More than ever, my plan to run off into the sunset with Sal felt like a house of cards. One unpredictable wind and everything would collapse.
“Yeah, I did. I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
Sal sighed. “No, don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault. I’ll see what I can do about stopping by tomorrow. I have a birthday present for you and since your party was canceled, I need to find a way to give it to you.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything. Running away with me is the only present I need.”
“Too late. It’s already wrapped.”