His lips unfurl and he lets out aphew. “You’re okay.”
I grab hold of him for support. “I’m more embarrassed than anything.”
The owner of the Vespa tosses his hands in the air in my direction, a bit too violently for my liking, slams his helmet back onto his head, and revs his engine before taking off. Though he doesn’t get far before people start yelling at him and tossing food in his direction.
“Nothing for you to be embarrassed about. He’s the asshole.” Ricky sneers in the Vespa’s direction.
As my eyes steadily focus, Cam steps forward. Suddenly I’m hyper aware that Ricky is still holding tight to my sweaty hands.
“You okay, Fielder?” Cam crouches down beside me. He grabs hold of the other side of my body to steady me or make his presence known as I still cling to his boyfriend.
“So glad you’re okay,” Cam says. “I saw the whole thing; that driver was a lunatic. That was scary.”
“Thanks . . .” I don’t know what to say.
“Ric, your sister is looking for y—” Monroe says. “What the hell happened? Fielder, are you okay?”
Ricky looks to me for permission to leave.
“I’m okay, go.” Though I don’t want Ricky to leave.
Cam hoists me up.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“Least I can do after the tailor this morning.” He opens his arms for a hug, which is weird as hell, especially since I might have just caught him cheating, but in the spirit of being peacemaker, I let it happen. Tyler and Benny look on confused as Cam whispers, “I can tell Ricky still keeps you on a pedestal, despite everything that’s happened.”
My heart thump-thump-thumps against my rib cage.
I pry myself out of his arms. “What—”
“I was there for him when you broke him,” Cam says. I have no idea what he’s talking about. Cam clearly has everything twisted. I wasn’t the one who dumped Ricky and left without atrace. “And I was nervous coming here. I thought maybe you’d try to get back together with him or something, but after this morning . . . I had it wrong. He was right. Youarea good guy.”
So Ricky told him I broke him, yet he keeps me on a pedestal?
My head hurts.
It feels a bit like Cam is trying to get in good with me, and I wonder if it’s because he saw me following him earlier.
I don’t know what to believe or think.
Out of the corner of my eye, Monroe runs over to the Coven and the rest of the guys, including Matty, to relay what happened. Within an instant, they’re all descending on us. At the same time, three golf carts with lemon-yellow bodies and bright green tops with “Avello Family Lemon Groves Tour” stamped on each side pull up in front of Piazza del Duomo, and anxiety builds in my chest.
“What the hell was all that?” Matty asks, as I recount everything that happened to him and Monroe, who sits next to Tyler. We’re all sitting backward in the rear of the cart to the Avello Family Lemon Groves.
“What are you gonna do?” Monroe asks after I finish.
The Lemon Tour–branded golf carts carrying the entire Lemon wedding party and both of our families, including the screaming Coven who are so loud their voices carry up and through the thick mossy forests of the Valle dei Mulini, zip up the Via delle Cartiere, leaving the teeming swaths of tourists behind for quieter, narrow streets in the same direction as the villa. Ivy and roots cover short white stone buildings that almostlook abandoned. The road is barely wide enough for any golf carts, let alone two, but I close my eyes and let the sun beat down on my face, and I focus on my breathing and taking in the crisp scent of citrus and salt in the air.
“Earth to Fielder.” Monroe elbows me. “Where are you?”
I’m watching Ricky and Cam laugh together in the golf cart behind mine. “If what Cam said was right, that Ricky keeps me on a pedestal, is that why Cam would cheat? Assuming he is, which, I have to tell Ricky, right? And tell Sienna that I was cold and using the wedding for clicks and fame? Is he threatened by me somehow?”
“That does make sense, I think,” Tyler says. “And I dunno, man. I wouldn’t get involved in their relationship. That’s playing with fire.”
“You could come across as the jealous ex,” Monroe says.
“You need proof that Cam is cheating,” Matty says.
