He wasn’t sure if it was a chance he could take.
* * *
The carthat picked them up in Florence finally turned off the narrow two-lane Italian highway. They came to a stop at a gate set in a limestone wall. After the driver gave the guard his identification and they underwent a quick visual inspection, the gate opened, and they were waved through. The driver pulled onto a narrow drive flanked by cypress trees and wound their way up a hill, until they reached the large courtyard of the villa Cara’s mother had rented for the wedding.
Wes peered up at the two-story building. “It looks straight out of one of the Godfather movies,” he said, taking in the stone walls and iron hooks that held back green shutters. Two massive wooden doors swung open at their approach, and one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen rushed out to greet them.
The driver opened the door, and Cara muttered something that sounded like, “Here we go.”
“Caralina!” Cara’s mother was tall and thin, her thick blonde hair piled on top of her head. Wes had googled Cara’s mother, curious about the woman Cara rarely spoke of. The flat two-dimensional nature of the pictures completely obscured the vivacity pouring off the woman who enveloped Cara in her arms.
“I’m so glad you’re here! I can’t wait for you to meet Alessandro! You are going to love him. So charming!” She hooked her arm through her daughter’s elbow and pulled her in for a side hug. “Andsohandsome. I finally found my true love.”
“Again?” Cara’s tone was dry as she disengaged her arm from her mother.
A slight frown marred the otherwise smooth skin of the older woman’s forehead. “He is. You’ll see. It’s different this time. I promise.”
Cara hummed a sound of agreement, but the look on her face was pure doubt. The corners of Corinne’s mouth turned down. “You are so cynical. You get that from your father.” Corinne closed her eyes, raised her hands and brought her fingertips together in a prayerful gesture. “Someday you’ll fall in love, and you’ll understand.”
“I doubt it,” Cara muttered, but Corinne didn’t seem to hear her.
The former model’s attention shifted to Wes, her eyes twinkling. “But maybe you already have.” Her smile turned coy. “Who is this delicious young man?”
Her open perusal lingered on his groin, and Wes felt his cheeks heat.
“You’re scaring him.” Cara laughed, but it broke the tension between the two women. By the look in Corinne’s eyes before she pivoted to face her daughter, Wes was pretty sure it was exactly what she had intended. “Don’t get excited. There’s nothing going on with us. Wes is my roommate.”
Cara’s words were the truth, but they rubbed at him.
“Hmm, we’ll see.” Corinne threw him a wink over her shoulder as she dragged Cara up the stairs and into the villa, leaving Wes standing alone with the driver and their luggage.
The driver carried the bags up the stone stairs, leaving them in the entryway. Wes shouldered his computer bag and followed them into the house. He found Cara and her mother at the foot of the staircase talking with an older man. Wes surmised he was the groom by the way he was clutching at Corinne. Cara turned an exasperated face to him.
“Can you help me? I’ve explained that we aren’t together, but they are insisting there is only one room assigned to me.” She eyed her mother. “I find it difficult to believe that in a place this size, there isn’t an extra room with a bed.”
Shit!Wes struggled to keep his distance from her in the same house. He wasn’t sure his self-control would survive sleeping in the same room.
“You’ve become so provincial, darling. You never told me you were bringing a guest. If you had, I could have reserved a room at the hotel where most of the guests are staying, but now, so close to the wedding, they are completely booked. This is a very popular event.” Corinne waved a dismissive hand. “It’s a large room, darling. A suite, really. And there is a chaise one of you could sleep on if you are concerned.” She deliberately widened her eyes and looked between Cara and Wes. “Butif you are just friends, I don’t see why you couldn’t share a bed.”
Cara rubbed her temples with her fingers. Wes’s brain raced, searching for a solution, but he didn’t see how they could object without making a scene. It was only for a couple nights, and they’d be busy with the parties—if he really wanted to be with Melody, this shouldn’t be a problem.
“I’m sure it will be fine,” he heard himself say.
“Wes!”
“We’ll figure it out.” He forced his lips to smile.
“Wes, this is Alessandro.” Corinne placed her palm against the man’s chest. “My love, this is Wes, my daughter’sfriend.”
Alessandro looked like he had come straight from a GQ photo spread. Between Corinne’s blonde beauty and his thick, dark hair swept back from a deeply tanned face, they were almost too attractive to be real.
Corrine’s hand stroked the back of Alessandro’s neck, and he growled, snapping his teeth playfully at her. Cara’s entire face wrinkled in disgust.
Alessandro chuckled. “Forgive us. I get carried away when I’m withamore mio.” Corinne cooed up at him, and Cara’s frown deepened.
“What time is the event tonight? We want to get cleaned up.”
“Cocktails and nibbles at six, and then we have a surprise!”
