“We are, but we’ve also become very close friends.”
Corinne’s crystal blue eyes studied his face. “But you came to Italy with her. To her mother’s wedding.”
Wes hesitated. Cara would kill him if he told her mother about her stalker. “I did.” His eyes strayed to Melody and Luca, and when they returned to Corinne, her eyes had darkened, and the angry light in them looked so much like her daughter’s that for a moment he was speechless.
“Because of her?” Corinne’s chin jutted to the group, where Melody was the center of attention.
“In part,” Wes admitted. “Melody told me she was staying in Italy, and I thought I should meet the guy.”
“Why?” Her genuine question caught him off guard. Corinne looked at Melody before looking back at him. “Are you gay?”
“What? No.”
“I didn’t think so, but I wanted to be sure.”
Wes was thoroughly confused.
“I saw you tonight. I saw you with my daughter,andI saw you with Luca’s new fiancée.”
He shifted uncomfortably. Wes did not want to have this conversation.
“Melody is a lovely young woman, and I’m sure she will make Luca very happy.” Was she warning him off? A small smile toyed around the corners of her lips. “They play the same game, want the same things. It’s a rare thing. Anyone can fall in love,” she chuckled. “I should know. I’ve done it enough. But there is a difference between a love affair and true love.” She looked wistful as she looked out into the night. “I never understood that before Alessandro. I let the passion, the fun, the excitement, the fights…” She shook her head. “I was a fool, but worst of all, my daughter saw it all. Has she told you about her father… her half-brothers?”
Wes nodded. “My,” she paused “relationship with her father was short, but it gave me Caralina and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. But, between the two of us, David and I were the poster children for what not to do. Don’t get me wrong, we remained friends… We knew who the other was and didn’t expect something the other couldn’t give.” Her eyes trailed to Melody again. “I miss him.” Her eyes grew misty before her lips firmed. “But just because I loved him, that didn’t mean Ilovedhim. Do you understand what I’m saying?” She trapped his eyes. “It worked for us… but Caralina is different. She pretends she doesn’t believe in love… But, I think true unconditional love is the one thing she has always searched for, even while not believing it exists.”
There was no mistaking Corinne’s message, but she didn’t understand. He and Melody were different. They wanted the same things, a family, children… Okay, maybe they didn’t have the connection that he and Cara shared, but how much did it matter?
He shook his head. Angry at himself, and angry at her for the emotions she brought to the surface.
“If you loved David Bloom so much and care about your daughter, why did you allow her stepmother to attend the wedding? Are you aware Cara and her brother Declan suspect their father was murdered, and Courtney had something to do with it?”
Corinne blanched. “What a horrible thing to say! That’s not true!”
“Itistrue, and it has been destroying Cara and her brothers.”
Corinne paled, and Wes felt a tinge of regret. It wasn’t his place, but his anger had now found an outlet. “Cara has been trying to hold her family together, while starting a whole new career, learning what she needs to start an organic skincare line.” Corinne took a step back. “I’ve lived with her for months, and I don’t remember her ever mentioning that she’d spoken to you. She did, however, mention how her stepmother and stepbrothers have tried to make her life miserable, and now, here Courtney is at her mother’s wedding.”
“I didn’t invite Courtney.” She defended herself weakly. “I was shocked when she showed up with Elliot.”
Wes took a deep breath. Cara was already angry with him. She wouldn’t thank him for fighting with her mother on the eve of her wedding.
“I’m sorry.” He thrust a hand into his hair. Corinne bit her lip but said nothing, her breathing erratic. “I shouldn’t have said anything. This is your wedding. I shouldn’t…”
“You came here for Melody,” Corinne said, her voice brittle. “You’ve said as much. It’s interesting though, all of your anger is for my daughter.” She waved her hand to where Luca and Melody were swaying together to the quartet’s music. “Maybe you should ask yourself why you feel such emotion on behalf of my daughter and not for the woman in someone else’s arms.” With that parting shot, she whirled and stormed away.
Great! At this rate, he was going to be lucky if they didn’t escort him out.
Wes leaned his forearms against the balustrade and gazed sightlessly at the dark Italian landscape. What was he doing? He thought of Cara upstairs getting ready for bed, and how he’d hurt her, but he didn’t know how to fix it. Wes let out a long breath.
He wanted everything about her. Not just her lush body, but the burnt aloe, the science projects on the counters, the way she chewed her lip when she was concentrating. She was everything he’d ever wanted and more than he ever thought he deserved.
She was right… He was afraid. He was afraid of loving her and being left behind if she changed her mind. Melody didn’t have the power to hurt him the way loving Cara could.
CHAPTERFORTY-THREE
The door handle turned,and Cara pulled her knees up closer to her chest. Her eyes burned with the tears she refused to shed. Wes had been gone longer than she anticipated. One part of her was grateful that he had given her the space she had asked for, but the contrary part of her was angry he hadn’t felt the same need to be with her that she felt to be with him.
Cara knew going into this weekend what his intentions were. He’d been clear that he was here for Melody. Wes told her what he wanted, practically the first day they met. She was the one who had chosen to forget.
