The Italian Billionaire’s Nubian Queen

Chapter 7

If only it could’ve been that easy.

If only life could’ve been that easy.

But it never was, because it wasn’t up to her. She had a Colombo brother in her life no matter what she wanted.

“Is this really good enough?”

“Stop fretting, Bree. It’s fine.”

“He’s so used to fine things, Aly. I’m a little nervous.”

Alyssa bit her tongue.

“I really don’t want him to feel like it’s not good enough.”

Alyssa couldn’t possibly bite her tongue hard enough.

“Don’t be an ass, Bree! You don’t have to impress him. Besides, you’re not dating him.”

There was complete silence.

“Brianna?”

“Adam moved out, didn’t he?” asked Brianna defiantly.

Oh no. Alyssa knew her sister when she got that note in her voice.

“Bree…”

“I can live my life. If Adam can sleep around with his secretary, I can date men, too.”

“Bree, don’t you think you’re jumping to a lot of conclusions? I mean, seriously! Just last week, you told me that you hadn’t even talked to Adam about all this.”

“He can find me and talk to me if he wants to. Why do I have to be the one who puts her pride on the line all the time? He has everything. He can do whatever he wants and if I question him I’m the bi*ch. Well, I’m done with it. I see no reason why I shouldn’t spend some time with a handsome, charming man who finds me interesting. And he was kind to me! He didn’t have to drive me home or anything.”

“That’s right,” said Alyssa, seizing the point. “He didn’t have to. Naomi and Howie were driving here anyway, you could’ve come with them. You said you’d come with them.”

“And I chose not to. What is your problem with this, Alyssa? Do you have an objection to how I live my life?”

Alyssa backed down. She knew where this would lead too.

“No, of course not. I just don’t want to see you hurt, Bree.”

“Why would I be hurt? Anyway, what could hurt more than how Adam betrayed me?”

What could she possibly say to that?

“I’m sorry, Bree. Of course, it’s your life. You should do what makes you happy. And yes, that wine is excellent with chicken. It’ll be great. You’re making your special chicken, right?”

Brianna nodded.

“Then it’s perfect. I’m sorry, Bree. Of course you should be happy. I just wish you would go a little slow and give Adam a chance to explain first.”

“And I wish you would butt out and mind your own business, Alyssa.”

“All right! Jesus, all right, fine. I’m minding my own business. You mind your business. Here, take your wine, and pay me, and it’s all business.”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

Brianna paid and left in a huff, leaving behind Alyssa, who was still fuming. What was wrong with everybody! What was wrong with her!

She shouldn’t have been like that with Brianna, thought Alyssa, the temper leaving her. She should’ve been more understanding. She should have…

Well, if regrets and wishes were pennies and dimes, thought Alyssa, and sighed.

“I’ll close up, Diane. Thanks for coming in today. Did you get your revision done?”

Diane grinned.

“I did, and I’m sure I’ll ace it. And then I’ll graduate!”

“And I’ll miss you when you move on to bigger and better things.”

“Not unless I can get a bigger and better job,” said Diane with a grin, and Alyssa felt herself settle a little bit. Diane really was a ray of sunshine. She looked about sixteen but she was twenty-six and had gone back to college in the last couple of years. She was so close to graduating, and Alyssa was so proud of her.

“I hope you do, and then you can buy a stake in the shop and we can expand.”

“You won’t hear me complaining if I can do that. Sure you don’t mind if I take off?”

“Absolutely sure. Go on.”

“Great!” chirped Diane and grabbed her stuff and left, leaving Alyssa alone in the shop.

Alone was a great time to brood. She decided to get some inventory and book-keeping done. If she was going to be grumpy, she might as well have a reason to be grumpy. Doing book-keeping and trying to make numbers make sense was a good reason for Alyssa. She’d struggled with a business major and she’d managed to get through it, but numbers were still a struggle for her.

It was already dark. It was only six, and the days were supposed to be getting longer, but it felt like there was more darkness than there had been in the winter. She could have done with some sunshine, but what could she do?

But she knew that no matter how much sunshine there might be outside, it wouldn’t help her, not the way she felt.

She missed him. She missed him far more than she wanted to admit.

It didn’t even make any sense. She’d only spent a few hours with him. Of that, only about half an hour had even been pleasant! But it felt as if he’d been with her every night because her dreams…

Frankly, they were beginning to alarm her. Alyssa was beginning to consider therapy, or some kind of hypnotism, because she kept dreaming of storms, and Matteo searching for her, and Gabriel finding her instead because she wouldn’t go to Matteo. They made no sense. There was nothing about Gabriel that could legitimately be called alarming, and everybody else loved him. Brianna obviously liked him just fine.

Matteo hadn’t called her since that day when he’d tried to bribe her into meeting him. How could he possibly have thought that that would work? He’d only succeeded in insulting her. And hurting her, she could admit it.

Even as she thought of him, let him creep back inside her, she saw the flash of lightning, heard the crash of thunder. She should’ve jumped out of her skin, but she didn’t. Alyssa stood there, in the middle of her shop, expectantly. Another flash of lightning, another roar of thunder, wild and angry, and the rain lashed down. It was wild and primal.

But it was just a storm. There was nothing more than that. No figure appeared to her, searching for her.

Sighing, a little exasperated with her own newfound fanciful imagination, Alyssa walked to her door and turned the sign from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed’. She was just about to turn the lock and pull down the shade when she saw it.