“Huh?” I said, not really paying attention as my body loosened up. I wanted to tell him to stop massaging me, but it just felt too good.
“I said, someone is here for you,” he said and I felt his hands moving to my upper arms and squeezing. His fingers were so close to the sides of my breasts now and I hoped that he would move them down a little farther.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that your man is here.”
“My what?” My voice rose and I froze. What the hell was he talking about?
“I guess all your dreams are coming true because your man, Troy, is here.”
“Troy is here?” I froze. What the hell? I turned over to look at Sally, but she wasn’t looking at me.
“Yeah. So you should put your top on and come.” His hands abruptly left my shoulders and I felt his fingers on my bikini strap.
“What are you doing?” I said, feeling panicked.
“Tying up your strap, unless you want to walk back topless,” he said, his voice rougher. “I’m not sure how Troy would feel about that.”
“Uh yeah, thanks,” I said, my mind racing. What had Sally done and why hadn’t she told me? I was going to kill her. I felt his fingers deftly tying my strap together quickly and I felt peeved that he was able to do it so easily, like he’d had a lot of practice before. He jumped off of the lounger and I rolled over and sat up.
“You ready?” he asked, his eyes intent as they looked at me.
“Yeah.” I nodded and then looked down. My boobs were almost popping out because he’d tied the top too tightly. My hands flew to the material and I tried to adjust it so that I didn’t have an accidental flashing incident.
“No need to adjust it on my account.” He winked at me and I blushed.
“I’m not,” I said and stood up. “You wanna come inside with me now?” I looked down at Sally, who was looking up at me with wide eyes.
“I’ll lay out for a bit more, if that’s okay.”
“You don’t want to come and say hello to Troy?” I said, my eyes boring into hers.
“Eh, I’ll come later.” She shrugged and I wanted to shake her.
“Okay, then,” I said stiffly and turned to TJ. “Let’s go, then.”
“Okay, see you in a bit, Sally,” TJ said and we walked back to the cabin in silence. My mind was racing as we walked back. Was TJ calling my bluff? Was there anyone really there? I was about to turn to him and tell him he got me good when I saw a man running towards me with a bouquet of flowers. And not just any flowers—it looked like a bouquet of red roses.
“Mila, my darling, there you are,” he said as he grabbed me into his arms and spun me around. My heart was thudding as the strange man held me to him. “I missed you, my darling.” He set me down on my feet and, before I knew what was happening, he was kissing me on the lips and rubbing my back. I stood there in shock, with TJ staring at me with narrowed eyes, and all I could do was wonder if I’d gone to sleep and woken up in some sort of alternate universe.
Ch
apter Nine
Mila
July 18th, 2010
Dear Diary,
There’s this saying that if you pray for something hard enough, you will get it. Or, as Nonno says, everything you wish for can come true, so only wish for something you know you want. I think it’s a saying from his village, somewhere in the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Nonno said he will take me and Nonna once I graduate from college. I asked him if Cody will come as well, not because I want Cody to come, but because I want him to bring TJ. Nonno just laughed. Then I went to my bedroom to say a prayer that TJ would get to come. I think it would be romantic if we fell in love in the same country that my grandparents fell in love. It would mean that we were fated to be together and that our relationship would be as perfect as my grandparents’. Sally thinks that’s a big wish and prayer, but I figure it can’t hurt to try. I’m also praying to stop world hunger and for peace among men, so I’m not being desperately selfish. I’ll say another prayer tonight. I’d love to tell my grandchildren the story of how TJ and I fell in love in Positano. I can picture it in my mind already.
Mila
XOXO
“Lunch is ready.” Cody walked into the yard and stared at me with Troy for a few seconds and continued without blinking. “Will you go and get Sally, please, Mila?”
“No, why don’t you go?” I said with a frown. Wasn’t Cody going to even ask me who the guy with his arms around me was?
“Fine,” he said gruffly, then he looked at me and frowned. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Mila’s boyfriend, Troy,” TJ said, responding for me. “He arrived in his Mercedes first thing this morning.”
“Yeah, it’s a cool car,” Troy said and grinned at him. “Much cooler than my Nissan.”
“I guess that’s why you traded it in, huh?” TJ asked with his eyebrow raised.