Page 6

I appreciate the sentiment behind my brother’s words, but I would never ask him to drop his life to come help me. Honestly, I’m not particularly happy about having to drop my own to go to Aston to take care of our Aunt Bella’s estate, but I’m the one she left everything to.

After a long, hard battle with cancer, Aunt Bella’s last few months were spent in hospice care. Our mother went and stayed with Bella, her twin, so she wasn’t alone, but it wasn’t as easy for the rest of us to be there the whole time. Aunt Bella never married and never had any kids, so Vince and I were the closest thing she had to children.

Unwelcome tears spring to my eyes as the memory of her swirls around in my brain. It’s been a good three months since we lost her and as much as it sucks, we’ve all had to move on with our lives. Bella wasn’t ready to go, but she lived a good life and made peace with things before she passed on. I take comfort in knowing that she’s no longer in pain and maybe one day we’ll meet again.

“I still don’t know why she left everything to me and not to you,” I tell Vince, running my tongue across my top teeth as we turn back toward the house. Vince is the one who has been constant, not me. I left halfway through college for Rome and never intended on looking back. I ended up moving back home a little over five years ago, not long before Matteo was born.

Since moving back to Starling Ridge, it’s never quite felt like where I’m supposed to be. I made the decision not to finish my master’s degree in Rome and instead did it virtually while juggling the early years of motherhood.

I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of my family. My parents have a small guest house on their property where Matteo and I live. I’ve had plans for the two of us moving out, but our current situation has been working out so far. Matteo is close to his grandparents and gets to see them frequently, while we still have our own privacy.

Eventually, I know things will have to change, but for now, I’m comfortable. I have a good job working for a historical foundation and Matteo will be starting kindergarten in the fall. The quiet and simple life I’ve built for us brings with it a sense of contentment.

Which is why the thought of upending our lives to head to Aston for the next few months is not exactly appealing. The plan is to stay at Aunt Bella’s house so I can clean it out and see what improvements need to be made. Then I will oversee everything, making sure that it’s ready to sell, and then that will be it. Thehouse will be put on the market and I’ll come back home to Starling Ridge.

“She left everything to you because you were always her favorite,” Vince reminds me playfully as he bumps his shoulder against mine. “I wasn’t as close to her and you know that.”

“I know, but it just seems weird. You have a little more flexibility to move around.”

He tilts his head to the side. Vincent works at the local university as an English professor, but he hasn’t yet found anyone to settle down with. He’s always claimed he prefers the solitude of being single. He doesn’t have to worry about anyone but himself.

“I think she wanted to help you. It’s her way of leaving something for you and Matteo.” He pauses, rolling his lips between his teeth before releasing them. “She knows you don’t need any help, but it’s just her way of feeling like she’s not abandoning you, you know?”

Emotion wells in my throat and I swallow hard in an effort to push it back down inside as I give him a curt nod. Pulling my gaze away from my brother, I glance at the house and spy Matteo sitting on the back of the couch, watching us through the window. I wave at him, before motioning for him to come outside.

He lights up, a smile breaking out across his innocent face as he treats the couch like a trampoline, then disappears from the window. He’s my little bud. The sweetest little guy. He has a huge heart and is always so curious and inquisitive. He was an unexpected surprise who threw a little bit of a wrench in my life, but I can’t imagine what it would look like without him now.

He’s my entire heart.

“Hey, little man!” Vince calls out to my son as he comes bounding through the front door. He scoops him up into his arms, digging his fingers against his ribs, his smile stretchingwide as Matteo wiggles against him, kicking his feet as a string of laughter escapes him. “One last tickle attack before you leave!”

“No! No!” Matteo giggles loudly, kicking his feet with vigor. “Stop, Uncle Vinny!”

“Okay, okay,” Vincent laughs, immediately stopping when Matteo tells him to. He shifts my son in his arms, giving him a gentle squeeze before setting him back down on his feet. He crouches down to get on his level. “Your mom is going to need you to be good while you guys are away. Can you do that?”

Matteo straightens his spine, pushing back his shoulders in an attempt to appear older and more mature. “Yes, sir,” he says, bobbing his head. “I will be on my best behavior.”

“You help her with whatever she needs help with, okay?”

“I will,” he assures him, smiling at my brother. Matteo may only be five, but he’s wise beyond his years. He’s like an old, gentle soul. I wouldn’t expect him to be anything but good. He has a very even temperament and normally doesn’t misbehave. I really did get lucky with him, except for those horrid few months when he turned three.

I’m fairly certain the only word he knew then was “no.”

Vince pats him on the head before rising back to stand in front of me. “Safe drive, little sis,” he says softly, pulling me in for a hug. “Like I already said, if you need anything, call me. After the semester is over, I’ll be off for the summer months since I decided to take a break.”

“I think we will be able to manage, but I will let you know for sure.”

Vince walks over to my car, opening the backdoor for Matteo. He climbs into his booster seat and straps himself in. I lean into the car, giving it a double check before pressing my lips to the top of his head.

“Let me know when you get there, okay?”

I move away from the car, Matteo giving Vince a final wave before I shut the door and turn to face my brother. “I will,” I smile at him, shaking my head. “You weren’t this concerned when I moved to a different country for a few years.”

Aston is only a few hours from here and since we’re leaving early enough in the day, we have time to swing by the grocery store on the way to Aunt Bella’s house.

“Yeah, well, you didn’t have Matteo then,” he tells me with a shrug as he focuses on the car behind me. Vince is only three years older than me and we’ve always been close, but he’s right. Things have been different since Matteo was born. He’s back to being my overprotective brother, watching out for the two of us now.

“Fair enough.” I give his cheek a little pat before walking to the driver’s side, pulling open the door, and climbing inside. I look back at my brother one last time, giving him a soft smile. “Love you. I’ll call you when we get there.”