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I covered my mouth.Oh no.
“I can’t imagine,” Nadia whispered.
I wasn’t a mother, but I was shaking. This poor family. I loved how Paul held Nadia close, knowing she needed his comfort.
“The fire department was there fighting the fire but hadn’t found them,” Rocco continued. “Luckily, we had. Once we calmed her down, her husband went to the hospital. I learned it was his boss’s home, and they didn’t know anyone on the island. So I called my friends, and they agreed to take them in. I arranged for them to get clothes and food for the baby and hired a car and driver for them to get around. But that’s about it.”
“Wow, you are a hero,” Nadia enthused.
“I agree, my love. Our Rocco’s superman.” Paul concurred.
Rocco shrugged his shoulders. “The firefighters and police are the heroes. I just helped out a little.”
I shook my head. “No way, Rocco. You saved that family. You’re amazing.”
He lifted my hand and kissed my palm. “Now enough about me. This is a big feast for two people that have to perform tonight.”
Paul piled on more food. “We can handle it.”
“We’re not performing the whole night,” Nadia announced, listing a variety of singers participating in the event. I was excited to go and had always wanted to attend concerts but couldn’t afford them.
Rocco loaded his plate and also added more curries to mine, which I was too shy to take. Everything was tasty.
“So I hear you’re making more beautiful art, Adelina,” Paul told me. “My stepmother Lily is obsessed with you.”
I scrunched up my face. “Oh, please don’t tell me that. I’m already nervous.”
“Don’t be,” Paul said, breezy.
“Don’t be? Like it’s easy,” Nadia said and playfully rolled her eyes at him. Then he kissed her cheek. She kissed him back, and they laughed.Paul and Rocco must have gone to the same school of confidence.
Nadia touched Paul’s arm, and they shared a look before he turned to us with a more serious expression. “I have some news that I should prepare you both for. Marjorie Storm will be in the VIP section tonight with Morgan Steele.”
Rocco let out a huff. “Two of the last people I want to see.”
Rocco placed his arm around my back to comfort me. I hated that I liked it.
I whispered, “I’m fine.” Marjorie annoyed me. She wasn’t letting him go even after he married me. Now she’s “dating” his openly married friend Morgan, who had tried to use The Age of Sin’s Cannes premiere to generate more buzz from their breakup scandal.Was he trying it again?
“You can stay backstage if you prefer?” Paul offered.
Rocco shook his head. “No, we’ll be fine.” He looked at me imploringly, and I smiled at him, nodding. Marjorie and Morgan couldn’t derail our time unless we allowed them to. I honestly didn’t know how Rocco dealt with some people in Hollywood.I’m glad I don’t have to be around them much.
He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it, then whispered. “Thank you. And thanks for the heads up.”
“It’s good to face things straight on,” Nadia said, her eyes switching between us. “The art circles are small, so you’ll likely run into each other. It’s impossible to avoid people you don’t like.”
“And if you do, you will miss out,” Paul added.
Rocco scoffed. “I’ll never let anyone keep me from what I want to do.”
I beamed at him and squeezed his arm. I lived for his certainty about everything.
Paul sighed. “There are a few people tonight we don’t want to see, so we’re leaving immediately after our set.”
“Where are you going?” Rocco asked him.
“The Mid-Summer Night’s Ball,” Nadia answered, then took a sip of a sparkling water.