Page 66 of Enzo

“I can do that from anywhere in the world. So why not Sicily?” I tilted my head pensively. “How about we have a standing daily appointment to hang out for two hours. Is that too much? Too little?”

Amara stared at me until her toothy grin stretched over her face. “It’s… it’s perfect.”

“Excellent.”

“Thank you, thank you.” She threw her arms around me and my hands instinctively caught her just as a door opened and two sets of eyes stared at us in shock.

25

PENELOPE

Ialmost stumbled into the foyer. If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Enzo and Amara, sitting on the bottom step of the staircase, flowers smashed in her lap as she hugged him with the biggest grin I’d seen on her face in a very long time.

My husband’s eyes met mine, the fury I expected to see in them nonexistent.

Suddenly, Mama’s words rang in my ears. Could we make this marriage work, despite the deceit? Maybe.

But Enzo was right about one thing: marriage in our world was for life, and it seemed a moot point to live it in misery.

“Hello, Penelope.”

A shiver ghosted through me, hearing his refined yet slightly rough voice.

“Enzo.”

My sister stood up and came over to us, smiling happily and waving her bouquet. “Look what Enzo got me. Just because.”

“They’re beautiful,” Mama said. “Let’s put them in water so they stay fresh.”

“They’re lovely, Amara.” I didn’t get to see her when I first arrived, so I pulled her in for a hug, then reached for the bag I left on the table earlier. “I got these in Naples. They’re for you.” My sister’s eyes lit up, and as she dug through the bag, I quickly added, “It’s not from Milan, but?—”

She gasped.

“They’re beautiful, Pen. Just beautiful.” My chest warmed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Then the two of them disappeared into the kitchen, a silence settling in the wake of the excitement.

“I missed you this morning,” he said, his voice rough.

Darkness and vehemence looked back at me, but there was also a slightly desperate look in his eyes, begging me for something that I didn’t know if I could give.

A chance.

“I shouldn’t be surprised you found me so fast.”

“I’ll always find you.”

“Kind of creepy,” I muttered, but there was no bite to my words.

“Maybe, but it’s my way of keeping you safe.” In a strange way, that actually made sense. “Don’t run again, wife. Someone could have gotten their hands on you and?—”

His eyes met mine and I swallowed, only now recognizing all the dangers I could have encountered on my way back to Sicily.

“Sorry for worrying you.” Strangely, I meantthattoo. “You look… well.”

He smiled. “How did you know about my allergy?”