Free An Aria in Venice: A Musical Interlude Novel by Kasonndra Leigh Page B

that he
knows I’ve heard it. Is he blushing? No way. I know the great Luca slash
Casanova did not just blush because of something I said.
    “How
sweet. It makes me so very happy to hear this, son,” Simona says, smiling at
both her men.
    “And
which ballet was this?” Rafe asks, taking a sip of his wine and locking his
gaze on me. “I had no idea you’d developed a love for the performing arts,
Luca.” I’ve already figured out which brother is the troublemaker, anyway.
    “The,
er … the um … Swan Lake!” I cry out. So maybe that sounds a bit lame and
typical, but I refuse to let Rafe get the best of this situation. Something
about him makes me want to do whatever I can to support Luca in anything he
does to rock his older brother’s ego.
    “How
lovely. Did you perform in it?” Simona asks me, her eyes excited as she
continues, “Luciano tells me you’re fantastic ballerina.”
    “Uh,
no, Signora Martuccio. Not in this one,” I answer.
    “Talking
about music makes me remember the day. We have a tradition that every third
Saturday one of my sons gets to pick the evening’s music. You know what this
means?” Simona asks Luca.
    “I
know. Say no more,” he says, waving his brother’s hand away. Standing up, he
strolls over to the music box and turns on a song called
Perdere l’amore
by a singer named Lara Fabian. The heart of all things musical in Italy fills
the area.
    We
all make small talk as we sit on a patio beside the garden, basking in the
blushed colors of the evening sun and sharing stories of Luca and Rafe’s
childhood together. I feel totally guilty letting her think we’re that serious,
but then I remember Lis’s bet and my goal. Instantly, I get refocused. What
harm can come from playing along for a little while anyway?
    “Come
to Venice with us next week. I would be so very happy if you did,” Simona says
suddenly, taking my hands in hers and focusing her eager-eyed gaze on me. Okay.
Guess I know the answer to my question now. Simona is the kind of person
who makes you feel like shit for just thinking of turning down such enthusiasm,
let alone actually doing so. Plus, I have the feeling there’s more going on
behind the scenes than the two brothers have allowed me to see. The evidence
hides in the way Luca has totally transformed before my eyes, even going so far
as kissing my hand and preparing my plate for me, things not characteristic of
the player who has, so far, regarded me with a sort of bored disdain as though
he screws women on my level every day. It’s also in the way Rafe teases me,
making a point to emphasize I’m Luca’s longtime girlfriend.
    Why
would they do something so selfish and silly if there wasn’t a legitimate
reason? The curiosity stirs my gut, and we all know what happens when curiosity
enters the picture. The lure of the unknown doesn’t just kill the cat. Nope.
Figuring out the object of infatuation can sometimes rip him or her up into
little pieces, too. My eyes briefly drift toward Luca sitting beside her, his
posture stiff as he does this little head shake thing behind her back. Neither
Luca nor I have to say a word, because Rafe the party killer speaks up first.
    “Why
do you hesitate, Adriana? Don’t think your future family’s good enough to
travel with?” Rafe lifts his glass of Chianti, toasting the air, just before
moving it to his lips to hide his smile, no doubt.
    “Oh
my. Er, Signora Martuccio, I don’t know. I—”
    “Such
a delightful young woman, you are. I would like this to happen. Please
consider,” Simona presses. Oh crap.
    “Mama,
maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” Rafe says, giving me some kind of smirk
that makes me want to smack him a couple of times for switching sides in less
than thirty seconds, now that I’m seriously considering her proposal.
    “I’d
love to go,” I blurt for reasons that even I can’t explain. Maybe it has
something to do with Rafe’s fading grin, or maybe it’s the crazy