“He’s my bodyguard,” Ivory said, and the way her voice changed in the next sentence, I could just imagine the vivacious woman flailing her hands about as she tried to explain what must have been common knowledge to most. “He doesn’t come to formal events with me. There are too many people, so for personal reasons it’s just better for someone else to accompany me to those.”
I paused, trying to think about what could keep a bodyguard away from a formal event. The stiffening when I’d touched him, the way he’d panicked when I kissed him. “Personal reasons like an aversion to touch?”
Ivory didn’t answer, the silence from the other end of the line all but confirming my suspicion.
At least it hadn’t been about me, but my heart ached for the man who couldn’t tolerate physical affection and what the cause of something like that might have been.
“As much as I would love to help, he didn’t exactly give me his number. He made it pretty clear he didn’t want to see me again when he raced out of there after I kissed him. I made it obvious I was interested,” I said, dropping into my seat.
There was a little squeal, her hands clapping together quietly. “You kissed him?! So Lino was right; there was something going on.”
“If by ‘something going on’ you mean me making fools out of the both of us, then yes,” I said, unable to contain the smile at Ivory’s joy. Even knowing I’d probably traumatized the poor man, something in her happiness was contagious.
“I can help! If we were to, say, meet for lunch entirely coincidentally…” she trailed off when I burst into laughter.
“You always were a meddler. Text me when and where and I’ll be there. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up.”
“Just call me the queen of hopes and dreams. He deserves someone like you. I’ll text you later after I clear it with Teo.”
We said our goodbyes, and I started up the car with a smile on my face.
If anyone could get through to him, it would be Ivory Bellandi.