"I’m sure you will." The doctor turns to me. "You take care, and if you need anything, make sure you call me. Seb has my number." She smiles again, then pats me on the shoulder. She turns to leave, and Theresa runs over and hugs me.
"Oh, my god, you gave me a scare. Are you okay?"
"I am." I squeeze her shoulders. "Sorry I barged in on your dinner like this. I didn’t know where else to go when I realized that I was being followed."
"You were followed?" Seb snaps from behind me.
I draw in a breath. I will not lose my temper. I will stay calm.
"What’s it to you?" I shoot him a sideways glance. "And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m speaking to my friend."
"Axel’s calling you." He nods over Theresa's shoulder. I follow his gaze to find that, sure enough, her new husband is trying to get her attention. They were married a few days ago.
"You sure you’re okay?" She peers into my face. "If you want me to stay with you—"
I shake my head, "No, go. I don’t want to keep you."
"I can stay, really," she insists.
"I’ll be fine." I kiss her cheek. "Go, be with your new husband."
"You sure?" she whispers.
"I’m sure." I step back.
Her features break into a smile, and she turns and almost skips across the floor to where Axel waits for her. The two of them lock lips in a kiss that seems to go on and on.
"Pussy-whipped motherfucker," Seb snorts.
"What do you mean?" I turn on him. "They’re in love."
"Like I said, pussy-whipped," he says with a smirk.
"Why do men have to be so macho when it comes to admitting that two people can be in love?"
"Because love is an illusion?" His lips thin. "It’s one way that women and men con each other into believing that they have feelings, when really, all they want to do is jump each other."
"You don’t believe that, do you? If that were true, how do you explain Theresa and Axel, who are not only in love, but married?"
"They got lucky, I guess?" He raises a shoulder. "Doesn’t mean most people do."
"What do you have against falling in love?"
"It’s not for me," he says in a tone that brooks no argument.
"With that grumpy attitude of yours, I’d be surprised if anyone were rushing to fall in love with you, anyway" I mutter under my breath.
"I heard you." His grin widens. "You’re feisty, aren’t you?"
"Hate that word." I toss my hair over my shoulder. "Also, I think I should be getting along."
Massimo returns, followed by Luca. "Seems whoever shot at us also knocked out the guards."
"Hmm..." Seb glances from him to me. "They didn't try to stop you when you ran toward the house, did they?"
"Truthfully, I was too busy trying to save my life to have noticed anyone, but no, no one stopped me."
"Strange," Luca murmurs, "so they were already knocked out when she came to the house."