Evie couldn't be serious about Italy. She just couldn't. The idea was bad, everything about it was bad, and Grams was setting herself up for heartbreak. Heartbreak was the last thing she needed now. Not now when her health was at stake.
It was up to me to take a stand and be firm despite her desire to go, but I just couldn't. Her words got to me.
It was true. She believed in me when no one else had, and she invested her life into trying to give me everything I wanted. She'd do anything for me without question, anything at all.
Her words got to Evie too. I watched that firm exterior Evie liked to show the world melt away and turn into the woman that fascinated me. The woman she released when she played her violin. It was as if she had to break down the walls she'd placed around her emotions, and what would come out was this thing of beauty that had to be felt to be described.
I was glad she'd come with me, and helped get Grams home. I knew I wouldn't have been able to get her back home by myself and right now I wasn't exactly sure what my next move was going to be.
I'd been sitting in the living room contemplating since we got back. I thought I'd give Evie some time with her because she seemed to offer a comfort I couldn't.
"I made her some chamomile tea." Evie's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked away from the oriental patterned vase I'd been staring at and turned to face her as she walked in. "She may want another cup later." She added, folding her arms under her breasts, drawing my attention to the slight hint of cleavage her peach colored camisole top revealed. The color enhanced the golden sun-kissed undertones of her skin. I had always thought Evie had a wild, interesting sort of beauty that had continuously fascinated me.
"Thanks."
"Well, I'd better go pack." She sighed widening her large green eyes.
"You're serious about going?" I had to ask because it all seemed unreal, and still like a very bad idea.
"Of course I'm going." Her face wrinkled with annoyance.
I rose from the sofa and walked up to her. "This is a really terrible idea. You know that right?"
"It doesn't matter how good an idea it is." Her brows knitted and a firm line etched between them.
"And, what will we do if it goes to hell?"
She tilted her head to the side and regarded me with keen eyes. "We?"
I smiled at her. "Yes, we. I'm not having you running around Italy with my grandmother. Anything could happen."
I didn't mean for that to come out the way it did, but it was too late. The words were said, and I'd dealt my cards. Anger lit up her beautiful green eyes, and she straightened up with her hands on her hips.
"I'm certain anything could happen with, or without you there. Besides, who do you think you are, our bodyguard or something? Do I look like I need a bodyguard?"
I wished she wouldn't say things like that. It was an invitation to look. Looking may never get most people in trouble, but it certainly would put me right in trouble's path if I continued, and she wasn't making it any easier by pouting at me with those full, glossy pink lips.
I couldn't help myself around a beautiful woman. I never could, even if the said beauty hated me to no end, and got annoyed just from the sheer fact that I lived and breathed.
Women tended to gravitate towards me and flirt shamelessly. It was a privilege that came with being the quarterback for the Gladiators, and just being popular.
Evie however was the exception. There would be no gravitating and definitely no shameless flirting from her.
"I just meant I'm coming too, safety in groups and all that."
"Gage, you'd better not piss me off." She stepped closer, into my personal space. Not even my teammates would dare do that. But yet, Miss Evelyn Matthews, looked at me as if she could take me down with no effort at all. When a stern expression filled her face, I couldn't help but laugh.
Her brows snapped together, and she pouted even more. "It's not funny. I'm in no mood for you and your foolishness."
"Five years." I shook my head at her and held up my hands.
She smirked at me. "What of it?"
"We haven't spoken in five years, and you've already slammed the door in my face, and now you're looking at me like you want my head for a garden ornament. Geez, woman."
At that, she seemed to back down.
A little.
"It's called preservation, and showing you , who's not going to stand for your nonsense."
I liked that confidence she exuberated. That by itself was fascinating. I was sure she wasn't like this around other guys. Just me and yes, I deserved it. More than deserved it. I didn't have to be told that I'd made her life hell. But that was such a long time ago, and I wasn't that guy anymore.
As close as she was to my grandmother, I'd never been friends with her. Not even close to it. Aside from me being three years older, we were just different plain and simple, complete opposites. I'd always been popular and into football, and she was just odd with her music.
I didn't think she was odd anymore, but I did back then. Any other girl would have used loving my grandmother's musical talent as an excuse to see me. But she literally hung out with Grams.
I'd thought she was odd with her obsession for music - classical music at that - and I'd never known her to do anything else.
I guessed though that those were the people in life that had it all figured out. They were the ones that took the safe roads and didn't walk around like they owned the world, like I did. Safe people like her were responsible and mature. They didn't go out partying until all hours of the night, every night, with friends who were drinking far too much. They knew when to stop and would never persist when it was time to stop. Had I been even a little like that I might not have been in that terrible car accident two years ago that paralyzed Clyde Shepherd and took Donny Borman's life.
If I had even a shred of the caution Evie had, I could have told Donny he shouldn't be driving after drinking so much beer, and I could have stopped Clyde from egging Donny to play chicken with a bunch of speed racers.
I was in the back seat so I got out lucky. But the accident changed me.
I'd had a lot of loss in my life starting with my parents when I was ten years old. That was a car accident too where I'd also been in the back seat. I was determined that there wasn't going to be a third time. That meant I had to change.
"Okay, Miss Evie. I appreciate the pointer and assure you there will be no nonsense." I smiled at her.
She narrowed her eyes at me, looked me up and down and then sauntered away. I watched her, unable to take my eyes off her slim tapered hips that looked particularly enticing in her tight fitted jeans. Her long mane of thick brown hair swished across the edge of her waist as she walked away, drawing my full attention to her perfectly shaped behind. Evie would probably pick my eyes out if she knew I was totally checking her out right now.
I returned to the sofa when I heard the front door close. I needed to think about all of this, and how it was going to work. Grams came in a few minutes later with her cup of tea and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Evie had done her hair for her. It was still down but looked a lot neater than it had earlier.
She set the plate on the coffee table and sat next to me.
"I know you don't want me to go." She stated. "But Evie and I will be just fine."
"Grams I'm going with you," I replied.
At that, she looked surprised but deeply grateful. "What about your game?"
The first game of the season was in eight weeks and the team were in the height of rigorous training. Especially since we’d be playing the Centaurs first. That damn Tristan Bouchard, the Centaurs quarterback, was a pain in my ass and I swore vengeance for that idiots move he made on me last season that could have busted my leg. That was all petty though. Stuff that wasn’t important.
I’d been visiting Grams as often as I could and I was here now because I knew things would get more intense as the weeks went by. Football was important, but my grandmother was everything to me.
"They'll have to manage without me because I'm going with you." Sure, this would cause me hell. Coach Simpson would most likely punch me when he next saw me, but this was important. She was important.
It wasn't that I didn't trust her to Evie's good care, I just wanted to be there to make extra certain she was safe. I also wanted to be sure she was doing important things like taking her medication.
Aside from everything else my grandmother's illness was perhaps one of the main reasons why she shouldn't be exerting herself and running off to Europe looking for a man that could have died decades ago.
"I appreciate that Gage, but I don't want you to have to go out of your way. You've been training so hard for this upcoming season."
I smoothed both my hands over hers and smiled. "I'm going with you. You come first. Yes, I have my reservations, but we can go and see. Check things out and see what happens. Find this Angelo guy who was so in love with you."
"Thank you." She gave me a heartwarming smile. "Gage, none of this means I loved your grandfather any less. I loved him too. Please don't think that I didn't. I was blessed to have love twice. They were both taken from me."
My grandfather simply died of old age. He was nearly ten years older than Grams, and he’d lived a great life.
"I understand." I nodded.
"If I could have one of them back... I'd be so grateful. Italy was..." that look she always got when she attempted to talk about Italy filled her eyes. It was a look of pain. Heartbreaking pain. "Italy was a big part of my life. I learned to play the violin there. Everything good came from there. Including Angelo."
I gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Well, we get to go back there tomorrow." She smiled on hearing that, and her light blue eyes twinkled with expectation.
I just prayed this trip wouldn't turn into a massive disaster.
* * *
We started out early the next day to what was going to be one of the longest days I'd had in my life. I'd been lucky to get us a flight from Chicago to Berlin with a five-hour layover there and then on to Fiumicino, Rome. Grams had lived right in the city when she was last here.
She'd seemed in better spirits today and having Evie there made her all the happier.
Evie just about managed to say thanks for booking her flight and our first argument was over her insisting she give me the money back.
Twenty hours later we arrived in Rome. But while Grams and Evie were like the giggly twins talking about some reality show they'd seen, I had an impending migraine from the constant arguments with Evie. As we stood at the pick-up point loading our luggage into our taxi, I couldn't even fully appreciate the natural beauty that surrounded us, the welcoming warm weather and the exciting change of scenery that normally came with arriving in a new country.
And now she was giving me daggers again as I attempted to load one of her suitcases.
"What now?" I asked with a frustrated sigh. "Are you going to have my head for helping?"
"No, but I can pack my own things." Evie snapped, tapping her foot on the pavement.
God, I swore I'd never met anyone like her. She gave stubborn a whole new meaning. What woman didn't want help with her luggage?
Grams laughed at us. "Evie dear, it's not good to be so vicious all the time. Sometimes it's good to let a gentleman treat you like a lady."
Evie didn't like that comment one bit, but she listened to her because it was Grams. My grandmother was the only person who could tame the wild but beautiful beast. I chuckled and took hold of Evie's violin case, which I knew was her most prized possession. Apparently, wherever she went, it went too. I handled it with care and brought it around to her while the taxi driver continued to load the rest of the luggage.
"See, I didn't drop it. I was careful like a hen with a baby chick." I told her. Evie took it doing her best not to smile at my joke but failing.
"Thank you." She shook her head at me in dismay.
"You're welcome, and please... don't chop my hands off for what I'm about to do next." With caution, I reached for the handle on the car door and made a show of opening the door ever so slowly. To my surprise, she actually laughed. It was a sound I'd never heard in conjunction with anything to do with me. I almost wanted to do it again.
"Thank you, and you may keep your hands." She slid into the seat, and I closed the door. When I looked up, I saw the curious look Grams was giving me and I shrugged.
"I'll sit in the front." She said purposely with a small smile. Before I could protest, she got into the front leaving me to sit in the back with Evie. To my relief, Evie didn't seem to mind.
Our journey began from there.
* * *
Evie
* * *
This was it. We were here, and we were on their way.
I was nervous for Lucy. Very nervous for her in fact. The next hour or so would tell them everything. It would tell us whether Angelo was alive or not.
It was a sensitive thing to wager on.
At the same time, I was so ecstatic to be here in Rome and couldn't hide my excitement. I just couldn't believe I was here. Of all the places I'd ever wanted to visit this was one of the first on my list. I'd loved the architecture, the history and the passion I'd heard so much about. I'd heard that it was the type of place where you went to create memories that would last a lifetime.
My busy lifestyle had never allowed me a holiday of more than a week or so with my family. When I was younger, my dad made it his duty to take the family away for a week in the summer. Most times we went to Miami and places like Disney World, or camping in Yosemite, but never anywhere exotic or extravagant like Europe. We couldn't afford to. Now I could afford to take the whole family there several times over, but the problem was time.
But look, here I was. I was in Rome. The circumstances in being here might have been unusual, but I was here. I was sure that while they were literally on a mission, I would be able to squeeze in some sightseeing here and there. How could I not?
I smiled to myself as we drove by and my eyes scanned over stunning historic churches and buildings. There were also lots of areas where I could see ruins from the ancient city and lots of stone pine trees. The air was fresh, invigorating and had that enticing pull that made you want to enjoy everything.
Fingers crossed, everything worked out well for Lucy, and she'd find Angelo.
If that happened, I planned to do a full on tour and go exploring. I'd go all over Rome and visit all the attractions like the Colosseum and the Vatican. Oh goodness, I could go to the Trevi fountain and throw a whole purse of coins in. I'd also eat as much pizza as I could fit into my body and top it all off with ice cream. This country had my name written on it when it came to food. I planned to eat until I passed out.
I'd also like to try and visit the other amazing places in Italy like Venice, Florence, Milan, Verona, everywhere. That would satisfyingly utilize my time off from work. Then I'd go back fresh and full of inspiration. Who knew, I might even finish my latest composition. Inspiration could come to me in many ways, but the most usual way was where I'd get an idea and take my time writing the music so I could feel all the notes were balanced. That way I could glean inspiration from different things. The other way was the one I loved the most.
It was where something intrigued my creativity, and the music would just come together in my mind. For those instances, I could compose a whole symphony in less than an hour.
I continued to gaze out of the window, becoming truly absorbed in the surroundings and atmosphere. As they approached the city, incandescent trees, I didn't know the names of lined the side of the road, mingling with the pine trees to enhance the classical look of the place. Beautiful houses with that classic European style came into my view, monuments here and there, several statues, water fountains, and archways that stole my breath away. Lucy and Gage seemed to be enjoying the view too.
Half way through the drive Lucy got into deep conversation with the driver. Both were speaking Italian.
I didn't even know Lucy could speak Italian, but then I guessed there was a lot I didn't know about Lucy.
A lot that Lucy kept to herself, like the whole story of her living in Italy, and Angelo.
I understood, though.
I guessed the pain was too much to bring up, especially if she was trying to forget.
Gage looked tired, more tired than the rest of us so didn't engage in much conversation. That was fine with me because he'd gotten on my nerves the whole way here. He seemed to have found a new obsession in trying to get me to talk to him.
I couldn't be certain if he genuinely wanted to talk to me, or if he was doing it just to annoy me.
Admittedly, he seemed genuine and like he changed quite a lot. At the very least he seemed more human and less demon-like, but I was still on my guard.
I chanced a covert look at him beneath lowered lashes and noticed he was looking out the window. The sun beamed down on his dark spiky hair, making it sparkle. The glow highlighted his sharp chiseled features, enunciating them even more. I allowed my eyes to run down to his massive shoulders which filled out his jacket and spread across most of the back seat.
I didn't know anyone with that much muscle. If I allowed myself, I was at danger for looking for far longer than I should have, but for some reason, I couldn't look away either. When he turned to face me, I found myself trapped within his blue gaze.
Sapphire. That was the color I would call his eyes. The same color as the Italian sky that surrounded us.
"What now, am I in your light?" It was only when he spoke that I broke eye contact and looked away.
"No." I resumed staring out the window.
Maybe I was tired. My excitement and anxiety had gotten the better of me and surpassed my tiredness.
Changed though he seemed, Gage was still Gage Montgomery. Pretty to look at, but with a deadly, malicious heart. I would do good to remember that.
When we were kids, I'd made the mistake of trying to be friends. It only worked to my detriment and utter humiliation. He'd made a point of letting me know that he didn't want to know me, whether that was by teasing me, or outrightly ignoring me.
Play of Love: The Gladiator Players Box Set Page 34
