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February 28 - March 5, 2023
my brother’s eyes take on a glint I do not particularly like. It is the same one he had when arranging to send swans to King Rafe and Queen Serafina as a prank.
“You can’t choose a wife based on a spreadsheet.” “Ultimately, we didn’t use a spreadsheet,” Claudius says. “I made an algorithm and plugged the information into a rubric.” “Even worse.” Callum pauses. “What’s a rubric?”
“Love is a choice. A commitment. It develops and deepens over time. Attraction can and will grow in proportion to this deepening connection.”
Hosting a ball for the sole purpose of me choosing a wife is not romantic. It sounds more like a livestock auction.
Callum’s Charm School, he called it, and it was every bit as dreadful as it sounds.
I’d take care of her. She would be my wife, my partner, and hopefully one day, this could blossom into love. Or at least, friendship and mutual respect. But that was before I saw Alessia. Before the thud of my heart became a pounding drum in my ears drowning out every other sound. Before my words vaporized in her presence.
Before a light touch from her lit up nerve endings I didn’t know I had.
“He has more than just arms,” Sal says. “He’s got the whole present.” “Package,” Enzo corrects. “I think you mean he has a good package.”
Operation Bad Beard has been officially renamed. From henceforth, we shall call it Prince Perfect Package.”
anytime Luci has something important to say, she quotes Mikey from Goonies.
And I suspect Nonno knows my dreams are bigger than this tiny village. But I also can’t help but feel like it would break both our hearts if I ever did leave.
He could be the start of your happily ever after.”
Real happily ever afters are messier and involve fights and making up and heartache and happiness all tangled up. They are real. Just not like the books. And you’ll never experience the beautiful parts and the messy parts unless you take a chance.”
“Will your bum recover?” “Unsure. I’ll have to let you know.” “Please do,” she says, her eyes shining. “I’m quite invested in your bum making a full recovery.”
It is quick, yes, but it is the start of love. It does not come in only one speed.”
Love isn’t a thing you accidentally fall into, like a pit you stumble into in the dark. I’ve always thought true love begins with mutual respect and develops slowly, like wine aged in a barrel,
The boy must run his kingdom,” Gianni scoffs, saying kingdom as though he thinks I’m running some kind of pyramid scheme.
We talk. We flirt. We dance around things like kissing and when he’s leaving and what his big, secret family business is. “Look—my speed is not your speed. You are a Ferrari. I am a bicycle.” “Even bicycles move forward, Lessy.”
“Sometimes bicycles can be fast,” Maria chimes in from across the room. “And they’re good with hugging the curves of the road,” Ernesto says, eliciting a giggle from his wife.
“Any man who makes you come alive is a man I like. Too long, you have been in the shadows. He is worthy of you, tesoro mio.”
Sometimes you can only see the truth of a thing when you are on the other side of it.
He is your farm boy.” “My … what?” “Your farm boy. From The Princess Wife film—you know, the one with the man who has too many fingers. You say, ‘Farmboy, wash this dish!’ and the
boy says, ‘as you wish’ when he really means ‘I love you.’”
“I just never pegged you for instalove.” “It wasn’t that.” “But you said you knew the first night,” Callum says. “I knew I felt something more than expected, that she was more than expected. But it wasn’t instalove.”
“Time helps. But I don’t think it heals. Not like they say.”
“You are reason enough to stay.”
There is a question in his eyes. And on his lips, as they part, then close. Then part again. Ask me, I think. Ask me! He doesn’t, even if I swear I can see the question in his eyes. I hope he can read the answer in mine.
The man is perfection. Seriously, was he designed by a computer model and spit out of a high-tech 3D printer? Maybe that’s it. He did say he develops smart technology. Maybe he is tech.
I take off at a sprint, ignoring any lingering self-conscious thoughts of what my backside looks like while running in a swimsuit. If Phillip doesn’t chase me after seeing whatever jiggling is happening back there, it says more
about him than me. I wouldn’t want to be pursued by him anyway. You want me? Then you better want my curves.
Yaaas girl rock those curves
“Sia,” I growl, and she murmurs something in Italian against my lips. “I like you growling my name,” she says. “You’re always so in control. So measured and thoughtful. I love that about you, but it’s also nice to see that control slip.”
are you the only prince who doesn’t understand the power of a kiss?” “It sounds like you’re challenging my princehood,” I say. “Is it princehood or princedom? Maybe princiness?” “Definitely not the last one. Let’s stick to princehood.”
“Alessia, don’t let the title overshadow the man.”
he’s better with you. You are his heart.”
Callum hitting me with the feels. I guess he is redeeming himself
“Classic case of miscommunication,” Rafe says. What does he even know about it?
🤣🤣🤣
“You want me to leave?” “I want you to live.” Nonno’s words are quiet but backed with an intensity that makes me ache. “I want you to have your dreams and to chase them. To expand your boundary lines outside of our village. Tesoro, it’s time for us both to get out of our rut.”
the best choices in life require you to stare fear right in its ugly face and to take the leap. Say yes to your prince.” “Say yes,” Juliet says. Henri nods. “Please, please, say yes.” “Say yes,” Sal and Gianni say in unison. Say yes, a small voice inside me says, the one that I hear every so often, the one that makes me think of the mother I never met.
“If it helps with the nerves, my answer is going to be yes.”
