White teeth flashed in his sunbaked face. “Silvia would have never brought you for the summer if she didn’t like you—whether or not you are family. I don’t think you could be a bitch if you tried.” He leaned in and our gazes locked. “And I know you weren’t fishing. I just tell the truth.”
My breath got trapped in my lungs. My nose tingled from the delicious scent of him, a combination of sea and sun and wind I wanted to steep myself in. Something hummed between us, an energy I’d never experienced before. I heard my name called from a distance, and then I shook my head to refocus.
“Liv! Come over here. I want you to meet someone!”
Julia motioned me over, and though I hated to leave, I knew she was being really sweet, trying to make me feel more comfortable with the group. Rafe seemed to catch my hesitation, because he smiled and jerked his head toward them. “Better get over there. I’ll catch you later?”
“Yes.”
I felt his gaze on me as I grabbed my drink and joined Julia and her friends. She introduced me to Ava, another American who spent the summers with her parents in a house close to mine. Her curvy figure, pin-straight black hair, and gray eyes gave her a unique look that seemed a bit intimidating, until she opened her mouth. Then she launched into a warm greeting, peppered with a lot of curse words and crass humor that made me immediately crack up. It didn’t take me long to relax and enjoy the chatter of fashion, crushes, and stuff we wanted to do this summer.
We wrapped up at the bar and headed to a house to continue the party. The stars sparkled in a velvet sky, and the girls linked arms as we maneuvered through the crooked streets and away from the bustling crowds gathered by the string of shops and cafés. The boys were loud behind us, singing off-key an Italian song as we moved deeper into the shadows and stopped at a mint-green home with an outdoor terrace and an array of white lights strung around the trees.
The group quickly set out some chairs, rickety tables, and the cooler of wine and beer. Someone set out a radio and fast-paced music blared out into the night. I spent the first hour getting to know Ava better, and the other girls in the group, occasionally chatting with some guys who approached.
Marcus stayed away.
The entire time, I was tracking Rafael from my peripheral vision and hoping he didn’t seem too interested in a particular girl. I had just refilled my wineglass when I felt the back of my neck prickle.
“Hi.”
I tamped down on a silly grin and tried to be cool. “Hi.”
“Want to go for a walk?”
I barely hesitated, elated at some alone time. “Yeah, sounds good.”
I followed him down the path at a slow pace. Our arms swung casually back and forth, our shoulders close to touching. We both held our drinks and I stopped myself from gulping the alcohol to calm my nerves. Vomiting on him tonight would not be a good look.
“Tell me about yourself, Olivia Moretti,” he finally said, his voice touched with teasing.
“What do you want to know?” I asked, wishing I could have uttered something witty or sexy.
“Anything. What are your summers usually like when you’re not with your aunt?”
I thought of my parents back home, deciding whether or not to get a divorce. I thought of the lonely days, and how I always felt like an outsider in my own life, and that I was more comfortable around my sketch pad and books rather than people. “Pretty boring.”
He laughed, a deep rumble in his chest that made my heart launch in my chest. I wondered if I could ever get tired of hearing that sound. “You’re talkative, huh?”
“Sorry. I guess I’m used to being alone a lot. Kind of lame, I know.”
“Nope, sounds like me. My favorite place to be is on the water. Something about it makes me feel really free and at home at the same time.”
“You do tour charters, right?” I asked, relieved he didn’t seem to think I was a weirdo.
“Yes, me and my dad. At first, Dad was just a fisherman, but as Positano became more and more active, he invested in a good boat and began doing tours. Smart move. As you’ve seen, we seem to be a playground for the rich and famous.”
I took a sip of wine, tilting my head upward to catch the faint breeze. “I guess when I think of Italy it’s more of statues, museums, and the pope. I’ve never seen so many yachts in my life, or designer clothes.”
He laughed again. His arm swung and brushed mine. “Unfortunately, most of the locals aren’t as well-off. We get invaded for the summer, so shopkeepers and restaurants make most of their money in season. I prefer when I can get a seat to drink my espresso and not fight for space on the sidewalks. Where are you from?”
“New York, but not the city. About two hours north. There’s a lot of farms in the neighborhood, so I’m not used to crazy crowds either.”
“Sounds nice.”
“Have you ever been to the States?”
He shook his head. “I haven’t been anywhere. One day, I may be able to travel, but the business takes up all of my time now.”
“I think it’s cool you work with your dad,” I said. “Do you like the work, or did you feel like you had to do it?”
He looked surprised by my question and I wondered if I’d probed too deep. “Hmm, I never thought about it. I’ve been on the water since I was little, and after my mom died, it was like Dad and I were a team. It was the only way to get through it.”
My heart squeezed. I stopped walking and touched his arm. “I’m sorry, Rafe. I can’t imagine how hard that must’ve been for you guys.”
“It wasn’t easy,” he admitted, not trying to brush me off or pretend he was okay. “I miss her all the time, but I guess my answer is I like where I am. I’m my own boss—other than my dad—and I get to experience different people every day and be outside. I never had the itch to go to college.”
I liked how honest he was, and I felt the connection between us tighten. We began walking again, the lights from the boats flickering in the distance. “I’m going to college to figure stuff out. I hate how everyone is constantly asking me what I want to be. I feel like I should know. I love writing and art, but I don’t think I can make a living doing creative stuff, so I also want to study business. I’m heading to New Paltz to stay in the dorms.” I gave a mocking laugh. “Even I know it’s a pretend independence. But it’s not like I can backpack across Europe to find myself or apprentice at a studio to learn a craft. My dad works for an insurance company, and Mom is an office worker. Neither one of them seems very happy. “
“Sounds like this summer is a gift. A chance to learn more about yourself before you head to college.”