A tingle ran down her spine. The air seemed to sigh with her mother’s voice, and Bailey smiled, reminding herself it didn’t matter. Her mother had had her own experience, one Bailey would never share. But right now, she felt closest to Mom, as if her hand was holding Bailey’s as sweetly as the water.
Paolo spoke in low tones, filling in some historical details, then paused the boat by the opening so everyone could take their pictures. “Would you take one for us?” Pris asked, handing him the camera.
He smiled, flashing white teeth, and Pris put her head in between Bailey’s and Dev’s shoulders. He snapped the picture. “Perfetto.”
When they exited, the kids began to chatter excitedly. Dev shook her head. “That was all sorts of amazing. Isn’t it odd how a simple cave can suddenly affect your outlook on life?”
Bailey blinked. “I was thinking the same kind of stuff. And about Mom.”
“I was thinking about Mom too,” Dev said.
Pris thrust the camera between them. Her hands shook a bit. “Um, guys? Look at this.”
“Oh, our picture came out great,” Bailey said. The three of them were smiling happily, the sun catching the gleam of colors on the water.
“I felt like Mom was there with us,” Pris said slowly. “Which is cool, since that’s what we were all thinking. But do you see it?”
Bailey squinted at the photo. “See what?”
Pris traced her finger along an outline. “This shadow? Right behind us?”
It took a few seconds, but then Bailey gasped. Goose bumps broke out over her skin and she stared in both shock and fascination as the shadow suddenly seemed to have the shape of a person—clearly a head hovering right above them.
Dev’s jaw dropped. “It’s Mom.”
“Is that crazy?” Pris whispered, hand still twitching. “I mean, that’s crazy, right?”
“No,” Bailey said. The acceptance washed over her and a smile tipped her lips. “It’s not crazy. Mom was there with us. I felt her.”
“So did I,” Pris said. “But you know I’m not into that stuff.”
“Neither am I,” Dev said. “But this time, I’m agreeing. And I don’t want to ruin it by overthinking either.”
“Neither do I,” Bailey said softly. She reached out and put a hand over her sisters’. A surge of happiness caught her full force, and she swore right then and there, she’d never take their relationship for granted again. Her sisters might be pains in the ass but they were hers. And somehow, Mom thought it was time they all knew she was looking over them.
They spent the next hour exploring various sites along the sea. Paolo kept them entertained with facts and fun stories, and they took a ton of pictures, each one more stunning than the last. When they finally pulled back into Spiaggia Grande, Bailey was ready for a big lunch and some serious wine. They tipped Paolo generously and chatted a bit.
“It was a pleasure having you ladies today,” he said, dark eyes gleaming with appreciation. “What hotel are you staying at?”
“We actually have a place here. Our mom passed it down to us,” Pris said.
“Many of our homes here have been from many generations,” Paolo said with a smile. “It is nice to keep a part of our families with us, sì?”
Bailey nodded. “It is. You did a wonderful job. Have you been working with tour groups a long time?”
“Sì, my papà and his papà always had worked on boats, and now I run it with my brothers. I’m off to the university in the fall, though. I wanted to stay, but Papà insists I get a degree first before I decide. I’m studying business.”
Bailey liked his energy and openness. He seemed so young for the way he looked at things, though, unless it was the culture. Americans just didn’t speak about respecting family in the same way.
“How old are you?” Dev asked.
Bailey wanted to roll her eyes at Dev’s direct questioning, but she was curious, too.
“Twenty-two.” His gaze locked on Bailey. “And you?”
She laughed. “Thirty-two.”
“A perfect age gap. How long are you staying, Bailey?” His rich voice hinted at obvious interest.
She ignored her sisters, who practically tittered over the attention. “Another week.”
“I’d be happy to take you out on another boat ride. On the house.” He slid his card into her palm with a smoothness that she appreciated. “Or take you to dinner on land.”
Oh, he was deliciously handsome, charming, and . . . young. A bit too young. “Grazie.”
“Prego. Call anytime, signorina bella. Ciao, Priscilla. Devon.”
He shot them all another dazzling smile, then retreated to his boat. Bailey walked away, her mind already calculating the possibility of going out with him just for his company. A date was nothing. And though he might be young, she was only here for a week more. One night of passion in Italy wasn’t a crime, and . . .
What was she doing?
She stopped walking. A strange despair shot through her, mixed with confusion.
“What’s the matter?” Pris asked.
Dev was still walking, her tone teasing. “Dayum, if he looks like that, what about his brothers? Well, there goes another hot man falling at your feet, Bae. Must get so exhausting collecting phone numbers and deciding who’s worthy and—” She stopped, cocking her head with worry. “Hey, what’s up? Why do you look like that?”
Bailey swayed on her feet. “Because for the first time, I realize I’m doing the exact thing you accused me of. Rationally reviewing the benefits and drawbacks of sleeping with him. Or dating him. It’s like there’s this host voice in my head from one of those game shows, droning on about all the possibilities, but I feel . . .”
“How do you feel?” Dev prodded.
“I feel detached. Oh my God, I think something’s seriously wrong with me.”
Her sisters walked over and flanked her. “Do you always feel like that with every man you meet?” Pris asked. “Or are you just starting to notice when you’re not connected?”
Bailey sifted through the past, thinking over the various men she’d dated and gotten involved with. “I didn’t feel that way with Will,” she finally said. “There was this spark right away, and it only got stronger when we had a conversation.”
Dev nodded. “Okay, so it’s not all the time. That means you’re able to discern if there’s truly interest or you’re just switched off but going on autopilot.”