They were all seated at the long white-linen table, soft jazz humming in the background, glasses of wine half-full. A little too elegant for a proposal planning session, but Luca never did anything casually.
Luca. Eliana. Elias. Renee. Valeria. Luis.
Eliana was just going with the flow.
She hadn't wanted to come. At all. But Luis had asked her—softly, gently—and somehow, she hadn't been able to say no. Even though her chest was tight the whole morning and every step toward the restaurant felt heavier than the last.
Now she sat between Elias and Renee, smiling where she had to, nodding on cue. Elias's hand was resting under the table, curled around hers. A silent support. Her lifeline. He hadn't let go of her once since she arrived.
"So," Luca said brightly, swirling his wine. "Are we inviting Nicky's family?"
Elias didn't hesitate. "No. They won't come. Trust me. Better to leave them out. Maybe a few cousins, but that's it. I'll contact them."
