14
9:17 p.m.
Richard smiled at strangers as he pushed his food to one side and the other during dinner, as he made idle conversation with the extravagant bride, all the while thinking about Giulianna having a boyfriend, about her being happy, marrying, having blonde, blue-eyed kids—a girl and a boy—and all without him.
It was a dream they had dreamt together and he couldn’t stand it turning into reality with another man. It had been easy to let her go because he had never seen—or imagined—her with another.
The possibility of it filled him with a sick dreadful feeling.
He found his feet eating the lawn, taking him back to the dessert bar, to Giulianna, because he had to know.
He stopped by the dessert table and feigned interest in what he thought was a chocolate macaron filled with va
