Seven Years. Not One Proof I Was Ever Loved

Dominic's POV

The moment her message came through, my expression darkened.

Nora had no quarrel with cilantro. She loved it, in truth. She used to order an extra portion whenever we sat down to a plate of pasta at the back table of the family's restaurant.

Still, I sat with it a moment before I answered.

[Me: Alright.]

After sending it, I opened the delivery service one of the Family's fronts ran, picked some home-style dish at random, and had it sent straight to her.

Later that evening, once the books were closed and the day's business was put to bed, I went out to dinner with Adriana.

But the moment we stepped into the place we'd reserved, a quiet corner room the owner kept open for our blood, I saw Nora walking in with Lorenzo. Arm in arm, both of them wearing those easy, untroubled smiles.

When she saw us, Nora instinctively let go of his arm and came over. The thin gold bracelet on her wrist caught the low light as her hand moved.

Lorenzo's face shifted for half a breath before he followed, smiling. "What a coincidence. Though it seems we're late. No tables left. You wouldn't mind if we shared yours?"

Before either of us could answer, Nora seated herself right beside me, unbothered, as if the chair had always been hers.

Adriana's eyes widened. Without a word she rose and swapped places with her. "What are you thinking? Sitting me next to your first love. How is that supposed to work?"

Now across from me, Nora looked faintly annoyed, as though she were waiting for me to say something.

I didn't meet her eyes. I handed the menu to Lorenzo. "Here, Lorenzo. Order what you like. My sister and I have already settled on ours."

He took it with a lazy smile. "Dominic, your cooking is something else. Better than anything a kitchen like this puts out."

The comment confirmed what I'd already suspected. Nora had asked me to cook for him. Not for herself.

I only smiled, faint and empty, and said nothing.

Adriana, half proud and half teasing, cut in. "Oh, you have no idea. He took it into his head to go and learn to cook, of all things. Only man in the whole class. I figured he'd quit out of embarrassment before the week was out. He didn't. Now he handles himself in the kitchen the way he handles himself everywhere else. Whatever woman he ends up bound to is going to be spoiled rotten."

Nora had been smiling faintly. At that, the smile thinned. She took a slow sip of tea and asked, calm as still water, "Dominic. Are you thinking about settling down now?"

I looked at her, thrown by the sudden turn.

I remembered what she'd said the other day. I gave a small nod. "I'm twenty-six now. It's about time I started thinking about it. If you know anyone suitable, Nora, feel free to make the introduction."

"So you're finally coming around!" Adriana was more delighted than anyone at the table. "I've been trying to arrange something for you for ages, and you always turned me down flat. Now that you're ready, I'll find you the right woman if it's the last thing I do."

As Adriana finished, Nora's lips pressed into a tight line. Her eyes fixed on mine, as if searching for something buried in my face. Her hand had gone to the gold bracelet again, turning it slowly.

Lorenzo caught the change in her mood and laughed lightly. "Dominic, you're a lucky man to have a sister who cares like that. I'm honestly envious. But you know, I think Nora would suit you just fine. What do you say?"

"Don't say things like that." Nora cut in sharp, brows drawing together. There was a note of reprimand in it, but her face carried more weariness than heat.

I nodded my agreement. "Exactly. I see Nora as a sister, nothing more. Please don't make jokes like that, Lorenzo." I paused, then added, "Besides, I think you and Nora make the better pair."

The smile vanished from her face in an instant, a thin layer of anger settling in its place. She let out a short, humorless laugh. "Is that so. Then how about I introduce someone to you? Would you actually take the time to meet her?"

"Of course. My thanks in advance, Nora." My smile was bright, and I answered without a moment's hesitation.

For the next few days, I didn't reach out to her, and she didn't reach out to me.