Sweet Hope (Sweet Home #4) (4 page)

A few hours later we entered the restaurant, and the waiter took to us to a private room at the back. I was glad, because when we walked through the busy dining room, people began staring at Rome and whispering to one another—star struck on recognizing the Seahawks' starting QB. Molly ducked her head and tried to rush forward, clearly embarrassed, but Rome grabbed her hand, keeping her close to his side. He hated the limelight too.

As we entered the private room, which overlooked the vast beautiful evening view of the Sound, I exhaled, smoothing out my sleeveless black column dress, only to hear my name being called from across the room.

“Ally!”

I beamed a smile at Lexi—one of my best friends—who had risen from her seat and rushed toward me. My heart swelled as she approached, still petite and slight in frame, but looking healthy now that she’d filled out some since College. Her black hair was now long and straight, and grown to the middle of her back. She was wearing a knee-length green dress with long sleeves and ankle boots.

She looked beautiful.

Reaching out, I took Lexi’s hands in mine and leaned in to kiss her on her cheek. I squeezed her fingers tightly and stepped back. I had to suppress the urge to pull her in for a hug. Lexi couldn’t be touched that way because of her anorexia. Although she was in recovery, it was still a trigger for her to be touched on her back.

“I’ve missed you,” Lexi said softly, cutely smiling up at me.

“I’ve missed you too, darlin’. I can’t believe y’all are living in Seattle now too! It’s crazy! Two Bama boys playing for the Seahawks!”

At that moment, Austin Carillo, Rome’s best friend, appeared behind his wife and leaned over her to kiss me on my cheek. “Ally,” he greeted and, edging back, wrapped his fully tattooed arms around Lexi’s shoulders and pulled her against his chest. Austin was the one exception to Lexi’s triggers, the only person who could touch her. Austin had saved her life five years ago when she almost lost the battle with her eating disorder, but their love for each other proved to be stronger. He was her reason to live, and she his.

Spotting a messy head of fair hair lingering behind Austin and Lexi, I leaned round, only to see a handsome young guy standing awkwardly. He was well built and athletic. He casted shy eyes my way, and my mouth dropped when I realized who it was…

“Levi? Little Levi Carillo? Is that you, darlin’?” I asked. I met his gray eyes as he raised his head, a deep red blush immediately coating his olive-skinned cheeks.

“Hey, Al,” was his quiet reply as I ran to him and threw my arms around his waist, squeezing him hard.

Levi exhaled a quiet laugh from above me, hugging me back. I pushed back and held out his arms, studying how much he’d changed.

“Levi, you got so big and grown up on me!” I joked, and he dipped his eyes to avoid my gaze, a shy smile spreading on his lips. “How old are you now, darlin’?”

“Nineteen, ma’am,” he replied. Rome walked behind him and ruffled his hair. Levi nudged him off.

“Well, shit! Nineteen!”

“And one of the best wide receivers you’ve ever seen,” Lexi praised as she reached up to pat his cheek with her slender hand. Levi beamed a wide smile at her, and you could just see the love he had for our little friend radiating out of his every pore.

“Just like your brother, then, huh?” I teased, seeing Austin take a seat at our table next to Rome, Molly and Lexi moving to sit beside each of their husbands.

Linking my arm through Levi’s, I said, “Well, looks like you’re my date tonight, Lev. You can sit beside me.”

Levi fell into step beside me and we sat down. “So you at college, Lev? Are you here in Seattle visiting Austin and Lex?”

“No, ma’am, I still live with them. I attend the University of Washington now; I transferred from UCLA.”

I stared at him, feeling somewhat confused. “You didn’t wanna stay in LA?”

Austin shifted in his seat as he looked at his younger brother. Levi  lowered his head. “I wanted to stay close to my brother and Lexi. That’s all. The Huskie’s ain’t too bad, and we’re doing real good this year.”

My heart sank as I saw a wash of vulnerability flit across his handsome face.

“Best damn player on that field, hey, little brother?” Austin said, breaking the silence, and Levi lifted his head, blushing at Austin’s expression of pride.

“So, Al, Molls and Rome said you’re curating some fancy-ass exhibition at the University?” Austin said taking the attention of Levi, just after Rome ordered a round of drinks from the waiter who stood just out of our eyeline.

I laughed at the way he put it. “Yeah, I’m curating some
fancy-ass exhibition
.”

“What? It is fancy-ass, right?” Austin said, as Lexi shook her head in exasperation beside him.

“Ignore him. He’s all football, football, football, not exactly an art buff,” Lexi teased Austin, earning her a threatening scowl.

Lexi batted her hand and looked to me again. “Tell us about it, Al.”

“Yeah, tell us about it
Ms. Aliyana Lucia
,” Rome said dryly. I used my mama’s maiden name for business, and Rome always teased me about it. I just didn’t want the Prince Oil stigma following me around. I wanted to be independently successful, not connected with the family name.

My eyes were instantly brimming with excitement. “What can I say? It’s my dream come true. This exhibition is the artist’s debut show, and I was hand-picked to curate it. I still can’t believe it!”

“What does he paint?” Molly asked.

“He doesn’t. He’s a sculptor.” I released a long breath. “He’s the most inspiring, courageous, beautifully dark, tortured, talented sculptor I’ve ever encountered….” I stared out at the darkened view of the Sound, lost in the slideshow of his sculptures running through my head, each more poetic and tragic than the last.

Shaking my head, I met the shocked stares of my friends and anxiously brushed hair from my face. “His work, it’s… it’s… it’s my soul. That’s the only way I can explain it. It’s life, death, love, tragedy, and everything in between, every human condition…
everything
. His work speaks directly to my heart.”

“Ally…” Molly prompted with unshed tears in her eyes. When I felt a wetness on my cheeks, I realized I was crying. Quickly wiping away the tears, I took a deep breath and expelled a nervous laugh. “I
really
love his work.”

“I can tell,” Rome said affectionately.

“I’m so happy for you,” Lexi said excitedly and leaned forward. “What’s he like? Is he handsome?” Austin cast a disbelieving look at  Lexi, but she either didn’t see it or flat out ignored him.

I shrugged. “That’s just it, I’ve never seen him. No one has. He’s a complete recluse. I was commissioned by another artist, his mentor, who’s fronting the entire thing. He’s a patron of the university’s art museum and a local to Seattle. It really should have been at a bigger museum, but they wanted to keep it small.”

“Vin Galanti?” Molly volunteered.

“Yeah, have you met him?”

“Once or twice.” A grin spread on her face. “He’s quite the character. He brought some of Plato’s original writings to the art museum for a temporary mash-up art/philosophy exhibition they were a part of. I helped with the history and translation of the Latin for the text boards. I adore him.”

“So what’s his name?” Lexi asked, as the waiter came back with our drinks.

“Name?” I questioned as a glass of champagne was placed before me.

“The sculptor, Mr. Owns Your Soul’s name!” she stressed and pouted her lips to stop the smile from lighting up her face.

“Oh, right, sorry. Erm… Elpidio. He goes by Elpidio,” I replied.

Austin huffed beside me. “Haven’t heard that name in a while.”

“You’ve heard of it?” I questioned.

“It was our nonno’s name,” Austin replied. “Our mamma’s father’s name. It’s not that common anymore...”

“So it’s Italian?” I asked, excited that just a little bit more about the reclusive artist had been revealed.

Austin nodded his head, now too busy eating his breadsticks to elaborate further.

“Well, Al,” Rome said and sat forward, grabbing his glass of champagne and raising it in the air. “Gotta say, I’m glad you’re here with us in Seattle, and good luck with your new job.”

Everyone raised their glasses and took a sip.

“I’m so glad to be here too!”