Luca’s words struck me. I had always known it was true that he wouldn’t let me down, but hearing him saying it with sincerity and conviction felt like a blow to the heart. The emotions seemed to drip from him as he said it, and it took me by complete surprise. It seemed to have the desired effect of pacifying my father. The two seemed to have come to an understanding. I must have missed something, because there seemed to be something unsaid between them and I had no idea what it was.
Papi had invited us up to the house, but I needed to speak to Luca. There was something going on at home and I definitely wouldn’t let him keep me in the dark about that. Every time I thought of him as my Papi, I felt my heart melt a little. The way he had instantly jumped to my defence had touched me beyond
