“I’m tagging along to ‘network.’” She said this with air quotes. “Cleo’s mom is hopefully going to introduce me to some fancy people.” She wiggled her eyebrows as she said this. “And maybe even the team who decorates for the event.”

“Well, I hope you can have a little bit of fun too,” I said, before glancing back down at the Tuscan villa. “What are we bidding on tonight?”

“We are not bidding on anything, because we just started our own business and we need to make money, not spend it, and also we are not nearly as loaded as the rest of these rich uptown types,” Franny scoffed, complete with a full-on smile that sent my heart bouncing.

“But if we were bidding…” I leaned in, not letting it go. “Italy?”

She rested her lips on the edge of her glass of champagne. “Definitely Italy.” She thought for a moment. “I’ve always wanted to go, but now more than ever, you know?”

I nodded, and we stared at each other.

“I hope you get to go someday,” I said finally. “Well, um…I’ll let you get back to it.”

“Wait,” she said, her hand suddenly on my wrist. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh.” I wasn’t even sure where to begin. “Well, you know that woman I was seeing?”

“The pretty one who brought the tacos?” I wasn’t sure if it was my brain playing tricks on me, but I swore that there was a sharp edge to her voice when she said this.

I let out a laugh. “Yes, that one. She’s on one of the committees for the event.”

“Cool. I actually ran into her in Central Park the other day.” She nodded, a polite smile on her face. “Small world.”

“She also broke up with me the second I got here,” I said, leaning toward her with a smile, hands in my pockets.

“Shut up!” Franny’s arm flew to my chest this time, giving me a small shove. “Oh my god, who does that?”

“It’s not nearly as scandalous as it sounds,” I said with a small laugh. “It was completely mutual. But, yes, she ended things.”

And then I noticed: Her hand was still there on my chest. Almost instinctively, I reached up and covered it with my own, holding it there before my brain jolted awake. I realized what I was doing, and I dropped my arm back down to my side.

“Well, I’m sorry, even if it wasn’t that big of a deal.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, then dropped them, then clasped her hands. “I dated this guy once who told me he didn’t want to be exclusive while we were—” Her eyes shifted to mine and then she blinked, recalibrating. “You know what, never mind.”