A melee of emotions suddenly raged inside me.

Sofia had feelings for me—after all, hate was a feeling—and she was clearly affected by me sexually, which had given me hope that I might wear down her defenses. But spotting that necklace gave me reason to believe that I was far closer to obtaining my prize than I had ever thought possible. I was stunned she still owned the thing, let alone wore it.

Sofia might not know it, but she was mine.

Now, I just had to prove it.

For days after dinner with Nico, I berated myself for revealing the necklace. I’d been so rushed with my little plan to flaunt myself that I’d completely forgotten I was wearing it. The smug bastard probably left the house convinced I still harbored some unrequited affection for him when that couldn’t have been further from the truth. I just happened to like the necklace. It had nothing to do with the man who had given it to me.

I wasn’t some love-sick teen clinging to the vestiges of my first love.

That was absurd.

I was a student of the arts, so I appreciated the cultural significance of Paris in the art world. The Eiffel Tower was merely representative of my love for painting. That was it.

How many times would I have to reiterate that argument to believe it?

The thoughts had cycled through my mind so many times it was dizzying. They were there all during Sunday dinner at my parents’ house when Alessia brought her new boyfriend, Luca. They’d been present at my first week at work and had been front and center as I accepted my degree today in front of hundreds of spectators. A day that should have been about my accomplishments and the thrill of future endeavors was bogged down by the looming shadows of the past like a nest of gnats I couldn’t escape.

Despite the distraction, the ceremony had gone smoothly. I was incredibly proud of what I’d accomplished and the fact that I’d pursued my passion despite the multitude of people who warned me repeatedly about the unemployability of an art degree. Time after time, I had disregarded their proffered advice and stuck to my guns.

I was thrilled to be taking the art world into the twenty-first century by bringing art sales and appreciation into the world of social media. I wanted to market myself to art lovers and foster relationships with people who followed my work, rather than rely on an arm’s length transaction through a gallery. I was confident a new era of cultural expansion was waiting to be explored, and I was happy to lead the charge. Until my new business venture took root, I still planned to work in the gallery, but my long-term goal was online sales.

I had my degree and the opportunity to pursue my dreams, so I should have been on cloud nine. I wanted to be. Truly, I had tried. If it hadn’t been for those damn thoughts of Nico and the necklace, it would have been a perfect afternoon.