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a long flight. We re so happy to have you here. Come, let me introduce you to some of your cousins
who were not able to make it to New York this summer.
Julia whispered as they walked.  You re hurting my arm, Gio.
He looked down and instantly released her.  Sorry. I wasn t aware . . .
She took his hand in hers and gave it a supportive squeeze.  I know. His features were set in
harsh lines.
As she and Gio followed Alessandro, Julia felt like she d stepped into a movie. The men were
handsomely attired in tuxedos that screamed of money and power. The women were dressed in floor-
length gowns and dripping with diamonds. Julia fingered the prototype necklace she d worn. The
metal was copper instead of gold. The stones were faux.
Did I really think I could network here? Which one of these women would spare a second look
at my costume jewelry when they re wearing enough diamonds to buy and sell a small country?
Julia recognized Nicole from across the room. She was exquisitely dressed in a flowing
powder-blue Prada gown and looked perfectly at home amidst the somewhat gaudy display of wealth.
After Rena s informative crash course in the wedding guests, Julia understood why. Nicole had been
raised in this world, and her brother was one of the top ten wealthiest men in the world.
Nicole caught Julia watching her and said something to the tall blond man beside her. The man,
who had to be Stephan Andrade, looked up and nodded to his fiancée, and they both started walking
across the large foyer toward them.
Alessandro hugged Nicole to his side and turned to introduce her to Julia.  Nicole, have you met
Gio s girlfriend?
If possible, Nicole s smile grew wider at the label. She leaned in and kissed Julia s cheeks in
greeting.  Yes, I have. Welcome, Julia. I m so pleased you could make it.
Stephan shook Gio s hand.  Thank you for coming.
 You can thank Madison. She was . . . persuasive, Gio said with some irony.
Stephan laughed.  That s being kind. Maddy is too used to getting her way. She means well,
though. And it s impossible for any of us to stay upset with her, so I suppose it s our fault she has
boundary issues. More seriously, he added,  Whatever brought you, it means a lot to me that you
came. Nothing is more important than family.
Alessandro smacked Gio on the shoulder.  It s good to have all of us together again.
Gio made a sound deep in his chest, and Julia tugged on his hand. He looked down at her, and
she did her best to send him a telepathic message. Behave. They love you. Julia turned her attention to
Nicole and said,  You must be out-of-your-mind excited. What a beautiful location for a wedding. I
saw tents going up on the far lawn. Is that where the ceremony will be?
Nicole said,  That s where the reception will be. For the ceremony, we re doing something
outside. She smiled dreamily up at her fiancé.  There is a hill about halfway between this house and
the old Andrade mansion. At the very top of it, you can see both clearly. There isn t room for chairs at
the top, but the symbolism of two families coming together through our union is worth having
everyone stand for the short time we ll be there. She looked across at Julia shyly.  That probably
sounds corny.
Julia shook her head.  Not at all. It s a beautiful idea.
Innocently, Nicole said,  You and Gio should take a walk over tomorrow and see the old house.
It s lovely.
 It really is, Julia agreed spontaneously, then blushed. I did not mean to say that.
Stephan looked at Gio curiously.  You went over to see the old place? I didn t realize you had
any interest in it.
Face tight, Gio said,  It was part of my childhood as much as yours.
Stephan nodded slowly, then glanced at his uncle with a curious expression. Alessandro shook
his head tersely in a move that clearly meant, Drop the subject.
Nicole gave the room a quick scan.  I have to tell Maddy you re here, Julia. I wonder where she
went.
 She knows, Julia said, then covered her traitorous mouth with one hand. Thank God I m not a
spy. I d fail miserably at it.
Nicole s eyebrows shot up in surprise.  Really? She didn t say anything. That little stinker.
Usually she tells me everything.
Hopefully not everything. Julia bit her lip beneath her hand.
 There s Abby, Nicole exclaimed with excitement and waved her over.
A beautiful brunette walked over with a tall dark-haired man. The crowd parted for them in a
way they hadn t even for the bride- and groom-to-be. Abby and Dominic Corisi: the new American
royal family. Even Julia found them easy to recognize. Their whirlwind romance and wedding had
been highly publicized, and their new daughter was on the cover of every gossip magazine at the
grocery store. The billionaire, and the middle-school teacher who had won his heart. What was not to
love about their story?
Starstruck, Julia watched the beautiful couple and sighed audibly.
Dominic greeted Gio with a handshake.  Good to see you again.
Abby shook Gio s hand warmly, then looked from Julia to Nicole.
A mischievous smile spread across Nicole s face as she pointed at Julia.  This is Julia. She
came with Gio.
Abby s face brightened with unexpected recognition.  The Julia?
Gio tensed beside Julia.  Excuse me?
Dominic hugged his wife to his side and said with some humor,  You don t want to know.
Suddenly not looking very happy, Gio looked down at Julia suspiciously.
Abby noticed and blushed.  Wow, I have been hanging out with my sister too much.
Stephan looked back and forth between the two.  Is this about the bet?
Nicole glared up at him and said,  No. He looked about to say something else, but Nicole
quickly said,  Don t ruin it.
Alessandro let out a hearty laugh.  Gio, now that you re back you ll have to get used to the
women plotting against us. Don t worry about it. It s always harmless. And if you ask Maddy, she ll
tell you everything. She s the weak link.
Nicole whispered something to Abby.
Julia joked to Alessandro,  That may change after those two talk to her.
The older man bent his tall frame and gave Julia the saddest puppy-dog expression she d ever
seen on a grown man.  Could you resist your father if he looked at you like this? Alessandro turned
his head more to the side, focused his eyes on the floor then, slowly raised them to meet Julia s,
silently pleading.