Three months later …
“So, Australia is treating you well, then?”
Roz laughed at the way her brother grinned on the other end of the video chat. “You could say that.”
“You have survived this long, I guess.”
“Barely.” Roz shuddered. “A spider got into my apartment last week, and it was the size of a saucer, Luca. When I say the sound that came out of me was not human, I mean it.”
Her brother didn’t even try to hide his laughter. She just rolled her eyes because of course, it was funny to him. He was in New York where for a good portion of the year, the air hurt his face when he went outside. There was no chance of gigantic spiders living there.
The bastard.
“Who killed it for you?”
“Neighbor came in and got it out. Didn’t kill it. Put it outside.”
Luca looked horrified. “But what if it gets back in?”
“That’s what I fucking said!”
And all her neighbor had done was gave her a look that silently said foreigner. Not that she could blame the guy, really.
“Really, I like it here,” Roz said, “and everybody’s nice. I just miss home sometimes, and I really miss home when it’s quiet, I guess.”
Luca nodded. “Yeah, I bet.”
But she was living her dream.
Doing her thing.
Roz couldn’t complain about that. Not at all.
“I hear you’re headlining at the Concert Hall next week,” Luca said. “Every night, too.”
Yeah, she was.
Her name was in fucking lights. The concert piano was shined, and tuned every single day. She had a different gown for every fifteen minutes.
It was amazing.
But all she could think about was the fact Naz was going to be there. It would be the first time she saw him since moving to Australia, and she couldn’t wait. He was coming to see her first headlining act because he didn’t want to just hear about it. No, he wanted to actually see it.
So yeah, her focus wasn’t anywhere near what was coming up. It was firmly stuck on the man that was about to make his way across the world just to be with her for a couple of short days.
“It’s going to be good,” Roz said.
“I need pictures.”
“You’ll all get them.”
“And videos.” Luca grinned. “My baby sister headlining something like that? I need proof, and it gives me bragging rights.”
“You’re such a shit, Luca.”
“I know.” Her brother’s gaze shifted from view when a buzzing sounded on the other end of the video call. She thought it might be his phone. “So, hey … early gift from me to you as a congrats for this whole headlining thing, huh?”
Roz’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“I got you an early gift. Promised to handle a bunch of crap, and make sure nobody would even notice he was gone for a few weeks. You can thank me later. Go open your door, Roz.”
Her brother winked before reaching forward, and closing his laptop, effectively ending their video call. Without even a proper goodbye. Roz might have been confused if she wasn’t so freaking annoyed, but it was the knock that echoed throughout her quiet apartment that took her attention away for the moment.
She didn’t even get the chance to get up from her seat before whoever it was knocked again.
It was way too late at night for one of her new friends to be coming over. And her apartment building was full of decent people who also wouldn’t be banging on her door this late, too.
She didn’t even think to check the peephole. Maybe she should have, though. Maybe it would have prepared her heart for when she found Nazio standing on the other side of the door looking like God’s gift to women in dark wash jeans, a white tee, and his leather jacket.
He had his beanie pulled down over his ears, and his glasses on. He rarely wore those unless he was reading something. She thought he must have taken a red-eye, or had a hell of a long layover if his eyes were so tired that he needed his glasses.
But he looked fucking cute wearing them, too.
He looked up.
She smiled.
“Long flight?” she asked.
Naz chuckled. “But worth it.”
She already had her arms open, and he was there to catch her when she darted forward. Warmth, and strength, and love.
“Told you,” he said, “we’re gonna figure this out, babe.”
Yeah, they would.
That was a promise.