“Listen, Joy . . .” Angelina placed a finger to her chin. “I like you.”

Joy paused at the trashcan by the register.

“And I like how Alessandro likes you. You’re good for him.” Angelina swept aside her long hair. “I thought I was good for him, but I was wrong.”

Joy gulped.

“Angelina!” a young teenage girl rushed into the shop, followed by four friends. She thrust her phone in Angelina’s face, begging her for a photo with her.

Rolling her eyes, Angelina exhaled, then plastered a smile on her face. “Si.”

She begrudgingly took dozens of photos with the girls while Joy watched with wide eyes. The girls giggled and switched places until finally satisfied.

She signed autographs and waved to the girls as they left the shop.

“You made them very happy,” Joy said.

“I suppose.” She shook her head.

“I can’t believe I know someone who is famous.” Joy giggled.

Angelina shrugged. “Look, Joy, I care very deeply for my friend Alessandro and want nothing but the best for him.” She made a swiping motion with her hand.

Joy nodded.

“So tell me the truth. Do you feel the same way about him?” Angelina crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. Sunglasses rested on the bridge of her nose, and a sly grin appeared on her face.

“I like Alex very much.” Joy swallowed the lump in her throat.

Angelina nodded. “Okay.” Then she thumbed to the door behind her. “Why is your ex-husband still in the picture?”

After a long exhale, Joy leaned in close so Dina wouldn’t hear her whisper. “I had no idea he was going to show up. His young wife left him, so—”

“Ah. So he’s here to try to woo you back to him?”

Joy lowered her eyes and nodded again.

“And it is working, yes?” She winked at Joy.

“No. I mean . . . well, it’s complicated.”

“It’s working,” Dina shouted from the back room.

Angelina craned her neck and smiled as Dina peeked around the corner.

Joy furrowed her brow. “No, it’s not. I mean, it is working, but not because of Tony.” She blew bangs away from her eyes.

“You still have feelings for him, no?” Angelina gently touched Joy’s arm.

Joy blinked back tears. “I do. But only because he’s the father of my daughter. I’ll always have feelings for him.”

“Not what I meant.” Angelina removed her sunglasses.

“Look, I mostly want to try to bring our family back together again. You know?”

Angelina squinted.

“For my daughter.” Joy sighed. “She deserves to have a family again.”

After a long silence, Angelina straightened and adjusted the many bracelets on her thin wrists. “For your daughter?”

Joy nodded.

“Love should be for you, Joy. Am I right?”

The bell atop the front door rang as two women entered in the middle of a loud conversation in Italian, complete with gestures and attitude.

“Ciao,” Angelina said to them as she moved away from the counter.

Dina approached, speaking to the women in Italian.

Angelina waved to Joy to join her by the front door.

Joy scooted past the women whom she assumed were discussing flower arrangements for a wedding.

“Yes?” Joy asked Angelina.

She took her hand into hers and squeezed. “This dinner tonight at my cousin’s ristorante is very special. And both Alessandro and Tony will be there trying to woo you.”

Picturing the scene in her mind filled her belly with butterflies.

“Capisco?”

“Capisco,” Joy replied.

The women stopped arguing and turned to listen to Angelina.

Angelina craned her long neck and caught Dina’s eye. She spoke Italian to her, but Dina responded rather loudly, startling Joy. She stepped aside and listened as the two women returned to arguing.

The customers darted their eyes back and forth between Angelina and Dina, occasionally whispering to each other as they studied Joy in the corner of the shop.

She bit her fingernails, wondering what Angelina and Dina argued about. Something inside her told her she was the topic of their disagreement.

One of the customers approached Angelina for an autograph and photo.

She exhaled and signed away, then posed for three photos.

Joy giggled, watching her play the part of a famous person again.