More Than This | THE WATTPAD DRAFT

Chapter 33

*As always, this story is on-going and changes will be made along the way

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Giovanni

I finished up with the last of the meetings I had for the day about the expansion of Mala Mia in Valencia. Our investors were happy and now that the building was available, we had the green light to make it happen. For a brief moment today, I was happy. I was happy that things were starting to make progress on the business side again. It gave me a healthy distraction from everything else I didn't want to focus on but now sitting in my car alone, trying to figure out what to do next just reminded me of the emptiness. I had no plans and I didn't know what to do. I was fine when I was around people but when I was alone, I was forced to focus on reality. Seeing her didn't help either but I had to tell her about Nate. I didn't know that she was well-aware of him being here and I would have rather wanted to know about his presence in Barcelona from her than from bumping into him. The last place I thought that would happen would be my father's office but clearly, the universe was enjoying the games it was playing. I tapped my fingers against my steering wheel, agitated that I had nothing to do. I was itching for another drink. I had managed to keep myself away from the alcohol for a few days but I was slipping further and further from my self-control. I had ordered quite a few drinks throughout the one lunch meeting and I could feel the alcohol in my system still lingering in the back. I was happy to have something to take the edge of but it made the thoughts of her more obtrusive in my mind. Jealousy reared its ugly head today when I saw Lorenzo's name light up her screen. I fucking hated it but I had to keep it together in front of her. I didn't want to make another scene like I did last time.

"Fuck it," I mumbled and pulled my phone out of my pocket to dial Sergio's number

I needed some kind of distraction that didn't involve drinking alone. I was well aware of how unhealthy my coping mechanism was but I couldn't stop. The phone rang for a couple minutes before Sergio finally picked up

"Giovanni?" He shouted over the blaring music on his side of the line

"Sergio, where you?" I asked, "Can you hear me?"

"Sorry man, it's really loud here," he shouted

"Where are you?"

"Paradiso bu-," the rest of his sentence got lost in the loud music and voices on his end

"Sergio?" I repeated his name a couple times and got fragments of his voice coming through before I eventually gave up and ended the call

The place sounded packed. There were just voices, laughter, and loud music on the other end so there was no way I was going to be able to have a conversation with him. I tapped my fingers again trying to decide my next move.

I could go and meet him

Sergio was my friend and I knew he wouldn't mind if I met up with him. The tricky part was figuring out if Katrina was there and if so, was Isabella there? A small voice in my head was urging me not to go. It would be a bad idea if she was there but the louder voice was pushing me towards it.

You have every right to meet up with your friends

I had a feeling I was probably making the wrong decision but I didn't care. The lingering alcohol already in my system was pushing me towards going. I turned my car on and pulled out of my parking, heading in the direction of Paradiso.