Shout-Outs: zachgoodet and Siennese

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Rated: T

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Chapter 3

"Elizabetta, look who I found wondering around Milan!"

Betty looked up from the sunflowers she was planting and smiled. "Who did you find, Luca?"

Jughead cleared his throat and waved. "Hi," he said, getting out of Luca's car.

Betty stood up and wiping her hands on her short overalls. "Jughead!? What are you doing here?"

"You said if there was anything I ever needed. . ."

Betty touched her forehead, smearing some dirt on it. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Jughead nodded. "So, I'm here to take you up on your offer because I need something."

"Should I stick around or are you okay with Forsythe staying here?" Luca asked, sensing their need to have a conversation.

"Oh! I've known him for ages!" Betty assured him. "I should be okay. Thank you for dropping him off, Luca! I appreciate it."

"Of course! It was my pleasure!" Luca answered. "I'll just unload his suitcases and be off then! Call me if you need anything, Elizabetta. I'll be more than willing to come and give you a hand."

Betty nodded and waited while Jughead and Luca took his suitcases out of the trunk of Luca's convertible.

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked when Luca had driven off, she gripped the handle of Jughead's smaller rolling bag and looked at him intently. "Not that I'm not happy to see you. I am. . . I'm just. . . a little confused. Aren't you supposed to be writing a novel?"

"That's why I'm here," Jughead replied. "My first draft is due soon and I found that I couldn't get any writing done in Riverdale or in New York. Nancy thought it would be a good idea if I got away somewhere new."

Betty nodded. "Understandable. I wish you'd called before you came instead of surprising me. I'm afraid I don't have a place ready for you to stay. The whole place is kind of a wreck right now. Even more so than when I started."

"I just need a place to put my sleeping bag—"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Betty interjected as she started to walk towards the villa. "No friend of mine is going to sleep on a sleeping bag just anywhere. The room across from mine is in the best condition out of everywhere else. You can sleep there."

"You're not mad?" Jughead asked.

"Why would I be mad at you?" Betty answered, letting him in her house. "I said if you ever needed anything at all, I would help you. I understand how important deadlines are. La mia casa è la tua casa! That being said, I do expect you to help out when you can. Even if it's just going to buy food or cooking dinner."

"I'll do anything to make your life a little easier," Jughead promised.

Betty stopped and turned around, throwing her arms around him. "Good! I'm happy you're here, Jug! It's really good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too," Jughead answered, holding her as close as he possible could.

"Do you want something?" Betty asked. "I have some iced tea in the fridge or I could make you coffee. I have leftover pastries from breakfast, they're amazing! But Ezio always brings way too much in the mornings. He thinks I'm too skinny, he's trying to fatten me up! My mother would kill him if she knew what he was feeding me."

"I'm actually pretty tired right now, I could use a quick nap."

"Jughead Jones, I never thought I would see the day where you'd reject food!" Betty teased as she led him into the bedroom he'd be occupying during his stay with her. "Hold on one second and I'll go get some sheets to make up the bed. Isabelle brought me some today just in case. . ."

She realized she was rambling, so she turned around and went to her bedroom. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and grimaced with embarrassment when she saw the streak of dirt across her forehead and how disheveled she actually was. She didn't want to know what Jughead was actually thinking when he had seen her again for the first time.

She shook her head and tried not to care as she grabbed the silky, cerulean sheets off her dresser and scurried back to Jughead. He was already stretched out across the mattress, his arm was covering his eyes but she could tell from the rise and fall of his chest that he was already asleep.

Betty smiled affectionately before covering him with a light blanket, she would make the bed for him later. For now, she was going to let him sleep. She knew from recent experience that he needed it.

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"Who's the man?" Ezio asked, winking at Betty and nudging her in the arm when she came back outside.

"Just a friend," Betty answered, blushing in spite of herself.

"Or more than a friend," Ezio said, wiggling his thick eyebrows in her direction.

"It's been a very long time since we were anything more than friends," Betty told him. "He's just here to finish his second novel, that's all!"

"A novelist! Ah, I dated a novelist when I was a younger man. She made the most passionate love!" Ezio sighed. "I spent many afternoons in church after I spent a night with her."

Betty eyes widened. She was still getting used to the candid way Italians talked about sex. They offered the information freely and often held nothing back. Ezio was usually the worst offender and he had no idea how much it bothered her. She never engaged in the conversation, she found it wise to let him reminisce. He wasn't hurting anyone and he never got too lurid with details.

"I hope your novelist will not object to helping out with some of the work when he is not busy writing his book!" Ezio changed the subject. "I cannot stand people who do not pull their weight!"

"Jughead will help out," Betty assured him. "He worked on construction for years before he got published."

Ezio brightened. "Really? I like him even more then! Now tell me, has he written anything that I would have read?"

"The Sweetwater River Murder," Betty replied.

Ezio's eyes expanded and his mouth dropped open, his salt-and-pepper thick eyebrows shot up. "You were intimate with FP Jones the Third!? He is absolutely famous! How did you ever let him go?"

Betty shrugged. "It was good, it was always good. But I just. . . he was destined for so much and I was his small town girlfriend who wasn't destined for much of anything. I didn't want it to go sour. So, I left while we could still be friends. He understood."

"Do you think he really understood? If I had somebody as beautiful and as kind as you, I would have trouble understanding why you broke it," Ezio answered.

Betty blushed. "Oh stop it."

He looked her over critically. "You need to go and get cleaned up," he dismissed her. "Your knees are covered in dirt and you're drenched in sweat. We'll finish up here! Go on now, off with you!"

"I should really finish helping you though!" Betty protested.

"Elizabetta, this is my livelihood! I think I can manage without you." He winked at her. "Now go and get cleaned up. Make us some lunch while you are at it! Remember, I brought breakfast, it's only fair."

Betty laughed, she knew exactly what he was doing. Ezio never came right out and said anything. He was a shifty one, only ever using the power of suggestion as a tool to get what he wanted. He skirted around issues better than anyone she had ever met before. In a lot of ways, it was charming because there was never a hint of manipulation to it.

"Elizabetta, why are you still here!?" Ezio asked, pointing towards the house. "I told you to go! Partire! I know where to find you if I need you."

Betty shook her head but started back towards the house all the same. She found she could never win an argument when it came to Ezio and that she probably never would either.

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She peeked in on Jughead when she returned to her house, he was still sleeping soundly. She wanted to stand in his doorway and watch him until he woke up because she felt like she was floating around in a dream.

But she was completely aware of how her clothes were sticking to her and she was dirty after working outside all morning. She knew it would be normal for a while and Jughead would just have to get used to seeing her like this but she still darted across to her room and shed her clothes, she kicked them out of the way and went into the bathroom.

She slipped into the tub and filled it with hot water, she never got to bathe in the middle of the day so she took the time to thoroughly shave her legs and wash her hair instead of hurrying through it so she could get to bed. She was still having trouble adjusting to a new way of life.

Betty was just rinsing off when she heard Jughead moving around, signaling he was awake. She dried off quickly and put on a denim skirt and t-shirt.

"Somebody was making a racket outside the window," Jughead explained when she came out into the living room.

Betty rolled her eyes and started to braid her hair. "That was probably Ezio. You'll get used to him eventually. Do you want to go and get lunch? You must be starving."

"I could eat," Jughead answered. "I was flying first class but they barely gave me any food at all."

"You have a bottomless pit. There's never enough for you to eat," Betty said. "Come on, I'll feed you. I just have to tell Ezio where I'm going and that they can go and get lunch if they want to."

She put her shoes on and ducked outside while Jughead trailed after her.

When Ezio saw them coming, he tossed his shears aside and peeled his gloves off. He hurtled towards them and grabbed Jughead, kissing him on both cheeks.

"Signore Jones! It is a pleasure. . . no! It is an honor to make your acquaintance! I am a big fan. A huge fan!"

Jughead held out his hand. "It's always a pleasure to meet a fan," he said. "What's your name?"

"Ezio Moretti!" he answered.

Betty let him fawn a little bit more before interrupting. "Ezio, Jughead and I are going to get lunch. You and everyone else can break to eat while we're gone."

"Thank you Elizabetta!" Ezio said cheerfully, he turned back to Jughead. "Maybe you will help with the renovations when you're not busy writing?"

"Ezio!" Betty gasped.

"I'll be more than willing to help," Jughead promised, tucking his arm into Betty's. "Now if you'd excuse us, I'm really hungry."

"You're getting better with people," Betty commented as she led him to her rickety old shed so they could get the bicycles to ride into town.

"I'm faking," Jughead confessed. "I still don't like people that much but it's a necessary evil when you're famous. Besides, most of the fans mean well."

"I don't think you'll be saying that once you get to know Ezio better," Betty replied, smiling at him as she climbed on her bike and kicked up the kickstand with the heel of her foot. "Now tell me, Signore Jones, did Luca just happen to find you wandering around town or did he know you were coming?"

"Nancy might have done some research and gotten in touch with him about meeting me at the airport," Jughead answered, getting on the spare bike. "I am sorry it was a surprise. It was unintentional."

Betty shook her head. "It was a nice surprise," she assured him as she started to peddle. "And it explains why Isabelle brought a bunch of stuff like spare sheets and pillows to my house this morning. I was kind of confused at first since we haven't even started on the rooms yet."

"Thanks for being a good sport about all of this," Jughead said. "I know it's disruptive to your life right now."

Betty shook her head. "Don't even! You were never a distraction or disruption, Juggie! I said I was happy you're here. I wasn't lying or trying to be a good host. I'm never going to be dishonest with you. Although, even if I wasn't very pleased to see you, I still wouldn't kick you out."

They stared at each other for a second and Betty could feel her pulse and the blood hot in her ears.

"I'll keep that in mind," Jughead finally responded.

Betty cleared her throat and started to peddle faster. "Come on, I'll race you to town!" she yelled over her shoulder.

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The Diary - June 22

Jughead is here.

It's strange having him with me in Italy. In this new start of a new life. But he needs me and this place I am living now. He has a novel to write and a deadline to meet. And since he has actually been paid upfront and he has a publishing deal, I know how important it is that he finishes the first draft of his new book.

It isn't an imposition. He said when he's not writing that he'll help me with my renovations around Sogni D'oro. We have always made a GREAT team ever since we were kids. I think this collaboration will be nothing short of magical and with him by my side, I think I can accomplish anything.

Don't take it like I need a man in my life. I don't, I've been fine without him this whole time and I am sure that I'll be okay when he goes away again. But the two of us have ALWAYS made a good team.

But this is strictly business. I swear nothing is going to happen. Been there, done that. Everything is resolved between us, I don't think we need to revisit the past.

We're just friends now and that is the way it's going to stay. No matter what Ezio says about Italy being the country of love. He has that confused with Paris and that is a city anyways.

I know I said I was looking forward to new possibilities but familiarity is nice too. It has never bred contempt between the two of us.

I don't think it ever will.

TBC. . .

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Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the explanation I gave for why they broke up. It might not be my best attempt, but I am better at mending broken things or stitching them together than tearing them apart. I hope you'll tell me what you thought of this. I promise the romance will pick up soon!

Until Next Time!

Lots of love,

Holly, 7/15/2017