"Just because his last name is—wait what was it again?" Liam asked.

"Motisi," Caroline replied, looking a bit worried.

Maybe we should have just let Silvia see us. At least then we wouldn't have agreed to be in the wedding of a Sicilian Mafioso. But then Caroline wouldn't be here with me anymore.

"Thanks, Lina," he smiled. "So as I was saying just because his name is Motisi, doesn't mean he's in the Mafia."

Sofia crossed her arms. "Actually, that's exactly what it means. My cousin Ilaria is married to a guy from Palermo and every time they visit us, he always tells us stories about the Mafia in Sicily. And the name Motisi always comes up."

"Okay, but," Liam said, "did Lisa look like someone who's in the Mafia? She's from Ohio for Pete's sake."

"And we have her money," I sighed.

"Exactly," Liam nodded.

"More like the Mafia's money," Sofia shook her head.

I shrugged. "I don't know, but it seems like it would be worse to take the money."

"And we don't know where Lisa went," Caroline said, playing with her braid hanging in front of her shoulder.

We all stood there, silently thinking as cars zipped by on the street behind us. I finally spoke up and said, "It's just a wedding at a church. That's pretty safe. I don't think anything's going to happen there."

Sofia nodded quietly, seeming like she half-agreed with me.

"I'm with Javi, on this one," Liam shrugged.

"Me too," Caroline said. "We told her we would help. Plus we can leave right after Mass."

"Okay, fine" Sofia rolled her eyes. "Let's go attend this Mafioso's wedding."

And with that, we split up to find the clothes Lisa wanted us to wear. I texted Caroline when we got to the store. A few minutes later, she texted me back and told me they were trying on dresses.

It seemed like they were having better luck than us. We couldn't find matching white, short-sleeved button-down shirts. Partly because Liam had more of an "athletic build," to quote the guy at the store. I was always more on the leaner side, but I wouldn't call myself skinny. I guess having a soccer player's body was easier for finding clothes in a small Italian town.

In the end, we had to settle for matching long-sleeve shirts because we were running out of time. The girls beat us to the hotel by ten minutes. And when we got to our room, we found suspenders and purple bow ties waiting for us on the bed.

After Liam changed, I went into the bathroom to adjust my bow tie.

"This is actually a pretty nice hotel," Liam said, looking around the room. "There's a sweet view of the ocean from the balcony."

But my mind was on Caroline again. I started thinking about what would happen if I told her how I felt. What if she says she only thinks of me as a friend? And what if telling her messes up our friendship?

"You okay, bro?" Liam asked, standing behind me as I stared at the mirror.

I took a breath. "I don't know."

"Is it about your girl?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"We can talk if you want."

I sighed. "I just don't know if I should say anything. What if she says she only sees me as a friend?"

Liam put his hand on my shoulder. "Then at least you'll know."

"Yeah, but what if it ends our friendship?"

He came up and stood beside me. "I can't tell you what to do, bro. But maybe that's a risk worth taking."

I nodded. I guess that's something I need to decide for myself.

"And hey," Liam added, "if she turns you down, well that's what beer, poutine and FIFA are for," he grinned.

I smiled.

"And Montreal poutine goes really good with beer," he added.

Right. About college in Montreal...

"Liam," I said.

"One sec, bro," he pulled out his phone. "The girls are on their way over."

"For what?" I asked.

"To help us with these sleeves. It's way too hot to not roll these boys up."

I smiled. "Sun's out guns out?"

"Damn right," he came in for a fist bump.

"Can I tell you something?" I asked.

"Of course," Liam said.

"I'm not sure I want to go to Montreal."

"Don't tell me you want to stay in Vancouver and go to UBC?"

I shook my head. "No. It's not that."

"Then what is it, bro?"

I took a deep breath. "I don't know if I want to go to university at all."

"What?" he wrinkled his forehead.

I was about to respond when there was a knock on the door.

Liam looked anxious when he said, "We'll talk later."

I nodded.

The girls came in after Liam got the door; they looked amazing. They were wearing dark purple dresses and had their hair done up with flowers.

Liam whistled at them as he closed the door.

"Stop that," Sofia covered Liam's mouth with her hand.

He kissed her hand, making her blush.

Caroline glided towards me with that pretty smile lighting up her face. My heart skipped a beat.

"You look beautiful," I said.

"Thanks," she beamed. "You look very dapper."

"Merci," I smiled.

"Bienvenue," she said, reaching for my sleeve.

I chuckled. "I thought only people from Québec said bienvenue like that—don't Europeans always say de rien when they mean you're welcome?"

She shrugged. "Maybe I just wanted to sound Québécois."

My face felt warm as her fingers brushed my arm while she rolled up my sleeves. When she was done, she made me hold my arms out to make sure both sides were the same length.

"I think that looks good," she nodded.

"Thanks," I smiled.

Caroline looked up at me with those big blue eyes, like she wanted to say something. And all of a sudden, her cheeks started turning red.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," she lowered her eyes. "Your tie looked a little crooked. I'll straighten it."

"Caroline," I inhaled as her fingers touched my neck.

"Yes?"

"There's uh something—"

But before I could finish my sentence, there was a knock on the door.