“Wait, wait!” Janeen calls out, hustling to Daniel’s side and smacking him on the arm before he can climb into the car. “He said the present was for me – how do you know this one isn’t mine?” “Because it’s mine,” Daniel says, dismissing her and climbing into the driver’s seat, clearly excited. Jer
We all stay up very late that night, gathered around a fire pit just off to the left of the pool. I’m curled up next to Kent, his arm around me on a little outdoor loveseat as my family laughs and chats around the fire. As the night grows darker and the stars start to come out, I find myself thinkin
Today, Kent’s mouth is a little open, his face pillowed against his own bicep, and he’s completely out. I resist the urge to run my fingers through his hair and kiss his cheek, not wanting to tempt fate. Instead, I just sigh a little and slowly get out of bed, moving for the door the moment my fee
“Maserati,” I murmur as I slide into the front seat of Daniel’s new car, not forgetting Kent’s promise to buy me my own car if I can learn the names of the others. “What?” Daniel asks as he turns the car on while I buckle my seatbelt. “Nothing,” I sigh, looking at our dark villa, my eyes in part
And me? Well… But all of these thoughts are wiped from my mind as the trees fall away and the largest, grandest house I have ever seen in my entire life rises before us. My mouth legitimately falls open as I stare up at what is honestly a palace made of yellow stone with a broad terra-cotta roof.
Daniel slowly shakes his head, putting a hand on Alessi’s shoulder. “We don’t know where dad is,” Daniel says, his voice filled with grief. He glances at me and I move to his side, impressed again at how good an actor Daniel can be. I slip what I hope looks like a comforting arm around my husband’s
“Nonna,” Daniel says, beaming at her and laughing as he places his hands softly on her shoulders. “Mi sei mancata, nonna.” She cries again and wraps him in her arms and I turn my head to the side, a little baffled and confused. The women begin to notice me then, as well as my confused face, and se
Valentina calling some instructions to Alessi over her shoulder as we go and I glance to see him give a confirming wave, moving to a large brass coffee machine. Daniel takes his grandmother’s hand and the four of us move through a back door onto a gorgeous little patio that actually reminds me a gre
My dad greets him with such genuine joy and excitement that it makes my heart swell with joy. They talk for a few minutes about Dominic’s day before dad gives him a little nudge back towards the gate where Kent and I are waiting. Dominic gives dad a kiss before running ahead again. My dad waves to
“Papa!” Dominic shouts, startling me out of my reverie as he drops my hand and darts down the road. I look up, a huge smile breaking out on my face again as I see Kent on the sidewalk just ahead. His back is to us as he speaks companionably with the butcher, a heavy bag of his purchases already hung
As I walk down the street towards the little Italian kindergarten, the whispers start around me, as they always do. I listen to all of them, a big German Shepherd padding quietly at my heels. “Is that her?” “Yes, that’s the one – I heard she was her husband’s mistress before he married her – tha
Both Kent and I laugh, but Don Bianci – across the baptismal font from us – snaps his eyes up, perhaps not liking the joke as much as we do. But I just ignore it, because dad’s right, frankly – and it’s too happy a day to care. After the final blessing everyone applauds Dominic – he likes that, bl
“Well, it didn’t seem to affect your first very badly,” Ivan says with a shrug, peering around Kent to where Daniel is laughing with an arm around Jerome’s shoulders. “So…maybe keep it up.” I smirk, squeezing Ivan’s hand once more before standing and moving to Kent’s side, tucking myself against h
“Hey, gorgeous,” Ivan says, his mouth turned up in a smirk as I cross the churchyard, beaming at him. “Look who’s talking,” I say, laughing and reaching for him when I come close enough. Ivan wraps me in a hug, dropping a kiss to my cheek as I hold Dominic a bit to the side so he doesn’t get squis
He laughs, smiling at me genuinely. “Do I make you nervous?” he asks, blunt. I laugh, unable to help it. “Has no one bothered to tell you, in all these years, that you’re a little terrifying, Don Bianci?” He grins and shakes his head at me. “Well, considering what you accomplished, young lady, I
Two months later, we’re all gathered together again. And it is only with frustration that I see Gio and Janeen standing so close together that their arms nearly brush, even though they’re still not together. I roll my eyes, dismissing the problem for a moment as I move my eyes down to Dominic and
It's an incredible night. Kent didn’t lie, not at all, about the food either. I’m shocked by the mountains of dishes that continue to follow each other, one after another, long into the night. After a few hours of it I just mournfully watch the waiters go by because I couldn’t eat another bite if I