She buries her face in the puppy's fur, laughing as it licks her cheek.
"I'm going to call him Biscotti."
Dante raises an eyebrow. "Biscotti?"
"Like the cookies Marta makes."
He laughs, a genuine sound that warms me from the inside out.
"Biscotti it is."
Sofia stands and looks up at Dante.
"Can I go play with him in the courtyard?"
"Go ahead. But stay where we can see you."
She runs off with the puppy bounding after her, and Dante and I watch from the edge of the garden.
He drapes his arm around me confidently.
It's hard to remember how much I hated him last year this time when he was keeping us locked up away from the world.
So much has changed since then, and now I can't imagine a day without him.
My love for him has grown in ways I can't even express.
"She's happy," I say.
"She is." He pauses, then adds, "You know we're going to regret this in about six months when that dog is full-grown and tearing through the house."
"Maybe." I lean into him, resting my head against his shoulder. "But it's worth it."
He kisses the top of my head.
"I have something for you too."
I pull back slightly and look up at him.
"You didn't have to get me anything."
"I know." He reaches into his jacket and pulls out an envelope. "But I wanted to."
I take the envelope and open it carefully.
Inside are two airline tickets to London, dated for mid-January.
"A trip?" I ask, surprised and staring up at him in wonder.
"Just the two of us… A long weekend with no puppy, no Sofia, and no business."
My chest tightens with emotion.
A real vacation where we can be together without his empire hovering over us.
It's more than I could've asked for.
"Dante, this is perfect."
