“We’ve come so far,” I whispered to my husband, “in just a short period of time.”
He looked at me seriously and nodded. “This is a love worth living for and worth dying for. When hard times come at us, we will have theludito remind us of how much we can endure, ah?”
“Ah.” I nodded.
He smiled, leaned in, and kissed me softly.
“There’s one thing you haven’t given me, though,” I breathed when we pulled apart.
His forehead creased.
I laughed and smoothed it out. “A card to the Mile High club. I mean, you’re mycapitano. When are you going to give me one of those?”
His grin came slow, and then he was nuzzling me, and we started to make out.
A knock at our front door made him growl.
“You knew about this!” I stood from the bed and smoothed out my clothes. A winter white slouchy sweater and a pair of white slacks with red heels. Nazzareno had started a jewelry collection for me, and between the gold and diamonds, I was as sparkly as the lights decorating the piazza. All but my hair, which I had decided to keep brunette.
He grabbed my hand and held it. He wore a black suit. His eyes were lit up, and the gold streaks around his pupils seemed more pronounced. Paired with the olive green of his irises, and his tan skin and black hair…he was so dreamy.
Almost like a mythical figure who came alive from my wildest dreams.
“What?” I breathed when he was looking at me in the same way.
He shrugged, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and I knew.
“Me too,” I whispered. “I keep waiting for a voice from above to tell me this is real. Us. Forever. Then I hear it. Right here.” I set my hand over my heart.
Never in a million years would I have thought words like that would flow so easily from my mouth, but Nazzareno had changed my life. He romanced me in so many ways—some big, some small—and it took me from harsh bulbs to swaying candlelight.
He squeezed my hand, like he couldn’t find the words, and it seemed like we both walked to the front door with a lump in our throats. Then it cleared when my sister and her family stood on the other side of it.
We all hugged, except for Nazzareno and Lilo, who shook hands.
Minnie pushed past us, stomping as she ran, calling out for Hoffa. A surprised screech, then a hiss, and Minnie’s pounding again. Luci and I smiled at each other before Nazzareno and I gave them a tour of the villa. It was nowhere near the size of our place in Orvieto, or even in Rome, but it was everything.
The colors were warm, rich in chromatic tone, and the tiles were some of my favorite features, but beyond the face of the place, it was the bones that made me feel relaxed and safe. Like Nazzareno, it seemed to wrap itself around me, chase the loneliness away, and I never felt empty when I thought of leaving or returning.
It was mine. It was his.
Ours.
After the tour, Nazzareno showed Lilo something about the villa, something he recommended they do for theirs, and Luci started looking around the kitchen, asking me if I bought this or that for the meal.
“No worries,” I said, showing her I’d gotten everything she’d put on the list. “And look—” I showed her even more groceries. “This is for my dishes.”
She held her hands up and took slow steps backwards. “Who are you?” she said in a breathy tone. “And what have you done with my sister? AVA, if you can HEAR me, make it knock three times!”
“Hardy har har har,” I said. “Off with you and your jokes.”
“Who has jokes?” Lilo said, wrapping his arms around Luci.
Nazzareno set his hand on my neck after I handed Ava an apron and secured one on myself.
“Ava,” Luci said. “She’s going to cook.”
“She going to help?” Lilo asked.
