“First of all,” she says, holding up one finger, “you did not make those kids by yourself. They have a father, even if he’s not exactly winning awards for consistency.”
She lifts a second finger. “Second, your oldest is leaving for college soon. He won’t even be home.”
The waiter arrives with our drinks, and we all pause to thank him. The second he walks away, Felicity is back in attack mode, lifting a third finger.
“Third—girlfriend, you’re loaded. If Colin had one talent in life, it was spotting good investments. You’re set for the rest of your days.”
She shrugs, as if stating something obvious. “You have your own job… and one you can do from anywhere. So if you wake up tomorrow and feel like going to Europe, you just go.”
She finishes with a small sip of her margarita.
Mark gives me a serious look, even if he’s trying not to smirk.
“Excellent points,” Mark says, nodding. “And I have one more to add.”
He looks me right in the eye. “You dreamed about backpacking through Europe for years. I remember how you talked about it non-stop for over a year... and how every dollar you made at the bookstore went straight into your savings for that trip.”
Remembering that time makes me smile. I was so young, and life was so much simpler back then. “Dreams change,” I say, shrugging. “And even after everything, I don’t regret the choice I made.”
Mark places his hand over mine.
“I know. I love my niece and nephew too,” he says with a soft smile. Then his expression changes, turning serious again. “Dreams do change... but this is something you’ve always wanted. And it would be huge for your blog. Just look at how your traffic skyrocketed after those posts about your last trip.”
He’s right. There was a spike, more views, more subscribers, and two new three-month contracts with advertisers.
“I’m with Mark,” Felicity announces, clinking her glass against his. “One phone call and we make it happen in record time.”
I smile at them, grateful and overwhelmed, then quickly change the subject, steering us toward safer topics.
But their words keep circling in my mind.
Alexander
“I have something to ask you,” I say.
Cecilia lifts her eyes from herLimone Ripieno. The same dessert I ordered. The candlelight catches the curve of her cheek, her beautiful intrigued expression, and I just forget how to breathe.
I brought her here tonight, to one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Riverside tables. Direct views of the Hudson glittering under the evening sky, and the Manhattan skyline reflecting along dark water.
It’s the first time she’s accepted a dinner invitation from me. And over the last three weeks, something has changed between with us. There’s a new ease. A closeness that wasn’t there before.
The way her body leans into mine when my hand finds the small of her back. The way her fingers never pull away from mine too quickly. The way my lips brush her cheek... and linger. Longer every time.
We’ve met for coffee, lunches, and even a walk at Pier 1—a place she told me she goes when she needs a moment alone. She didn’t know I remembered that detail.
It was at Pier 1 that she first texted me asking to talk.
I ended up extending my stay in New York by one more week, an impulsive decision disguised as business. But next Sunday, there’s no avoiding it. I have to go home. No more delays.
“Should I be scared?” Cecilia asks playfully. “You got so serious.”
We’ve spent the last hour in easy conversation, laughter, tender comments, and looks that last a second too long. It’s getting harder every day to remember that I need to take my time with her and not come on too strong, waiting until she’s ready to show me we’re on the same page.
She’s bellissima tonight.Bellissima da far male[XXXVI].
Wearing a soft peach dress—high-necked, sleeveless—the color bringing a glow to her skin and making her look like the first blush of sunrise. Her bright blue eyes spark whenever she talks excitedly about something. Her smile lights up her entire face. And her freckles, the ones she never hides with makeup, look like constellations scattered across her cheeks.
And her mouth... her lips could be temptation itself.
