‘Grazie. I’ll try.’
‘And you,’ he said, turning to face Alessio. ‘I’ll teach you how to count cards my way. That way you can join us at the bar and play on my team. Together we’d be unstoppable.’
Francesca translated and Alessio cackled. ‘You’re going to corrupt me one coffee at a time, aren’t you Ettore?’
Francesca relayed and Ettore caved. ‘I like him,’ he said, giving Alessio’s middle a playful rub. ‘Keep him. He’s good for you, Francesca.’
‘What did he say?’ Alessio asked.
Francesca waited a beat, and with flushed cheeks said, ‘He likes you.’
She watched as the men hugged and shared in some bilingual nonsensical banter, before Ettore turned and left.
‘He’s good for you, Francesca . . .’ I know. I wish I could keep him . . .
Francesca caught her breath and nodded in the direction of the main table where Elena, Maria, Maria’s boyfriends Mimmo and Santino, Carlo, Simona, Felice and Giovanni awaited them.
She blew out a sigh, and continued to smile to those around her. ‘I think dessert might have to wait,’ she whispered.
‘That’s fine,’ he said, giving her a sweet shoulder bump. ‘You’ll never curb my sweet tooth anyway.’
She gifted Alessio a kiss as they approached the table. ‘Vero?’
He pulled them to a halt. ‘You, Signorina Fiore, put the dolce in my vita.’
* * *
Francesca turned to Felice a few places down and raised her glass. ‘Grazie, Felice, for the party this evening. I am truly touched by the sentiment and I appreciate it.’
Politely, Felice took a sip of wine. Then he set his glass down and replied, ‘You’re very welcome, but none of this was my idea.’
‘Oh?’ Francesca’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Then whose was it?’ She looked to Giovanni. ‘Was it your—’
Both shook their heads and gestured to Alessio, who, with a mouthful of wine, did his best to seem aloof, mindlessly staring up into the starry night sky to avoid eye contact.
‘You did all this?’ She reached for his face to turn it towards her.
‘I have no idea what you’re insinuating.’ Alessio could barely contain his joy.
She looked to Maria and Elena seated across from her. Both offered kind, appreciative smiles, with Elena nodding in affirmation.
‘Noi? No, no!’ Maria chimed in, draining the last of her red and gesturing for the return of the bottle from Mimmo. She cast a covert wink across the table to Santino.
Francesca’s palms now cupped Alessio’s face and she found his eyes. ‘This was your idea?’
He grinned. ‘You deserved to be celebrated properly. With the entire town.’
She pulled him close so that her lips grazed his ears, and whispered, ‘How is it possible for a man like you to exist? Not just in Impastino, but at all?’ She felt the warm breath of his stifled laugh caress her neck.
‘I only exist here, like this, because you brought me back to life,’ he said simply.
Hearing this – feeling the shadow of the pain that had gone before – she held him a little tighter. ‘I’m honoured to have been a very small part of this change for you, Ale.’
‘Not small. The part.’
She pulled back and her thumb caressed the soft stubble of his cheek. ‘Are you ready for dessert now?’
He raised an eyebrow to the heavens and they were gone.
