Tessa eagerly claps her hands. “Yes please, I’ve been dying to talk to them. It feels like ages.”
“It’s been less than 48 hours.”
She plops on the couch next to me and quirks an eyebrow. “Exactly.”
I chuckle and dial my parents. It’s late there, but they wanted to stay up for us.
Mamma’s face fills the screen. “Ah, there you are, Gio! Where’s Tessa?”
“Love you too, miss you too,” I deadpan.
Tessa pops into the frame, edging me out. “I’m right here, Maria. It’s so good to see you. I miss you and Roberto so much already.”
“We miss you, too!” I hear Papa pipe in, yet I can only see his ear.
I hold the phone further out so Tessa and I both fit in the frame, and I kiss her cheek. “Mamma, Papa, we have something to tell you.”
Papa’s left eyeball appears on screen, twinkling like he knows something. I squeeze Tessa’s hand, and she gives me a small nod.
“So, I wasn’t exactly truthful about my relationship with Tessa when we saw you in Italy. We were just, uh, pretending to be together.”
Mamma gasps, but it sounds fake.
I narrow my eyes. “Did you two know?”
“No! No…no,” Mamma reacts at an extraordinarily loud volume.
Tessa leans in toward my ear. “One ‘no’ would’ve been okay. Three is suspicious.”
“Mamma…”
“Of course we knew it was fake! Ma credete che siamo così ingenui? It was so obvious.”
I turn my head toward Tessa and quietly translate, “Do you think we’re that naive?”
She bites her lip to stifle a laugh, whispering back, “I’ve missed them.”
“If your awkwardness didn’t give it away, Tessa all but telling Roberto in the garden would’ve tipped us off.”
I swivel my head toward her. “You didwhat?”
She gestures wildly out of frame. “I felt guilty! I didn’t want to lie to him anymore. I didn’t think he caught on in the end.”
“Technically, you broke the deal. I shouldn’t even tailor your first collection anymore,” I mumble.
She tries to elbow me in the ribs, but I capture her arm first and pull her into my lap.
“Well, wearetogether. For real, now.” I’m unable to prevent a huge smile from spreading across my face. “And… We love each other. La amo. La amo molto.”
Tessa rests her head against my chest, and I stroke her hair with my free hand.
“Tessa, I meant what I said. You were family no matter what, but we’re so thrilled it’s official. Our daughter for life.”
The implication behind Papa’s words makes both of us blush, but neither of us deny anything. I was telling the truth when I told Tessa I’m hers for as long as she’ll have me. And I hope that’s forever. She’s everything I always wanted, but never thought I could have.
“Now you can finally stop trying to set her up with every man in Italy, Mamma,” I joke.
“What do you mean? You might mess this up, and we don’t want to lose her. Tessa, Luca is still available. If something happens between you and Gio, long distance is difficult, but not impossi?—”
