Chapter 36

Cara sits downin the booth across from me and settles her purse on the seat beside her. She agreed to meet me for an early dinner while Lorenzo had a meeting at the Rossi California headquarters. She was all smiles at breakfast, but knowing Cara as well as I do, I know she's concerned.

As soon as the server takes our drink orders, she leans in. "So…are you going to tell me about your hot Italian stallion or what? He was gorgeous in the pics, but so much better looking in person."

"The one picture you saw him in, he was wearing a paper coat and hairnet." I arch an eyebrow.

"True, and he pulled that off. The man has amazing bone structure."

I decide to rip the Band-Aid off quickly. "Cara—"

"I know what you're going to say, Summer. It was written all over your face this morning." She breathes deeply and reaches for my hand. "I need to say my peace."

I squeeze her hand and nod for her to continue.

"I've always felt a bit overprotective of you. You are the sister I never had, my best friend. I'm not gonna lie, my emotions were swinging all over the place when you said you wanted to go to Italy. I was excited for you—you needed to let loose a little. But, I was scared too. What if you got hurt? What if you didn't want to come back?" She shakes her head and straightens her silverware. "I can't believe I'm about to admit this, but when you called to tell me Barbara had been in an accident, I was strangely relieved, because it meant you had to return. It was extremely selfish of me, and I…I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

"Aw, Cara…"

"You weren't the same person that left at the beginning of summer. Between Barbara and your job, there was a light missing from your eyes. I see that light missing every day in my clients, and I felt responsible for it happening to you. I convinced you to leave Italy when it was clear you weren't ready. Damien told me to butt out of your business, because you were a grown woman who could take care of herself. You were back at work, and life was the way it should be, but it wasn't right."

I open my mouth, but she holds up her index finger to stop me.

"No, let me finish. I felt sad for you, and I didn't know how to undo it. Seeing you this morning, it opened my eyes. I knew you were miserable, but I didn't realize to what degree. I'm so happy you found your forever person, Summer." A tear trickles down her cheek. I get up and go over to her side of the booth and wrap her in a big hug. "Can you forgive me?"

"Of course. It's all going to be okay."

She sniffles and releases me. "You're special to me, Summer."

"You're special to me, too. You were right, you know. I had to come back and take care of Barbara. She's my responsibility, not yours. I could have tried harder with Lorenzo, told him I loved him, and we could somehow make it all work, but I was scared and unsure of where our relationship was going. It was so new. As Damien likes to say, it was a recipe for shit pie."

A laugh bubbles up from her. "He does like to say that. Okay, enough tears. Tell me what happened last night."

"I'm sorry I left without trying to find you. I was barely holding myself together. After I bumped into that creep Kevin and dumped my drink on him, I ran out of the bar and drove home. I pulled into my driveway and there was Lorenzo, waiting for me. He told me he was willing to give up the farm in Italy to move here and be with me."

"He did?" Cara dabs her eyes with a tissue.

"Yes." I bunch my napkin in my hands and smooth it out again. "But I can't make him give that all up, Cara. If you saw how he talked about the business in Italy, how much it means to him, you'd understand. I can't ask him to leave his family behind."

"I think any guy who intends to give up everything for you is worth taking a chance on."

"Am I crazy?" I laugh, swiping fresh tears off my cheeks.

"Nah, not crazy, just a woman who finally found her man. A woman who's ready for whatever life throws at her."

I twist the gold shaped horn dangling from my neck. "I have. We were written in the stars."

Cara groans. "Tell me this isn't a line from Under the Tuscan Sun or some bullshit."

I giggle. "It's not. Just something a wise woman once told me."

She takes a sip of her iced tea. "Have you told work yet?"

"No, we just made this decision last night. I'm going to turn in my resignation on Monday. Jeremy has been blowing up my phone all weekend asking for finished chapters. I think it's time to move on from this job."

"What are you going to do about Barbara?"

"I'm not sure. She still has six months left on her probation. She's too fragile to be left on her own." I shrug and sit back as the server brings out our salads. "Lorenzo said he's willing to wait."

Cara sets down her fork. "You're willing to put your life on hold again for Barbara?"

"Barbara has been trying really hard. I promised I'd meet her halfway. I don't know. I'll have to feel it out at our next therapy session."

"How long is Lorenzo here for?"

"He's overseeing business at the California farm this week, and then it's Christmas. Probably after New Year's. If I can get Barbara situated, then I might go with him."

"I only have a few weeks left with you?" she cries.

"I'm not dying, Cara. You know, there are such things as airplanes that will deliver you right to me. Besides, I'll have to return to ship the rest of my things, tie up loose ends, I have to figure things out with Barbara and my townhome."

"I know, I know…it's just not the same. Promise me we'll video chat once a week so I can see everything going on in your life."

"I pinky swear. Ren asked me to help in the marketing department for the farm. He wants me to design a new logo for Rossi Olive Oil and finish the ads I had been working on before I left."

"That's amazing! Finally, your talent isn't being wasted on college textbooks."

I smile. "Promise me you'll come visit."

"I've already booked a ticket." She smiles sheepishly.

"What?" I laugh. "When?"

"Well, okay, I haven't booked it yet, but I'm going to. I want to give a week of cooking classes to Damien for Christmas. Lorenzo gave me his sister Fiore's information this morning when Damien was in the bathroom."

"That's so perfect." My head feels fizzy as everything comes together. "I'm happy, Cara. Really happy."

"Then I am too, and will support you one hundred percent. But I will always look out for you."

"Thank you. That's means everything to me."