Chapter 39

Lying on ourbacks on a quilt underneath the old tree lit with fairy lights, I thread my fingers with his. It's been about six months since I moved back to Tuttoscano, and I miss nothing about my old life, except for Cara and Damien. I wish they lived closer. I've flown back a few times to pack up some stuff and to check on Barbara. She and her fellow AA friend Lois are renting my townhome from me, which worked out really well for everyone.

Barbara slipped about four months ago when she ran into her old friend Janice, but she reached out to her AA sponsor. With help from her friend Lois and Dr. Rice, they got her right back on the sober track. Dr. Rice wasn't discouraged like I was. She said even though Barbara fell off the wagon, she was heartened by the fact she immediately reached out for help. It helps to identify her triggers and Janice is definitely one of them. This isn't a sprint to the finish line, she reminded me. It's a lifelong slow jog. Barbara and I aren't perfect, but we try to meet each other in the middle.

I lay my hand on my stomach and moan. "Remind me to yell at Fiore for the strawberry shortcake. She was under strict instructions, no sugar or carbs until I lose ten pounds."

Lorenzo turns his head and grins. "No one held a gun to your head, tesoro. The strawberry shortcake was for me."

"Yes, but that was torture listening to you moan while you ate it. I have zero self-control."

"Good to know." He snickers, bringing my hand to his lips, kissing my fingers as we stare up at the sky. "You know what today is?"

"Thursday?"

"No—"

I sit up suddenly. "Oh God, is it Friday? How did I miss a whole day? Shit, that means I forgot Razzo's vet appointment today. I gave him his last sedative for nothing? There's no way in hell I can shove him into a carrier without meds."

"Summer, you're ruining this moment."

"Oh, sorry." I scrunch my forehead, worrying about how I'm going to capture the feisty little shit. "What were we talking about?"

"Today is Thursday, June twelfth…not tomorrow, when Razzo's appointment is." He smirks. "Today is our one-year anniversary of when we first met."

Relief floods through me that I hadn't missed the cat's appointment. I lay back down and thread my fingers with his.

"Aw, it is? That's when you fell madly in love with me when I tried to steal your house right out from under you?"

His chest rumbles with laughter. "Randagia, I let you have the house."

"You let me? That's funny, because I remember Nonna reaming you a new one, making you run out of the house with your tail between your legs."

Lorenzo scoffs. "Inconcepibile."

"Totally conceivable, but go on. Sorry, I'm ruining your moment again."

"I'm not sure I want to continue."

I laugh and sit up on my elbow and gaze down at him. He's grinning like a little kid on Christmas. He tucks a lock of loose hair behind my ear. "Ti amo, tesoro."

"Ti amo, Ren."

"Do you ever regret moving back here with me?"

"Not for a millisecond. You make me so happy, Ren." I lean down and tenderly brush my lips against his. "I love the daily hugs I get from Nonna, and Fiore and I have grown so close. She told me she opened up to your parents and Nonna that she's gay. She said you were there right beside her, holding her hand through it all."

"Sí, she was trying to get everyone's attention off my woes and she felt she was finally ready. I'm really proud of her. Mom and Dad were a little shocked, but they're coming around. I thought Nonna would have been the one to give her the most grief, but she told Fiore, l'amore si presenta in molti colori diversi. Love comes in many different colors."

I smile and squeeze his hand. "Once again, Nonna surprises us all. And of course, she's right. I'm happy Fiore can be true to herself and not have to pretend to be someone she's not."

"Me too. It took a lot of courage for her to come out."

"On another note, Fiore won't stop trying to fatten me up. Nonna mentioned in passing I was too skinny to conceive a baby, so they've been shoving pasta in my face every time I turn around."

"Meddling family. I'll tell them first thing tomorrow to quit their antics."

I press my finger to his lips. "I don't mind. I've never had family care about me the way yours does, not since my Grams. And if it gets too much, I'll unleash my big, bad beast on them, but for now, I can handle it."

"I like it when you call me your big, bad beast."

"I was referring to Razzo."

He laughs and pulls me under him, kissing my lips. "You know what else I like? Having you down the hall from me at the office. Now I don't have to wander the property looking for you."

"As if you didn't have enough on your plate."

"I'm enamored by the beautiful American woman." His eyes dance with happiness as he sits back and holds out his hand, helping me into a sitting position. "Run away with me?"

"Where do you want to go?"

"I never got a chance to take you to the sea. There's a beautiful, quiet beach called Spiaggia Rosa in Sardinia."

"Sounds beautiful. What's the special occasion?"

"Well, we'll need somewhere to go for our honeymoon." He holds up the most beautiful diamond ring glittering in the fairy lights. Exhilaration courses through my veins like fizzy champagne bubbles. I've dreamt of this moment since the night of the falling stars, but it's better than I imagined. It's everything. "Mi sposi, Summer? Will you marry me?"

I swallow past the tears and nod vigorously. "Sí, Lorenzo. Sí." He slips the ring on my finger. It fits perfectly. "It's so beautiful," I whisper.

"It was Nonna's. She wanted you to have it. She gave it to me the day I met you at the house. I laughed and told her she was crazy."

"But you kept it?"

"Nonna has a way of making you do things you don't want to do."

"Oh, how well I know." I grin goofily, admiring the diamond.

"I kept it in my safe, but I knew the night of San Lorenzo, as we watched the stars, I was going to ask you to marry me."

"That's when I knew you were it for me." I sigh and hold up the beautiful round diamond surrounded by a ring of little diamonds, the twinkling lights making them sparkle. "These diamonds look like little stars."

"Sí, scritti nelle stelle."

"Written in the stars," I whisper.

"I want to make you happy, tesoro." Holding my face, he gently kisses me.

"You already do, Ren."

We stay under the old tree, making love until the stars fade.