Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32

S everal months later

Alexandra

“One more time,” Isabella told me.

I groaned and glared at her. “It’s been five months. I’ve learned as much Italian as I’m going to. I did just fine at the university.”

“Not nearly good enough,” she chastised, even wagging her finger.

I took a deep breath, noticing the man of my dreams was standing in the open doorway. His legs were crossed at the ankles, his hands in the pockets of his dark gray trousers. He looked like a stud muffin in his bright red shirt. I was salivating to spend more time with him, not to be grilled by his sister on what I knew in Italian.

Could I learn more at this point? Yes, but it was the winter break. I did deserve a little time off.

I’d studied my butt off, forced to given the language barrier. But I had to admit, I loved going to the university that was close by. The medical professionals teaching the courses were magnificent and the fieldwork had been incredible.

Including being able to participate in two surgeries. I’d been like a little girl lost in a fog, but I’d been given an A for my work.

Now I wanted to live a little.

“ La pioggia in Spagna avviene soprattutto in pianura .” There. That should confuse the girl. She was my best friend and I adored her, but she needed to lighten up. She was like a drill sergeant most of the time.

Nico chuckled because he knew what the statement meant. Kind of. At least he thought it was funny.

Meanwhile, Isabella wrinkled her nose. “The rain in Spain happens mostly in the plains?”

“Yep. It does.”

“What the hell does that mean?” She did a heavy volley of cursing in Italian, which made me smile. I could frustrate her more than anyone.

And I had to admit it was kind of fun.

“I don’t know what it means, but I don’t care. We need to do another lesson.”

“Not tonight or the rest of this week, sister of mine.” Nico finally moved closer, turning around to face the house like I was.

Isabella had followed me out, determined to get more work out of me, including planning all the holiday festivities that Nico had ordained as necessary this year.

Including ten huge Christmas trees we’d all been required to help decorate. I adored decorating for Christmas, but by the end of ten twelve-foot trees, I’d never wanted to see another red, gold, or silver ornament again.

What I had loved was seeing the homemade decorations their mother had insisted on bringing out from when the kids had been young. She’d had a story about every one of them.

Much to the siblings’ chagrin.

Isabella planted her hands on her hips. “You are incorrigible. Both of you.” As she stormed toward the house, slamming the door behind her, we both managed to hold off from laughing.

But we couldn’t help ourselves.

“Don’t mind her. She’s just excited that the family is expanding.”

He placed his arms around me, holding me close.

“Family, huh? Does that mean I’m stuck here forever?”

“Oh, yes. You are, little flower. If you ever try and escape, I will hunt you down and you know I’m quite capable of doing so.”

Yes, he was.

As he pulled me onto my toes, I realized I’d walked out without a coat on. It was freezing, my breath turning into fog. It would seem the weather gods didn’t get the message it wasn’t supposed to dip lower than forty-eight degrees Fahrenheit.

But it was more Christmasy.

“Why don’t you ask me to stay?” I couldn’t help teasing him. I picked at his shirt on purpose before running my fingers across his full beard. God, I did love a man in a beard.

“Hmmm… I can see you’re going to need your Christmas spanking early. You are staying. That is final.”

As he captured my mouth, holding our lips in place, I closed my eyes and for the last time thought about everything we’d been through. My aunt was safe, happy as could be in a higher paying job. My cousin had finally decided to get her ass into college. While only community college, it was a good start.

The bad Greek boys had been rounded up, the news from the United States keeping everyone on edge for weeks.

Nico had told me he still had a little black book that he was keeping, but not using. Was it an incentive of some kind for other kids in the sandbox to play nice? One of the best there was.

The five families were now four, the Italians attempting to work together to keep peace in their beautiful country.

I’d gotten closer with his entire family, enjoying spending time with their mother.

And I could ride horses, which I did as often as I could. Sassy and I were very tight, the beautiful horse everything I’d ever wanted. The crops would take a little while coming back, but that hadn’t stopped the production or the building efforts.

The new stable was even more state of the art.

I was happy. And the best part about what had occurred over the last several months was the change in Nico.

After he’d shared with me about the woman who’d blamed him for the miscarriage of their child, he’d slowly started opening up. Their argument had been brutal, but I’d helped him understand it hadn’t been his fault. Now he could smile and laugh more often, enjoying simple things.

The holidays had been brought back to life in a splashy and amazing way.

And I had his love. I felt it. I sensed it. I couldn’t walk into a room where he was standing without knowing his eyes were following me everywhere.

I loved this man.

Period.

This was my fabulous life.

What more could a girl ask for?

As the kiss turned into something passionate, our tongues entwining, I felt something kissing my face.

I was the one to break the moment of intimacy, gazing up at the sky. “It’s snowing. How is that possible?” I’d been told it only snowed on the mountaintops.

He looked up as I was doing, laughing. “You wanted snow and what my little flower wants, she gets.”

As he pulled us around to face the house, backing us away so we could get an even better look at the decorations, I snuggled against him. There wasn’t a tree, a bush, or an outside surface that didn’t have twinkling lights, all under his mother’s direction.

The inside was equally as beautiful and as we heard cars arriving for the huge party, all I could do was smile.

“Don’t forget you have to put on the Babbo Natale outfit for the kids.”

Nico groaned.

The party was for the employees and their families.

Just like years before.

A new custom built from the old.

“You’re the party pooper. Spanking later.” His deep voice sent a thrill all the way to my core.

As people crowded closer, greeting us with love and respect in their eyes, I pulled away to look at the man.

My man to be exact.

My friend.

My lover.

My godfather.

And who knows, maybe one day to be my husband? A girl could dream and Santa was real. Right?

The End