“I told you that on one of our first dates.”
“Did you?” He acts coy with me. I laugh.
“Are you for real?”
He scoops me up in his arms and carries me over the threshold into the yard, “Baby, I never tease about things that cost millions of dollars.”
“Oh my God,” is all I can say.
I’m speechless and yet I manage to wrangle out, “No way.”
“For sure. All the paperwork is inside. It’s in both our names. . .” My arms are around his neck and I pull his lips down to mine and give him the most intense kiss I can muster.
“There is only one condition.” He smiles, flashing his perfect teeth.
“What’s that?” I knew there would be a catch.
Damn.
“I love you Prende, Goddess of Love. You have cast your spell on me and nothing would make me happier than for us to spend the rest of our days here, together, with a family.”
“Marchello. . .” I’m breathless.
“Ssssh.” He puts a finger to my lips. “I love you, I loved you from the moment I met you.”
“I thought you wanted an Italian woman. I thought you were just keeping me safe and this was temporary.”
“Nothing matters but you, because without you, my world doesn’t exist.”
My arms are still around his neck and I pull him closer as he’s still holding me in his buff arms.
“I love you too. You were an ass for leaving me at the museum, but I loved how you made me stand on my own two feet.”
“Until the threat of goons became real, let me remind you.”
He sets me down and we walk down the small hill in the back.
“Is this really true?”
“Of course, I never joke about something this important.”
I chuckle. Indeed, he doesn’t.
“Our divorce?”
“Not happening. Besnik was at the meet but wasn’t needed. We brokered a deal directly with the head of the Albanian mafia, a man with a hard name to remember and possibly the scariest looking mug I’ve ever seen. But they have their money and all is well.”
“I’m not sure that will ever be the case.”
We hold hands, watching the sunrise, and I can’t help but pray this is the first of many sunrises we will enjoy from this spot.
“It is for now.” His carefree attitude, that I love, helps me forget the harsh realities of the world. It’s just the two of us.
“And Angelica?”
“Who?” He cocks his head.
“Right.” I smile.