Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Since my girl valued tradition, I wanted to do this right.
I turned to Milana and took her hand. “You have always been Amara’s best friend, biggest supporter, and surrogate family. I would be honored if, in her mother’s honor, you would grant me permission to ask her to marry me.”
Milana threw her arms around my neck. “Oh my God! Yes!”
Benedict leaned forward and whispered to Amara, “Are you taking notes? The word to remember is yes.” He then winked as she laughed.
Milana hugged Amara again before Liliana gave Ella the cue.
From her perch near the fireplace, Ella played Etta James’s “At Last."
The whole room erupted in laughter at the inside joke.
Facing Amara, I lowered to one knee to take her left hand in my own while holding up the diamond ring I had made for her from the Cavalieri family jewels.
“My dolcezza, from the moment you literally fell into my life, you have brought a love I truly didn’t think I deserved into my world. And I will spend every moment, of every single day, striving to be a man worthy of it, if you would do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife.”
She shook her head and leapt into my arms, sitting on my bent knee as she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. “That was so beautiful.”
Matteo cleared his throat. “I hate to be a stickler, but we’re all going to need to hear a verbal confirmation.”
As I slid the ring onto her finger, Amara smiled through her tears. “Yes!”
Gabriella raised her arms and clapped, gold bracelets jangling. “Pour the Champagne! She finally said yes!”
EPILOGUE
GABRIELLA
The breeze from over the Tyrrhenian Sea brushed my face. The salty, citrus-scented air filling my lungs where I stood leaning against the wooden railing of my villa’s veranda.
Staring out over the jagged cliff’s edge, I watched the foamy white caps form then dissipate as they hit the rocky shore. The relentless beating of the water against the hard stones was a raw reminder of the unsettling, yet inevitable, creep of death.
I sighed and rubbed the space between my eyebrows. Such morbid thoughts didn’t suit me. They were a cold, heavy pit in my stomach And yet…
The ice in my drink rattled as it settled in my Negroni Sbagliato.
As the sky filled with the blazing orange and purple colors of the sunset, my thoughts turned to Alfonso, as they usually did at this time of day. The sunset reminded me of him. Quiet and unassuming and yet still a beautiful burst of brilliant color and light.
I tilted my face toward the setting sun. Despite its fiery colors… there was no warmth. A chill ran over my skin, raising goosebumps on my arms, as if rising from the bitter coldness deep within.
A creak of the deck boards alerted me to someone’s presence.
I pivoted and nearly dropped my drink.
“Hello, Gabriella.”
His voice was the same dark, melted chocolate that I remembered.
My gaze narrowed. “You have a lot of fucking nerve coming here.”
Unable to look at him, I paced away and tried to still my racing heart.
“I saw you at Alfonso’s funeral... and I know you saw me.”
I rounded on him, my fingers tightening on my glass. “Don’t you dare say his name.”
He stepped forward.
With my arm stretched out, I ordered, “Get out. Leave. Now.”
He shook his head as he stalked toward me. “No, not this time.”
With an outraged cry, I threw my drink at him.
To be continued.