Catarina's Ring

by Lisa McGuinness

“Well let me assure you,” Ian said and kissed her again. The kiss intensified, and then when they finally broke apart, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her again.

  “I texted you because I thought it would be nice to introduce you two.”

  “Oh my God. I’m such an idiot. But an incredibly happy idiot.” She tucked her face into the space above his collarbone and inhaled his scent. She loved the way he smelled like fresh wood and something uniquely him. He released her and they stepped back and looked at each other and smiled ridiculously goofy smiles at each other. It felt perfect. He took his fingers and entwined them with hers. His fingers were long, slender and elegant. His hands looked more like a concert pianist’s than a carpenter’s.

  He smiled a quick, eye-crinkling smile at her, then pulled her back to him and kissed her again in a way that made her never want to stop. Juliette rubbed her hands along his arms as she had been wanting to do for weeks—even months. She slipped her hand into the sleeve of his shirt and held his wrist. She liked the feeling of his skin under her fingertips.

  They pulled apart breathless and giddy. Juliette refilled their wine glasses and they both hopped up and sat on the counter, sipping wine, holding hands.

  “I’m so relieved,” she told him. “When you walked into Café Dora with such a beautiful woman, I thought, ‘well, shit’.” She smiled sheepishly. “And you know me, I hardly ever swear.”

  Ian laughed. “Glad to know I can evoke a strong response.”

  “You know that saying, ‘My heart stopped’?” she asked. “It turns out it’s true. That happens. Anyway, instead of waving and saying hello, I hid behind my newspaper like a coward.”

  “I’ve been in stages between smitten and desperate for months. The smitten stage started the day we met. The desperate has developed more recently.”

  “You haven’t said a word. Why did you wait so long?” she asked.

  “Let’s see. For starters, I was working for you and it’s never a good idea to mix business and romance. When that all ended, I thought I should give you some time because I wasn’t sure how you felt and I wanted you to know that I’m not fooling around here. This is the real deal. I’m seriously in love with you,” he paused. “Look Juliette, when I walked in and saw my fiancée with her lab partner, I was indescribably hurt and angry. I felt stupid for trusting her. Now, I’m glad it happened.” He locked eyes with her then pulled her to him and kissed her again.

  “I love you too!” she giggled joyfully, almost unable to believe this was happening. “When it’s right, it’s right. In fact I had a bit of a revelation about that very thing this weekend,” she said. “To love someone and have that person love you back seems impossibly perfect.”

  He kept his eyes on her eyes. “Exactly.”

  “That night we went swimming at your parents.”

  “Nearly killed me.”

  “Me too,” she smiled and kissed him again.

  “Come on,” he hopped down and took her hand. “Let’s go.”

  “Your place or mine?”

  “Oh yours, definitely. It’s closer.”

  Chapter 33

  CATARINA, AND FINALLY, A DAUGHTER

  “Tell me the story of how you picked my name, Mama.”

  “Again? You’ve heard it so many times.”

  “I know, but it’s my favorite.”

  Catarina lifted her daughter onto her lap and ran her fingers through her dark curls. Her eyes were the same blue as Celestina’s and her own.

  “Ok, darling. It began when I was in the hospital, and the nurse handed a sweet little baby girl to me. And I said to your papa, ‘I can’t believe after all these boys, we got a girl.’”

  “Then what happened?”

  “Then the nurse said, ‘How many sons do you have?’ And Papa said, “Five. We have five wonderful boys. Our youngest is already ten and our oldest is practically old enough to have children of his own, and then along comes this special surprise.’”

  “And I said . . .”

  “. . . we have to think of a name,” piped in her daughter’s voice, because she already knew all the lines in the story by heart.

  “That’s right. And I told the nurse, ‘We were sure we would have another boy, so we haven’t picked a name for this little angel.’”

  “And then Papa started naming all the girl names he could imagine. He suggested Isabella after his mother, and Celestina after mine. He suggested Maria Nina, after my best friend in Italy, and he even suggested Olive, which seemed like a silly name to me. I said, ‘No, no, no’ to all of them because none of them was just right for you.”

  “Especially Olive.”

  “Yes, especially Olive. What was Papa thinking?”

  “So, how did you decide on my name?”

  “I had been in the hospital for three long days, and still no name. And Papa brought all of your brothers to visit their new little sister. And he said, ‘No one leaves this room until we decide on a name.’”

  “So that’s when he took off his hat?”

  “Exactly. He took off his hat and tore up a piece of paper, and everyone in the room wrote down their favorite name. And then Papa put all the bits of paper in the hat and held it up. I dipped my hand in, and that’s when I pulled out the best name of all.”

  “Amilia!”

  “That’s right. Amilia. And we all said, ‘Yes! That’s the best name of all.’”

  “And who had put that one on the paper?”

  “Well, you already know the answer to that, silly. It was me.” She leaned over and gave her little girl a kiss on her sweet, smooth cheek.

  “I love that story, Mama.”

  “I know. I love it, too. Now, should we get back to work?”

  “Yes,” she said, and jumped off of her mother’s lap.

  They were each working on a painting in Catarina’s studio. She had a full-size easel for herself and a pint-size easel for her four-year-old daughter.

  Catarina was painting a field of flowers and Amilia was painting a kitten.

  Catarina stood back from her work and chewed on the end of her paintbrush while she contemplated her next step. She glanced over at Amilia and smiled when she saw her step back and put the end of her paint brush in her mouth as well, emulating her mother’s gesture exactly. She pretended she hadn’t noticed and casually began to fan her face with her other hand. She had to suppress a smile when she saw Amilia do the same.

  “Hummm,” said Catarina. “What do you think my painting needs?”

  “A dash of pink, Mama,”

  “Excellent idea, darling girl. Coincidentally, that’s the very color I think your painting needs as well.”

  Catarina reached for a tube of fuchsia and dabbed a blob on her pallet. She dipped it down in front of Amilia, like a tray full of treasures and let her daughter dab her brush in the pigment.

  She put a dash of pink on the tip of the kitten’s nose.

  “Perfect,” she said.

  Catarina dipped her own brush onto the palette as well and carefully added the hue to the petals of some flowers.

  “Mama?” Amilia asked.

  “Yes,” Catarina responded offhandedly.

  “Where’s your sparkly ring?”

  “I put it away while I work with oil paints, so it doesn’t get ruined. Why do you ask?”

  “Because I like to look at the sparkles.”

  “It’s pretty, isn’t it? Papa gave it to me when I came here to marry him.”

  “He did?”

  “Yes, so I take special care of it. Someday it will be yours, and when it is, you can always look at it and remember how much Papa and I loved each other and how much we loved you.” She dabbed a tiny dot of pink onto Amilia’s nose and smiled at her. “Now get back to work,” she said. “That kitty isn’t going to paint itself.”

  “I might want to be a real painter, someday. Or maybe a jewelry maker, like Papa.”

  “That’s a fine idea. But who knows, you may want to do som
ething you think up all by yourself. You can be anything you want to be, Amilia. Just remember to always choose to do what makes you happy. That’s how you’ll know it’s right.”

  “Is that what you did, Mama?”

  “Certamente,” Catarina smiled thinking back to the journey that began so long ago.

  “Absolutely.”

  Chapter 34

  JULIETTE AND THE UNEXPECTED KEY TO HER HEART DURING A RAINSTORM

  The conversation with Roman was difficult but had to happen. She told Ian about Roman’s unexpected call and he sat right beside her on the couch while she broke the bad news to her ex love.

  The fact that he had no idea what they were saying, since Juliette and Roman were speaking in Italian, made it easier for everyone.

  After Juliette hung up she laid down with her head on Ian’s lap and looked into his face while he stroked her hair.

  “That was hard,” she said.

  “Do you have regrets?” Ian asked, worry lines showing around his eyes.

  “None,” she lifted her head to kiss him. “But it was still difficult. Thanks for being here. I hope it wasn’t too awkward for you.”

  “Not at all,” Ian joked. “I always hang out with my girlfriends when they break up with their boyfriends.”

  Juliette laughed and playfully kissed him again. “I wasn’t breaking up with him. Just officially ending that chapter of my life. I couldn’t be any happier, though. I can hardly believe how lucky I am. There I was, brokenhearted, and then in you walked and swept me off my sad, lonely feet.”

  “And don’t you ever forget it,” he smiled against her lips as he flipped her around so he was lying on top of her.

  Juliette smiled at the memory of that day months later as she looked through the windows of Gusto at the rain coming down in sheets. Cold, wet weather usually got her down after a while, but not this year. Getting Gusto off to a successful start and spending all her free time with Ian kept her in high spirits through the gray, rainy winter months. Even now in April, when everyone was ready for the warmer days of spring, she didn’t mind the unusual torrents that kept coming.

  She was at her desk mulling over a produce order when Ian walked through the door, dripping wet. He looked like the cat who ate the canary.

  “Hey, you,” Juliette said, getting up to give him a kiss. “This is a nice surprise.”

  “Hey, yourself,” he wrapped his arms around her.

  “You’re soaking wet!” she laughed and untangled herself from his sopping clothes. “Do you want a towel?”

  “That would be great, thanks,” he said, helping himself to one from the pile delivered from the laundry service. He dried off his face and shook his hair.

  Juliette laughed, getting hit with drops of flying water.

  “You’re like one of your parents’ dogs. What are you doing here in the middle of the day anyway? Did you knock off work early?”

  “I was called away on an errand and I couldn’t bring myself to go back to work. I had to see you.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  Ian pulled her in for a quick kiss. He kissed her again harder, gently kicking closed the office door behind him so they were alone. Taking her hands, he smiled at her and took a deep breath.

  “When you came into my life, it became right. It became whole. I feel like we’re perfect together. I love it that I can just be myself and you can be yourself. We bring out the best in each other. You’ve become my best friend as well as my lover,” he paused. “You’re it for me, Juliette. I can’t imagine life without you in it. I want to wake up with you every morning and grow old and wrinkly with you.”

  “Are you proposing to me?” Juliette asked, a surprised grin on her face.

  “Yes, I am. Will you marry me? Could you stand to be with me for the rest of your days?”

  “Yes!” Juliette threw her arms around him. “I could definitely stand it. In fact, I can’t picture my life any other way.”

  “Thank God!” He kissed her again, “I was planning to propose over a romantic dinner, but then I was thinking that it should be right here. After all, this is where it all happened, right?”

  “There couldn’t be a better place.”

  “And now the surprise,” Ian said.

  “That wasn’t the surprise?”

  “Nope, that was just the prelude,” he grinned at her and took an unassuming white box out of the pocket of his jacket.

  “Ever since your cottage was burglarized,” Ian told her, “I’ve been on the lookout for your ring. Catarina’s ring, I should say.”

  “What do you mean?” Juliette asked, her eyes locked on Ian’s.

  “The police said that the best shot to find it would be to scour pawn shops and that it might eventually turn up.”

  Juliette looked at the box in his hand. She couldn’t imagine it could possibly contain her ring, but she couldn’t suppress a glimmer of hope.

  Ian opened the lid and there it was, sitting on top of a layer of white cotton, perfectly intact.

  “Is it . . .?”

  He nodded.

  “Even though it’s yours already, I hope you’ll do me the honor of wearing it as an engagement ring. Or I can get you a different one if you want,” he told her, “I just thought this one would have so much more meaning,”

  “I never thought I’d see it again,” she whispered. “I can’t believe you got it back. I would love to wear it as our ring, Ian. I can’t think of anything more perfect.”

  She held out her hand and he slid it on her finger where Juliette looked at it, tears slipping down her cheeks in spite of her smile.

  “You wouldn’t believe how many pawnbrokers I now know on a first-name basis. I’ve looked at pretty much every pawnshop in California and Nevada and have e-mailed the photos around to more than I can count. I was afraid it was futile. Then yesterday, I got a call from Anthony, one of the guys I’ve talked to a couple of times in Grass Valley, who was sure a ring that had just come in was yours.”

  “You never said anything to me.” She looked up to meet his eyes.

  “I didn’t want to get your hopes up.” He ran a finger across her cheek.

  “You’re the most amazing man in the world. I can’t believe you did this for me.”

  “After hearing the history, I couldn’t stand to think of it out there without you.”

  “Did you get it today?”

  “Yep, and then once I had it, I couldn’t wait to give it to you. That’s when my plan for the romantic dinner flew out the window. I drove straight here. It’s a good thing you weren’t in the middle of the lunch rush.”

  “You can tear me away from making sandwiches to propose anytime,” she smiled. Then a thought occurred to her.

  “You know,” Juliette said with a gleam in her eye, “this means we’re going to have to have a daughter to pass it on to.”

  “I was actually thinking about the very same thing on the way here, and don’t worry, we will, but for now, you’re all mine.”

  Juliette knew she should call her dad, sister, and friends to tell them her exciting news, but at the moment she was content snuggling at home with Ian and listening to the rain pattering the window. She held up her hand and looked at Catarina’s ring sparkling on her finger. Ian rolled onto his side, looked at her in the dim evening light, and entwined his fingers with hers.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked.

  “About love and how when you least expect to find it, you do.”

  “I remember the first time I saw you. You were distraught and so alone, and when I held your hand it felt completely right even though falling in love was the very last thing on my mind in that moment. I felt an intense sense of protectiveness over you.”

  “I think God has a way of making beautiful things happen from terrible situations if we’re open to it.”

  “Then when you were in Italy, I would casually ask your dad about you. He was always happy to talk about what you were up to. When I he
ard about Roman, I told myself not to be disappointed. After all, I didn’t even really know you, but it was odd because I felt like I did already.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. Then when you came home and I got to know you, I knew you were the one for me. You’re lovely inside and out, Juliette. I have loved you all along.”

  “Well, you certainly played it cool, mister.”

  “I had to because I didn’t want to scare you away. You were a bit skittish after everything you’d been through, so I made do with spending time with you, which was not exactly a hardship because you’re smart and funny. And I won’t even mention the pastries, which were really the coup de grace.” Ian paused and stared up at the ceiling for a minute.

  “What is it?” Juliette asked.

  “Do you remember when you told me the story about your grandmother and that guy who wanted her to leave your grandfather for him?”

  “Of course, Gregorio.”

  “It’s interesting, isn’t it? The fact that sometimes we have to love the wrong people in order to figure out who the right people are. Like Gregorio for Catarina, Roman for you, my ex fiancée for me. But in the end, we all got to the right place.”

  “That’s true. I like thinking about it that way. So,” she snuggled closer to him, “what do you want to do now?” Juliette asked, lazily.

  “Well, for the moment, I intend to keep you right where you are. And then I guess we’ll be planning a wedding.”

  “I know exactly where I want to have it,” she told him.

  “Where?”

  “In Napa. At Nonna and Granddad’s house.”

  “That sounds perfect,” Ian said.

  “It’ll be like they’re there with us.”

  “I think they will be.”

  Juliette twirled Catarina’s ring around on her finger. It felt both familiar and new at the same time. Just like her life. She knew the best part was just beginning.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

  First and foremost, thank God for blessing me with amazing friends and family (Dad, Mary, Bill, Kathy, my late-and-much-loved Mom, and Michael) who have encouraged me along this journey, and for giving me an extra helping of tenacity, because I’ve definitely needed it in this life. A huge thanks also to the following beloved friends who have read this manuscript (sometimes twice!) and have given me excellent feedback, insight, a stern talking to when needed, someone to laugh with (and cry with when the going got tough), and a sounding board when I was stuck: Julie Wold for early encouragement; Alexandra Matisoff-Li—one of the gracious ones who read it twice; my sister, Cheryl Duncan, who pushed me to add more layers of detail, and then more layers of detail again; Chris Boral and Terri Stanfield—who did early reads and urged me to keep going; Erika Mailman and Annie Barrows—who read later rounds and gave me great feedback and a much-needed vigorous shaking; Beth Weber who bolstered me with cocktails when I was ready to throw in the towel; Kim Carpenter who had the exact right suggestions in the eleventh hour; Leslie Jonath who graciously read it even though she doesn’t like reading fiction; Sarah Rosenberg who has been an amazing champion to me in all things publishing; Maria Carr and her lovely daughters who brought the perfect aesthetic to the cover photo; to Elysse Ricci Achuff for the beautiful design; and finally and most importantly a huge thank you to my husband, Matt McGuinness, whose never ending love and support of me is the greatest gift in my life.