A Map for Bella Books 1-4

by Paula Kay

  “So sweet. I love it here so much. Don’t you, Bella? It just feels so festive and…”

  “—And you and your sweetie are in a little lovesick bubble,” Isabella finished, laughing as she spoke. “And I love that, by the way.”

  “Is it really that obvious?” said Jemma, grinning as she asked the question.

  “Mm-hm. Definitely that obvious. He adores you, Jem. And he’s really a sweet guy.”

  “He is, isn’t he?”

  “Well, not that I’ve spent much time with him since he arrived, but from everything you’ve told me and what I have seen—and certainly from the way he looks at you.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yes. As if you hadn’t noticed.” Isabella laughed and poked Jemma gently in her side. “Whenever you’re in the room, I don’t think he notices anyone or anything else.”

  “It’s funny. I’ve always felt something with Rafael. Well, when I first knew him, we were only kids, really—like you and Thomas, I suppose. But even then, I felt an attraction to him—a wanting to be near him…”

  “And then, when you saw him last year, you realized how devastatingly handsome he’d become,” Isabella finished.

  “Exactly.” Jemma laughed. “I still remember seeing him for the first time pulling up in the boat. And I was such a confused jerk back then. But he just hung in there, taking care of me, and he was always there when I needed someone to talk to. If I really think about it, I’d say that Rafael saved me from a pretty awful time back then.”

  Isabella reached out to hug Jemma to her, and she didn’t miss the quick tears in her friend’s eyes. Jemma had shared with her friend everything that had happened while she was at the orphanage the last time—including the horrible mistake that she’d made ever thinking she belonged anywhere near that creep, Eduardo. Jemma shivered as the memory of what Rafael had probably saved her from flashed through her mind.

  “I still can’t believe that happened to you, Jem. I’m so thankful Rafael was there for you.”

  “Me too. And apparently he’s still here for me now, no matter how much I pushed him away.”

  “But you’ve been good for a long time now.”

  “Yes, we have. Aside from how sweet he is and how I’m currently falling for him”—she laughed at the look on Isabella’s face—“And yes, I do feel like I’m falling pretty hard. There, I said it.”

  They both laughed.

  “Aside from all that, I’m so incredibly proud of him—what he’s done with the loan I gave him. He’s made such a success of his construction company in a very short time. He told me just today that he’s got plans in place for expanding and he’s about ready to pay the loan off in full. I always knew he’d do well, but his success has even shocked Douglas, I think.”

  Isabella was looking at her with a funny expression on her face.

  “What? What’s that look?”

  “I think that’s so great. I can’t help wondering what you’re thinking. When it comes to you and Rafael, I mean? Can you see yourself going there—to Guatemala to be with him?”

  Jemma grinned. “You know, I can hardly believe that I’m saying this, but I think I can, Bella. I mean, I guess I can’t imagine not being with him—at least at this stage. Like maybe we need to give our relationship a real shot, ya know? And I’m not sure we can do that if we’re not in the same place.”

  Isabella was nodding her head, but Jemma guessed that there was still a lot to be said. She didn’t want to disappoint her friend in regards to the traveling they’d been doing together, but they hadn’t yet decided what would happen after Christmas one way or another, either.

  “I hope that you wouldn’t be upset about that—I mean because of course it means I wouldn’t be traveling with you, unless you decide to come to Guatemala yourself—which of course I want you to do. And I know Gigi and Douglas would love to have you visit them at Casa de los Niños…” Jemma knew she was rambling but suddenly it was very important to her that whatever she decided to do, Bella came to a decision that made her happy as well.

  Isabella reached out to touch her arm. “Stop. Don’t you worry about me. I’ll be fine. The truth is, I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet. I have thought about Guatemala. That is one of many places on Arianna’s map, as you know—and yes, I’m still pretty determined to see that goal through—in my lifetime, anyway.” She laughed and then cringed as she looked at Jemma and recognized her poor choice of words probably at the same time as Jemma did. “Well, I guess we don’t know, do we? What a lifetime actually will end up being.”

  “No, we don’t. It’s something to learn from Arianna, for sure, isn’t it?”

  “About living more in the moment, you mean?” Isabella looked thoughtful as she asked the question.

  “Yes, I’ve been thinking about it and Arianna a lot lately. I suppose because of the holidays and the memories that I do have of being with her at Christmas. And also because we’re almost to the age that she was when she passed away. That’s so incredible to think about, isn’t it?”

  “And it’s a good reason for you to take a chance on love—on Rafael.” Isabella grinned. “I think it absolutely makes the most sense in the world, and I’m proud of you for not second-guessing it all.” Isabella leaned in to give Jemma another quick hug.

  “And maybe you with Thomas?”

  Isabella’s head jerked up and Jemma had to bite her tongue about what she really wanted to say. She’d promised her friend that she’d not be talking about possibilities of more than friendship with Thomas any more, but that didn’t meant that she didn’t one hundred percent believe that the two of them belonged together.

  “Jem.” Isabella looked slightly annoyed but like she was trying not to be.

  “No, I just mean second chances with your friendship—the fact that you’re talking to him again and trying to get things back to normal. That’s all.” Jemma grinned at her friend, willing her to believe the words she was speaking.

  “Okay. If you say so. And yes, I do know what you mean. It’s not a time for holding grudges, that’s for sure. Life is way too short for that, and Thomas and I have way too much history to let our silly impulses get in the way of years of friendship. Don’t worry. I’m sure we’re going to be fine.”

  Jemma nodded. “I know you will be.”

  “And I’m going to figure out what I’ll do next, so don’t you worry about me. You need to do what feels right for you. I’ll always support that. Really, I want you to know that. And who knows? I may end up joining you in Guatemala. Maybe I’ll talk to Gigi and Douglas while we’re all here to see what their thoughts are about it.”

  Jemma laughed. “Well, if you ask Gigi what she thinks about you coming, she’ll have Douglas booking you on a flight so fast, you won’t know what happened.”

  Isabella laughed. “Good point. I will approach the subject with care. And on that note, shall we go see what everyone is up to?”

  “We shall.” Jemma stood and then hugged Isabella one more time before they walked out of the room. “Thanks, Bella.”

  “For?”

  “For just being the best friend I’ve ever had,” said Jemma.

  Chapter 13

  Blu smiled as Kylie and Gabriella performed their dance routine for her in one corner of the restaurant. They were planning to perform it that night during dinner as an intermission event.

  “Mom.” Kylie was trying to get her attention, as Blu had apparently zoned out thinking about everything she had yet to do.

  “Yes. Sorry. You were saying?”

  “This is where Annie will be. Gigi is making her costume. She can’t practice now because her mom said that she needed to take a nap, but we taught her the steps earlier and—Mom, she’s so cute.”

  Blu got up to give her daughter a big hug. “Kylie, honey, I love that you are so kind to Annie.” She turned toward Gabriella. “Both of you girls are going to make wonderful babysitters one day soon. You’re naturals.”

  Kylie and
Gabriella beamed with pride. They were good girls and Blu was always thoroughly entertained by the pair of them, as was everyone around them.

  Tonight, Lia was having the annual Christmas party and dinner at the restaurant. The whole crew from the villa would be there, as well as everyone who worked at Thyme and many of their regular local customers. Blu had been there during this time in past years and thought it was a very fun event. Lia pulled out all the stops in the kitchen and she’d invited Chase to help her cook. Blu was in charge of decorating the dining room; she’d wrangled Jemma and Isabella in on that to help her.

  Jemma came up from behind Blu to put her arm around her with Isabella following close behind.

  “Hi, honey. It’s looking good so far, don’t you think?”

  “I do. All the garland makes it look very festive in here.”

  “Where’s Rafael?”

  “Oh, he went to help Douglas with something. I think maybe Lia asked them to try to find some emergency ingredient that she needed.”

  Jemma moved over around one of the bigger tables to help Isabella with the cutlery as Blu started folding the napkins at one end of the table.

  Blu watched Isabella as she carefully organized each setting the way that Lia had shown her earlier. It was still alarming to Blu how much Isabella looked like Arianna. She tried not to spend too much time staring at her for fear of making her uncomfortable but it was moments like this—with Isabella so unaware of her own beauty—that caught Blu off guard.

  It had never been like that with Ari. Ari was well aware of her beauty—not really in a snobby sort of way, but more in a matter-of-fact way. Isabella? Bella seemed to have no idea how naturally beautiful she was.

  Blu came around beside Isabella, giving her a big hug.

  Isabella hugged her back and laughed. “What’s that for?”

  “Yeah, Mom. Are you getting very sentimental today?” Jemma teased her as she watched the two from the other side of the table.

  “Yes. I suppose.” Blu laughed too, but then she took both of Isabella’s hands in her own. “I’m just really happy that you’re here with us. It’s a special Christmas, that’s for sure.”

  Isabella grinned. “Thank you, Blu. It means a lot to me too. Meeting you all and becoming a part of your family has been one of the best things to ever happen to me.” She winked at Jemma. “As well as meeting this one over here. Seriously, Jemma is one of my best friends—definitely the best girlfriend I’ve ever had for sure.”

  “Well, I’m sure that my mom will attest to the fact that you’ve also become one of my best friends. How we ever managed so many years without one another is beyond me.” Jemma laughed, as did Isabella.

  Jemma stopped what she was doing to look at Blu. “It must be strange for you, Mom—to see Bella at the same age as Ari was when you were friends. Does it make you sad?”

  Blu didn’t answer Jemma right away and she saw Isabella watching her carefully too.

  “I wouldn’t say that it makes me feel sad exactly—only because so much time has passed. But it does make me feel nostalgic for sure. It makes me think about Ari and what she would have been like with our dear Isabella.” Blu smiled at Isabella. “She would have adored you and been so proud to have you for a daughter. I do know that much.”

  Isabella smiled back at her.

  “And she would have absolutely loved the fact that the two of you have become such good friends. We all love that,” said Blu, grinning.

  Isabella looked thoughtful.

  “Bella, what is it?”

  “You know, it’s weird. Sometimes I actually forget that I never knew Arianna. Between all the stories you’ve all told me, the pictures, and especially the journals that she left me, I feel as if she and I have actually spent time together. I don’t know if that makes sense at all.”

  Blu smiled even wider. “Do you have any idea how happy those words make me? It was Ari’s most important request of us before she passed away. She wanted you to have a sense of who she was. So, to hear you say that is really pretty spectacular.”

  Jemma came around the table to give her mom a hug. “Job well done!”

  “Seriously. I can’t ever thank you all enough for that,” said Isabella. “When I’d found out my birth mother had passed away—that I’d never have the chance to know her—I was devastated at the loss I’d felt. I just never would have imagined that feeling of loss could be replaced by something as rich and wonderful as what you’ve all given me.”

  “Bella, I think the others would agree that we feel the same way about what having you in our lives has meant to us. Losing Arianna was one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with, but meeting you—knowing you—has brought back some of the joy that left us when she died. And we just love you so much, honey.”

  Blu hugged Isabella close, pulling Jemma in with them also.

  “What a love fest.” Jemma laughed.

  “You bet it is.” Blu laughed too, happy for the new memories they were creating and excited to see what the future would hold for them all.

  Chapter 14

  Lia placed the last platter of food on the table and looked around at her guests. Every table was full, every chair occupied by someone who’d made a difference in her life. The main large table was filled with all her guests from the villa—her family. And Lia loved that this group was growing bigger every year.

  At another table nearby sat her good friends, Rebecca and Marco. Lia smiled as she watched Marco trying to feed Rebecca a huge mouthful of pasta, her mind flashing back to the chance meeting on an airplane that had let to the reunion between her and Antonio. Looking back at everything that had happened, Lia no longer believed in chance encounters. It was fate that had brought her and Rebecca together that day, fate that had her sitting next to the wife of Antonio’s dear cousin, Marco.

  She walked over to greet Elena and Franco before she sat down. Lia had been a fish out of water—and a rather depressed one, at that—when she’d arrived in Italy all those years ago to make her first home in the quaint little guesthouse run by Elena and Franco. They’d been a godsend to her during that time. Elena, gently coaxing her back to her love for cooking and where she belonged—in the restaurant with Carlo. She and Antonio had remained friends with the couple, who were regular visitors to both Thyme and their home at the vineyard.

  Lia looked around to see Sofia half dragging her uncle, Carlo, from the kitchen to the table to eat. Lia laughed because she knew how happy Carlo always was to be invited back into the kitchen. After Arianna had bought the restaurant from him, he’d stayed on cooking for several years before finally retiring, but at least every few weeks he’d show up at the restaurant with his apron, and Lia was happy to have him at Thyme as both guest and cook when it pleased him.

  Lia smiled at Antonio as he came to her side with a glass of champagne.

  “Honey, do you want to do the honors?” He walked her to one side of the dining room where they stood together, Antonio’s arm around her waist.

  The room grew silent as all eyes looked toward their hosts, Lia so poised and lovely in the blue gown she’d purchased especially for the evening. She swallowed and told herself not to get too emotional. She had a few things she wanted to say and she needed to be able to get through her little speech without breaking down.

  “Thank you all for coming. Antonio, I, Sofia, and everyone here at Thyme honors you as our friends and family. Your faces are the ones we can’t wait to see at these tables every day throughout the year, and we want to thank you for continuing to let us serve you our favorite dishes week after week. It is because of you all that Thyme continues to be one of the favored restaurants in the area, and we couldn’t do that without your support.” Lia raised her glass, looking around the room at each person seated. “We wish you a Merry Christmas and the happiest New Year to come.”

  “Buon appetito.” Antonio raised his glass alongside Lia’s.

  After finishing their desserts, Blu and Gigi both moved aroun
d to the other side of the table to sit next to Lia. It had been a fabulous meal and now the guests were starting to get up from the tables to chat with one another. Lia had hired one of her favorite local musicians to play carols on the guitar quietly in the background. The children were playing near the Christmas tree in the corner, eager to finally have a chance to open the presents beneath it as soon as one of the grown-ups gave them the green light.

  Lia turned toward her friends. “Well, how was it? Did you both get enough to eat?”

  Blu laughed. “It was absolutely wonderful, as usual, and I can’t even think about eating another bite.”

  “I know I say this every year, but every year you surprise us with the most wonderful new dishes,” said Gigi.

  “You’re both sweet. Thank you. And this year, Chase is definitely responsible for a good portion of the menu. I’m really excited about that new opportunity he has in Florence. If he takes it, they’ll be lucky to have him—as will Antonio and I—in regards to having you both so close.” She reached out to grab Gigi’s hand next to her. “And you! I think maybe we should seriously start talking about your future plans, missy.”

  Gigi laughed. “Yeah, somehow I’m not so sure that Douglas is taking me seriously about it all. Well, in his defense, he knows that we both stunk at the whole retirement thing years ago.”

  Lia laughed. “The key phrase there being years ago. You’ve mellowed so much since then—and I think you and Douglas together have really hit a nice stride, haven’t you?”

  “We have, yes. We don’t work nearly as hard as we used to. Of course the orphanage has become more of an emotional thing for us. Tori can run it. She practically is right now and she’s great at it. But I will miss the children. That’s for sure.”

  “Well, that certainly does sound like something that is happening, then.” Blu grinned. “Won’t it be nice to be able to see one another again whenever we like? I miss those times, and it’s been a good long while now. Who knew that Italy would call us all to her like this?” Blu winked and the three women all grinned at the same time.