by Paula Kay
“Well, I did ask, honey.”
“That you did—right beside the bright lights of the casino slot machines outside the poker room.”
Isabella laughed. “Thank you. That’s an incredible story.”
Kate looked at her and smiled. “I’m not saying that you’re meant to be with Thomas in that way—only the two of you can figure that out.” She glanced over at Lucas. “I guess our point in sharing our story with you is that being open to what life has for you is what really matters. I believe that if you’re honest with Thomas about how you feel, your relationship will work itself out—whatever ends up happening or not happening in the romance department between the two of you.”
Isabella smiled and got up to hug both Kate and Lucas. “Thank you. I’m really glad that I told you both about what’s been going on. I feel better—definitely much more positive about things. And by positive, I don’t mean that I’m secretly planning a scheme to get Thomas to go to Vegas with me.” She laughed at the look on Lucas’s face.
“Hey, now. There was no scheming involved.” Lucas winked and then hugged his daughter close. “I’m glad you feel better, honey.”
Chapter 17
Lia stood in the doorway of the dining room at the villa watching everyone at the table eating and laughing—enjoying the Christmas meal she and Chase had prepared. She saw Antonio watching her from where he sat at the head of the table. He smiled that wide grin that she loved, winked, and then quietly got up from the table to come over to her. He grabbed her around the waist from behind, pulling her around the corner into the kitchen.
She felt his lips on the back of her neck, his breath warm near her ear as he whispered. “Merry Christmas, my love.”
She turned around, putting her arms around his neck as she looked into his eyes. “Merry Christmas, darling. Do you have any idea how happy I am right now?”
He smiled, nodding his head. “Well, if the fact that you look possibly the most beautiful I’ve ever seen you look is any indication of your happiness, I’d say that you’re pretty darn happy.”
Lia laughed. “You say that all the time.”
“That’s because you get more and more beautiful—every day it surprises me more.”
They kissed and Lia gently poked him in the chest. “Oh, you and your Italian charm. You do realize that you don’t need to woo me anymore? You got the girl, Antonio.” Lia laughed.
Antonio’s face grew serious—in a teasing sort of way. “Nonsense, you will always be worthy of my charms. I will never stop trying to win your heart that much more, my love.”
Lia still felt like pinching herself at times—even after being married to Antonio almost ten years. The fact that she’d had so much good in her life—Antonio, Gabriella, Thyme, the villa in Italy, and all of these people around her that she called her family—was still magical to her. She’d always be grateful for what her daughter, Arianna, had done for her. She’d always remember those final months that they’d finally had together as the most special gift of all.
Antonio squeezed her to him, whispering in her ear again. “What are you thinking about, honey? Arianna?” He pulled his head back so that he could look into her eyes.
There’d been a time in their marriage when Lia had shed tears any time they’d spoken about the daughter they’d lost. Mostly she’d felt immense guilt for the fact that Antonio had never had the chance to know her. But Antonio had been so steadfast in his determination that Lia truly feel his forgiveness, and somehow over the years it had really sunk in that Ari’s real hope for her had been all about moving forward—in Italy, with the restaurant that she’d given her mother. If Arianna had known about Antonio, Lia knew that her daughter would have been beside herself with joy for what had happened between her birth parents.
Lia kissed Antonio again. “Yes, I’m thinking about Arianna, but they’re all happy thoughts.” She took him by the hand and pulled him back near the doorway where they had a view of everyone smiling and talking at the big dining table. “Antonio, could you ever imagine that our life could be so full—that we’d have a home here together filled with all these people we love?”
“They are pretty wonderful. And I love it when our home is full of people also. You’re the most perfect hostess, and it’s your touch that makes everyone feel so special here”—he kissed her on the cheek—“including your adoring husband.”
Lia saw Isabella noticing them from where she sat at the table. She got up and came over to them, a big smile on her face.
“Hi, you two. Anything I can help you with? Is everything okay?”
Lia and Antonio looked at one another and smiled before Antonio removed his arm from around Lia’s waist to give his granddaughter a hug. “Everything is just perfect, my dear. We were just talking about how insanely happy we were to have our home filled with all the people we love so much—especially you.” Antonio kissed Isabella on the cheek. “Now, I’ll leave you two so that I can get back to our guests.”
Isabella put her arm around Lia’s waist. “Dinner was so good. I think Lucas and Kate are feeling really spoiled by your cooking.” Isabella laughed. “I swear, last time I left you guys, I dreamt about your food for weeks.”
Lia leaned over to kiss Isabella on the cheek. “Last time you left, I dreamt about you for weeks, my dear. I must admit that I’m already feeling a bit sad, thinking about you all leaving.”
“Aww, don’t be sad. You know we’ll all be back as soon as we can. I love it here so much—well, and I haven’t actually decided yet what I’m doing, so you may have me for a few extra days—if that’s okay.” Isabella winked.
“Oh, you. You know that’s more than okay. I’d love to have you all to myself for a few days as well. We can just chill out a bit after all the festivities—maybe go to the coast for a few days.”
“That sounds wonderful, actually—a very enticing offer,” said Isabella. “Now what can I help you with? I think you should go sit down and enjoy some of that lovely food you’ve prepared.”
Lia smiled. “You go sit. I’ll be right there. I was just on my way to get another bottle of wine.” Lia stood in the doorway for a few more seconds as she watched Isabella make her way back to the table. She smiled when she saw Annie pop up to go sit on her sister’s lap the minute Isabella was seated in her chair. Isabella was laughing at something the little girl had said and they looked so sweet with their heads together.
When she and Antonio had started their marriage together at the villa, he’d promised her a home and a lifetime filled with love and laughter; he’d more than kept his promise to her as they’d watched their little family expand right before their very eyes.
Lia saw Rafael sneak a quick kiss from Jemma and she couldn’t help but wonder about the two of them. Gigi had told her in private that she felt certain the two young people would end up married one day. Having known Jemma since she was a child, Lia felt as close to her as if she were her own granddaughter, and Jemma treated her and Antonio the same, always very loving and respectful of them. She could imagine a time soon when there’d be babies to cuddle and toddlers to chase around the vineyard.
She laughed at herself for having those thoughts. It was something she and Gigi talked about together—Jemma and Isabella getting married and starting families of their own—but they both knew better than to say much in front of the men in their lives. Douglas and Antonio were forever scolding the two of them for getting ahead of themselves when it came to the kids and their romantic lives.
She watched Isabella again before she headed back to the table with the bottle of wine. Her granddaughter seemed happier since she’d finally been speaking with Thomas again. Lia really didn’t understand the friendship that the two seemed to have, and she was dying to meet the young man herself after everything Gigi had told her about how they seemed together. Gigi had her own ideas about that relationship too. Lia shook her head and laughed to herself as she finally made her way back to the table.
Isabella wa
s young and had plenty of time for romance. In the meantime, Lia and Antonio, along with Emily and Richard, would do their best to support her dreams of travel and writing. It was a noble dream to help fulfill in whatever way they could. For now, Lia would enjoy every minute that she had with her beautiful granddaughter there in Italy.
Chapter 18
Isabella laughed as the girls tore into their presents under the tree. There were beautiful dresses and all the new dolls, games, and toys that the grown-ups had been able to get their hands on. They might have gone slightly overboard when it came to the kids, but watching their faces certainly made it all worthwhile.
She smiled at Lucas as he came to stand beside her. “I think maybe you guys are going to need to buy another piece of luggage to transport all of Annie’s new gifts back with you.”
Lucas laughed. “You know, I think that’s actually a good plan.”
“Or you can leave some of her new things here—for when you come back to visit us soon,” Lia said, coming up behind them to grab Isabella in a big hug.
Lucas smiled as he looked over at Annie laughing with her mother. “Well, I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t take a lot of convincing. Our time here has been really incredible.” Lucas put his arm around Isabella. “It’s going to seem weird not being able to see you every day.”
Isabella nodded. She’d been thinking a lot lately herself—about saying her goodbyes and what was going to be next for her. She’d already spoken to her parents about the fact that she’d decided that she wasn’t going back to the United States or to Harvard—at least for a while. That was the only thing she was certain about at this point.
The taste that she’d had for writing and for traveling had given her enough of a glimpse into another lifestyle that she was interested to see where it would lead. And she was also very aware of all the places still left to visit marked out on Arianna’s map—it had become something of a quest in her mind, one that felt worthy of pursuit.
After talking to Gigi and Douglas, it was a toss-up right now for going to Guatemala, staying in Tuscany for a while longer, or heading out to see more of Europe. The one thing that seemed to be changing was the fact that Jemma wouldn’t be joining her for anything other than the possible Guatemala trip. Isabella was still trying to fully wrap her head around the idea of traveling by herself, but deep down she knew that she could handle it now and was trying to make her decisions based on what felt right to her and not letting fear of being on her own stand in her way.
“Huh? Sorry, Lia. What was that?”
Lia laughed. “Wow, you seemed a million miles away just now. Everything okay?”
Lucas looked at her too, waiting for her response.
“Oh, yeah. I was just thinking about what it is I’m going to do next. I suppose I’ll need to be making a decision soon.”
“Well, it’s certainly no rush on our part. You know that your grandfather and I would love for you to stay as long as you’re able to.”
Isabella kissed Lia on the cheek. “I know. And that’s really sweet. Well, whatever I end up doing, I won’t be staying away for long—and that goes for you guys too.” She nodded at Lucas. “I’d love to come back to San Francisco again in the near future when we’d have more time to spend together there.”
“That sounds like a perfect idea to me.” Lucas gave her one more squeeze before heading across the room to see what wonderful new present Annie was squealing about.
Lia excused herself to go talk to Antonio about something, and Isabella caught Jemma’s eye from across the room.
Jemma grinned, kissed Rafael on the cheek, and then disappeared outside the door for a few seconds before coming back towards Isabella with a big box full of wrapped gifts in her arms.
Isabella laughed and met her across the room to help carry what looked like a heavy load.
“Oh, Jem. Everyone is going to love their gifts from you. I can’t wait to see their faces.” Isabella peered into the box, noticing a smaller one than all the rest right on top. She raised an eyebrow. “Is that a new one I see?” She’d watched Jemma create every painting throughout their travels.
Jemma nodded, a big grin on her face. “It’s for Raf. I’ve done it since he arrived here.”
Isabella watched her friend’s face go red as she whispered to her.
“It’s one I did from a picture of myself here, actually—the one you took of me in the vineyard. I figured it might be something nice that he can remember this trip by.”
“Oh, he’s going to love that.”
“And what about you? Where are your gifts?”
“They’re just tucked away behind the chair over there. You go first.”
Jemma handed out her paintings to the delight of everyone. Somehow she’d even managed the time to do one of the vineyard for Lucas and Kate. She walked over to Isabella, handing her a gift that was smaller than most of the others.
“Jem—you kept one hidden from me, I see.”
Jemma laughed. “I did this one while you were away to San Francisco for Thanksgiving. I made it smaller in case you want to travel with it—oh, but don’t feel like you have to or anything.”
Isabella laughed as she tore the paper off her gift. “Oh, wow!”
It was the recreation of a selfie that Jemma had taken of the two girls after they’d walked up the steps of the Duomo in Florence. It was the first stop on their journey together. Jemma had perfectly captured in her painting the same excited expressions apparent on their faces in that photo.
Isabella threw her arms around her friend’s neck in a big hug. “Ooh, of course I’ll want to take it with me. I love it so much.”
Jemma grinned back at her. “Okay it’s your turn. I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks when you give them your gifts.”
Isabella grinned back at her and then went to retrieve her own hidden box of wrapped gifts behind the chair in the living room, where everyone was still chatting. She handed them out one by one, amused at the looks on their faces. Whenever anyone had asked her how her writing was coming, she’d been very noncommittal about it, saying that she was enjoying the process and making good headway on the book. No one, besides Jemma and Thomas, knew that her book had already been published, and she couldn’t wait to let them know.
“Bella!” Gigi was the first to see the cover and immediately came to give her a big hug and kiss. “You sneaky girl, you. I had no idea.” She laughed.
Blu was grinning and then read out loud from the cover, “Her Mother’s Eyes—Isabella Dawson—Bella, this is fantastic. I can’t wait to read it.”
Lia and Antonio both came over to where Isabella stood as she brushed the tears away from her eyes. The room got quiet as Lia opened the book and began reading the dedication page out loud.
“To my family, which has grown in numbers that I never would have imagined. Thank you more than words can say, for all the love and support you’ve given me. And to Arianna—this book is a tribute to you. I will be forever grateful for the legacy you’ve left me and for making all my dreams come true.” Lia finished with tears streaming down her face as she and Antonio hugged Isabella and told her how proud they were of her.
The room erupted in noise and shouts as everyone made their way over to hug and congratulate Isabella.
Isabella felt incredibly happy and very proud in that moment. It had been quite an accomplishment, and she truly felt that so much of her heart and soul had gone into the writing—that it didn’t even matter to her if it sold any copies or not. What mattered to her most was the love and support from everyone there in that room, and she knew that she’d always have that.
Amidst the chatter and the sounds of the children playing a loud game in the corner, Isabella could hear her phone ringing where she’d placed it on the table near Jemma earlier. “Jem, will you see who that is, please?”
Jemma, with a wide grin on her face, held up Isabella’s phone to her so that she could see Thomas’s face on the screen. “Bella, take it.”
Isabella grabbed the phone and walked out into the foyer where it was quiet. She studied Thomas as she looked into the screen. “Hey, you. Merry Christmas. Where are you? It’s so dark?”
Thomas laughed. “Iz, come to the front door.”
“What? Thomas, don’t kid me.”
“Come. Open the door.”
He was grinning at her and Isabella felt her heart race as she took the few quick steps that had her across the foyer and opening the front door. She saw Thomas standing in front of her holding what looked like mistletoe above his head and before she could say a word, he’d pulled her to him. His lips were on hers and she couldn’t think as she let herself enjoy the pure bliss of his kiss for what felt like several minutes.
Finally, he put his head back a bit so that she could look into his eyes.
“Merry Christmas, Iz,” he said.
And then he kissed her again.
Chapter 19
Isabella’s heart was racing. This had to be a dream—and most definitely a dream that she didn’t want to wake up from. She opened her eyes as their lips parted again, taking in everything about this man who held her in his arms. It was Thomas—her Thomas—her best friend—and she knew in that moment that she never wanted to leave his arms. Everything about it felt right to her—like coming home to a place that was pure comfort.
“Thomas, what are you doing here?” Isabella finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
He laughed at her as he looked into her eyes and took her hand firmly in his own. “I couldn’t be away from you. I needed to see you.” He leaned in to kiss her again. “Can we sit down somewhere and talk?”
“Yes, of course. Oh, I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. Let’s go inside.”
“We will, but first I want you to myself for a few minutes more. There are some things I need to say to you, my darling.”