A Map for Bella Books 1-4

by Paula Kay

  She grinned thinking about the map. She’d brought it with her to Italy. Gigi, especially, always seemed to enjoy looking at it with her—hearing about her adventures as Isabella shared pictures and stories about her travels.

  “Sorry, what did you say, Gigi?”

  Gigi laughed, probably at the funny expression on Isabella’s face as she’d zoned out thinking about everything under the sun.

  “I was just reminding you that I want to see the pictures of the house.”

  Isabella nodded. “Oh, yes. I have them on my phone.”

  “How many bedrooms did you say it has?”

  “Four bedrooms and an apartment above the garage.” This time Isabella definitely saw a look pass between Gigi and Lia. She laughed. “Yes, I know. Plenty of room for an expanding family.”

  “Well, it can’t hurt to be ready.” Lia grinned at Isabella.

  Isabella’s thoughts turned back to Thomas and their new home. He’d gone to so much trouble to find just the right house for them—a house that Isabella would love. And she had loved it when she’d seen it—she’d agreed that living there, a doable commute from what would be Thomas’s new office, made sense for them.

  Thomas would be working in management for his father’s company and Isabella could write from anywhere—Thomas had said that they’d set up the space above the garage to be her office. And they’d keep Isabella’s apartment in the city—for Thomas’s business meetings there and also as a place they could go to when they wanted a little getaway from the slower pace of the suburbs.

  Without meaning to, Isabella sighed loud enough that all the women in the room turned to look at her.

  “You okay? You’re probably about ready to get out of that, huh?” Blu asked her.

  Isabella turned to look out the nearby window. “Well, I think the guys will be in soon. Thomas and I have a date to go over the final items we need to do here before we leave for New York.”

  “Where’d they go so early this morning?” asked Gigi.

  “I think Antonio wanted to go look at that property just up for sale.” Lia winked at Gigi. “You know, the one I was saying that you and Douglas should think about.”

  Gigi laughed. “You mean, the vineyard next door to you? I don’t want to speak for that energetic husband of mine, but I’m pretty confident that learning the fine art of wine-making is not a challenge we’re up for at this stage in our lives.”

  Isabella grinned at them. “Lia, I don’t think you’ll be happy until we are all moved in right here with you at the vineyard.”

  Lia laughed too. “Well, I’d say you got that right. But okay, I’ll settle for having Gigi in town. Now, my Bella so far away in Connecticut—that’s another story, my dear.”

  Isabella felt a little wave of sadness. It was how she always felt when she it was time to leave Tuscany. “I know. But I’ll be back before you know it. There’s still too much to do to stay away for long.”

  Lia crossed the room to give Isabella a light kiss on the cheek. “You pay no attention to me, my dear. I know your priorities are right. Thomas is lucky to have you there supporting him and his career. We’ll just have to take your visits when we can get them.”

  Blu had stepped back with a critical look on her face as she examined Isabella in the dress. “Well, it sure sounds like the newlyweds will have room for us in the new house. Not to invite ourselves, but I wouldn’t say no to a visit.” She winked at Isabella.

  “Oh, you know I will love to have you all come visit. I’m going to hold you to that.” Isabella turned to Lia as she took Blu’s hand to step down from where Blu had been working on her dress. “And Lia, you will always be a priority for me—for both of us. We love coming here, and that’s not going to stop after we’re married.”

  Lia reached out to squeeze Isabella’s hand. “I know, honey. Your grandfather and I are delighted with how often you visit. You just focus on that lovely husband-to-be. Speaking of which, Antonio just texted me that they are on their way home, so let’s get you out of that dress.”

  Isabella followed Blu behind the partition she’d set up, hugging her tight before she stepped out of the dress. “The dress is really gorgeous. I can’t express to you how much I love it. I feel just like a princess.”

  “As you should, lovely girl.” Blu looked her in the eyes. “I can’t wait to see the look on your young man’s face when he sees you. You’re going to be a beautiful bride, Bella.”

  Isabella smiled as Blu left her to change back into her clothes. She still had to pinch herself about the fact that she was marrying Thomas—the man of her dreams and the best friend she’d ever had.

  Chapter 2

  Gigi set the coffee down in front of her friend at the small breakfast table that overlooked the vineyard outside. Since moving to Tuscany two years ago, she and Lia had gotten into the wonderful routine of having coffee together at least a few mornings every week. The two women had only grown closer over the years, and Gigi could hardly imagine a time when they’d not known one another.

  She reached across the table to place her hand on Lia’s as her friend looked out the window, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. “Lia, are you okay? I can hold down the fort here if you want to go have a rest.”

  Lia smiled back at her. “Thank you. We’ll just take a break here with our coffee for a few minutes and I’ll be just fine. So, how stunning did our Bella look in that dress?”

  Gigi felt her eyes instantly go wet with tears. Seeing Isabella in her wedding gown had literally taken her breath away. “I still don’t know how Blu manages to do that, but it’s the most gorgeous dress I’ve ever seen. And—well, Bella would look beautiful, no matter the dress, but indeed she looks like something out of the pages of a young girl’s fairy tale.”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Lia nodded her head toward where the men stood talking outside in the vineyard not far from the house. “That young man is in for a wonderful treat.”

  Gigi nodded, also watching Thomas from the window as he grinned at the two men who’d seemed to become pretty important in his life since his engagement to Isabella.

  “Douglas thinks the world of Thomas. The way that he jumped right in to help him with the rebuilding last summer said an awful lot about his character.”

  While Isabella and Thomas had been spending the previous summer at the vineyard, a terrible storm had done a lot of destruction to several of the main buildings at the orphanage. When Douglas had made plans to immediately fly to Guatemala, Thomas had been right beside him, no questions asked.

  Lia was nodding in agreement. “Yes, Antonio also feels nothing but happy for Thomas to be joining our family officially.” Lia looked across the table at Gigi, and Gigi didn’t miss the gleam in her eye as she spoke her next words. “Antonio says that Thomas has a real knack for the business. He’s very quick to pick things up and his interest has only seemed to grow stronger over the past year.”

  “I hope he’ll be happy working for his father,” said Gigi. “That it’s what he really wants to do, I mean.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what Antonio and I have talked about. It’s not our place to pry, and Bella doesn’t share too much about it. She seems happy, though—with their plans—do you think so, Gigi?”

  Gigi was thoughtful. They’d all been pretty careful when it came to Isabella’s and Thomas’s relationship. Isabella had shared with them some angst that she’d felt over the past years whenever she’d been living in New York City. It didn’t feel like home to her, and the struggle had always been about how much time to spend there with Thomas versus traveling or spending time abroad with her family. In the end, of course, it was their decision to make, and Isabella’s family understood her feelings of wanting to support Thomas with his career goals.

  Gigi looked back over at Lia, who was waiting for a response from her. “Yes, I think she’s happy with their plans.” Gigi trusted that, more than anything, Thomas wanted Isabella to be happy. They’d work it out an
d the family would continue to enjoy long holidays and vacations together when they could.

  Blu walked across the room, carrying her own cup of coffee to the table. “Ah, great minds think alike.” She bent down to give Lia a quick hug and then leaned in to kiss Gigi on the cheek before joining the women at the table. She grinned over at them both. “Is it just me, or was Bella absolutely breathtaking in that dress? I mean, not to toot my own horn or anything.” She smiled as she glanced down at the pictures she’d taken on her phone. “I have to say it…” She held her phone out, first for Gigi to see and then Lia. “Does she not look just like Ari?”

  Lia smiled back at Blu. “I was thinking exactly the same thing about my beautiful granddaughter.”

  “The fact that we get to celebrate such a wonderful occasion with her feels a little bit like a miracle, doesn’t it?” Gigi said.

  So many years had passed since Arianna’s death. Mostly now when they talked about her, Gigi was able to do so with fond memories and less sadness. Having Isabella in their lives years later had helped to heal so much of the remnants of the grief they’d all carried.

  Lia smiled and looked out the window toward Antonio. “Yes, she’s most definitely a miracle to us. One that I will be forever grateful for.”

  Blu, never one to hide her emotions, was watching Lia. Gigi could read the concern in her eyes as Blu reached her hand out to touch Lia gently on the arm.

  “Lia, how are you doing? You’d tell us, wouldn’t you? If it’s too much having us all here?”

  Lia was just as quick to show Blu a big smile. “Nonsense. I’m fine and everything is good. Having you all here is exactly what I need right now, so don’t even for a second think that it’s not the case.”

  “Okay, but we’re here to help. Don’t forget that. And Chase is arriving tomorrow with big plans for a dinner feast. I think you’re really going to like the latest additions to his menu at the restaurant. He’s been dying to make them for you.”

  Lia smiled. “I can’t wait.” She glanced toward the clock on the wall behind her. “Let’s see…Emily and Richard are due here any minute. And Chase will be here with the girls by late afternoon. Is that right?”

  “Yes, he told me today that Gabby and Kylie have had the best week at camp—so much so that they’ve been begging to go for another session,” Blu said.

  Lia laughed. “Yes, Gabriela mentioned that to me on the phone as well. I told her we’d talk about it after we’ve had her home for at least the weekend.”

  “Right. I was thinking, though, that it might make good sense for our trip down south. We could go for the first three weeks or so and then Chase or Antonio could bring the girls down for the rest of the time.”

  “So does this mean that you got the house you were telling us about? The one with the incredible view?” Gigi said.

  “The one with the incredible kitchen?” Lia winked.

  “I did indeed,” said Blu. “It’s going to be spectacular, with plenty of room for all of us and more to spare. It will be the perfect place for me to work on finishing the dresses, and I’ve already talked to Jemma. She’s coming a few days after we arrive and I think she really wants it to be a surprise for Isabella.”

  “Well, I guess that’s the question of the day, really.” Gigi took a sip of her coffee. “Have you said anything to Bella yet?”

  “Aha. I knew my ears were burning for a reason.” Isabella laughed as she walked across the room to take the last available seat at the table. She turned toward Gigi. “Has who said what to me?”

  Blu grinned and leaned over to give Isabella a quick hug. “Well, I—we, really—wanted to surprise you with a little getaway. I know that you’ve not really spent that much time at the Amalfi Coast, and I’ve rented the most beautiful big villa for us all in Positano for several weeks. We figured that it could be an extended wedding shower of sorts for you. We’ll eat lovely food and drink lovely wine and I’ll finish the dresses—”

  “—Which will also be quite lovely.” Lia laughed as she interrupted her friend.

  “And Bella, I know you’re planning to head back after the weekend, but we’re hoping that you can change your plans—maybe just stay here with us until the wedding,” Blu grinned.

  Gigi was watching Isabella carefully. She saw the way the young girl’s face lit up when Blu mentioned the Amalfi Coast, but she also knew that Isabella and Thomas had some major things to take care of back home, not the least of which was the closing on their new home in Connecticut. And she knew the look of Isabella’s trying to hold back tears. That was the look that she saw now.

  “You all are so sweet to do this. Any other time, I’d jump at the chance, but I just don’t see how I could make that happen. We’ve got to get back to pack up the remaining things from my apartment and close on the house. Maybe I can come out a few weeks earlier if you’re still there? But I shouldn’t say yes until I speak to Thomas about it. I know that he had some other things that he wanted us to get done before we come back out for the wedding, and—well, I have been traveling already a lot this year.” She laughed lightly. “I don’t want him to feel that I’m choosing travel—or Italy—over him every time.”

  Blu leaned over to give Isabella a hug. “Don’t worry, Bella. We knew that it might not work with your plans, and I understand. Talk to Thomas and just let us know if anything will work for you. Gigi, Lia, and I will be there for the month, and it’s looking like the kids will come join us for the last week or so—after their camp lets out.”

  Gigi reached across the table to squeeze Isabella’s hand. “Talk to Thomas, and only if it feels like the right thing to do, okay, honey?”

  Isabella nodded her head and stood up to walk over to the window, her face lighting up in a big smile. “My parents are here!”

  Chapter 3

  Isabella hadn’t seen her parents for a few months and was taken aback by the emotion she felt as she hugged them close. Their new Spanish lifestyle definitely seemed to be agreeing with them. She linked her arm through her mom’s as they followed her father to the outside patio, where Lia had scooted them out so that they could have some privacy.

  “You both look so happy and healthy! I guess you’ve found the time you were wanting, to hang out at that lovely beach of yours.”

  Emily nodded her head and took Richard’s hand across the table as they sat down. “Oh, honey, we love the new house so much. Please tell me that you and Thomas are going to be coming for a visit soon.”

  Isabella grinned. “Well, maybe you need to talk to Thomas about that. He’s in charge of the honeymoon, but he did give me the hint that it will be in Europe, so swinging down your way is a distinct possibility, I suppose.”

  “How much time will you have? For the honeymoon?” Richard asked.

  “Thomas won’t start work until mid-October, so I think he’s figuring that we’ll take the whole month after our wedding.” Isabella laughed lightly.

  “What is it, honey?” Emily asked.

  “I just shocked myself hearing those words come out of my mouth.” Isabella grinned. “I mean, would you ever have thought that Thomas and I…” She took in the look that passed between her parents.

  “Well, actually, yes.” Richard laughed and squeezed his wife’s hand. “I can remember one day—I think you were probably around thirteen or so—the two of you had come running into the house after ice skating or sledding—something that had your cheeks all rosy and away from your studies for a few hours.”

  Isabella sat forward in her chair a bit, enjoying herself as the faint recollection came to her mind.

  “Your father and I were watching the two of you all cozy with your hot chocolate as you sat together on the sofa laughing and teasing one another about one thing or another,” Emily said.

  “We couldn’t hear your conversation, but Thomas reached out to put a bit of hair behind your ear—”

  “—And it was such a tender moment.” Emily interrupted, her eyes suddenly wet with tears.
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  “Your mother looked at me and pulled me back into the kitchen to whisper that somewhere along the way, our Izzy had become loved by that young man.”

  Isabella smiled as countless bits of memories from her childhood with Thomas flashed through her mind. She’d always felt loved by Thomas. She looked at her father. “And you weren’t at all sure that Thomas would be a good choice for me.”

  “Well, not then maybe, I’ll admit. But Thomas is a fine young man.” Richard looked across the table to catch Emily’s eye. “And your mother and I couldn’t be more happy to have him as a part of our family.”

  “He’s your soulmate, that’s for sure. I never doubted it after that day,” Emily said.

  “Well, it sure seems like the two of you were clued in before we ever were.” Isabella laughed. “Thank goodness fate had its way and paid no attention to everything he and I did to nearly mess things up between us.”

  “You’re together now, and that’s what matters.” Emily smiled. “And honey, Blu sent me pictures from earlier—of you in your dress. You look absolutely divine in it.”

  “Do you think so? I’m sorry we couldn’t wait for you. I’ll try it on again before you leave, though. I really want you to see it.”

  Emily laughed. “Absolutely. I refuse to leave without seeing you in it for myself.”

  “I’m so glad you were able to come. It’s going to be hard to leave in a few days—what with so much yet to get done. But Lia and Gigi—and Blu—have been so incredibly helpful. They assure me that they’ve got everything under control, and I guess Thomas and I need to spend the next few weeks focusing on everything back home.”

  Isabella tried not to show her emotions as she spoke. She’d made a promise to herself to be excited about the new house and everything that was to come along with their marriage in just a few short months. She owed that to Thomas—to be fully supportive of him as he started out in his new job.