by Jan Moran
“Great idea!” Alicia picked her up and moved to the table then pulled out a chair and sat her down. Alicia joined her. Picking up a blue pencil she asked, “What color is this?”
“Bue.” Olivia giggled and opened a princess coloring book. She clapped her hands. “Colo,” she said, grabbing a salmon-colored pencil. With her tongue poking from between her rosy lips, she began to scribble the princess’s dress.
“Do you know who she is?”
“No Whieee.”
Vincenzo leaned on the doorjamb, with folded arms. “Dinner is ready, ladies.”
“Colo moeh,” Olivia insisted.
Alicia took the color from her hand. “Olivia, we don’t want to eat cold food, do we?”
“Yeth. Colo.” She tilted her head. “Tay.”
Alicia wondered if most children had problems pronouncing certain letters. “I don’t think we should make your Daddy upset after he worked so hard making a delicious dinner for us. What do you think?”
Olivia glanced at her father. “Otay.” She slipped from the chair and grabbed Alicia’s hand, pulling her to the door.
The closeness to Vincenzo accelerated Alicia’s heart. She chastised herself but then fantasized what the evening would bring after Olivia went to bed. Do I want him to kiss me? The idea of his lips trailing down her neck didn’t help the blood rushing through her veins, spreading heat. Wait! Stop. He disappeared once, could he do it again? Confusion fogged her thoughts. Should she hate him for what he did?
The table looked amazing. Mauve cloth mats sat under white china plate settings. A thin decorative blue line on the rim made the china pop. The aroma from the Risotto alla Milanes made her mouth water. The lemon chicken sitting on another serving dish surrounded by asparagus made her want to dig in and taste.
After settling Olivia on a booster chair next to him, Vincenzo served.
“Thank you. It all looks so delicious.” She shook the mauve napkin and placed it on her lap. “I had no idea you were such a wonderful cook.”
Vincenzo bowed his head, Olivia mimicked. “Dear God, we give thanks for the abundance You’ve graced us with and for our new friend Alicia. Provide for those who don’t have and help us be grateful for what we do have.”
With her head still bowed, Alicia responded, “Amen.”
Chapter 21
Vincenzo
Once they cleared the dishes and Vincenzo placed the espresso pot on the burner, he excused himself. “It’s Olivia’s bedtime. Do you mind?”
“Go ahead and do what you need to.” She picked up a magazine.
Walking out of the room, Olivia yawned again.
“I have a tired little princess with me.” He took her hand and shuffled down the hall. “Which nightgown does Oli want to wear tonight?”
She leaned over the open drawer, staring at the folded nightclothes.
“This one…. No, this one…that.” She picked up a pajama with a mermaid on the front.
“Before we put it on, what do we do?” He took her by the hand and pulled her in the bathroom.
“No teeth.” Olivia shook her head, refusing to take the toothbrush and shutting her mouth tight.
“Oli, if we don’t brush your teeth, you’re going to get a cavity in your mouth.”
“Daddy.” She threw herself around his legs. “Oli tiyered.”
He picked her up. “Look how fast Daddy can clean your mouth.”
“No. Daddy slow.”
She opened her mouth.
“That’s my girl.” Vincenzo brushed her teeth then rinsed her hands and face and carried her to her big girl bed. The crib had been converted into a toddler bed. Placing her favorite pink blanket Nonna had made for her when she was born, Olivia snuggled. He kissed her unruly curls, turned on the nightlight, and closed the door.
“Daddy, Penny. Where my Penny?” Olivia squealed.
He switched the lights on and scanned the room. There she lay, resting on the rocking chair at the foot of the bed. Vincenzo grabbed the little beanie, pink elephant and handed it to her.
“Than tou.” She snuggled the little creature, yawning.
When Vincenzo returned, he found Alicia curled on the sofa, flipping through one of his mother’s magazines. “Ready for some espresso and tiramisu?”
“You made dessert, too?” She gazed up, eyes wide and lips parted.
She needs to stop looking at me like that!
“Yes, with my mother’s help, I made dessert.” He moved to the kitchen area and removed the espresso pot from the fire. On the counter, he placed a silver tray. On the tray, he placed two demitasse cups with saucers and espresso spoons. Taking out the tiramisu from the refrigerator, he cut two generous slices and rested them on two dessert dishes with forks. Knowing she didn’t take sugar, he didn’t pull out the crystal sugar bowl. He put the tray on the coffee table near the sofa. After pouring the espresso, he offered her a cup.
She inhaled the aroma. Lifting her chin, she closed her eyes.
His cock responded to her action. Fuck, man! Get it together.
She took a sip. The gesture pulled at his groin some more. He’d forgotten how sexy she appeared when relishing her coffee.
Alicia reached for the slice of tiramisu and took a bite. “Wow!” She wet her lips after swallowing the morsel. “This is delicious! You’ve got to give me your recipe.” She took another bite and chewed with her eyes closed. “So…” she paused. “You seemed to have speculations on what’s going on with Nonno and your dad. Care to share?”
How could she be so calm? Too much is going on in her life. “It’s just an observation I made that got me thinking.” He sat next to her on the sofa.
She scooted to the other corner to curl up. “Please, go on.”
Is she over me? With a trembling hand, he picked up his dessert dish, cursing his stupidity. “I think your granddad is playing matchmaker in a very unconventional way.” It’s going to be harder than I thought to win her back.
She pushed away from the corner, twisted to better see him, and stared at him with parted lips and furrowed brows. “What are you talking about?”
“I believe he is hoping we fall in love.”
She jumped to her feet.
“Relax. Geez, sit down.” He waited. “Listen to what I’ve got to say.”
Stiff, she settled into the corner again. “What do you have to tell me I haven’t already heard?”
“Olivia’s mom is a troubled woman. I won’t deny she is beautiful, irresistible, but not my type. She had it bad for me and was determined to win me over at all costs. She couldn’t accept the fact we were over. Unable to win me back, she executed her secondary plan flawlessly. Being a stupid college kid and drinking too much with my friends, I created the perfect opportunity and in my drunkenness got her pregnant. In no way does this excuse me.” He shook his head at the memories streaming through his mind.
“I couldn’t figure out how to come clean and convinced myself you’d be better off without a jerk like me. I’ve never been able to get you out of my mind. It was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Alicia, I’m still in love with you….”
“I don’t understand why you wouldn’t talk to me.”
“The shame and guilt still torments me. All because getting drunk was the thing to do.” He ran his fingers through his hair to calm his internal shakes. “I still haven’t been able to forgive myself, but I thank God every day for blessing me with Olivia.” He scooted to the edge of the seat, placed his dessert dish on the coffee table, and shifted his body to face her. “If it wasn’t for Olivia who straightened me out, I’d probably be lying in a gutter dying right now.”
“I never realized things had gotten so bad with you.”
“You were never the type to party all weekend long. Your studies came first. I remember the day you told me you wouldn’t be going to any more of these parties. You always had your priorities straight….”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I should have paid more
attention to you, people matter so much more. At the time, I could only concentrate on making Nonno proud of me.” She lowered her head. Was it a look of guilt she tried to hide?
“I’m a new person, Alicia…. Won’t you give me a second chance? Olivia did, and I think she’s happy with the daddy she ended up with.” He watched her, hope flooding his being. After all, there she was, sitting in his living room. Something must have been going his way.
“If you never stopped loving me, why didn’t you ever try to contact me?” The confusion in her glance made her so vulnerable.
“I couldn’t contact you until I had cleaned up my act. Thanks to my mother, I finished my degree.” He swallowed hard.
Alicia’s furrowed brow. “Why did you apply to work for my grandfather?”
“According to my father, I needed to help him take over the vineyard. Yeah, I agreed not knowing the real facts, but my main reason was to try and get closer to you.”
“Are you just saying it because it’s convenient right now?”
He sat up straight, showing the palms of his hands. “Alicia, I swear to you, I’ve never stopped loving you. I needed to know if I have a chance. Realizing you had no boyfriend gave me hope.” Leaning, he brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. She stiffened. Maybe he should slow down.
“I understand what you’re telling me about yourself, but I need to digest it all, and what about Nonno?”
“Well, look at us right now. Don’t you think he’s noticed things when we’re in the office? He’s made some assumptions that may or may not come true, but he is gambling on them with my father.” He scooted closer and, taking her hand, kissed her palm—soft, warm. His heart beat a little faster. This time she didn’t pull away. A good sign.
“So you think your father is in on it, too?”
“My father is not so easy to predict.” When she didn’t move away, his being tingled even more with excitement. He leaned back and crossed his legs, hoping to hide his swelling cock.
“You think my grandfather is easy to predict?” Her voice quivered.
“Not particularly, but my father is a schemer, has to be in his line of work. Actually, one day, when the business is mine, I won’t scheme. Too many businesses out there tend to lose money and seek a way out.” He pulled her into his embrace. “Alicia, won’t you please give me another chance?”
“I’ve wanted to hate you for so long, have resented you since the day you stepped into Nonno’s office. I’ve been able to resent you, but not hate you. I don’t think I’ve ever really stopped loving you.”
He eased her head to his chest, caressing her soft hair. “I’ve made huge mistakes, but never stopped loving you. Like a fool, I feared your rejection so I chose not to explain my blunder.” He kissed her forehead. “Can you forgive me?” He pushed her away to observe her expression—it never lied. Seeing her hesitation, he said, “I am a better man today because of the past experiences…won’t you let me prove it to you?”
Her beautiful amber eyes darkened, a tempest sweeping behind them. He held his breath, praying for a favorable response.
“I don’t know if I can trust you not walking out on me again.” Her eyes filled with unshed tears. “My heart shattered, and, for the longest time, I didn’t know if I could piece it back together. If you really care, why did you stay away for so long?”
“I didn’t know and still don’t know how you feel about Olivia.” He raised his hand to shush her. “Before you say anything, I understand how difficult it is when a significant other has children.”
“I really need some time to digest all this….” She stared around the room.
“Take all the time you need. Let’s just get to know each other all over again.”
“With Nonno in the mix, I don’t know what I want.”
He didn’t quite understand what she meant. “We continue to work together to figure out what he’s doing and why.”
“I think we can….” A tear rolled down the side of her face. She wiped it away.
“I’m so sorry for all the hurt I’ve caused you, but I believed I was protecting you.”
“That’s the part I don’t understand.”
“I’m a jerk for not grasping how much you really cared about me. I tried to do what I considered best for you. I never should have made the decision. It should have been your choice.”
She seemed open to communications and definitely still in love with him. Will I be able to win her trust again? Emotionally, he punched his brain for his stupidity. His mother had tried to tell him to discuss the tragedy, as she called it, with Alicia, but he couldn’t bring himself to face her.
“I’m such an idiot!” escaped from his lips.
“We all do stupid things when young. I guess what matters is what we do with them afterward.”
It sounded like an open invitation. “Give me the chance to show you I’ve changed and how much I love you.” He scooted closer and gathered her into his embrace. She leaned her head against his chest, and, a few minutes later, her tears soaked into his shirt. His heart shriveled in pain.
He leaned his cheek on the top of her head. “I’ve never fallen out of love with you. We’ll take it slow, get to know each other again, but you need to remember I’m a package deal. I come with a daughter.”
She pushed away, saying nothing. Would Olivia be a problem for her? Alicia seemed to like her, but he couldn’t tell for sure.
“You know, when a person is full of love, it’s not difficult to embrace the people who come with the man.”
What? Did she really say this? “Are you sure?”
“Vincenzo, true love has no bounds, no limits, it is big and it grows every day. Besides, to love a child doesn’t mean she has to be biologically yours. Are you telling me all those people who adopt don’t really love the children?”
He had to be dreaming. “Not many think the way you do.”
“How would you feel if I had a child?”
He paused only seconds to think about his love for Olivia. “You’re right. I would love your child because I love you. Your child would be a part of you.”
An open smile stretched across her face. Yes, she had been the perfect woman all along.
Chapter 22
Alicia
Alicia had fidgeted all week waiting for Saturday. Vincenzo invited her and Mina for some chilling time. On crossing the threshold, Olivia, happy to see her again, raised her arms in the air.
“Up,” she said in her usual sweet voice.
Mina picked her up and gave her a sweet hug before setting her down.
Since Mina rushed in the powder room, Alicia rushed in one of the bedrooms to find another toilet. Oops! She walked in the master suite. Curiosity pushed her, and she took a peak in the first drawer of his night table. It resembled a junk drawer. He hasn’t changed much in this respect. Oh, wait! Now that’s gross! In the midst of coins, keys, and beer tops sat a used pregnancy stick. Why in the world would he have such a thing in his drawer? Oh! Was it the stick? What kind of souvenir could it be? Could he be lying about loving the mother of his child? She needed to confront him about the stick because if they embarked in a serious relationship again there could be no shadows between them. Everything had to be out in the open.
She hurried into the bathroom and returned to the living space to find Mina playing with Olivia while Vincenzo fussed in the kitchen. “What are you doing?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “I know you love espresso, so I’m making some, unless you prefer a cup of cappuccino.”
She admired his cappuccino maker sitting on the granite counter top. “I think a cappuccino would be nice then Mina might join us. She’s not too crazy about straight espresso.”
“Great! Do you mind pulling out the milk from the fridge?” After plugging in the machine, he raised his voice to an unusual high pitch, Olivia’s squeals dampened from his voice. “Will you join us in a cappuccino?”
“I don’t think so. I’m fine, thank y
ou.”
Placing the milk on the counter, Alicia ventured to ask, “You can tell me to mind my own business, but how does it feel to be on your own with Olivia?”
“To be honest, it feels wonderful to know I can make a go of it. But you need to understand my mother takes care of Olivia. Lately, it’s been putting a strain on her because she had to move in with me.” He couldn’t bring himself to tell her about his parents’ situation and, moving close, wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against him. “My priority right now is to find out where you and I are going.”
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. “My feelings are a little here, a bit there, and everywhere. At times, I’m so confused. I like your idea of slow.”
Vincenzo chuckled, letting her go. “I love the way you make me laugh.”
To calm her racing heart, she went to fuss over Olivia, and after Mina picked her up and threw her on the couch, counting—one, two, and three, the little girl squealed, “Again, again.”
Alicia stared at her sister who picked up the child and swung her around the room like a rag doll, throwing her on the sofa.
Olivia laughed and raised her arms. “Again, again,” she yelled.
Mina picked her up. “She sure likes to fly around.”
“She’ll wear you down if you let her,” Vincenzo said, from the kitchen, nestled on the other side of the huge room. “Cappuccino’s coming right up.” He approached with two mugs and handed one to Alicia. “Mina, are you sure you don’t want one?”
She shook her head. “Do you mind if I take her down to the common garden. I saw a small playground.”
“If you don’t mind. She would love it. We go almost every evening.” Vincenzo sat on a leather recliner.
Mina grabbed Olivia, swinging her onto her shoulders. “Little miss, how about we go play on the swing?”
Olivia clapping her hands.
“See ya in a little bit.” Mina sauntered out of the apartment, Olivia in her arms.
Not wanting to appear awkward, Alicia sat on the sofa, hands wrapped around the hot mug, inhaling the wonderful aroma of the beverage.