Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“What do you mean?”
“Earlier, I went into the guest room where she was staying to get something from the closet, and I noticed her suitcase was gone already. I don’t think she ever intended to join us this evening.”
“You mean this is a setup?”
“I believe so.”
“Oh.”
“If it upsets you, we can go.”
“No. No.” I shook my head. “It’s fine. I just…” I looked around the restaurant. The couple next to us was holding hands over the table. The pair over Matteo’s shoulder had moved the chairs so they were no longer across from each other and looked mighty cozy—even if I did think sitting like that was weird. When my gaze returned to Matteo, I realized he’d watched me assess the situation.
I nibbled on my lip. “It doesn’t mean we’re on a date just because we’re two people at a restaurant sharing a meal over candlelight, right?”
Matteo’s lip twitched. “It can mean whatever we want it to mean.”
I wasn’t sure how to take that answer, but I also wasn’t about to leave the restaurant, so I shrugged and smiled. “It’s fine.”
The waiter came to take our order, and we decided to order two meals and split them, since I couldn’t make up my mind.
“How are things going at da store?” Matteo asked once the waiter disappeared. “More cars have been visiting, yes?”
I nodded. “One of my grandmother’s friends helped me get the word out that it was open again, and I put everything on sale for 25 percent off. I’ve sold a lot of stuff, but her back room is so packed with inventory that I keep bringing out, it doesn’t look like I’ve made a dent. But I’ve been happy to have something to keep myself busy, so I’m not spending twenty-four hours a day thinking about my newly discovered sister.”
“Have you made a decision on how you’ll handle that?”
I sighed. “No. But I can’t imagine being able to put it out of my head without meeting her. I have questions. And she’s the only one in the world who might be able to fill in the blanks.”
“Sometimes closure isn’t easy, but necessary.”
I sipped my wine. “I looked up where she lives on a map, and it doesn’t seem too far from the Amalfi Coast. I have something to pick up down there, a missing piece to a tea set my grandmother was collecting. That’s in Minori, but the entire Amalfi Coast looks beautiful, so I’ve been thinking of taking a little trip. It’s about five hours, right?”
“Maybe closer to six. The roads are very winding. But I don’t recommend you drive it, not with da way you handle that stick shift. The Amalfi Coast road has narrow lanes with sharp curves, and the drop-offs are steep. This time of the year, there is still a lot of traffic, so it’s very stop and go, which you are not so good at yet.”
I crossed my arms. “I’m doing much better with driving.”
“You need more than ‘much better’ when driving the Amalfi Coast. When do you plan on going?”
“I was thinking maybe next weekend, late Saturday afternoon or early on Sunday. I don’t want to disrupt the antique shop’s flow of business now that it’s picked up, but it’s closed on Sundays and Mondays. Maybe I’ll stay a night or two.”
“If you want, I will take you. You will enjoy the ride when you are not worrying about falling off side of the mountain.”
“Oh no, I can’t ask you to do that.”
“I have some business in the area myself that I’ve been putting off. I can ask Tomasso to take care of Lupo and your Agatha. He has done it before for me.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “I will enjoy showing you more of my country.”
“Okay. But only if you let me pay for your room.”
“I thought we can share one,” Matteo deadpanned. “Relax, I’m joking,” he added quickly. “But I have a cousin who has an apartment there, overlooking the sea. It has two bedrooms. He lives in Florence and only uses it when he can. I’ve stayed there before. I will see if it is available in the upcoming weeks.”
“Oh, wow. This almost feels like it’s meant to be.”
Matteo’s eyes roamed my face. “I agree.”
There were times when Matteo looked at me, his eyes dropping to my lips, that I felt a current, a spark, real chemistry. But that’s not what I felt now. The moment felt romantic and warm. And I liked it more than I should’ve—so much so that I was relieved when the appetizers arrived and he had something else to focus on. We spent the next two and a half hours eating and talking. Matteo told me about his harvest and the festivals that go on around Tuscany to celebrate the end of the season. I told him about my job and how some of my clients had been asking where I went and wanted to change counsel to stay with me.