Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
Beth closed up the book barge, dropping the key into the hands of her assistant, Bianca. In Italian, Beth asked her to take good care of the place and to call her if there were any problems.
Bianca who loved practising her English with Beth replied in slightly staccato sentences. ‘I promise I will check in every day.’
‘Galvano and Lolanda will be next door this weekend if you need any help too.’
The little canal-side community had grown, and Beth now knew nearly all her neighbours. When customers arrived, they always urged them to visit the other shops on the canal and even Signor Sanna and everyone at the Gallerie dell’Accademia advised tourists to visit this particular one.
La Libreria delle Parole had been doing well.
Books were flying off the shelves and tourists flocked to her book barge for a holiday read and to purchase unique souvenirs you couldn’t find anywhere else.
The artist exhibitions were going well and in the summer, when the evenings were long and warm and the sky a blaze of orange and yellow, they gave talks and demonstrations, which were always well attended.
She’d been so busy she’d had to hire an assistant.
She’d never thought she could get this far without planning every move and triple-checking every decision, but here she was.
‘Ready?’ Marco asked, adjusting the handle on the suitcase.
‘Ready.’
They were headed to the airport as Marco had secured a client in Athens, and they were off to attend their first gallery opening.
His PR business was going from strength to strength, as was his family business now Elio was agreeing to a few more exhibitions and outlets.
He hadn’t quite come round to a website yet, but one of Marco’s brothers was working on that while they were away and was pretty confident he’d have agreed by the time they got back.
Cesca and Emilio were still on the road, coming back periodically to see her family and his, and she was still using her carpentry skills, making her own creations. Beth received regular updates from her, and they had dinner together whenever she was in town.
As for Daisy and Elsa, their gorgeous baby boy, Asher, arrived right on time weighing a healthy seven pounds, ten ounces and Beth had flown home immediately to be with them and cuddle the little bundle of joy.
She’d loved it, but as she’d left, she’d never been surer of her decision to not have children.
She’d looked forward to returning to Marco and the life they were building together.
‘Beth,’ Marco said, as they made their way to the vaporetto – the private water taxi – they’d organised to get them to the airport. ‘There was something I wanted to ask you, actually.’
He was always doing this, she thought as her suitcase rumbled over the cobbles. ‘If this is about dinner, I thought we could grab something at the airport before the flight and then eat some lovely Greek food when we get to Athens.’
‘It’s not about food.’ He then mumbled, ‘Non penso sempre al mio stomaco.’
Beth giggled. ‘I do know you don’t always think of your stomach. Just most of the time.’
Marco grinned. ‘Why do I forget you speak Italian sometimes?’
They stopped at the pickup spot, and she turned to him. ‘What did you want to ask me?’
‘I wanted to say that I think we should move in together when we get back from Athens.’
‘Move in together?’ She’d been wanting this for a while but hadn’t been sure how to raise it. ‘To your place or mine?’
‘Yours. My place is nice, but it isn’t—’
‘Home,’ she answered for him.
Her small apartment had grown to feel more and more like home – their home – as the year had passed. And while Marco’s apartment was nice, some would even say better as it was bigger and in a better part of town, it just didn’t have the same feel to it.
‘Exactly,’ he replied with a grin. ‘And it’s still close to the rowing club, so convenient for our early mornings. What do you think?’ he asked nervously. He raised his hand to scrunch the hair at the back of his head, but Beth reached out and took it, wrapping her fingers tightly around his.
‘I can’t wait.’
He stepped closer, kissing her gently. ‘I love you.’
Her lips were just meeting his again when the vaporetto driver shouted Marco’s name. Beth swiped a light kiss on his lips. ‘I love you too.’
‘Do you know how many bookshops Athens has?’ she asked as Marco handed the driver the suitcases and they climbed aboard.
‘Tell me.’
‘Apparently, it has around seven hundred.’
‘Qualcuno mi aiuti.’
‘You don’t need help; it’ll be fun!’
‘Do we have to visit them all?’
‘Of course we do.’
‘I should have known.’
Beth grabbed his hand as they sat down. ‘You know you love it.’
‘I do.’ Marco kissed her fingers. ‘But try to remember the weight limit on the cases this time.’
Beth had absolutely no intention of doing so and Marco knew that perfectly well too.
She’d learned that relationships weren’t just about compromise but also knowing each other’s faults and loving them as much as the good things.
Squeezing Marco’s hand tighter she sat back and watched the outline of Venice disappear behind them, and though she was looking forward to this trip away, she couldn’t wait to get home and make her apartment for one, a home for two.