Chapter 19 #4
“Well, my parents still live in Rome. They own a restaurant there. Mama’s an amazing cook.
She taught me everything I know about the kitchen.
Papa helps run the front of the house. They’re a great team.
Crazy at times, but great,” Aria answered as she rested her head on the back of the sofa.
“I miss them so much. It was hard being away from them after Nicholas passed. They closed it down for several weeks to stay with me right afterward, but I made them go back after a while. I have Corinna nearby, so they finally relinquished. Same with Santo.”
“That’s what family does. We were the same way after Mama passed. What did you say Santo did in Madrid?”
“He’s an architect. He loves it there.”
Aria picked at the seam of the cushion as she thought back on their last conversation.
“And tell me about your business. What is your typical day like? Do you get to choose what authors to partner with?”
“Nicholas and I made a lot of those executive decisions together, but I’ve turned most of that over to Natalia.
Right now, since it’s just me doing the admin part of the job, my days are filled with legal paperwork, insurance and boring stuff like taxes.
Being the boss is not exactly glamorous,” she answered, no longer making eye contact.
Alex seemed to pick up on the tightness of her voice and asked, “But you do love what you’re doing though, right?”
Aria blinked a few times and recovered by answering, “Yeah, yeah, of course. It was our dream to have this business.”
She shifted and readied to stand.
“I’ll take these,” she said as she picked up the bowl and her coffee cup, noticing that Alex followed her into the kitchen with his own.
“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Setting the items down in the sink, she hung her head and shook it.
“No, you didn’t say anything wrong, Alex. My business has just been the topic of a lot of conversations lately.”
Alex closed the distance between them and leaned over her, setting his cup in the sink. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he gently turned her toward him.
“Aria, if you ever need to talk, I hope you know that I’m here to listen.”
She could feel the warmth of his chest and fought against the magnetic pull toward it. She wanted to be in those arms again.
“I know we’ve just reconnected after a very long time, but I’m a great listener,” he said, his tone less tense. “Just ask Sofia.”
Aria’s smile returned as she looked up at him. “Thanks, Alex. I may have to take you up on that.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah, I promise.”
“Well, I don’t want to overstay my welcome,” he said as he stepped back. “I know you’ve got work tomorrow. Thank you for the meal and the company. But I’d like to see you again soon.”
“I’d like that. How long are you here?” she asked cautiously as she held the doorknob in her hand when they stopped at the door.
“I'm not sure yet. I'm waiting on some details to fall into place for a possible next assignment in Argentina. It’s one I’ve been waiting to be a part of for some time. There’s a relief organization working with UNICEF that will be digging wells in areas that have never had one.
It’s a big project that means a lot to me.
The representatives said it would change the people in Chaco for generations to come. ”
Aria could see how passionate he was about the project, but it came with a pang of disappointment at the thought of him leaving. Alex must have sensed it and quickly added, “But I have at least two weeks here, and I won’t leave until I can have you over.”
He leaned down and kissed her slowly on each cheek. She dared not move, petrified she’d make the same mistake again. She willed her cheeks not to blush, but her traitorous body did not get the message as she felt the heat flame immediately.
“Good night, Alex.”
“Good night, Aria. Sweet dreams,” he answered in a husky voice that sent shivers down her spine.
She opened the door, watched him walk to his car, and waved when he waved to her once inside it. She closed the door and locked it, her heart feeling light and dreamy.
Turning off the lamps by the sofa as she walked toward her bedroom, her fingers slid over the spines of the books on her bookshelf.
Aria floated into her room, grabbed her leather journal, and sat on her bed, legs crossed underneath her.
The second the pen hit paper, the words flowed from her. Describing the thrill she felt whenever his eyes locked on hers, the way her heart sped up when he touched her hand.
Placing her hand on her chest, she thought about those long gazes that sent butterflies to flight inside her. There was eye contact and then there was eye contact. His looks of longing could no longer be misinterpreted as friendship.
She tried to recall everything about the day they spoke of, but all she could bring back to her memory was that look, that gaze.
It was fleeting, but she remembered how her heart stuttered at the thought of Alex being attracted to her.
But Nicholas asked her out the next morning, and she never gave it a thought again.
Rolling over onto her back and hugging the journal to her chest, she let the joy she felt envelope her. She had opened her heart just a crack, but it was enough for now.
Picking up her pen once again, she wrote her last thoughts before letting sleep envelop her.
My head tells me just to pursue a friendship with Alex.
But my heart longs for what I thought wasn’t possible.
Will my head or my heart win?
Has Alex been there all along, and I just didn’t see him?