Chapter 54
Chapter Fifty-Four
“Gio!” Aria exclaimed. “I'm so happy for you. When do I get to meet her?”
“Soon. I'll bring her by the office in the next couple of days so you can all meet her.”
As Aria stepped back from his hug, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. She was truly happy for her friend.
She listened while Gio gushed about the woman who had stolen his heart while Aria was in Spain. Apparently, she was a friend who was waiting for him to realize her deepening feelings.
When Gio headed out for a meeting soon after, Aria picked up her purse to leave, waving to him as he retreated from her office.
“I'm headed out for a late lunch. Want me to bring you back anything?” Aria asked at the door of Natalia's office.
“No, I'm good. Luna left for lunch but has been keeping me on coffee. Right now, that's all I need. See you later,” she answered without looking up.
Leaving the building, Aria checked her phone as she did so often, just in case she had missed a call from Alex. Pushing down her disappointment, she walked toward the familiar cafe down the street.
Lost in thought, she grabbed the door to the cafe entrance and walked into a wall of muscle with a loud, “Oof.”
A sense of déja vu came over her, and she shivered as masculine hands held her close to steady her.
Her head flicked up in haste, her breath catching as she stared into Alex's haunted face. His eyes widened in surprise, scanning her face, his grip on her arms increasing slightly. His chest heaved in and out as it barely skimmed her own.
Flustered and confused, she stuttered, “A-Alex! What are you doing here? I thought you were in Argentina. When did you get back?”
“I, I got back yesterday,” he answered, his brows furrowed.
She thought she could hear her wildly beating heart as they stood close to one another.
Her eyes clouded over and glistened with unshed tears. Just being near him was causing a disruption to her mind and heart. She wanted to say something. She wanted to reach out to him, but she didn’t dare do it.
Tell me you love me, and I’ll say the words!
When it was obvious he had no intention of saying anything more, Aria answered, “Oh, well. It's, ah, it’s so good to see you. I hope you enjoy your visit home. Please send my love to Sofia and your dad.”
She forced out the words, holding back the tsunami of tears that were building.
“It's good to see you too, Aria. Okay, then. I wish you well,” Alex mumbled.
She could see how he was barely holding back the tight emotions in his voice.
I hurt him and pushed him away. I’ve lost him.
She didn’t want to move from his embrace. She knew once he realized he was still holding her close, that would be the end of this. It would be goodbye.
If he takes my hand, I'll never let it go.
Without words, Alex let go of her finally before turning to walk away, and Aria felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest.
She ached at the loss of his warmth. She wanted to beg him to turn around, beg him to stay.
Aria forced her feet to walk toward the cafe counter, even though she knew she wouldn’t be able to eat. She ignored Susanna’s hopeful expression as she stood there as busy patrons passed her by. Keeping her back to Alex, she knew she couldn’t watch him walk out that door.
Her breath caught in her throat when she heard his voice.
“I want you to know that despite everything, I’m happy for you, Aria,” Alex said softly.
Aria spun around to see that Alex was still standing at the door but had turned back to face her. He stepped out of the way for a family to pass.
She searched his eyes, trying to understand. The low hum of the restaurant was present, but all she could hear was his words.
“I saw you and Gio earlier in the office. I'm glad you've found love. It’s all I've ever wanted for you.”
His eyes were soft, but she could see pain etched in his face at the admission.
Her eyes flew open wide as she gasped.
“Alex, I'm not with Gio. He's still just a friend. Nothing more,” she said quickly, her hand over her heart as the words came out.
“A friend?” he asked, his eyes searching hers for clarity.
“Yes, just a friend. He was telling me about the woman he fell in love with while I was in Madrid. Besides, he knows that my heart belongs to someone else,” she said, her eyes gleaming with unspoken emotions.
“Someone else?” he whispered, his eyes pleading and hopeful.
In that moment, she was never more sure of anything. She was ready to say the words. The ones he longed to hear.
“You, Alex. My heart belongs to you. I choose you,” she whispered, her eyes never leaving him.
“But you left. You said you couldn’t say the words,” Alex questioned.
Still not breaking eye contact, Aria answered, “I couldn’t let you change your whole life for me.
I left to ensure you took the project in Argentina.
But I soon found out that I wasn’t running from you as much as I was running toward my purpose.
I needed time to do just what you told me to do.
Travel, explore, discover who I am, what I want.
I knew that I couldn’t give my heart away again until I found out who I was on my own. ”
“And what did you find, Aria?” he asked, his hand flexing as if he needed to touch her.
“I found me, my words, my dream.” She blinked as a smile erupted across her face. “I wrote my book.”
“Aria, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you,” he said sincerely, tears pooling in his eyes. He took a few steps toward her.
“It's because you believed in me that I could finally do it,” she said, following his lead and taking a step closer to him.
“I will always believe in you, push you to follow your dreams,” Alex said with that husky tone she loved.
“I want that, too. I’m so sorry I hurt you,” she whispered.
Bridging the last few steps between them, Alex grabbed her by her waist and swung her around, making her giggle loudly. Her feet dangled helplessly below her.
Whispering in her ear, he said, “I'm yours, Aria. My heart has always been yours. From the first day I saw you reading in the courtyard at school, you had my heart.”
Pulling back to look her in the eyes, his were deep pools of love and emotion. He kissed her passionately, their breath and heart mingling as one.
They lost all sense of where they were as the kiss deepened, but she was sure she heard someone gasp.
Alex sat her feet on the ground before he ran his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head.
“I’ve dreamed of doing this for months,” he said.
The intensity of the kiss had Aria reeling.
It wasn't until the sound of applause brought them back to reality that they let go of each other. Startled, they suddenly remembered that they were still in the middle of the cafe.
Susanna leaned over to her husband and said loudly, “I told you, Louis. When those two ran into each other a few months ago, you could have seen the sparks from space.”
Louis nodded and kissed his wife’s cheek. “You were right, amore.”
Aria buried her face in Alex's chest, embarrassed but happy. She was home.