At that, she sighs. “I had a dog for a long time. Enzo. I got him when I first moved out of my parents’ house. I was twenty-two, and I adopted Enzo from the shelter, so I wasn’t really sure how old he was. They told me he could be anywhere from two to five. I had him for eleven years before he passed. He was the love of my life.” She rolls her eyes with a chuckle at that, as if she thinks she’s being silly. But I don’t think that at all.
“I’m so sorry,” I say quietly. “Losing a pet is so hard.”
“I was a mess. Couldn’t eat. Cried all the time. I’d love to get another dog, but I also can’t imagine getting another dog. You know?” She looks at me, and her expression says she’s longing for somebody to understand. I wonder if her family didn’t.
“I do. I don’t know what I’ll do when Reggie goes.” My eyes tear up, and I indicate them with a flapping hand, as I laugh softly at myself. “Look at me, it’s something that hasn’t even happened, and I can’t so much as talk about it.”
Marina grabs my hand as she joins my laughter. She brings it to her lips and kisses my knuckles. “We are a pair,” she says with a sniffle as she drops my hand, and I realize she was choking up, too.
“We sure are.”
“Okay. Topic change.” We’re still strolling—it’s more of a stroll than a walk—and I love the feeling here. I revert back to “vibe” because it’s the perfect word. The vibe is just ideal, and I can see why Marina lives here. “I thought we could go to this little café that overlooks the river, have some tea orespresso, maybe a pastry, and we can wander after that, do a little shopping if you want, hit an art gallery or two. Then”—she checks her watch—“then at six, there’s live music at this bar I know. The band’s really good. We can have dinner there, listen for a while, watch people…”
“People watch,” I correct her with a grin.
“Damn it. People watch. I will get that.” She stops walking and turns to face me, and she’s fucking breathtaking. I’m not kidding, the air literally stops in my lungs. I’m paralyzed by how gorgeous she is, and for a split second, I wonder what it must have been like for God or the gods or the Universe or whoever or whatever created her to gaze upon their finished product. How proud they must’ve been to have made something so movingly beautiful. “How does that sound to you?”
I’m caught up in my swirling thoughts and don’t answer right away, and a look of concern parks itself on her face.
“Or we can do anything else you want. You’re the boss.”
It’s my turn to grab her hand, and I don’t hesitate. “That sounds like the most perfect date ever.” I don’t realize I’ve used that particular word until it’s out of my mouth and hovering in the air between us, but Marina doesn’t seem to be fazed even a little bit.
“I think so, too.” She still has my hand. Or I still have hers. Or…our hands are still linked when she tugs me. “Come on.”
Fifteen minutes later, we’re sitting at a round little table for two on the second-floor outdoor balcony of a little café with a name I don’t even remember. We’ve ordered espressos and a plate of almond cookies. Our table has an umbrella open over it, which cuts the heat considerably without disrupting thegorgeous view we have of the River Tiber.
I sit back in my chair with a contented sigh. “This is perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
“Yeah?” Marina looks pleased when I turn to her.
“Yeah. Thank you for bringing me here. For bringing me everywhere. You’ve been amazing.” She still won’t let me pay her, although I was able to bully her out of the way so I could buy our coffee and cookies. Small victories.
Speaking of—the waiter arrives with a tray and our order. The espresso cups are small and adorable, the opposite of the enormous plate of cookies that have my mouth watering instantly. The waiter leaves and Marina reaches for a cookie.
“They make these right here every day. They’re better than my grandmother’s.” She takes a bite and gazes off over the river. “If you repeat that, I’ll deny it.”
I laugh and pick up my cup. The espresso is creamy and strong and nutty and just incredible. I must make a sound I don’t realize because Marina is smiling at me.
“Good?”
“Delicious. Wow. You Italians sure know how to make coffee. Even the worst cup I’ve had here is better than any I’ve had at home. I’ll be so disappointed when I go back.”
Marina smiles and sips her own espresso, but doesn’t say anything, and I think I see a cloud cross over her face, but I’m not sure. I don’t know her well enough yet to get all her expressions.
I grab a cookie and bite into it, and the noises I make come all on their own. The cookie is crispy on the outside, but wonderfully chewy inside, and the blast of almond flavor wakes up my palate. “Holy shit,” I say, chewing and looking at Marina in amazement.
She laughs. “Your eyes are so wide right now.”
“This is the best damn cookie I’ve ever had. In my life. Ever.Holy shit.”
She’s still laughing, shaking her head. She picks up her cup again and looks out over the river. “I have such fun with you.” She says it quietly, and I’m not even sure if I’m meant to hear it. But then she turns and meets my gaze and shrugs as if saying,What can you do?
“I have fun with you, too.” And I mean it.
We’re quiet for a bit, both of us clearly lost in our own thoughts. Then Marina turns to me. “Tell me about your family.”
Okay. Slight topic shift, but I’m good with it. “My family. Let’s see. There’s my mom and dad. I have one brother, AJ, who is four years younger than I am. He has one daughter, my niece Chloe, who I love more than life. In fact, she’s coming to stay here with me this weekend. And she wouldloveyou. Do you have time to meet her?”
