AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I fall in love with him all over again with those words. “Yes. Yes, that would be perfect.”
Not much later, with Adrian with us, we board a plane to Germany and once we’re buckled in, I try to call Gio, to tell him my news, and I’m disappointed that he doesn’t answer. “Did you invite him tonight?”
“I did, but he had an important assignment. I’m sure that’s why he can’t answer.”
“Right. I’ll talk to him soon.”
“You will, baby. He loves you.”
Two hours later, I’ve changed into jeans and a red sweater on the plane, and we’ve landed in Germany. With Adrian behind the wheel of a rented SUV, we pull up to a sprawling property in Munich, and clear the gates to bring a three-level house into view.
“It’s amazing,” I say, excited to see inside.
“You do want to see inside,” he assures me. “There’s a surprise waiting on you.”
“Another one?” I ask.
“Yes. Another one.”
We walk to the front door and Kace opens it. “Go in first.”
I smile up at him. “You’re all about secrets.”
“Just one more.”
Excited, I walk inside and I barely see the massive, fancy living room. What I see is a massive beautiful Christmas tree with my brother standing by it. “Sorry I missed the proposal,” he says. “But I had a tree to decorate.”
I glance up at Kace. “I wasn’t letting you spend another Christmas without your own tree and your brother.”
I throw my arms around him and hug him. “I love you. I love you so much.” I kiss him and then run to my brother, hugging him. “Thank you for being here.”
He glances down at me. “From now on, sis. From now on.”
***
Christmas morning, the four of us—me, Kace, Gio, and Adrian, are already dressed, and are sitting by the tree sipping coffee, talking, while I wonder what Adrian’s life is like. I mean why is he with us and not family? Why is he not with Rafael? I have talked myself out of asking when there’s a knock on the door. We all look at Kace. “No. I’m not expecting anyone.”
Adrian stands, immediately in protective mode, and walks to the door. We all stand too. A minute later, Adrian returns with a very large box, complete with a big red bow. “Looks like Christmas gifts,” he says and grins. “The bow kind of gave it away if you were wondering where that brilliant statement came from. It’s addressed to all three of you, but has no return address.”
“Jenny and Jerry?” I assume.
“Most likely,” Kace agrees.
“Let me open it,” Adrian says. “I don’t like the missing return address and the delivery person was a private contractor.” We all agree and watch as he gets to work producing three wrapped packages, one for me, Kace, and Gio.
“I’ll go first,” Gio says. “I don’t like the unknown.”
Already he sounds like Kayden, I think, with a small smile to myself. Kayden and Ella will be good for them and he’ll be food for them, too. Gio tears open the paper covering his gift and stares down at a violin bow in a glass case. His brows dip and he holds up a card. “Aria,” he says, and I suck in a breath.
“Oh my God,” I breathe out. “It looks like,” I glance at Kace, “Dad’s writing.” My gaze rockets back to my brother. “It can’t be.”
Gio opens the card and reads, “Look closely, Gio. This bow is special and meant only for you.” Gio sets the card down and studies the bow. “Holy Mother of Jesus. It has Dad’s initials on it. What the fuck is going on?” He eyes me. “Open yours.”
Anxious and nervous, I quickly tear open the paper and gasp. “It’s my daisy doll.” My eyes rocket right back to Gio again. “I tried to grab it the night we left Cremona and you pulled me out of the room too fast. I left it in Cremona.” I’m shaking when I open the card and read. “For my little daisy.” I look between Kace and Gio. “I left it in the house. How can this be?”
“It has to be Donelle,” Gio says. “Call him. You have his number, right?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.” I pull out my phone and dial. The line is answered, and I hear, “This is Russo.”
“Hi, Mr. Russo. This is Aria Stradivari. Can I speak to Donelle?”
“I’m sorry to report he passed early this morning, but he said to tell you he left in peace thanks to you and Kace.”
My heart squeezes. “I—I am so sorry. Thank you for all you did.”
We speak a few moments longer and when we disconnect, I am shellshocked. “He’s gone. He died early this morning. I can’t believe it, but I’m certain these gifts have to be from him.”
“He doesn’t have our address,” Kace says, “but I suppose it could be located if Russo wanted to locate it badly enough. I’m just not sure how he’d know we were here.” His brows dip and he turns his attention to his package. Cautiously, he opens it and laughs, showing us the one-dollar coin in a glass case.
“What does it mean?” I ask.
“I know,” he says, “but before I tell you, let’s see what the card says.” He opens it and reads, “I owe you a dollar I never paid you.” Kace looks between us. “Your father bet me I couldn’t hit every fifth note perfectly. I spent every day of two weeks trying to hit those damn notes.”
My eyes go wide and I stand up. “Oh my God. Oh my God. That’s the secret to the formula. Every fifth note. He used to say that to me, too. Kace, it’s the song you and Dad wrote together, but only every fifth note.”
Kace’s eyes register my words and he smiles. “I think you might be right. Let’s find out.” He stands and retrieves his violin. The four of us gather together and get to work. Adrian knows much more about music than I’d expected and between all of us, the formula begins to come together. It’s in the wee hours of the night when we have finally written down what we know is the formula. The four of us sit there, staring at it, all stunned. “Now it goes in the castle vault with The Underground’s protection,” I say and everyone murmurs their agreement.
A long time later, I stand with Kace, alone in the living room, staring at the tree. “Do you think it was Donelle who sent us those gifts?” I ask.
“I don’t know, baby. Do you?”
“Is it crazy that some part of me believes it was my father?”
“No. There is nothing wrong with believing in miracles.” He cups my face and stares down at me, his eyes reflecting the Christmas tree lights, and in them every dream I’ve now had come true. “You are certainly mine. I can’t tell you enough times that you saved me, Aria.”
“And you saved me, Kace.”
***
The New York apartment sells before Kace and I ever leave Germany. We wait to return to the states until after our new place is built out. Meanwhile, I try spaetzle and then eat lots of it. I fin
d I do indeed love German pasta, and Germany as a whole. By Valentine’s Day, we’re back in New York City and it’s a dream come true—my home with Kace. My first real home since I was a child.
For the next few months, I throw myself into my new purpose—helping others, setting up charity events, working to gain wide support for those in need. Riptide and auctions are not a thing of my past though. I simply use them to help my charity work, donating all my proceeds where they can best be of use.
And together Kace and I plan our wedding.
The next spring, we are married in Cremona in the very daisy field my father used to take me to visit, the scent of the flowers sprinkling the ceremony with the memory of family and home. Kace finally wears a tuxedo and he looks like sin and my satisfaction. And my hero. He is my hero. And in my white flowing dress, with all my new friends and family around me, I swear I can hear my father’s violin notes in the wind.
THE END
