“I love Italianfood.”
I want to kiss herso badly, but I’m driving and I also want to keep us alive, so I keep my facepointed toward the road.
Campioni’s isnestled off the main road, tucked between a ton of old trees with a cobblestonedriveway that leads to the parking lot. It almost looks like an old house thatwas turned into a restaurant, but I know from reading their story on thewebsite that they built the place from the ground up, making it look like anItalian villa on purpose. The walk up to the restaurant is romantic as hell.They have little cobblestone walkways through the wooded area that leads fromthe parking lot to the doors. Alexa holds my hand and stares in awe at the beautyof the stained glass doors at the front of the restaurant.
“You’ve never beenhere?” I ask.
She shakes herhead. “Didn’t even know it existed.”
“Maybe it canbecome our meeting place,” I say.
She squeezes myhand. “I’d like that.”
The restaurant ispainted in warm colors, with orange walls and dark wood flooring. The lightfixtures hang from the ceiling looking like wrought iron pieces of art. Thelighting is dim and it’s all very cozy feeling. It makes me wonder if parts ofItaly have the same atmosphere. I went to Europe with some friends after myhigh school graduation, but we didn’t go to Italy, and now I regret that.
We’re seated in acozy booth with its own beautiful light fixture, and our waitress is top notch.I have no doubts the food will be amazing, and when the garlic bread arrives,I’m proven right.
Alexa tells meabout her baking adventures and the new items she’s come up with for the menu.We steer clear of all topics involving the convention in Phoenix and anythingthat would be awkward. I’m dying to know about the guy I saw her with today,but I can’t get the guts to ask about it. Plus, I’d be breaking my own rule.Tonight is about me and Alexa, spending a romantic time together.
Before we finishour meal, the waitress asks if we’ll be taking a walk after this. Then shetells us about the lake behind the property and how it’s a popular place forthe restaurant’s customers to hang out after dinner. There’s a live bandtonight, she says. Alexa and I agree to check it out, and it’s pretty amazing.
Behind therestaurant is this manmade lake that splits apart the trees. There’s a walkwayall around it, and all of the bordering trees have been decorated with lightsstrung across their branches. The patio at the back of the restaurant has aband that plays for a few guests who eat their food outside. This place is evenbetter than I imagined.
“Want to walkaround the lake?” I ask, holding out my elbow.
Alexa slips her arminto mine. “I would love it.”
We walk in silence,enjoying the glittering of the lights on the lake and the sound of the softmusic playing from the band. Other couples walk the trail as well, and some siton benches, lost in each other’s eyes. This place is crazy romantic. In a worldof Olive Gardens and Pizza Huts, I didn’t know amazing restaurants like thiseven existed. I’m so glad I looked it up before I came over here. Of course,that was the only surprise I had. The rest of this night will have to play outthe way fate has intended.
When we get back tomy car, I walk Alexa to her door. I’m about to open it, but she stops me andturns around, pressing her back to the door. “I had an amazing night,” shesays. Her hands wrap around my neck and I grab her waist and breathe her in, tellingmyself to enjoy every single second of this time with her.
We kiss, and I tryto keep it PG since we’re in a parking lot, but my body is dying for more. Ibreak away and rest my forehead on hers. “Alexa?” I breathe.
“Yeah?” Her voicecomes out like a pant of air.
“Why did youleave?”
I know we promisednot to talk about it, but I can’t wait anymore. I need to know. I have to knowwhatever I did to scare her away so I can make sure I won’t do it again.
She licks her lipsthen looks away, her eyes going to the buttons on my shirt. “I don’t know.”
“I think you do.”
She sighs. “I just… felt like I wasn’t good enough … for you.”
I want to laugh andask if she’s telling a joke because that’s so impossibly wrong of her to think.But I can tell by her expression that she’s serious. I see the insecurityswirling around those gorgeous eyes, landing on the tremble in her lips.
“Alexa, you areeverything I’ve ever wanted,” I say, then I pull her to me for another kiss.
I had been worriedthat I did something wrong and that she left because of it. All this time itturns out it wasn’t what I had done, but what I hadn’t done. I hadn’t shown herhow special she was. Hadn’t told her enough times that even though we’d justmet, she was the girl for me. I let her get away because I didn’t make surethat she knew how I felt for her.
I deepen thekiss—her body pressed against my car, my hands holding tightly to her waist—andI make a promise to myself that I’ll never again let her feel unwanted. For aslong as I’m breathing, she will know that she is the most important thing inthe world.
Chapter 21
Even the harshTexas weather isn’t so bad when your arm is wrapped around the guy you can’tstop thinking about. Our walk around the lake was dreamy and romantic, and Ididn’t even break out in a sweat. It’s like mother nature decided to give us abreak from the drenching hot weather we had earlier today, and instead she gaveus a little breeze. Now we’re back in Gabe’s car, and he finds his way back tothe bakery without using the GPS. When I question him about it, he just shrugsand says he’s pretty good at remembering directions.
Is it weird that Ifind that sexy? Everything he does is sexy to me, but that skill is just cool.I’m always relying on my GPS even if I’m pretty sure I know the way. If I’veonly been somewhere once or twice, I don’t want to risk getting lost.
