“He’s a good man, Papa. The best.”
“Tell us all about him, then,” Maria said, wiping her own tears.
The three sat up until late into the evening, Aria sharing with them all that had transpired since Alex stepped back into her life. She was overwhelmed with gratitude that they were so open to the idea of him. When they finally said goodnight, she felt as light as a feather. She couldn’t wait for them to meet.
Chapter Forty-Five
Ariaand her parents had a quick breakfast of pastries and espresso before she left for work the next morning. She promised to get off early to help with dinner. She only needed to take care of a few meetings and phone calls in the office, so she would be back right after lunch.
When she arrived home in the early afternoon, Maria promptly announced, “Your dad wants to see the ocean. You two go spend some time together while I cook. If not, he will sample it all until there’s not enough.”
“But you cook at the restaurant every day. Let me take care of dinner tonight and you take a break,” Aria protested.
“I’d never give up a chance to cook for my girl and her new guy. Now, go, go. Get out of here for an hour.”
Aria had stopped arguing with her mother about helping in the kitchen long before. Cooking was her love language, so she’d never take that away from her.
Grateful to spend a little one-on-one time with her father, Aria changed into some jeans and a gauzy white shirt with red embroidery, and met him in the living room.
“Ready to go explore?” she asked.
“Lead the way.”
Grateful for the slower traffic in the middle of a workday, they arrived at the beach closest to her house in no time.
As Aria and her dad walked along the coastline, arm-in-arm, they spoke about Santo and discussed how to make a way for them to all visit him soon.
“He would love that. He’s always asking me to come. I keep telling him I will one day,” Aria said, looking up at the seagulls squawking above them.
“I give him a hard time, telling him he’s younger and it’s easier for him to come to us,” Aldo joked.
Laughing, she answered, “He tried that line on me too.”
“Is Alex nervous about meeting us tonight?”
Looking at her father, she said, “Nervous but excited. He wants you to like him.”
“He’s got to be someone special if you’re opening your heart to him.”
“He is special, Papa. He’s loving, caring. Devoted to his family and friends. His heart, the way he treats people, continues to show me who he truly is inside.”
Aldo stopped, making Aria halt her steps and turn to him again.
“In my eyes, no man will ever deserve you, but if he’s half the man you’ve been describing, then my heart is overflowing,” he said, his hand over his chest.
“Thank you, Papa,” she said.
They started walking again, dodging the waves as they crept closer up the shore.
When she didn’t speak for several minutes, Aldo asked, “What’s bothering you?”
Laying her head on his shoulder, she answered, “His career takes him away for long trips. He’s leaving again soon and I’m not sure how to handle that.”
“Hmm, well you said you haven’t told him how you feel. Maybe start there.”
Aria stopped walking and tugged on his hand, indicating that they should sit on a big piece of driftwood they found.
“It’s been hard to say the words, you know? I’ve only ever said them to one man. I’m working through the guilt, but when I’m with Alex, my heart feels free.”
