She placed all the snacks in an insulated bag that she had to make room for in her refrigerator, making her chuckle at all the food Maria had made.
Chapter Forty-Six
The next morningbefore the sun came up, Aldo and Maria hugged and kissed Aria as they packed the car.
“You didn’t have to make so much for the trip,” Maria scolded.
“I learned from the best. Call me when you get home, please,” she said as she waved goodbye.
“Love you, angel,” Aldo said, sliding into the driver’s seat.
“Love you, too, Papa.”
“Tell Corinna we will see her next time and to behave herself,” Maria called out as the car backed out of the drive.
“I’ll try,” Aria yelled.
Waving until she couldn’t see them anymore, she stepped inside and closed the front door. She was so happy that her parents had liked Alex and that the feeling was mutual. He was a perfect fit, seemingly, into their brand of chaos.
Aria washed their coffee cups, grateful they had time for at least that before leaving. Grabbing her phone on the way to her bedroom, she sat on her bed with it on speaker.
“Hey, what time do you want me to come over?” Corinna asked when she answered the phone.
“That’s why I’m calling. They got called back to Rome. Plumbing issue at the restaurant but they sent their love.”
“Oh no. Shoot. Sorry to hear that.”
“Me too, but we had a great time last night. Want to meet me for breakfast since my day just opened up?”
“Already putting my shoes on. Susanna’s Cafe sound good? Back to the scene of the crime?” Corinna teased.
“See you there in twenty.”
“Good morning, Susanna. How are you doing?” Aria asked when she got up to the counter to order.
“Hey! I’m so glad you came in. I haven’t seen you in a few weeks. I have something for you,” the cafe owner said excitedly.
She reached for her purse under the counter and produced the business card Alex had left with her.
Aria took it and gave her a confused look. “What is this?”
“Oh, well, the handsome young man that you ran into a few weeks ago left this for you. Where have you been? Poor guy must have left town by now.”
Aria chuckled, answering, “No, we met again right after that. So he left this with you, then?”
“Sure did. The next morning. Said he needed to find you. Quite insistent.”
“Tooinsistent,” her grumpy husband Louie said as he swiped the credit card of the customer next to Aria.
“I’m glad he found you. If you didn’t show up, I was going to give this to my granddaughter, Loretta. She needs a good man.”
Aria’s smile slid off her face at the thought.
“Ah, okay, well I’ll keep this then. And I’d love a cappuccino and a raspberry lemon cornetto please.”
“Coming right up. I think your friend is already here. Boy, she’s intense, huh?”
“Indeed she is. Thanks, Susanna,” Aria said, waving the card before slipping it into her purse.
