Skidding the car to a stop in front of her house, Alex didn’t bother turning it off before jumping out and knocking on the door. The porch light was off, but her car was still there. Peering into the windows of the darkened house, he went back to the door and rang the doorbell several times.
Cursing under his breath, he leaned his forehead against the door. He straightened up and stood in the silence, deciding what to do next. Either she was home and ignoring him, or she had gone to one of her friends.
Giving up, he sauntered back to his car and drove off, not sure where to go. He tried her phone a few more times before heading to the marina.
Alex climbed out of the car, his limbs heavy from the emotional night. He stood and faced the coastline as it stretched out before him. Lights from boats moored nearby reminded him of how his night had started.
His feet felt like lead as he climbed ontoThe Albatross.
He unlocked the cabin and walked down the stairs, turning the fairy lights back on, trying to remember the feeling he had when Aria was in his arms. Dragging his feet up the stairs, he walked toward the deck bench seat and when he dropped down, something colorful caught his eye.
Seeing that it was Aria's scarf, he pulled it until it was free, smiling for the first time since the night ended in disaster.
Did she hear me say I remembered she wore it that way in school?
Instinctively, he pulled it up to his nose and inhaled, rewarded with a strong dose of her perfume.
Right now,noneof his material possessions held the importance of this slip of colorful silk. It was his lifeline to her.
Making a plan to stand outside her door all day the next day until she listened to him, he sat on the deck sofa, clutching his prize tightly in his hand.
Sleep didn’t come as he stood guard over the boat as if she may show back up there. He knew it was unreasonable, but the mind played tricks when it was in pain. He wouldn’t be able to rest until he could speak to her.
Standing up and pacing the deck, his eyes went to the sky, and a silent prayer went up. A prayer for another chance to show her what she meant to him. He knew it was too soon to feel this strongly but his heart would not be denied. The strong pull, almost magnetic in nature, couldn’t be ignored.
He'd heard of soulmates from his parents. Remembering the beginning of their love story, he felt somewhat vindicated in his feelings toward Aria. His mom said it was one look, one touch of his father’s hand that told her all she needed to know. It was instant and powerful, much like what he was experiencing in the moment.
Is this what true love feels like?
Chapter Thirty-One
The following morning,Aria glanced around in confusion before recalling she was in Corinna’s guest room. She pushed herself upright, pulling the duvet up with her, the morning chill still in the air. She checked her phone for the time and winced at the amount of missed calls from Alex.
Setting it back down, the memories of the previous night settled in her mind like dark clouds on a stormy night.
Smelling coffee, she pulled back the covers and climbed out of bed.
Making her way into the ensuite bathroom, she took a soothing shower. She forgot to ask for a hairbrush, so she tried to tame her hair into a ponytail with her hands and brushed her teeth with the new toothbrush Corinna had left for her. The dark circles under her eyes were further evidence of how her heart felt.
Walking into the kitchen, she saw Corinna sitting at the counter drinking coffee.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Corinna said with a sympathetic look.
“Good morning. Thank you again for being there for me.”
“Always.”
Aria hugged her friend from behind as she sat at the kitchen counter. She helped herself to some coffee, the rich aroma enveloping her senses.
“I don't have anything on my docket today, so I let the office know I won't be coming in,” Corinna said, handing Aria a lemon-filled cornetto.
“Don’t do that. I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Aria answered, tearing off a small piece of the pastry, her stomach not accepting much more.
“It's done. We're playing hooky like we did in school.”
“Istillcan’t believe you talked me into ditching class and taking the bus to Naples. We could've gotten into so much trouble,” Aria said, a smile creeping across her face.
“Pffft... it's a right of passage in your fifth year, dear. Besides, I needed pizza,” Corinna countered with a shrug.
