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Mary Ellen chuckled. There was no arguing with Chelsea sometimes. “Okay. Well, as for where we’re going; this weekend we’re going away.”
“Ooh. Where’s he taking you?”
“I don’t know. It’s a surprise.”
“That’s so romantic.” Piper smiled at her. “I have to tell you, I have high hopes for the two of you.”
Molly came to check on their drinks. “What are we talking about?”
Mary Ellen rolled her eyes. “They’re interrogating me about Antonio.”
Molly smiled. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
She nodded. “I am. He’s a good guy.”
“He is.” Molly’s smiled faded. “If the two of you are going to get serious, you should maybe pin him down about where he plans to live.”
Mary Ellen gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”
Chelsea jumped in before Molly had chance to answer. “I don’t think he ever plans to go back to Sicily.”
Molly nodded. “I just think you should know what his plans are.” She turned around and went back into the kitchen.
“What was that all about?” asked Piper.
Chelsea shrugged. “She has her reasons.”
“What reasons?” Mary Ellen was intrigued. It wasn’t like Molly to be short.
Chelsea shrugged. “Not my place to say.”
“Fair enough.” She couldn’t argue with that, but she decided she’d pull Molly aside soon and ask her just what she’d meant. Molly might have her own reasons for bringing it up, but she’d planted a doubt in Mary Ellen’s mind. She’d had a great time with Antonio this last week. She was starting to believe that the two of them might have a good thing going, but she was still wary. She didn’t want to let herself fall for the guy if there was any possibility of him upping and going back to Sicily.
Piper was watching her. “I hope you’re not looking for excuses to stop seeing him. He’s hardly likely to just leave everything he’s built here, is he? He runs the family winery.”
Mary Ellen nodded. “I know; I’m just wary still. I’ve been dumped out of the blue once before. I don’t want to set myself up for it to happen again.”
Chelsea smiled at her. “I don’t see that happening. I know Antonio’s history doesn’t make him look like a good bet for anything long-term, but he’s nothing if not loyal. He’s never made a commitment to a woman because when he does make a commitment, it’s important to him. It looks to me like he wants to make one with you.”
Mary Ellen blew out a sigh. “It does look that way, doesn’t it? And if I’m honest, I love the idea, but for one thing, it’s all a bit premature. We've only been seeing each other a week, and for another thing, I have trouble trusting, even with a man who makes a commitment. I’ve seen how easily they can be broken.”
Chelsea shook her head. “You can’t compare Antonio to David. That’s not fair. That’s like saying you’re not going to drink wine anymore because you had one bad bottle.”
Mary Ellen and Piper laughed at that. “Why does everything have to come back to wine around here?” asked Piper.
Chelsea laughed. “Because it’s what we’re all about. It’s what our lives are based on.”
Mary Ellen nodded her agreement. “It is, and I know you have a point. I need to judge Antonio on the way he treats me—not on the way someone else treated me in the past.”
“And by the sounds of it, he’s treating you very well. I can’t wait to hear where he takes you this weekend.” Piper looked as though she might already know.
Mary Ellen raised an eyebrow. “Are you in on it?”
Piper smiled sweetly. “It wouldn’t be fair to say, either way.”
Chelsea spun around to look at her. “That sounds like you are.”
Piper simply shrugged. “I just hope you have a great time, wherever you go.”
