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He nodded. “Sicilians are proud of our wines, especially the Marsala. Most people think of it as merely a cooking wine these days, but there are still some fine examples. It’s like a sherry, a sweet fortified wine—good for dessert.”
She had to smile. His passion for his wines was evident. She loved that about him.
They ate their sandwiches in companionable silence looking out at the lake—blue water dotted with white boats mirrored the blue sky above dotted with white clouds.
When she’d finished eating, she smiled at him. He was quieter today and she had a feeling that he was nervous about their conversation last night. “I could get used to this.”
He grinned. “I hope you’ll want to.”
She nodded. “I do want to, Antonio. It’s all so fast and a little hard to take in.”
He nodded solemnly. “Hard to believe for you, I guess. You know me to be a certain way and that isn’t as a guy who’s looking to find the love of his life and settle down.”
She nodded, glad that he understood.
“I know that with time I can show you who I am; I can earn your respect.” He frowned. “Do you want to know what I’m not so sure about?”
“What?”
“I know I can do my part to prove to you that I’m for real, but I don’t know that I can ever get you past the hurt you’ve known. Some people never trust again after they’ve had their heart broken.”
She reached up and touched his cheek. “I don’t think you’ve got much to worry about there.”
“No?”
She smiled. “No. David did a number on me, I’m not denying that, but the way I’ve been since then has been more of a logical choice to avoid hurt, than an emotional need or fear of getting hurt.”
He looked puzzled.
She shrugged. “He knocked me down, but he didn’t destroy me. I was able to work through my hurt, and I made a conscious decision not to put myself out there to experience it again. I’m not some broken fearful woman. I’m perfectly capable of choosing to trust again—to love again. It’s just a matter of risk versus reward.”
He smiled and planted a kiss on her lips. “I’ll do everything I can to minimize the risk and maximize the reward.”
Mary Ellen sipped her wine and stared out at the lake. A big part of her already trusted that he meant it.
Chapter Fifteen
“I can’t believe we’re in for another laid-back Monday.” Daniel eyed Antonio warily. “You have seen the numbers from Sicily, right? You’re not just blissfully unaware?”
Antonio gave his assistant a half smile. “I’ve seen them. I know it’s not good, but me throwing my arms in the air and ranting and raving isn’t going to make them any better, is it?”
Daniel shook his head. “I know that. It’s usually me telling you that, but damn, Antonio. Things are going down the pan over there. What’s going on with Marcos? It’s not like him to let things slip this badly.”
Antonio shook his head sadly. “He’s finally getting divorced. I’m sure he has a lot on his mind and a lot to deal with.” He didn’t like to add that he was more concerned about what Marcos had said last time they spoke—about maybe not getting his passion for the wines back. If he didn’t—and if it didn’t happen soon—Antonio was going to have to step in. He had no intention of going home to take things over, but he might have to visit for a while until the business was back on track, and either Marcos was back on form or they found someone to replace him.
“I’m sure he does, but still …” Daniel looked uncomfortable. “It’s going to make things more difficult for us.”
“It is.” Antonio smiled. “But, hey, we’re good. We can handle it. If my brother needs us to pick up the slack for a while, we’re up to the task, right?”
Daniel blew out a sigh. “Of course we are. We can handle it.” He met Antonio’s gaze. “I take it you had a good weekend? You’re not phased at all, are you?”
Antonio grinned. “It was the best weekend ever, and no, I’m not phased, because I know my life is coming together, so a little road bump with the business isn’t a big deal.”
“You took her to Summer Lake, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. It was amazing. In fact, can you find me a realtor up there? I want to start looking.”
Daniel laughed. “Are you serious? The shit’s hitting the fan here and you want to start looking for a vacation home?”
