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“What are you talking about?”
“I’m meeting with my father in two weeks. Create a campaign to help me convince him to sign with one of the export co-ops. He will agree, of course. You are now the director of marketing for Venturi International.” He laughed, arms outstretched. “MyRomaapartment is small, but it will work. Coworkers by day. Lovers by night.”
He bent, grasped my shoulders, and kissed me. Hard.
“I must go now. There is much to work out with Roberto Esposito. He heads Italy’s largest wine co-op.”
He was gone before I found words. If Talley’s suggestion that I become a social influencer was crazy, Alessio’s idea that I drop everything to build a life and career with a man I barely knew was lunacy.
More than ludicrous, it was…a repeat of my mistake with Henry. Alessio hadn’t asked if I wanted to work with him. He hadn’t asked if I wanted a career in marketing. He didn’t ask if I wanted to live with him. And, the biggest fail of all, he didn’t ask if I wanted to share my life with him.
It didn’t matter that I was already halfway in love with him. Alessio’s true nature had shown itself. Making love—respecting boundaries, giving and not just receiving, was fine for a holiday fling, but not a real-world, day in and day out relationship.
I felt the crack, a painful crumbling in the middle of my chest, even though my heart breaking in two didn’t make a sound.
It took me three tries to dial Talley’s number. I inhaled to stall the sobs.
“Tal—”
“Elle?” Her earlier brusqueness disappeared, replaced with unconditional I’m-there-for-you, bestie.Beastie.“What happened?”
I fell in love with the right man who turned out to be all wrong.
“I’m leaving tonight.” I stumbled over each word. “Reschedule my flight? Please? No matter what it costs.”
“I’ll text you with the airline information.” Talley was the best in situations like this. “Hon, are you okay?”
No. I was so not okay. But I was no longer the meek and mild woman who’d settled for a lukewarm fiancé. I deserved more. I deserved better. I would not wait for a man to give it to me. Even if it meant being alone, I would have it all.
“I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Okay. Call me if you need anything else.”
I wanted a final look at the magical terrace and fairytale garden but couldn’t see anything beyond my tears.
Chapter Ten - Alessio
Forty-eight hours later
“More wine?” Talley lifted the bottle Cupcake sauvignon blanc she’d purchased at the grocery store on her way home from work.
“That’s not wine.” I grimaced. “It’s vinegar.”
“You spend ten days in Tuscany and come home a wine snob.” She guzzled half of the contents in her wineglass. “Okay. Spill.”
I folded my feet under me on her leather couch and hugged a pillow to my chest. “I’m not ready to share yet.”
“You slept for twelve hours, ate an entire cheese pizza, and finished off two pints of ice cream.” Talley tilted her glass at me from where she sat cross-legged on the floor. “You’re ready.”
“I don’t know where to start.” Just thinking about Alessio hurt. I didn’t know if I had the strength to talk about him.
“Did he hit you?” Talley asked.
I shook my head.
“Lie to you?”
“No.”
