the narrow corridor, we were forced to go single file with Marcellino in the lead, then me and Jason bringing up the rear. I was hyperaware of him behind me but tried to shut him out. He made it impossible, as he leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “He really is the perfect guy, isn’t he?”
I glanced over my shoulder at him and met his gaze. I didn’t know what to say. I believed there was a reason that of all the people I’d met and of the three men I’d fallen in love with during my year abroad, Marcellino was the only one I’d kept in touch with. What that reason was, I had no idea, but there was no arguing that he was a heck of a guy.
“He’s handsome, successful, and really, really nice,” Jason said. His voice was so low I could barely hear him when he muttered, “How’s a guy supposed to compete with that?”
Again, I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing.
chapter twenty-five
THE FOLLOWING MORNING kicked off the first day of the week-long wine festival, which began with the infiorata, a flower festival held in the center of the village. I glanced out the window of my cottage and noted that the weather was so perfect it felt as if it had been specially ordered. The sun was warm and the breeze cool but so light that no petals from the elaborate works of art that decorated the town would be disturbed as the air gently moved through the narrow cobbled streets as softly as a whisper.
I dressed in a pale-pink sundress paired with a wide-brimmed straw sun hat decorated with silk peonies the size of my fist. I kept my makeup light and wore my hair loose. Comfortable brown sandals were the footwear of choice, as Marcellino had told me we would be doing a lot of walking.
As the owner of the castle and the employer to most of the town, Marcellino was expected to attend the festival and admire the floral works of art, talk to the residents, and basically be the benevolent castle dweller of their humble village. I, as his date, was expected to do much the same.
While I had visited the village several times during the past few days, I hadn’t gone there as Marcellino’s special lady friend, so being out in the public eye with him in this capacity felt like a very big deal, and I was extremely nervous. What if the locals rejected me? I wondered if it was too early for wine.
I stepped out of my cottage and found Marcellino waiting for me on the terrace. He looked devastatingly handsome in a lilac dress shirt, gray slacks, and casual shoes, with his thick dark hair brushed back from his face. His grin when he saw me made all my efforts on my appearance worth it.
“Will I do?” I asked.
“Bellissima,” he said. “You will more than do. You are perfection.”
I felt my face grow warm at his words. So charming.
Yesterday had been spent anticipating the arrival of Severin. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until late in the evening that Robbie texted Jason to tell him he and Eleanor had been delayed by an unexpected business meeting. They were now hoping to arrive at some point today but would keep us posted. I kept my impatience at bay by thinking of what an incredible boon their donation would be to the ACC.
Consequently, with Jason underfoot, Marcellino and I hadn’t had any time alone. My desire to have him kiss me had been repeatedly thwarted, making me surly and frustrated.
I glanced around the terrace. There was no one here now. Pushing down all the anxiety screaming inside of me that this was not a great idea—What if he doesn’t want to kiss you? What if it’s terrible? What if there is no spark?—I stepped close to Marcellino and gazed up at him. I tried to make my signal that he was all clear to come in for a landing as obvious as the guys on the airport tarmac with the big orange flags, but still, he didn’t move.
I decided to take the initiative. I slid my hands up his arms and around the back of his neck. I rose up on my toes at the same time I pulled his head down to mine. I put my lips on his, fitting our mouths together the way I remembered. Finally, his hands moved hesitantly around me. At last, we