will our marriage change anything in his eyes?”
“I know my father. He never wanted to disown me, but he had to save face in front of Mila’s father. Now that he’s heard I’m getting married again, I’ll go to him a new man and tell him I’d like us to start over. By reaching out to him, I’ll have allowed him to retain his pride. He’ll be overjoyed and speak to the judge who will give me back my full rights as a father.”
A glint of suspicion entered her eyes. “A marriage to any woman could have helped you accomplish the same thing.”
His spirits plunged. “Following your logic, I could have married years ago, but there’s a flaw in your thinking. Why don’t you sleep on it? Hopefully one day soon you’ll have figured it out.”
He drew in a ragged breath. “Go to bed, Irena. You look exhausted. I’ll clean up the kitchen and see you in the morning.”
IRENA’S WEDDING DAY dawned, but she’d had a fitful night. It was a good thing Vincenzo had left early for the drive to Milan to pick up Dino. When she looked in the mirror and saw her drawn face, she was glad she had time to repair the damage before they returned.
Part of her restlessness stemmed from the fact that she hadn’t told her parents anything since her last call to them. She vacillated whether to phone them now or after the honeymoon.
But as the morning wore on, she realized she couldn’t put off telling them her news. To hurt them like that when they’d been such wonderful parents to her all her life would be unconscionable. She would have to tell them the truth. Not everything, but enough to satisfy them.
After getting ready for the big day, she walked through to the kitchen to take her pills and make her phone call. As it turned out, her father had already left for work, so her mother phoned him there and they set up a three-way call.
“Irena? I’ve been anxious about you,” her father began without preamble.
“I know. How are you?”
“Fine, but that’s not the point.” Her father sounded upset. “What’s this about sightseeing with some Italian and his son? Who is he?”
She took a fortifying breath. “His name is Vincenzo Antonello. He’s divorced and has a six-year-old boy named Dino. He manages the Antonello Liquers plant in La Spezia.”
“The one you covered in the magazine section.”
“Yes.”
“Is he the reason you’re still in Italy?” Her mother’s question wasn’t an idle one.
The blood hammered in her ears. “Yes.”
“I’ll never forgive Andreas for what he did to you,” her father blurted emotionally.
“Please don’t say that. I believe it was meant to be. He couldn’t help how he felt when he met Gabi a-anymore than I could help my feelings for Vincenzo.”
Her words were met with silence before her mother asked, “What feelings?”
Now was the moment. “When I met him two months ago, we spent all our time together. I didn’t mean to, but it just happened. By the time I had to leave, he’d asked me to marry him.”
“When you were already promised to Andreas?” Her father sounded stunned.
“I wasn’t promised to him, Father. We weren’t even engaged! It’s true we both loved each other, but apparently not enough to make it to the altar. There were times he turned to Leon before he turned to me. I know now I was never in love with him. That’s why I came back to Riomaggiore.”
Her mother made a sound in her throat. “So what are you saying?”
She gripped the phone tighter. “Vincenzo and I are getting married in a few hours.”
“A few hours—” both parents cried in unison.
“Yes. There’s a church down the road from his apartment. A Father Rinaldo is going to marry us. I know this comes as a huge shock to you. To me, too, actually. You have no idea how much I love him. He’s a wonderful man with a darling son.” The realization that her feelings for Vincenzo had grown into love came as a shock to Irena, but the moment she said the words she knew them to be true.
Her father was the first to recover. “Does the boy live with him?”
Irena closed her eyes. “No. Dino lives with his mother. They’ve worked out visitation.”
“So you’re going to be a part-time mama before you’re a mama!” Spoken like a mother.
Tears slid out from beneath Irena’s eyelashes. “I’m very happy about it and hope you will be, too.”
“When are we going to meet him?” her father wanted to know.
“We’re taking a honeymoon to California for two weeks. I’ll phone you when we get there. After we return and everything settles down, the three of us will fly to Athens. Vincenzo’s heard all about how wonderful you are and is anxious to—”
“Irena?”
It was Dino.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go. I promise to call you soon. Love you.” She clicked off. “Here I am!”
Dino came running into the apartment wearing shorts and a dinosaur shirt. When he saw her in the dining room, he came to a full stop. “You are bellissima!”
It struck her how much she’d missed him. “Grazie,” she said with a smile before hugging him.
His brown eyes took in the cream-colored two-piece suit she’d bought in one of the boutiques. Around her neck she’d looped the matching colored lace mantilla she would put on when she entered the church.
While they’d been shopping she’d asked Vincenzo what he thought would look good in her hair. He’d said it didn’t matter as long as she left it down.
“Is it time?”
She glanced at her watch. “Almost. I was afraid you wouldn’t make it.”
Vincenzo came in from outside, also dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. His eyes appraised her so intimately, she trembled. “After we left Milan, there was a terrible accident on the strada that held us up. Come in my room, Dino, and we’ll both get ready.”
“Your new suits are on the bed!”
“Fantastico!”
She could hear water running from the shower. Before long Dino came running back to the kitchen in his new navy blue suit and white shirt. Vincenzo had chosen the same outfit for himself. Both wore a blue-and-silver striped tie.
Irena reached inside the fridge and pulled
