enough to get honors in college and get accepted to your first-choice school. To me that’s very impressive. Just don’t stress yourself out. You can do anything you set your mind on.”
“But what if—”
“Lizzie, are you ready to go?” Dante strolled into the room, rubbing his hands together as though he was ready to hit the road.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” Lizzie put her supplies in a nearby box. “Did you remember to pack the recipes your aunt gave me?”
Dante nodded. “I got them.”
“And the photos your father gave me of when you were little.”
“I got those, too. Mind telling me what you plan to do with all of that stuff?”
Lizzie smiled up at him, and he just shook his head. “Well, you better get moving. We have to get ready for tomorrow’s filming, and I want to do some prep work tonight on the menu.”
Lizzie turned to Jules. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer and help more.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
“And make sure you ask my brother for help,” Dante told her as he offered Lizzie a hand to help her off the floor.
When Lizzie got to her feet, she leaned forward just as natural as could be and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. The look that passed between them spoke of their boundless love. Jules smiled. This just confirmed that all her hard work for the wedding was so worth it. This truly was her sister’s happily-ever-after.
Lizzie turned back to her. “I’m taking the rest of the fans with me to finish. And I have the heavy paper for the place cards. I’ll run them off on the printer in the office once we have a finalized guest list.”
Jules placed the rest of the programs in the box and closed the lid. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. My guess is everyone will attend. No one wants to miss the celebration.”
“You don’t think they’re all coming because it’s supposed to be filmed for television, do you?”
Dante wrapped an arm over his future wife’s shoulders. “My family is all about the celebrating and it has nothing to do with television.”
Lizzie gazed into Dante’s eyes. “I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me. They’re happy for us.”
Lizzie reached up and squeezed his hand.
“I wouldn’t trust him.” Stefano stepped into the room. “If there’s one thing I learned growing up with him, it is to be wary when he says ‘trust me,’ especially if it involves the last of the gelato.”
Dante smiled and turned to his brother. “Hey, I can’t help that you were so gullible.”
“What did you expect me to do when you said Papa was looking for me and to trust you that there’d be some gelato left when I returned?”
“See? You learned a valuable lesson—eat your gelato first.” Dante smiled broadly over the memory of outsmarting his older brother. “We’ve got to go.”
“Don’t worry.” Lizzie turned back to Jules. “Everything will work out.”
And with that Lizzie and Dante carried the wedding supplies out the door, leaving her alone with Stefano. He turned a puzzled face her way.
“What did she mean about everything working out?”
Jules shook her head and got to her feet. “It’s nothing.”
She turned her back to him and bent over, picking up her supplies. She wasn’t going to get into another discussion about her education. He’d probably side with Lizzie anyhow, and she didn’t need people ganging up on her. When were people going to trust her to make her own decisions?
He stepped forward and wrapped his hands around her shoulders, and turned her around to face him. “I know that something is bothering you. Did you tell her? You know, about us?”
“No. Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know. Women like to confide in each other, and I thought that you might have said something.”
“I wouldn’t know what to say.” Her frustration and insecurities came bubbling to the surface. “You and I never talked about what it meant. You’ve made yourself scarce since then.”
He arched a brow. “You make it sound like I’ve been hiding from you—”
“Haven’t you?” She dropped down on the couch, and he joined her.
“I’ve been busy. You know that.”
“Uh-huh.” He surely didn’t think she was going to buy that he didn’t have one spare moment to speak to her, did he?
“It’s the truth. There’s a wine-tasting event this weekend, and I’ve been helping my father nail down the details. But don’t change the subject. We were talking about what your sister said. What’s going to work out?”
Jules sighed. “I was trying to tell my sister that I’m not so sure that I still want to go to grad school.”
“And...”
“And she thinks I have cold feet. She’s certain I’ll get over it and things will go according to plan.”
“Is that how you feel?”
“No.” It was the truth, and she was tired of holding it all inside.
His tone softened. “Then talk to me. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
Maybe Lizzie wasn’t ready to hear what she was feeling, but Stefano genuinely seemed interested. And she felt as though she could confide in him. Maybe he’d surprise her and be in her corner.
“The truth is I no longer want to go to grad school.”
“That’s a big decision. What changed your mind?”
“Are you really interested?” She didn’t want to go on and on if he was only being polite.
His tone held a definite note of sincerity. “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t interested.”
She leaned back on the couch and folded her hands in her lap. “I just finished a session as an intern with social services before I flew here.”
Then again, maybe she didn’t want to get into it all. Stefano was the picture of success. His winery was thriving. She’d been awed by all the awards he’d won. They were displayed in the wine-tasting room. His wine had worldwide recognition. He’d never understand failure. And she didn’t want him to think less of her.
“Jules, are you going to make me drag it out of you a little at a time?”
“No. Never mind. It’s not important.”
