been…difficult lately and I haven’t been able to get away as often as I wou ld like.”
Brian studied his wife. Her words were stilted, her posture tight. Something was wrong.
“Come, come. Sit down and I’ll get you a glass of your favorite wine.” He led to her a chair beside Brian, pulled it out, and waited for he r to sit.
Diane glanced down at the glass of water in front of her and shook her head. “Not tonight, Marcello. Water is good. Maybe some tea later, please?”
The bushy brows on the man’s face rose before he turned and gave an overly dramatic wink to Brian. “Of course, of course. Anything for you.”
Brian shook his head as Marcello walked away and couldn’t stop the smile as it grew on his face.
Unfortunately, the moment he turned his attention back to Diane, that smile me lted away.
“You told him?”
CHAPTER TEN
B rian sat back in alarm.
“Of course not. Why would you th ink that?”
Diane gave him the look. The one that made him feel like a fool for even asking such a stupid question. The look that had him wishing he were anywhere but here. That look.
“It was kind of hard not to hear him shout out the word ‘b ambino.’”
Brian tried to break the tension by laughing but it came out like a snort instead.
“No, no. He was telling me how you needed to slow down, enjoy life, and that a baby was the way to do it. That’s all.” He reached for her hand. “ Promise.”
Diane remained skeptical. She withdrew her hand.
“Does he honestly think a baby would slow down ou r lives?”
Brian shrugged. It didn’t matter what he said; he wou ldn’t win.
“Try make it busier. I don’t understand how some of the women at the office do it, juggle family and work.” She sipped at her water while the server came and brought the Parmes an bread.
“Hope you don’t mind. After the way you reacted to my garlic bread last night, I wasn’t sure how the bruschetta would make you feel. I thought the Parmesan might be a better choice.” Brian babbled, like he often did when he was u ncertain.
Diane reached for a piece and smiled. “Actually, today’s a good day. I’m hungry, believe it or not.” She bit into the Parmesan-coated bread and sighed. “This is so good,” she mumbled betw een bites.
The knot in Brian’s stomach uncoiled while the weight on his shoulders lifted. Maybe he was worried ove r nothing.
“You mean you’ll actually eat tonight? This calls for a celebration,” Bri an teased.
“Can you believe some women have morning sickness for months? I couldn’t do that. I love food too much.” She took another piece and devoured it. Brian reached for the last remaining slice and bit into it before Diane even noticed.
“Do you think yours is over?”
Diane nodded. “God, I hope so.” She leaned forward, rested her elbows on the table, and glanced around the re staurant.
Tables were starting to fill up and the noise level rose around them. Marcello’s booming voice welcomed people as he met them at their various tables while waiters scurried around the room.
“Why didn’t we do this sooner?” When Diane smiled at him, there was a light in her eyes, something he’d missed seeing for a long time.
“We need to make it a priority again, don’t we?” He reached for her hand again and entwined his fingers with hers. When she smiled at him, all was right in his world. It was funny how one person made that much of a differenc e to him.
He never believed in soul mates until Diane came into his life. He’d known the moment he caught sight of her that she was the one for him. It had been an early morning and they were the only two in a small coffee shop. He’d sat down beside her in the armchairs by the fireplace and pretended to read the morning paper, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Within minutes, they’d started to chat; the next thing he knew, she was asking him out on a date. They ended up having a picnic, watching the fireworks light up the
Brian studied his wife. Her words were stilted, her posture tight. Something was wrong.
“Come, come. Sit down and I’ll get you a glass of your favorite wine.” He led to her a chair beside Brian, pulled it out, and waited for he r to sit.
Diane glanced down at the glass of water in front of her and shook her head. “Not tonight, Marcello. Water is good. Maybe some tea later, please?”
The bushy brows on the man’s face rose before he turned and gave an overly dramatic wink to Brian. “Of course, of course. Anything for you.”
Brian shook his head as Marcello walked away and couldn’t stop the smile as it grew on his face.
Unfortunately, the moment he turned his attention back to Diane, that smile me lted away.
“You told him?”
CHAPTER TEN
B rian sat back in alarm.
“Of course not. Why would you th ink that?”
Diane gave him the look. The one that made him feel like a fool for even asking such a stupid question. The look that had him wishing he were anywhere but here. That look.
“It was kind of hard not to hear him shout out the word ‘b ambino.’”
Brian tried to break the tension by laughing but it came out like a snort instead.
“No, no. He was telling me how you needed to slow down, enjoy life, and that a baby was the way to do it. That’s all.” He reached for her hand. “ Promise.”
Diane remained skeptical. She withdrew her hand.
“Does he honestly think a baby would slow down ou r lives?”
Brian shrugged. It didn’t matter what he said; he wou ldn’t win.
“Try make it busier. I don’t understand how some of the women at the office do it, juggle family and work.” She sipped at her water while the server came and brought the Parmes an bread.
“Hope you don’t mind. After the way you reacted to my garlic bread last night, I wasn’t sure how the bruschetta would make you feel. I thought the Parmesan might be a better choice.” Brian babbled, like he often did when he was u ncertain.
Diane reached for a piece and smiled. “Actually, today’s a good day. I’m hungry, believe it or not.” She bit into the Parmesan-coated bread and sighed. “This is so good,” she mumbled betw een bites.
The knot in Brian’s stomach uncoiled while the weight on his shoulders lifted. Maybe he was worried ove r nothing.
“You mean you’ll actually eat tonight? This calls for a celebration,” Bri an teased.
“Can you believe some women have morning sickness for months? I couldn’t do that. I love food too much.” She took another piece and devoured it. Brian reached for the last remaining slice and bit into it before Diane even noticed.
“Do you think yours is over?”
Diane nodded. “God, I hope so.” She leaned forward, rested her elbows on the table, and glanced around the re staurant.
Tables were starting to fill up and the noise level rose around them. Marcello’s booming voice welcomed people as he met them at their various tables while waiters scurried around the room.
“Why didn’t we do this sooner?” When Diane smiled at him, there was a light in her eyes, something he’d missed seeing for a long time.
“We need to make it a priority again, don’t we?” He reached for her hand again and entwined his fingers with hers. When she smiled at him, all was right in his world. It was funny how one person made that much of a differenc e to him.
He never believed in soul mates until Diane came into his life. He’d known the moment he caught sight of her that she was the one for him. It had been an early morning and they were the only two in a small coffee shop. He’d sat down beside her in the armchairs by the fireplace and pretended to read the morning paper, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Within minutes, they’d started to chat; the next thing he knew, she was asking him out on a date. They ended up having a picnic, watching the fireworks light up the
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