An older man came out of the barn and told them to get in the sleigh pulled by two horses. He’d supplied blankets for their comfort and they took a half hour’s journey along the path through the nearby woods.
“What made you think about this?”
“I knew we’d both be upset to have to leave Fausto and thought we might enjoy something different to get ou
r minds off him.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. “This is a wonderful surprise. I love it. Thank you, Stefano.” Every minute with him brought new thrills and bonded her to him.
When it came to an end and they’d thanked the farmer, he drove them to Ristorante Alasso, an elegant restaurant that served the best burrata antipasto she’d ever eaten. The shell of mozzarella contained a semisoft white Italian cheese made with cream and was to-die-for. Delicious ravioli followed with a dessert of cappuccino and cannoli.
Stefano smiled at her after she took her last bite. “Feel better?”
“What a question. This was a superb meal.”
“But it hasn’t taken the sadness from your eyes.”
“Nor yours, but I have an idea. If you’ll take me to the airport now, I’ll fly to Rome to visit my aunt. That will leave you free to be gone for a week. I’ll fly to Domodossola Airport when you return and we’ll take a limo to the palace together.”
Stefano leaned forward and eyed her intently. “I’m going to be honest with you. There’s no place on earth I’d rather be than the chalet. If it hadn’t been for Fausto, who needs attention, I would have told Enzo not to come for us until we had to leave at the end of our two weeks.
“Are you serious?” she cried, so overjoyed she couldn’t find words.
“We haven’t even gone skiing yet and the Monte Viso resort is a mere twenty minutes away. This kind of snow calls to you, but maybe you’ve had enough of it.”
He was begging to go back!
She felt it in every atom of her body. In fact, she was almost sick with excitement at the prospect of being isolated with him for another week. Anything could happen now.
“I’d much rather ski than travel around the Mediterranean,” she stated. “On our way back to the chalet, why don’t we pick up fresh salad and some pastries to last us for another week.”
“Don’t forget chocolate,” he added. There was no mistaking the light shining in those dark eyes before he sat back. “Now I can breathe again.”
He didn’t know the half of it.
She watched him put money on the table before they left to find a store. Another new experience awaited her when she went into a grocery store to shop. Lanza had always wondered what it would be like to do anything as ordinary as walk around a store with the husband you loved.
Being with Stefano was an adventure she loved with every fiber of her being. They laughed while they planned their meals for the week and ended up buying more food than they would need, but he insisted more was much better than less.
To her amazement he bought half a dozen bottles of Almond 22 Pink India Pale Ale. He admitted to developing a taste for it over the years and dared her to try it. In her euphoric mood, there was no way to deny him. “I’ll have some tonight.”
“While we play some more Scrabble, right? You won’t go to bed on me too soon?”
Surely, he was joking. She had no plans to disappear on him. His plea connected to her in a way he wouldn’t have believed. “I promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to it,” he said in his deep voice that wound its way to her insides, turning them to jelly.
After loading the car, they headed for the turnoff on the outskirts of the city. “Before we go any farther, do you want to check on Fausto?”
“There’s nothing I’d love more.” Lanza adored him for suggesting it. “But if we did that, we might as well have not taken him to the refuge in the first place.”
“Thus speaks my rational other half.”
Even to her own ears, her remark had sounded like a nitpicking wife. She never wanted to be that kind of wearisome woman a man couldn’t wait to get away from.
Lanza lowered her head. “I’m afraid that didn’t come out right. I was thinking of his welfare without realizing you’re missing him, too.”
He reached over to clasp her hand, instilling her with warmth. “We’ll have to stay busy so we don’t worry about him. Oh—while I think about it, take a look at the photo on my phone.” He pulled out his cell phone. “I took a picture of him for us to remember before I ran after you.”