Page 81 of It's All Sun and Games

‘Robin, we might not have been honest with other people, about how we met, or what we were to each other, but we were always honest with each other. Everything we’ve done together this week has been real,’ Andrea points out.

I know that he’s right.

‘I know,’ I reply, feeling a surge of emotion that I try to keep a lid on, so that I can explain myself. ‘And I’ve loved absolutely every minute I have spent with you, and your family, and my priorities have been all wrong, but I’m here now, and I’ve given it all up, and I guess the only thing I can remember how to say is “ti amo” – which might be a bit strong but, I don’t know, even if it’s just as friends, to start with… Ti amo.’

As Andrea smiles, his eyes seem to soften.

‘Anch’io ti amo,’ he replies, pulling me into his arms once again.

‘And look, I know you’re probably going to LA, and I’m not here to stop you,’ I insist, a hint of sadness creeping into my voice. ‘But I just hope that, whatever happens, we can figure something out.’

‘The thing about LA is that… I shagged it,’ Andrea says, chuckling to himself as he uses my own choice of words.

‘What?’ I squeak. I wasn’t expecting him to say that.

Andrea gives me what I’m going to start calling one of his extremely Italian shrugs.

‘It’s just a job,’ he explains, echoing my earlier sentiments.

‘It’s your dream job,’ I remind him. ‘It could have been the start of something big for you.’

‘You’re the start of something big for me,’ he corrects me, his gaze unwavering. ‘Everything begins and ends with you. You were the one who used to encourage me to follow my dreams, back when we used to send our letters. Forget my dream job. I want my dream girl.’

As I smile, I can practically feel my emotions swirling around inside my face, looking for a way out.

‘All week, I have felt like you are mine,’ Andrea tells me. ‘I wasn’t pretending.’

‘Neither was I,’ I insist. ‘From now on, I want to be open and honest about everything – except… do you have my ring?’

Andrea chuckles at my choice of words, and his laughter is like music to my ears.

‘I have it here,’ he tells me.

‘I would like to wear it, if you don’t mind,’ I say. ‘I know we need to take things slow, and figure it all out, but I don’t think anyone noticed that I wasn’t wearing it in there before – they were too distracted by me saying I was very horny for… Oh, God, I can’t even think about it – and I know that we said no more pretending, but let’s not let tonight be about anything but Nonna.’

‘No, no more pretending,’ Andrea replies.

He rummages around in his pocket and pulls out the ring. Then, with a playful grin, he gets down on one knee.

‘Robin, will you… one day… if we’re still together… and you actually want to… but not today… but some day… maybe… marry me?’ he asks, his words filled with both humour and love.

‘Well, when you put it like that, I will,’ I reply through a laugh.

Andrea laughs too as he places the ring on my finger. Then, with a tender touch, he stands up, pulls me close, and kisses me passionately.

‘Right, let’s get back out there and party, before I totally lose my nerve,’ I tell him when I come up for air. ‘Can you apologise to everyone for me?’

‘You just say mi dispiace, to everyone, one at a time,’ he jokes. ‘Mi dispiace, mi dispiace, mi dispiace.’

‘Oh my gosh, is that supposed to be my voice?’ I reply.

‘Maybe,’ he replies with a smirk. ‘Come on, let’s go party.’

Andrea takes me by the hand and leads me back out into the restaurant.

I’m mortified (and that is putting it lightly) over what I said – of course I am – but with Andrea, I can face it. I can face anything.

36

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