Page 69 of Beneath the Sapphire Sky

Chapter Twenty-Five

Belle kept glancingout her living room window at the road. Dante would have to come home soon, surely?

Waiting patiently had never been one of her strongest attributes.

She’d been watching one of her favourite movies, wasting time until he came home. He hadn’t managed to circle back around to her at the café, so she’d messaged him her congratulations again, called it a night, and come home, safe in the knowledge they’d talk soon.

Sooner rather than later suited her just fine.

She could go and tap on his window, and if he was up to it, they could talk tonight. She didn’t think she’d be able to sleep if she didn’t say what she needed to.

She needed to tell him that she loved him. It might make things weird again, but she couldn’t hide it any longer. Didn’t want to. She knew she wouldn’t lose his friendship over it. Not this time. And maybe it was time to let go of the memory of what he’d once said to another woman and find out for herself what his feelings were now.

She blew out a breath and tried to pay attention to the couple on-screen. The way they danced around each other, saying the things they said, pretending to not feel things they felt; it reminded her so much of her and Dante.

Maybe that’s why she loved this movie so much.

Headlights flashed between the vines that ran down the long driveway to the bitumen road.

Finally!

She’d changed into an ancient pair of loose denim overall shorts, with a tight, ribbed crop top beneath. The strap always slid down off her shoulder, no matter how much she tightened the buckle.

She waited a few minutes then slipped a pair of thongs on her feet and tried not to hurry as she walked down her long driveway. She didn’t bother with the torch on her phone. The full moon peeked through the randomly flitting clouds that passed its face. It was more than bright enough to see by.

The car came back up the Casellatis’ driveway and the headlights flashed her as they swung onto the road heading back towards town.

A taxi.

Belle crossed the road and wandered down the side of Dante’s driveway, preferring the soft grass to the crunch of small gravel, just as she’d done thousands of times over the years. Sometimes late at night, like she was doing now. She’d tap on his window and, if it was warm, she’d sit on the windowsill and they’d talk ’til all hours. If it was cold, or raining, she’d go in and close the window behind her. She’d ended up either on the bed beside him or in the old beanbag that lived permanently in the corner of his room.

Sometimes she’d fallen asleep and that had ended up in her being grounded several times through her teens. Her parents had always known where to find her. It hadn’t taken a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Once she’d gotten a bit older and had a mobile phone, if her parents had noticed her missing, they knew she was safe.

An out-of-place noise somewhere in front of her pulled her from her reverie. She squinted as a figure came out of a row ahead and walked toward her.

Dante.

Her heart stuttered, then pounded like crazy.

He was coming to see her? They’d met like this occasionally over the long years, both thinking to share news or thoughts with the other at the same time.

That he did so tonight swirled hope through her veins, intoxicating and fierce.

He got closer and his shape solidified, his features becoming more distinct in the bright moonlight.

His hands were shoved into his back pockets. Belle bit back a smile. He did that when he was nervous or worried about something. She didn’t think he realised it was a big tell.

“Heya, Miss B.”

His soft, deep voice slid over her, leaving shivers to shimmy in its wake.

“Heya yourself, Mister Big-Time Winemaker.”

His grin exploded, engulfing his face in happiness. “I still can’t believe it happened. Maybe you should pinch me because this can’t be happening to me.”

Her own grin matched his. “It is and it’s so very deserved.”

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