Page 79 of Whatever You Need

“Everything happened so fast, and we got too comfortable.” I swallowed the emotion clogging the back of my throat. “I waited too long to tell him.”

She grabbed my hand and held it. “He’s angry now, but he loves you. Just like you love him. It’s not too late to change your mind.”

“Sophia, I begged him to hear me out, but he wouldn’t give me a chance. I’ve been walking around these past couple weeks thinking that he didn’t care about me as much as I did him. Then he showed up at my engagement dinner…” A sob broke free. I couldn’t even finish my sentence.

“Amelia. My grandson has always been stubborn. He’s had a lot of issues from having his heart broken before. But if I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that life will sometimes throw you a curveball. You can either take a swing and hope for the best, or watch it go by and wonder what if. You are both letting fear stand in your way. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

I wiped my eyes and lightly bumped her shoulder. “When did you become such a big baseball fan?”

Her eyes sparkled. “I dated some players when I was a young girl. There were lots of gigolos in old Italy.”

“I didn’t know you dated anyone other than Marco’s grandfather.”

“I dated a young man who was a catch in town, but we didn’t work out.”

“What happened to him?”

“He became a famous porn star and last I heard he was living with his gay lover in Florence.”

I don’t know why my mouth was hanging open because nothing that comes out of her mouth should surprise me at this point.

“Tesoro.” Her tone grew serious. “I lost the man I loved. I will never get my Giovanni back. Never hear his voice. Never see him smile.” Emotions bubbled inside me because I knew where she was going with this. “I know what’s it like to be sad. I remember the ups and downs of young love. But,cario, I’m too old to give my heart away again. I would never try to replace Giovanni because he’s irreplaceable. There is no more love for me in this life, and that’s okay. Someday we will meet again. But for now, I like being alone. It’s what I choose. But you, you are stronger than you think. You still have your whole life ahead of you. You still have choices.” Big fat tears rolled down my cheeks. “I know that your grandmother loves you. She would want you to be happy. Your grandfather sounds like a decent man, he will understand. I know you have dreams, but sometimes dreams change.”

I closed my eyes and sighed heavily. “I let him go. I told him it was too late.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Of course, I do.” Just like I knew my love for him would never go away. So, what the hell was I doing?

“My Marco is a handsome man, isn’t he?” I narrowed my eyes. “A looker like that won’t be on the market for long. Someday he’ll meet some nice young girl, and they will settle down.” The idea of him with anyone else made me angry enough to commit murder. And if this little old lady didn’t stop talking, she was going to be my first victim. She winked. “I see that look in your eye.”

There was no doubt that Marco was what I wanted. But the thought of losing the hotel to some private equity firm was tearing me apart, but that was nothing compared to disappointing the only family I had left. My grandfather would lose all his hard work, and my mother would lose the financial stability that she needed. I might have wanted it all, but that didn’t mean I was going to get it. This was my moment of truth. Where I had to decide if I was going to risk it all for the man I loved or if I was going to stay on the path that I was on. Or maybe I had already made up my mind the second he walked away from me on New Year’s Eve and I’m just realizing it.

“I think I screwed up.”

Nervous energy started coursing through me. My knee started to bounce as I thought of what was at stake; I stood up and started pacing. I was so resigned to what my brain was telling me was the right thing to do that I never fully listened to my heart. I never gave it a chance, and no matter how much time passed, I would never move on from loving him. I could always get another job, but I could never replace Marco.

“Amelia.” My grandmother’s voice had me whirling around in surprise. She was awake! My mouth dropped open and my eyes felt like they needed to do a double take.

“If you love that man, then you go get him.” Her voice was soft and familiar, and I stood there with my heart pounding in my chest, waiting for her to say something else. “If he gives you a hard time, then be persistent. Do whatever you have to do, but you don’t give up. I want you to live and love, because that hole in your chest? No job will fill that.”

I sucked in a deep breath and leaped across the room so I could lean over her bed. “You’re awake?” I asked in amazement, not sure if I should talk or just let her talk. I knew this moment wouldn’t last long. They were rare and precious.

She smiled warmly, and her weathered hand reached for mine. Her eyes were filled with so much tenderness. “I don’t know how much time I have before I slip away, so please let me say this.”

Sophia’s hand rubbed my back. “I’ll leave you two alone,” she said, before she quietly walked out of the room.

“Loving someone isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s a lot of work. Lord knows I sacrificed a lot over the years with your grandfather, but I knew what I was getting into when I married him. He gave me a good life, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

“Loving Marco comes at a cost,” I said sadly, feeling my throat tighten. Admitting the truth dampened the happiness of her being awake.

“It always does, dear. That’s how you know he’s worth it.”

“Oh God, I’ve missed you.” I just wanted to hug her and never let go. Instead, I just clutched her hand and squeezed it tight.

“I’m proud of you, Amelia.”

The lump in my throat grew bigger as my eyes filled with tears. “I’m not sure how proud Grandfather will be when I tell him I’m backing out of the deal.”

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