Page 302 of Valentino

“He’s trying to give me my mother’s engagement ring,” Val says softly. “It’s okay…Papa.”

Oh….

“Lo voglio” (translation) “I want it,” I reply.

Val looks up at me.

“Cioè… se va bene…” (translation) “I mean…. If that’s okay?”

“You don’t have to….”

“Sarebbe un onore indossare l’anello di tua madre” (translation) “It would be an honor to wear your mother’s ring.” I smile through tears. “Please?” (translation)

Val walks over to me and in slow motion drops to his knee beside my chair. “Anna… ti ho sempre amata e ti amerò per sempre. Per favore, fammi l'onore di sposarmi: (translation) “Anna…I always have, and always will love you. Please do me the honor and marry me?”

He opens the box to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring I have ever seen in my life.

“Sì”. Rido tra le lacrime e annuisco. “Un milione di volte sì” (translation) “Yes.” I laugh through tears and nod. “A thousand times yes.”

He slips it on my finger, and I’m crying, and his father is crying…. And the man who swears he’s not romantic, cries too.

I walk out of the café.

“Anna,” a voice sounds from behind me.

I turn to see Romeo is with Luigi and Gino. “Ah.” I force a smile, damn it, I don’t want to be rude to him in front of the others. “Hello.”

“Can I talk to you for a moment?”

My eyes hold his.

“Please?”

“Sure.”

He looks around. “In private?”

“Fine.”

He gestures to a park across the road. “We could walk?”

“Okay.”

We cross the road and go into the park, there’s a lake and park benches.

“You can wait here,” Romeo tells them.

Luigi’s and Gino’s eyes flick to me for approval. “That’s fine, thank you.”

They hang back and Romeo and I begin to walk down by the lake. “So…” he says.

I roll my lips to keep my thoughts to myself.

I hate this fucker.

“Umm….” He sighs. “Look, I’m going to be straight up with you.”

I roll my eyes.