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“Kid!?” I gasp, offended.
Roxanne laughs her low, sultry laugh. “Maybe it’s the whole star-crossed lovers thing you and Dan have going on, but I think I’ve got a soft spot for you at this point.”
“I want to revisit this conversation later,” I tell her, both unamused and secretly happy that we’re mending things. I push all thoughts of my dad and his plans far to the back of my mind.
Dan, Andries, and Robin have disappeared, but we find them at a wine bar higher up in the city. Once the group is back up, we stroll through the narrow sidewalk, gifts in hand, and visit some of the must-see sights.
In the rush of it all, with Andries and Roxie far ahead of us taking pictures of the Santa Maria Assunta, Dan slips his hand into mine and squeezes lightly. He doesn’t look down at me, wanting to keep the attention on us to a minimum, but he says, “You look beautiful today.”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I reply, my tone just as low. Our little secret moments warm my heart.
We finally make it to the top of the city, and the view takes my breath away. I didn’t think that, after Capri, anything could strike me so much, but it almost looks unreal from up here gazing down at the city spreading out in shades of red, yellow, white, and tans, green trees and climbing vines peppering the vista among the rough gray rocks. My brother joins me at the lookout, bumping me with his shoulder to get my attention.
“You feeling any better?”
I frown. “Fine. Why do you ask?”
“You seemed grumpy on the yacht yesterday, and then understandably mad at dinner. Which I’m sorry for overreacting, by the way. But Dan pointed out that you might be feeling left out with all the couple things going on and…” He clears his throat, looking sincere yet struggling to find the right words. “Well, I’m glad you’re here, and I want you to enjoy yourself too.”
“I’m having a great time,” I tell him honestly, laying my head on his shoulder. “I’m happy to be here with you and Roxanne… to be a part of all of this.”
We’re both silent for some time, before my brother quietly adds, “I’m glad you are too.”
After our sightseeing, we head toil Tridente,a posh restaurant where Dan got us a table, not too far from where we were. With its beautiful terrace perched high enough to offer picturesque views to the city, the beach with its brown sand and sea stretching to the horizon, we eat a light lunch and drink too much limoncello. The bright yellow libation pours over my tongue like liquid sunshine, sour and sweet, making my head feel buzzy and lifting my mood.
We toast to, well… everything. Dan to Andries, then Andries to Dan. Lili toasts her sister with tears in her eyes, and then the two women hug and weep happily in each other's arms while Robin and Andries look on awkwardly.
Finally, Dan raises his glass a final time in my direction, and my heart soars before he even says anything. “And last but not least, I want to raise a toast to everyone’s favorite last-minute addition to the trip, Elise. You started out as kind of a brat, but you’ve grown on me over the years—”
“Hey, I told her the same thing earlier!” Roxanne interjects, but Dan continues.
“You’ve grown on me over the years, and I’m glad to call you my… friend. To Elise!”
“To Elise!” the table echoes and this last drink of limoncello tastes even sweeter than all the ones before.
That is until I lower my glass and see Andries looking between Dan and me with his brow furrowed suspiciously again. Great.
“I want to go to a few more shops,” Roxie announces when we’re done, leaning heavily on her fiancé as they stand. “But you have to come with me, love. I’m dizzy.”
“Of course you are,” he tells her fondly, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”
The two couples all gather around a map that Robin has acquired, looking at the array of shops and deciding what else still needs to be visited. I hang back while Dan pays the bill for the meal when I feel my phone vibrate in my purse. Blinking away the haziness in my vision, I tap the screen on and read the message there waiting for me.
Dan:Wanna go to a private bay?
A little thrill runs through me. What does he have in mind now?
Elise:My brother is already suspicious… Did you see him when we toasted? He was watching us like a hawk. If we disappear now, it’s only gonna get worse.
Dan:Are you hearing them right now? They’re planning to go on like ten other errands. We’ve got plenty of time for the yacht to take us there and bring us back.
Elise:You’re crazy!
I look up at him, standing right outside the doorway of the restaurant, a Cheshire grin on his face, and I can’t resist any longer. Any hesitations I have melt away, and while my brother is distracted with Roxanne and her sister, I hurry over to him and take his outstretched hand, and then we’re free.
I feel like a kid again running through the cobblestone streets with Dan, holding his hand and giggling as we hurry through the city to the waiting boat. Limoncello and the adrenaline rush of what we are doing makes me feel blissfully lightheaded, and when we reach the pier where we can step onto the yacht, I’m laughing so hard that I can barely stand.
Dan lifts me onto the boat with his hands around my waist, his hair mussed from the run and hanging on his forehead. I brush it back as he sits me on my feet, leaning in to kiss me on the corner of my mouth.
