Bella grinned. ‘You could be right there.’
Sergio knew he would have to cope with Bella’s mother too. But he would. For Bella’s sake.
‘So you have to be in New York on the first of August,’ he mused aloud.
‘Yes, I’m afraid so.’
‘That gives me two weeks to get things settled at the factory, put someone new in charge and go with you.’
‘You’re going with me?’
‘You don’t think I’d let you go to the city of sin by yourself, do you?’
Bella rolled her eyes. ‘Sergio, I have lived in New York for years. I know how to look after myself. But I don’t mind if you come with me,’ she added, blue eyes sparkling. ‘Provided you don’t go all super possessive and protective like some Italian men do.’
‘I’ll be as super possessive and protective as I like, Bella. You’re going to be my wife.’
Bella sighed. ‘Oh, dear...’
‘Just kidding. So how long do you think it will take to shoot this movie?’
‘Not too long. Two months, perhaps? But we’ll have to rehearse for a while first. Get the locations booked and the costumes made. Might take the rest of the year.’
‘In that case we’ll have to get married before we go. Or is that too fast for you?’
‘Not at all. But can a wedding be organised that quickly?’
‘We might have to get a special licence. Bribe an official or two. But that shouldn’t prove too difficult. This is Italy,’ he replied, with a twinkle in his eye.
Bella took a deep breath. ‘There is one thing I should confess, since we’re not going to keep any secrets from each other.’
Sergio stopped breathing for a second. Please, God, not anything too bad, he prayed.
‘I know you’re going to have a hard time believing this,’ she went on, ‘but you are the only man who has ever satisfied me sexually. Before you I was boring in bed. Boring and shy and a total failure. My lack of passion—for want of a better word—was what broke up most of my relationships. But I was none of those things with you. Right from the start, Sergio. Right from the first moment I looked down at you from the balcony and saw you by the pool. Lord, but you took my breath away. You might find this a silly romantic notion but I think Maria was right. I was different with you because you loved me the way those other men never loved me. You are the man I’ve been waiting for all my life. My dream man. My wonderful Sergio...’
Sergio found himself totally blown away with her confession. She made him feel ten feet tall. And very loved.
‘And I have been waiting for you all my life, my darling Bella. My darling Izzie...’
Sergio’s heart turned over at the thought of how close he had come to losing her. So very close.
He vowed right then and there that he would do everything in his power to be the very best husband he could be so that she would never regret trusting him with her love. Fancy her offering to give up her career for him. How wonderful was that? But then she was wonderful. And she was all his. He aimed to keep it that way, till death did them part.
* * * * *