A Tuscan Proposal

Chapter 5

During the summers that Francesca spent in Italy as a child, her cousin, Luca, had been her best friend. His parents lived a couple of miles down the road—or a ten-minute walk through the vineyard that he now worked alongside Nonno and various other relatives.

When Francesca called to tell Luca that she was at their grandparents' house, he made the ten-minute walk in less than seven minutes. After exchanging customary kisses and a heartfelt embrace, they took a walk through the olive grove to catch up.

"You should have called to tell me about Nonna," she admonished him.

"I would have, but Nonno said that he'd already spoken to you."

"He did—and he told me that the doctor was talking about plates and screws."

Luca chuckled. "I heard the same thing—but the doctor was talking about another patient, not Nonna."

She worried over that for a moment. "Do you think Nonno is...confused?"

"No," her cousin responded without hesitation. "I think he is as sharp and crafty as ever."

"You mean he deliberately misled me," she realized. "But why?"

"Because you haven't visited in three years and now you're here."

"I would have come if he'd asked—and I would have enjoyed the trip more if I was less worried about Nonna."

"Even if she had broken her leg, you know there are enough people here to take care of her that you didn't have to fly across the ocean."

She nodded.

"So what's the real reason you came?"

"I was worried about Nonna," she said again. "And I didn't want to go back to Denver."

"I noticed that you didn't call it home."

"I've been gone for four years—and even before that, it didn't really feel like my home. I've never really felt like I fit into my own family."

"You could fit here. I know Pietro Traversini would love it if you decided to stay."

Pietro had been a classmate of Luca's and, for one summer, he'd been Francesca's cuore mio. She smiled at the memory of the sweet boy with whom she had shared her first kiss in this very olive grove. "He's not married with half a dozen kids yet?"

"Only four," her cousin said. "And he still speaks of you with particular fondness."

She laughed softly. "I have fond memories of Pietro, too."

"Not too fond, I hope—I don't want to have to call him out for taking advantage of my cousin."

"He did not take advantage," she assured him.

"So why are you not married with half a dozen kids?" he teased.

"Because I always fall in love with men who are completely wrong for me."

Her wistful tone must have given her away, because Luca stopped abruptly and turned to face her. "You are in love?"

She hadn't been willing to admit it—even to herself—until the words spilled out of her mouth. And the realization now made her head spin so that she fell to her knees.

Luca was immediately on the ground beside her, gently stroking a hand down her back. "It will be okay," he assured her.

She shook her head. "I can't be in love. It doesn't make any sense. I don't even know him, really. And—" she blew out a breath "—he's a lawyer."