Amore Mio ✓

LXXVII. It is Not Okay

Alice's POV:

I stood there and stare at my reflection.

My favorite purple dress with lilies hand sewed at the bottom graced all the curves I had to offer. Lips were glossed with a light layer of pink, hoping that the wind wouldn't pick up as much. Eyes washed with a mascara that dried long ago. Tilting my head, my curls dropped to one side.

The breeze burst through the window, laughter lingering in the air.

Neilson stood behind me and smiled, laying two hands on my waist, putting a sweet addicting kiss on my cheek. "You look beautiful, like always."

I smile, seeing him dressed to impressed. He wore a well-fitted white shirt, sleeves rolled up offering some casualness, but the long dark pantsuit embraced the business aspect of his life. The more I stared at his reflection, the better he looked. His luxurious dark hair had tousled griminess, but it made him more attractive. He bashed his long eyelashes, enhancing his deep and catastrophic chocolate eyes. He had sharp, high cheekbones and a freshly shaven jaw; his tanned skin made him look devilishly handsome.

His lips tickled against the lobe of my ear. "Ready to go, amore mio?"

I nod, grab my bag, and his hand captured mine.

Leaving our home, the sweet, crisp air passed through us. Unlike usual, we decided to walk everywhere without a destination. The date wasn't planned; there was no schedule.

Silently, we walked down the street, hands tangling with one another. The day was quiet, beating with the water splashing below our shoes. The air moved, light breezed, blowing across us where he purposely leads me to the side, covering me from the cold. The sun was high in the sky, attempting to beat warmth on us despite the harsh autumn. The trees were no longer colorful, splashing with red, yellow, and orange. Most of the leaves were below our feet, covered by dirt and water.

"Do you want to try this place?"

His deep voice broke me away from the enchantment. My eyes met his alluring ones, and I smile, "Yes."

We walked towards the small unknown restaurant. It wasn't the usual place Neilson would take me, which consists of a well-known, established name and professional, heavily paid chefs. You have to book two months in advance to enter unless your name was famous.

It was a small place, almost fading in the background, with a faded sign naming Vero Amore. He opened the glassed door, hearing the bell rang. Inside laid wooden tables, with a single flower on each one. A delicate live piano plays in the background, covering the lack of conversation inside the place. There was a small fireplace in the corner, brighten up the shortage of window room. There weren't many people presented, only a single man sitting on the bar counter and a couple laying on the red couch beside the fireplace with two drinks accompanying them.

A young woman arrives and smiles at us. "Table for two?" she asks in a sweet, calming voice that matched the environment.

"Yes, please," Neilson responds.

She chuckles, "You don't have to be so polite. Sit anywhere you please."

We glanced at each other and nodded, heading towards a table beside the small window, granting a view of the forest. She laid two menus down as I laid my bag down. "What would you like to drink this evening?"

"Water for me," Neilson said.

I smile, "Me too."

She nods and walks back to the counter. We looked through the menu, and a laugh escaped my lips when I realized it was all Italian. I looked up and gave it to Neilson. "Order us something good."