Turn Towards the Sun (41 page)

“What are you doing Enzo?”

People walking by start to slow and others on the steps look in our direction. Oh my God
.
He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a small box. Tears start running down my face as I realize what’s happening.

“Miss Bradshaw.
Ava. Will you be my wife?”

H
is hands
shake
as he opens the tiny box to reveal a stunning princess
cut,
diamond engagement ring.
I feel like everything is happening in slow motion. He takes my left hand and starts to slide the ring on my finger.

I hear
someone from the crowd yell out.
“Did she say yes?”

Enzo stops and looks at me. “Did she?”

My heart pounds in my chest.
“Yes
,
she did.”

Enzo puts the ring on me and sweeps me in
to his arms, twirling me around. T
he crowd goes wild clapping and whistling. He raises my left hand in the
air,
and the crowd roars again.

I can’t believe this is happening.
He wants to marry me.

Enzo beam
s
as he thanks those stopping
to congratulate us. I’m amazed
that
all
these perfect strangers
want to
share
in our happiness. It’s surreal. We stroll back to the hotel. Enzo is excited to tell everyone our news.

“We need to call your parents.”

“They’re going to be shocked Enzo. This all happened so fast.”

“Your father already knows.”

I stop walking and stare at Enzo.

“
Did you think I would ask for your hand without your father’s blessing?” He pulls me along.
“You’re happy aren’t you Ava?”

I think about all that has happened since I met him. I look up at the clear Florentine sky and see nothing but stars.

“Yes Enzo, I’m very happy.”

“Good. Now we celebrate.”

Enzo opens the room to our
door,
and I’m surprised to see everyone standing in the living room.

“She said yes.” Enzo holds my left hand out for everyone to see.
They all
start clapping and Francesca actually starts to cry. She rushes over to me and holds me tight.

“Now we are sisters. I’m so happy!” Her emotional reaction causes my own tears to flow once more.

“Oh my God!” Gabby grabs my hand staring at the ring. Her eyes tear as she hugs me. “We get to have a wedding!” She jumps up and down clapping her hands.

I look up to see the men congratulating Enzo
,
whose smile is a mile wide.

Francesca rubs my arm. “You make him so happy Ava.”

“He makes me happy too.”

“I think we need a toast.” Grayson surprises everyone with his suggestion.

Calvin jumps into action. “I’ll call room service and get some
Prosecco
delivered.”

Enzo walks towards me and whispers in my ear. “They can stay a little
longer,
but then I need you alone.”

“Alone for what?”

“For lovemaking of course.” He kisses me on the cheek.

Yes!

Room service arrives and sets up a small table with chilled Prosecco and glasses. Enzo pops open the bottle and pours everyone a glass.

Grayson clears his throat. “I’d like to make a toast if I could.” Enzo’s mouth drops open.

“I’ve worked for Mr. Milano, Enzo, for several years
now,
and I enjoy it very much. In that time, I always wondered when he might meet a woman
who
would really rock his world and make him happy. The day he met Ava, everything changed. I’d never seen him happy, smiling,
and
looking forward to something as much as he was with you Ava. It’s
great
to see such a good, hardworking guy get a woman he deserves. Here’s to the both of you.” He raises his
glass,
and everyone follows suit. I can tell Enzo is touched.

“I’d like to say something.” Everyone looks at me.

“
S
ince I met you
my life has felt like a fairy tale. I worried that I would wake up one
day,
and this would all be gone, just a figment of my imagination. It’s too wonderful to be real, to be all for me. But being here with you in Italy, with our friends and your family, it’s been the most amazing experience. I can’t think of anything more
exciting
than becoming your wife.”

Enzo kisses me, eli
citing applaus
e from the group.
“Okay everyone, thank you so much for sharing this with us. Now if you don’t mind I’d like to take advantage of my future bride.” Enzo laughs
and
playfully smacks my butt.

We say goodnight to everyone and walk to the bedroom.

“You’ve made me a very happy man Ava.”

“I plan to do so for the rest of my life.”

He grabs me around the waist and pulls me close. “And now, for your ravishing.”

“Goody
,
I like ravishings!” I giggle.

I couldn’t sleep and
I
actually
get
up before Enzo. I’m enjoying the serene view from our room. The sun is just coming up over the Arno, twinkling across the water, when Enzo enters the living room.

“Are you okay amore?”

“I’ve never been better. I was just enjoying the view before we leave.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“About you. You’re like the sun Enzo, all good things came to me as soon as I turned to you.”

He wraps his arms around me as we stare out into the Florentine morning.

CHAPTER
tEN

“I have a surprise for you when we get home.”

“A surprise?” I clap my hands like an excited child.

Gabby and Calvin
sit
across the row from us sound asleep. Francesca and Eduardo are taking an extra week to visit his family in Spain.

“We should land in about twenty minutes.” Enzo rubs my hand.

Thank God. Getting back home today was difficult. A traffic jam on the road to the airport caused us to have to hurry to catch our flight out of Florence. We had turbulence leaving London due to
rain,
and I thought I might have to slap Enzo across the face to calm him down.
Now
, we’re almost home and I can’t wait to get the hell off this plane.

We finally leave the airport after an hour of baggage claim lines. Grayson retrieves the
car,
and we head home. It’s a rare rainy day in
Phoenix,
but the cooler air is pleasant.

“Where did you leave your car Calvin?’ Grayson asks.

“At Ava’s place.”

Gabby whisper
s
something to Calvin and he smiles.

“At Gabby’s place.” He corrects. She looks over and winks at me.

We get back to our apartment
complex,
and I start to get my handbag.

“We’re not getting out here.” Enzo strokes my arm. I sit back in my seat.

“I’ll call you tomorrow Ava.” Gabby says as she and Calvin exit the car.

Grayson turns the car around and heads up the road to what I now know is Enzo’s house. The last time we were
here, it
was my birthday. What a heavenly night that was. That was when I knew how much this man loved me. Now he wants to marry me. It’s so unbelievable.

We pull into the driveway and Grayson stops in front of the door.

Enzo steps out of the car and opens my door for me.
I’ve learned to wait for this.
I wonder if he will always be this romantic. I think I already know the answer to that.

I step out and watch Enzo and Grayson bring in our luggage. Hmm, we’re staying here? Last time I was
here,
there was only a bed and some rented seating. Stepping into the foyer, I survey my surroundings, realizing it all looks very familiar. Is that my sofa?
Wait a minute, e
verything
in the room is mine! Enzo walks up behind me.

“We’ll use your things for now, but eventually you can pick whatever you want for this house. This is where we live now.”

“How did you—?”

“I told you before
,
I have many smart people on my team.”

Grayson says goodbye and I plop down on the couch, completely astounded. Enzo sits next to me and rubs my aching feet.
It looks like a completely different house, the walls are painted and fixtures installed.
My furniture, as nice as it is, is dwarfed by the cavernous living room.

“This is going to be so much fun to decorate Enzo.”

“Yes, and it
’s
ours. It will be a reflection of both of us.”

“You still spoil me.”

“Get used to it.”

“I am.”

“You are now aren’t you? You haven’t argued with me in weeks.” He tickles my foot. “It makes me so happy that you let me do things for you. I would do anything for you, you know that right?”

“Yes. I would do the same for you.”

“All I want from you is your love, your trust, your support, and your faith in me. Everything you’ve already given me. It’s made me a better man, a better boss, and the most important thing is that it’s made me happy, something I didn’t even know I wasn’t until I met you.”

“I knew I wasn’t happy when I met you. I was so sad, and afraid of trusting my heart. But you came in and restored my faith in men, but mostly, you restored my faith in myself. I can trust myself again. I know now what real love feels like.”

We’re both silent for a moment.

“What do you want to do next amore? Shower? Sex? Sleep?”

I grin, feeling my second wind coming. “Yes please, in that order.”

He climbs on top of me and smothers me in kisses.

“You’re insatiable.”

“For you.”

I pad outside in my robe to grab the newspaper. Is this my life now? I wake
up,
and each day is my own to do as I please. It’s nearly nine
a.m.,
and I’m in my bathrobe reading the paper. Enzo is nowhere to be found. I see a note sitting on the dining table, nestled by the kitchen.

‘Amore, you have coffee in the kitchen. I will be home soon, just taking care of some things at Girasole. Love you. E.’

A smile spreads across my face. He’ll be home soon. This is home.

I sip my coffee and
flip through the paper
,
wondering what has happened in Phoenix while we’ve been traipsing through Italy.

I open the lifestyle page and am shocked at what I see. Covering almost the entire page is a picture of Enzo and
me.
It has a huge headline across the top.
“Enzo Milano to wed!”

How the hell would the local newspaper know that already? We just got back to the states last night.
“
Say it isn’t so! Arizona’s most eligible bachelor, Enzo Milano is off the market. For
several
months, he’s been seen with the same woman who has been identified as
thirty-year-old
Ava Bradshaw. Miss Bradshaw is originally from Denver, Colorado and previously worked in Finance.
Apparently,
this lucky lady has what it takes to finally woo the heart of Mr. Milano, who proposed on a recent trip to Italy. It’s safe to say that many hearts are breaking across the country this morning. A date for the wedding has not been set but when Mr. Milano was asked about a
date,
he had this to say,
‘
I’m so happy and in love and cannot wait to make Ava my wife. For me the sooner the better.
’”