Page 53 of Cinderella-ish
I sit wide-eyed, completely shocked. “Is that the house he lives intoday?”
Shenods.
“Wow. That’samazing.”
“Yes. Anyway, once he turned eighteen I wanted to go back to Italy. I had only been back once or twice since I left and I missed it. I missed my house—this house.” She looks around the kitchen and smiles. “Antonio wired a large amount of money into my account, saying he could never repay me for what I did for him. And soon after, I left America and came backhere.”
The two of us sit in silence, both digesting what had been shared. I have a newfound respect for both Antonio and Nonna, and now understand why their bond is sodeep.
“Antonio startedCraveMewhen he was only nineteen years old, determined to make his way without using the money Miss Tilly left him. Aside from donating money every month to the hospital he was born at, I’m not at all certain what he plans to do with all of hermoney.”
Nonna rises from her seat and begins to remove our now empty plates from thetable.
“I’m not sure Antonio wanted me to share all of that with you, but I feel like I can trust you. And I can tell he likesyou.”
“He does?” I ask surprised, as I begin to help her set the plates and espresso cups in the kitchensink.
“Oh, please, he’d be a fool not to. And I know my grandson. He’s never brought a woman to meet me, and he’s been talking about you non-stop.”
I smirk at the warm feeling brewing inside ofme.
Truth is, I think I like himtoo.
