Page 252 of Valentino

Damn it, I struggle to put it up, the wind is blowing and I glance up and my heart stops.

Valentino is standing beside the building, he’s wet, obviously caught in the storm.

“Val.” I walk over to him.

“Hi, Anna.” He smiles.

Emotion hits me like an earthquake, washing over every crack in my poor broken heart.

“Hi.” Tears well in my eyes at the sight of him, at the feel of that damn invisible string pulling toward him. “What are you doing here?”

“I um….” He swallows a lump in his throat, his hair is wet and the raindrops are beaded on his skin, he looks perfectly wild. “Last time I saw you I….” He pauses and looks up the road as if struggling to find words. “Well, I forgot to tell you something,” he adds.

“Like what?”

His eyes search mine. “I love you.”

Oh….

His silhouette blurs.

“And I can’t imagine a future without you in it, nor would I ever want to.”

I step toward him.

“And I don’t know how to find….” He shrugs as he tears up too.

My God….

I pass him the umbrella and take his face in my hands. “I love you too. So very much.”

I kiss him softly. “We’ll work this out together.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“How?” His eyes search mine. “Tell me how.”

“I don’t know.” We kiss again, our lips linger over each other’s as if starved for affection. “The only thing I know for certain is that we have to find a solution because I can’t do this without you anymore.”

He gives me a lopsided smile, and the rain really hammers down now.

“Let’s get out of this rain….” I can’t believe he’s actually here.

Bringing declarations of love and all.

I smile up at him as I push his hair back from his beautiful face, and for the first time I feel hopeful for a future together. “Let’s go home.”

Home.

The rain comes down, but the rest of the world seems to have disappeared as we stand in each other’s arms, the skies are angry tonight. Lightning crashes and everyone around us lets out a collective cry of fear before laughing at how easily spooked we all are.

“Come on.” He takes my hand and pulls me through the crowd as he holds the umbrella over me for protection.

I glance around at everyone scurrying in the rain, oblivious to the monumental moment playing out before their eyes.

Valentino is holding my hand.

In public….