Love Hurts (28 page)

“Of course I’m sure.” Mel looked closer at one of them. It was the first one Jilly had done of the face. She thought of it as her breakout work. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be willing to sell it.

“You’re using di Rossi as your last name?” Mel sounded surprised and excited.

“Yes. I wasn’t sure if I should, since I want to be known for my own work, but it’s the di Rossi heritage that gave me the talent and I’d like to honor it.”

Mel beamed at her. “I think it’s a very good idea. What else do you have? I’d love to display your work in the gallery.”

Jilly’s nerves settled. Mel wouldn’t want her work in the gallery if she didn’t truly think it was good. She might be nice to Jilly for the sake of her best friend, but she’d never go so far as to jeopardize the reputation of her beloved gallery.

They got down to business, discussing terms and which pieces Jilly would be willing to sell. Then Jilly launched the plan.

“Would you also like to do a showing of Mamma’s work, Catarina di Rossi? Not just a single painting, but a large collection?”

Mel slowly put down the book she’d been making notes in as they talked. She put her hand over her heart as though to check if it still worked. “Seriously?”

“Anna asked Mamma, and she said she’d be honored to do a showing in your gallery since you’re the one who helped bring us all back together.”

Mel slumped back in her chair. “Oh, my God. Really, Jilly? Ms. di Rossi in my gallery? I would be so honored.” She jumped up and started pacing. “But maybe she wouldn’t be happy with how tiny it is? She should have a showing in the Vancouver gallery. In fact—”

Jilly laughed and grabbed Mel’s arm, pulling her back into the chair. “Calm down. You don’t have to do anything. Anna and I will handle it all. We want to make up for your ruined gala.” She put a finger over Mel’s mouth before she could speak. “We want to do this, Mel, and Mamma wants to as well. So enjoy it. You deserve it.”

Mel grabbed Jilly in a wordless hug, squeezing until Jilly protested and pulled away.

“Thanks for not hating me for ruining your party. And I’m really glad you did what Mamma asked you to do, with putting on the gala and inviting everyone. I wasn’t happy at the time,” Jilly looked at Mamma’s painting, “but I’m so glad now.”

She hugged Mel again and got to her feet. I’m going to go home and paint some more. Maybe one day I’ll be as good as Mamma.”

“You’ll improve your own style, Jilly, but you don’t have to compare yourself with your mother. She’s a wonderful artist, but so are you. I look forward to seeing what you will produce. And I’m looking forward to meeting Ms. di Rossi. Thank you.”

Jilly smiled. “You can thank
her
when she gets here.”

Jilly drove home, happy with the visit. Mel had forgiven her. Mamma and Anna were coming to Hope in a couple of weeks so Mamma could meet Gregg and Matthew and do a showing of her art. Anna had a lot of things to get settled so she could move on with her life, but Jilly hoped she wouldn’t leave Hope forever despite her ex-husband living here.

No matter where they all ended up, they were in a better place. Jilly felt sure they would see each other often, but even if they didn’t, she felt sure there were a lot of good things coming her way.

Inside the house, she put her paintings in the studio and then went to the phone. She called Gregg’s mother and asked if she’d mind keeping Matty overnight. She wanted to have a special dinner with her husband alone. It was time for her to open up and be honest with him. She owed him that.

When Gregg got home from playing golf with his buddies, Jilly met him at the door. She gave him a lingering kiss. “I love you, Gregg.”

Chapter 33

Anna rolled over and squinted in the bright morning sunlight of their room in Nonno’s house. Chris was already awake and watching her. She smiled at him. “How long have you been watching me?”

“A half hour, at least. You’re beautiful when you’re sleeping.”

His words stole hers.

“I love you, you know,” he said.

“I love you, too.”

“Then let’s get off this merry-go-round.”

“What?”

“Marry me. I need you in my life forever.”

“Are you sure?”

He reached out a finger and stopped her from talking. “Life is too short to mess around. Look what happened with your mother. Look at all the time she missed with her father. Do you really want—”

Anna pushed his hand aside. “I only asked if you’re sure because of what I did to you before. I already know I want to be with you forever. I just want to be sure you can trust me again.”

Chris pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “I love you, that’s all. I can’t live without you. All the rest will come with time.”

It was good enough for her. Meeting her Nonno and the rest of the family—cousins, aunts, and uncles—made Anna realize just how much she’d missed out on. But there was one thing she had to tell him.

“I don’t know if I can have a baby, though. Are you okay with that?” She knew how much he wanted children and what it had done to them before. “I do want them now, but I haven’t been able to get pregnant.” Even though Rob had gotten a vasectomy, she hadn’t conceived during the time she could have. It was something she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since he’d told her the horrible truth of what he’d done.

Chris laughed, his chest rumbling in her ear. “You’re already pregnant, silly.”

“What?” Anna jerked her head up, banging into his chin.

“Shit. Careful there, girl,” he said as he rubbed it.
 

“What do you mean I’m already pregnant? We’ve only been together for three weeks now.”

“You just look different, honey, I can see it all over you.”

Anna stared at him, hope warring with caution.
Could it be true?

Chris pulled her back down and tucked her securely under his chin, holding her tightly, probably so she couldn’t do more damage. “Don’t think about it now, sweetheart. Just enjoy the moment. Isn’t that what your Nonno says it’s all about here? This is definitely la dolce vita,” he said, his voice as rich as his words. “I think we should settle here with your family. What do you think?”

“Chris?” Anna tried to sit up again, but he wouldn’t let her move. She gave up the struggle and settled down again in his arms, reveling in the security and warmth, not to mention the tingling in her tummy from being pressed against him. “Are you sure? What about your family?”

“They’ll be just fine without me. Besides, you’re my family now. You and little Mac.”

Anna snuggled closer and let herself dream about it all coming true. It was as if Mamma’s family had all come full circle. She still wanted to find her father, but there would be time. Bettina said his family had moved to Rome—he’d married years after Mamma left—but she had lost track of him after that. With everything that had happened, Anna was sure she’d find him one day. She was in no hurry. That’s how things were in Italy. People didn’t worry so much about what the future would bring. They enjoyed the moment and trusted that the future would take care of itself. It was comforting, peaceful. There was little of the stress that seemed to be an integral part of life back home.

Mamma had decided she was coming back to Italy for good. The family home and land was still theirs, although it had fallen into disrepair. Mamma was determined to restore everything, hire someone to plant the vineyard and care for the olives once again. She said the land would pass to Anna and Jilly, but there was enough for both of them. Mamma hoped Anna would stay in Italy, but Anna said it was up to Chris, because wherever he went, she would follow. Mamma had smiled then and said, “He belongs here too.”

Anna marveled every day at the change in her mother. Ten years seemed to drop from her face and she walked around with a smile and a contented look no matter what was happening. She continued to paint daily with Nonno out in the garden of their house. Nonno had mostly good days now. He had very little reason to wander into the mists of the past when everything he wanted was right in front of him. He told everyone he met of his Catarina’s work. The crowd at the local bar had gotten used to his bragging, but they, too, were proud that one of their own had done so well in life.

Mamma put her mother into the nursing home where Nonno had been staying. Nonna had gone completely into the mist and could barely care for herself. Mamma could probably care for her, but her forgiveness only went so far. She wanted to give Nonno the best she could for whatever time he had left, so she didn’t want her mother around as a reminder of the past and the thing she’d done. The assisted-living home was a good one, and Mamma did her duty by visiting Nonna once a week. Anna didn’t know if she could even do as much. She was proud of Mamma.

Anna smiled at Chris with one thought in her mind.
Life’s just not worth much without love.

Good reviews are important to a novel’s success. If you enjoyed Love Hurts, please be kind and leave a review wherever you purchased the book.

Sincerely,

Brenda Grate

About the Author:

Meet Brenda Grate, international bestselling Romance author.

Brenda Grate was born in Santa Rosa, California, and has spent most of her life in Western Canada. She began writing as a teenager, writing mostly poetry and started her first novel in her early twenties while raising four children.

Supporting other writers is important to Brenda. During her time as the President of the Interior Author's Group in Western Canada, she helped many other writers find their path toward publication.

Brenda is an avid linguistics student. Along with English, she knows Sign Language, speaks Italian, Spanish, some French, and some Greek. She is currently working on increasing her level of Italian.

She lives in Washington State, USA with her husband, best-selling author, Jonas Saul, and their beautiful Siamese cat, Kiki, who they rescued in Italy.

Brenda and her husband travel Europe extensively to research their novels. They have lived for several months in Denmark, Italy, and Greece and have traveled to many other countries, including Hungary, The Netherlands, and Sweden. Brenda has enjoyed exploring many new places which she incorporates as settings in her books.

"I could not put this book down. I began it last night and I have spent the whole day reading it. The writing of the emotional scene was so intense as if the writer has actually lived the life of each character personally. The relationships between the characters rings like real people and the momentum of how one emotional event is the catalyst for the next made the whole book just storm along. It is such a complete book I am not sure how this could have a sequel - but I can hope!" -Reviewer

Contact Brenda Grate

Email:
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Other Titles by Brenda Grate

The Breakup

No Longer Needed (coming soon)

PUBLISHED BY:

Imagine Press

Love Hurts
 

Second Edition 2012

First Edition 2012 A Face Within by Kate Cornwell

Copyright © 2012 by Brenda Grate

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.