The Long Way Home (22 page)

I laughed, "I know but I want it. I've learned a ton. I
know what I want."

She gave me a sideways glance, "What?"

"My own label at my own house. I want the vineyard more
than ever."

"In Boston?"

I shrugged, "I don’t know."

"Muriel will do whatever you want. She thinks the sun
rises and sets in your ass."

I shook my head, "Crazy old woman. I am not taking a
dime from her unless she wants to be an investor and make money."

We walked to the car she had hired for the week. The drive to
the villa was incredible.
Grassy hills, beautiful old houses
and structures, and the sea.
It was amazing. I couldn’t believe it was
my life. There were no pressing matters, or charities, or creepy men groping
me. There was nothing but wine, vineyards, and friends who were like family,
even after only a few days. The villa was an old castle with vines growing up
it and faded stone fences. There were fragrant trees and flowers blooming, even
on the Ides of March. The castle was a giant building with arched windows and a
huge circular driveway.

France was waiting outside with Will when we pulled up. He
looked sexy, fucking sexy. His white dress shirt and black dress pants were
tailored to perfection. Will looked the same but in a grey suit. France's
sleeves were rolled up and I could see new ink on his forearms. When the car
parked in the courtyard, I jumped out. His face lit up when he saw me,
"Jack!" he pointed at me, "You really here?"

I laughed and attacked him. He held me, taking in a deep
inhale of me. "My Jack!" he mumbled into my nape. I sighed, melting
into him.

"I missed you."

He nodded, "Me too, baby."

I pulled back and ran my fingers through his scruffy face,
"Already?"

He grinned something sly and nasty, "You know you like
it."

I slapped his shoulder, "Shut up."

I turned and smiled at Will, "There he is."

He held his arms open. I hugged him hard.

"How's it hanging, J.D.?"

A laugh slipped from my lips, "You fucker. You set me up
so bad. You and Brandi are dead meat."

He nodded, "I figured as much. Poor Tex has no clue what
he's getting himself into."

Brandi shrugged, "Whatever, not our problem."

France snorted, "Least I dodged that bullet." He
slapped Will on the arm, "You knew what to send to make me change my
mind."

Will squeezed me again, "She is your kryptonite my
friend. If anyone could make you see, it was J.D."

I scowled, "Good to know you are comfortable with the
fact you used me."

France snatched me from Will’s arm, "It worked. ‘Course
then she snuck out of the hotel, and the next thing I know, I get a postcard
from some vineyard in Greece."

I gushed, "It was so nice. I stayed for three weeks and
helped with the winter cleanup. I got paid in wine. Best week I ever spent,
anywhere.
The Mediterranean and wine and the food.
Oh
God. The lamb was so tender, I almost married the cook but she wasn’t my
type."

"No playoffs beard?"

I nudged Mike, "No, she had that. She was missing the
shitty attitude and penchant for Doritos."

He laughed and carried my bag inside.

I looked at the arch and artwork, "Oh my God, France.
Look at this place. It's stunning. The artwork is incredible. Imagine if this
were your house."

"Yeah, Jack, it's a castle. Come on."

I let him pull me past the stunning marble foyer and arched
hallways to the lady who was planning the wedding.  I was running my hand
along the marble and woodwork when she passed me a champagne flute and a room
key.
Will and Brandi stayed outside talking
,
it looked heated
. I looked back, "Are they
screwing?"

"I suspect they might be."

I sighed, "She's pregnant. That’s disgusting."

"How long did she and Shawn try to get pregnant?"

I ran my fingers along the hallway, "Look at the art.
This is like a museum." It took a second to hit me. I grimaced, "Oh
God. It's not Will's kid?"

He shrugged, "She comes to every game, they talk all the
time, and a few times I saw her walking away crying."

"How did they even meet? I thought she was pregnant when
they met."

He shrugged, "I don’t know or care." He opened my
door to my room for me. He leaned against the door, "So, did it
work?"

I scowled, "Did what work?"

He grinned, "Did I ruin you for every other man?"

I smiled, "Not telling."

He leaned in, brushing his lips against mine softly. Almost
four months had past since we had last seen each other and my feelings had not
changed.

I was unsure of everything about myself, and therefore,
unable to really commit to feelings for him. The intensity with which I had
always loved him scared me into wanting to feel nothing. I stopped him, "I
don’t want this to change the rules."

He laughed, "You suck."

"Not on this trip."

The room had a melon-green bed with matching chairs and
drapes. It looked dated, and yet pristine, if that were possible. "God, I love
it here. If I ever get married, I want it to be somewhere like this. A castle
with arches and history."

His eyes were burning, "Marry me."

I scowled, "We agreed to wait to start our relationship.
I need this time, France. I'm having fun, probably for the first time in a
decade. Apart from the times you and I had fun."

"I'm scared I'll lose you in all this freedom and
fancy-free traveling."

I laughed, "Then you never had me from the start."

He rolled his eyes, "Baby, I had you. That’s what I'm
talking about. I want you again."

I pressed my hands against his
chest
as he got close. I realized what was happening, "Oh my God, are you horny
from lack of sex?" I cupped my hand on his massive erection and smiled
wide, "Dirty bastard."

He moaned, "Just let me put the tip in. Please. I'm
going insane without sex."

I laughed harder and shoved him back, "No. The tip
counts."

He adjusted himself, "I'm going to die from this, Jack.
Die. Will you be comfortable with that?"

I folded my arms, "If I'm your beneficiary then…
maybe."

He tossed me over his shoulder and threw me onto the bed. He
dove on top of me, squishing me the way I liked. He rubbed himself against me,
"Just one quick little check to see if we still like seeing each other
naked." I wrapped my legs around
him,
aware of
the fact my underwear was pressed on his zipper. He moaned, "You're
enjoying this."

I bit my lip and nodded.

He brushed his beard against my neck, lightly kissing and
sucking. He slowly lowered himself to my chest. He dragged his lips over where
my nipple was. I moaned, "France, no. Not here. The wedding is in two
hours. Your ex-fiancé’s wedding."

"Goddamn."

I nodded, "Yup."

We were weak so I got up and left the room, before I made a
huge mistake.

The wedding wasn’t huge, maybe a hundred people. The
foreigners from the Italian team were all there except Luce. I had wanted to
see him badly.

France didn’t say anything to me after I had left him there
hard and annoyed. He was one of the groomsmen, which was weird. At least, I
thought it was. He and the groomsmen were all up at the front of the chapel
talking with the priest. Tex had crazy, obviously Texan relatives, who were
loud and funny.

I saved my sister a seat when I went down to the long, arched
corridor where the service was going to be. I hadn’t seen Daniela or Tex. I
felt awkward being there.

I was staring at the paintings on the ceiling when I heard a
voice.

"It was commissioned by a cardinal. He was a patron of
the arts. Most of the house was built in the 1600s."

I looked back, smiling wide, "You came."

He nodded. He looked the same, but maybe better. His accent
was less maybe, or he looked more American. Something about him was different. Maybe
it was the way he looked at me. He held his hand out to me, "You have to
see something."

I placed my hand in his and let him lead me through the
massive hallways and small clusters of wedding guests. We entered a room with
high, arched ceilings. Instantly, both our faces went to the ceiling.

"My God."

"It's called the ancient library."

The ceiling was covered in stunning paintings that all came
together with a Pegasus in the middle.

"Imagine if this was just one room in your home."

He smiled when he spoke, I could hear it, "Have you seen
the spiral staircase yet?"

I shook my head, "No."

"What about the
Pannini
gallery?"

I looked at him "The wedding starts in like ten
minutes."

He made a face, "We better hurry." He walked from
the room, "How is the traveling?"

I nodded, "Great. I don’t even know who I was four
months ago. I feel so liberated."

"You look different."

I gave him a look, "How so?"

He shook his head, "Your eyes are clearer and your
sadness is gone."

I liked that answer. I smiled and followed him into the
chapel. We sat next to each other. I still didn’t see Brandi.

Luce leaned into me, "How are things with Mike?"

I sighed, "Complicated as per the usual." I looked
at him, "We are still not seeing anyone, including each other."

His eyes flinched. He nodded, "Really."

I scowled, "What do you know?"

He shook his head, "No way. He can tell you himself. I'm
not having any part of this."

I felt sick, and yet, at the same time I completely expected
it. Him being a slutty hockey player was not something that was new. I sighed
and leaned into Luce, "How's Boston?"

He chuckled, "Cold."

I laughed, "Yes, it is."

My sister and Will came in and sat together. She glanced back
around at me and waved. I cocked an eyebrow but she turned away. The music
started as the seats were filled and the wedding began. The bridesmaids came
down the red carpet first, looking gorgeous. Of course, they were probably all
models as well.

Luce whispered, "Were you surprised Tex and Daniela
decided to tie the knot?"

I nodded, "I was." I glanced into his dark-green
eyes, "Were you?"

He shook his
head,
"They were
having an affair for months. Will, Mike's friend there, came to visit him in
August. He caught them in a compromising position. He told me when we were
drinking in Boston one night."

"Did he tell Mike?"

He shook his head "No. The dynamics of the team were
already a bit tight. Mike came and
some of the other guys
were threatened by him
. Who leaves the NHL to come and play for
Italy?"

I smiled, "He was running away from me."

He nodded, "I know, but a lot of guys said he was being
a diva. They said he couldn’t get a contract so he said screw it and came to
Italy to prove a point. His New York teammates were pretty angry."

I shook my head, "That was entirely my fault." I
looked down the aisle to where Mike stood next to Arthur and the rest of the
groomsmen. His dark eyes were burning, watching
me and Luce
talk
.

The music changed and we all stood.

Daniela looked stunning. Her dress was, by far, the most
beautiful wedding dress I had ever seen. Against her olive skin and dark hair,
the cream was the perfect contrast. She looked warm and glowing.

I smiled at her as she walked past. She winked at me. I felt
the blush creeping up my cheeks. I hadn’t seen her since the wine tasting. She
looked happy, oddly enough, considering I had broken up her last relationship.
Not to mention, Tex was a big lug and she was a delicate flower.

Tex looked like he had won the lottery. His smile and the
emotion in his eyes were unmistakable. He was smitten with her.

The ceremony was beautiful. The padre made me weep with the
Italian sonnet he added to the ceremony. It was a dream wedding.

I wiped my eye but Luce handed me his handkerchief. I loved
that he had one.

I handed it back to him but he put a hand up, "You keep
it."

I smiled but he got a cocky grin.

"What?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. It was a beautiful
ceremony."

"It was."