Chapter 25

“What do you mean you didn’t sleep with him?” Anna shrieked.

Sarah settled onto Anna’s bed, the rumpled comforter pushing into her thighs. The afternoon sun illuminated dust motes puffing from the bed. Sarah swatted them away. “I don’t know. I got nervous.”

“Well, will you sleep with him?” Anna yanked clothes from her bag and shoved them into her dresser.

Sarah twirled her hair. Bringing Anna up to speed on her relationship sent her back to her college days.

“Well?” Anna slammed the drawer; a bra strap caught in the closure.

“When the time’s right.” College reminded her of Meredith. She hadn’t even told Meredith about Eduardo yet. They hadn’t talked recently because Meredith was busy with the holidays: entertaining guests, putting away Christmas ornaments, and pleading with Amber and Steven that New Year’s Day was officially the time to take the artificial tree down.

“Enough about me.” Sarah examined her friend. With dark circles under her eyes, Anna looked like she hadn’t slept in a week. “How was home?”

“Home? Boston doesn’t feel like home anymore.” Anna plodded back to her half-emptied suitcase. “Nowhere does.”

Sarah took a moment to respond. “Maybe Oxford will.”

Anna heaved another pile of clothes out of her bag. “Maybe.”

Where was her home now? Not D.C. Not Rome. Perhaps she and whiz kid had more in common than was apparent. Sarah shifted on the bed.

Anna sniffed a tattered sweater, shrugged, and hung it up.

Well, maybe not that much in common. Sarah’s phone hummed in her pocket, and she yanked it free; the tune of Verdi’s “Amami Alfredo” filled the air.

Anna raised an eyebrow. “Amami Alfredo or Amami Eduardo?”

Sarah stuck out her tongue and answered the phone. “Hi, sweetie.”

Sweetie? Anna mouthed.

“Bella cigna, I missed you today.”

His baritone voice warmed her. “I missed you, too.”

“That’s sickening,” Anna said.

Sarah covered the receiver with her hand. “Would you stop?” she said, half-teasing, half-serious.

“I was wondering if I might steal you away tonight,” Eduardo continued. “I got us tickets to Traviata.”

“Really?” She sprang forward on the bed and widened her eyes.

“Box seats.”

Anna let out a long yawn.

Jetlag. Even Anna couldn’t beat it. “I can’t pass that up,” Sarah said into the phone. “I don’t think Anna’s up to hanging out tonight, anyway.”

“Pick you up at six?”

“Sure.” Tapping her feet on the floor—she could already hear the brindisi playing—Sarah ended the call. A smile tickled her lips. Who knew giddy felt so good? “He’s taking me to the opera tonight.”

“Oh yeah? Ends late, I bet.” Anna flopped in her desk chair, resting her head on a hand.

“I guess.”

“You gonna stay the night?” Anna eased her lips into a grin.

“Maybe?” A flurry of nerves seized her stomach. Excitement? Trepidation? Maybe a touch of both?

Anna rolled her eyes. “Tell me you have a gown to wear.”

“Damn. I didn’t think of that.” She checked the time on her phone—one pm. She’d have to hurry.

Anna dragged herself out of her chair and snatched Sarah by the elbow. “Well, come on then. We’ll have to go back to La Rinascente.”

“Right.” Sarah got to her feet.

“We can stop by the lingerie department, too, for when you come to your senses.”

Sarah smiled. What would she do without Anna?

“You know sex with Italians is way better than with Americans.”

Sarah gasped. “Really?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s like their dinners—deliciously drawn out.”

“Oh,” was all Sarah could manage. A sudden heat rushed her belly. Maybe a detour to the lingerie department wasn’t a bad idea after all.

****

Sarah contemplated the contents of her overnight bag. A change of clothes. Check. One brand new pair of black, silky underwear. Check. She reconsidered her mental list. Better make that two pair—just in case. She threw in a lacy red pair. Fuzzy teddy bear slippers? Why not? She tossed in those too.

Now for toiletries: toothbrush, makeup remover, floss. She picked up a strip of condoms—another gift from Anna—and hesitated. What if Eduardo questioned her choice in contraception? What if he asked why she wasn’t on the pill? She dropped the condoms on her lap. Maybe she should tell him. He’d laid his baggage on the table. Shouldn’t she, too?

She sighed, surveying the emerald green gown that hung over the door. Did she really want to spoil tonight’s fun? If she didn’t stay the night, she could steer clear of any talk of contraception or that might hint at her flaws—her secrets.

Her phone dinged, and she picked it up. Her mom. She hesitated then swiped the phone to accept the call. “Mom, I’ve been meaning to call,” Sarah fibbed. She drummed her fingers on the back of the chair. She hadn’t spoken to her mother since her departure. How many days ago was that? Five? Six?

Mom gave a light laugh. “I know you’ve been busy.”

“A little.”

Wait. She stopped her fingers from dancing. How did her mom know she’d been busy?

“I saw Amber and Steven the other day to drop off the gifts I bought in Rome. Meredith says to call when you get a chance.”

“That’s nice.”

“So…you’ve been seeing a lot of Eduardo? He really is such a dear. And Lucia…”

Mom kept talking, but Sarah tuned her out. Seeing a lot of Eduardo? How did she—?

Oh no. Sister Maria. They couldn’t have. But how else would she have known?

“He really is just perfect for you, dear,” Mom said.

“Uh-huh.” Sarah rushed to the curtains and peeked out. Across the courtyard, Sister Maria’s light glowed.

“He’s handsome, charming…”

Had Eduardo told Sister Maria? Or had she seen? Sarah cradled the phone on her shoulder, closed the curtains, and snatched up the strip of condoms.

“Did I mention he’s handsome?”

“Yes, Mother.” Sarah stuffed the condoms in a drawer.

“But the best part is he already has kids. Well, a kid.”

“Mm-hmm.” Sarah collapsed into her desk chair.

“And Lucia is absolutely darling, isn’t she? You two are already practically like family.”

Sarah sat up straight. Could she poke her nose any deeper? “Family?”

“The way you two dote on each other, you’d think she was your daughter.”

Sarah’s mouth rounded into a smile. “Lucia would be a perfect daughter.”

“Of course, she would, dear. And don’t think Eduardo hasn’t noticed how close the two of you are.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

Sarah shot a glare toward the window. Of course, you know.

“Trust me, Sarah. This one’s a keeper.”

Silence hung on the line, and her mom’s statement echoed in Sarah’s mind. The best part is, he already has kids. She tugged open the desk drawer and pulled out the sheet of condoms. If Eduardo wasn’t interested in having more children, then perhaps she could put off the infertility conversation until later. Taking a deep breath, she let the air expand her belly, and calmness washed over her. “Mom, I’m sorry to cut our conversation short, but I’ve got some things to do.”

She hung up, walked over to her bag, and placed the condoms inside. Would they open the door to more questions? Would she even have need for one?