Page 50 of Bella Rosa
He sighs. "I know. I just don't want to waste one of our days together."
I put my bag on my shoulder, and open my door so I can get out of the car. "I know, but if I don't spend some time with Juli, she's going to kill us both."
He grins and leans toward me. "Fine. Have a good time. Text if you need anything."
I lean forward to give him a long kiss.
Luca comes up behind me and laughs. "Get a room, kids."
We separate from the kiss and I fully get out of the car, but not before Matteo can give me a tap on the butt. I give him a smile before I start walking across the street. "Have a good time guys."
Luca sets his gear down and waves. "Bye, Rosa. Don't have too much fun without us today! "
Matteo reaches out and lightly punches him in the stomach. "Ouch!" He rubs his stomach. "I mean Rosalie." His voice becomes muffled as I walk across the street. "Come on man, you can't assault someone for using a nickname."
I shake my head and laugh as I walk through the door. Juli pulls her apron over her head and hangs it on a hook behind the counter. "Finally! I'm so ready for this day!" She starts loading the cash from the register into a small bag she keeps hidden when the cafe is open. "Flip the sign for me!"
I backtrack to the door and flip the sign to closed. "Are you sure it's okay to close early?"
She nods her head dramatically. "Oh yeah. This week has been hell. We deserve a girls day."
She hands me a coffee cup and a muffin. I groan, "You are the best."
She smiles as she takes the large clip out of her hair, and her long hair falls down her back as she runs her fingers through it. "I know! Now let’s go! My nails need some serious attention."
We walk down the street to a local nail salon. I'm not normally one to get my nails done, but Juli insisted we get all dolled up for Luca's party tomorrow night. I go for a light pink polish. Juli picks a bright red that she claims will match her dress for the party perfectly.
After we are done there, we walk next door to a cafe. We pick a seat outside and start looking at the menu. I’ve learned a handful of words while I’ve been here, but deciphering a menu isn’t something I can do. I hold my menu out to Juli, pointing to an option. "What is this?"
Juli leans forward and looks at the item I'm pointing at. "That's a salad with olives, tomatoes, and a variety of peppers. It says you can add chicken if you want."
I nod my head. "That sounds pretty good."
She hums while she further examines the menu. "That's not like you. You normally go for something that will stand out more in your article."
I put my menu down and lean forward. "About that."
She puts her menu down and grins at me. "Yeah?"
I uncross my legs so I can lean even closer. "The article is done."
She squeals and throws her hands up in the air. "No way! You're free! How did you manage to add in Expedition Italy?"
"Your desserts saved the day. I made sure to give him my compliments about the desserts only. You should be expecting a call soon about becoming one of his vendors."
She rolls her eyes. "Great."
"I never said you had to accept."
She takes a sip of her sparkling water before saying, "That's true. Have you submitted the article to Susan yet?"
I shake my head. "No."
She puts her hands down on the table. "What the hell are you waiting for?"
I shrug. "I guess I don't know what I want the outcome to be."
She tilts her head to the side. "You mean you want to stay?"
