The Magnate's Holiday Proposal

The large statues of insects were something new since the last time she’d been here. “I’m thankful they don’t grow that huge in real life.”

“Except in the movies,” Luca murmured.

She chuckled. “I’m afraid I paid a lot of money to watch them in my youth.”

“So has the whole world.” Their eyes met in mutual amusement.

“You mean you liked them, too?”

The corner of his compelling mouth curved upward. “They were the best films to take a girl to.”

His surprising sense of humor got to her. What girl wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere with him, even a scary show? Every time she looked at him now, her body quivered in reaction.

Dino hurried along to inspect the butterflies. There were hundreds of them.

“I like the black one with the green spokes from Africa. It’s my favorite.”

After Gabi had taken a picture with her phone, his father said, “Let’s go in the theater now. They’ll be starting a movie in a few minutes.”

Somehow she ended up sitting next to Luca at the very back of the auditorium with his son on his other side. Judging by the oohs and aahs coming from the audience, the film engrossed everyone watching, but no one more so than Dino.

“First the food was a huge hit, now the museum,” Luca whispered. She felt his warm breath against her cheek. More delicious sensations traveled through her body.

Though she agreed with his assessment, right now she couldn’t concentrate on anything except being next to this exciting man. “I thought he’d like it.”

“You’ve made his day. Are you sure you weren’t a schoolteacher instead of an employee working at a boring bank job in another life?”

Gabi laughed gently. “I’m going to have to be careful around Dino. He doesn’t miss a trick.”

“I figure I’ve heard about your whole life story already. At least the parts you chose to share with him. I guess you know you’ve made a big impression on him.”

She smiled. “He’s a very sweet boy. You’re so lucky to have him.”

“He’s my life.” The tone in his voice spoke volumes about the love he had for his son.

“Of course he is.” But before she could say more, the lights went on because the show was over and Dino expressed a desire to visit the bookstore.

He wanted the big two-feet-by-two-feet colored picture book on insects. Who wouldn’t? But Luca walked him around to look at other books just to make certain it was the best one so he wouldn’t change his mind. Gabi admired his patience and thoughtful concern.

After they went out to the car, he climbed in back and started poring through the book that would give him hours of pleasure.

She glanced at his father. “See that gelateria on the corner? Let’s stop and get one, shall we? I’d like to pay for it.”

“You’re reading my mind, but it will be my treat. For you to have come up with an outing like this means more to me than you know.” Once again his voice penetrated to her insides. So did his words that touched her on a deeper level. He parked outside the shop. “Do you have a preference?”

“Any fruit gelato with panna.” She loved whipping cream.

“I like fondente with panna, Papà.”

Gabi grinned and looked over her shoulder at him. “You like chocolate, eh?”

“Si.” He was still concentrating on the pictures.

She eyed his father, who smiled at her before he said, “I’ll be right back.”

“I wish we didn’t have to go home,” Dino admitted after Luca left the car. “I wish—” he began, then stopped.

“You wish what, piccolo?”

“That you could be with me when I have my operation.”

With those heartfelt words, Gabi had trouble not falling apart. “It’s funny about wishes. Sometimes they come true. When I was young, I had a group of friends and we wished on a star for a friend who was very sick. And guess what? She got well. You never know.”

“How do you do that?”

“At night you look up in the sky, find a star and make a wish.”