So really, I wasn’t lying when I told my mom that I fell in love in Italy. I did. And the man I love does have an accent and is handsome and charming. He just happened to be thousands of miles away at the time. Leave it to me to go all the way to Italy only to fall in love with someone who was waiting for me in North Carolina.

And as Ryan carries me deeper into the apartment, a bump forming on my head and Duke slobbering on the couch, I realize this moment is nothing like the last chapter of a romance novel. It’s chaotic, a little weird, it’s silly and it’s ours. What I mean to say is—it’s perfect.

25

Robert stepped down from his carriage and strode to the door of his London townhouse. Hollis, the eighty-year-old butler who had worked for the Weston family for the past five decades, was waiting for him when he arrived. Robert was surprised to find the ever cool and composed Hollis visibly sweating and out of breath as he stood exhausted in the entryway.

“Are you all right, Hollis?” he asked.

“Sir, there is a young gentleman and a lady waiting for you in the blue room. They’ve run us all very near to distraction.” At that exact moment, a loud crash—the sound of breaking glass—sounded through the house. Hollis gasped and Robert feared the man would collapse on the spot. “That would be the tea, sir.”

Determined to discover what was going on in his own home, Robert went directly into the blue room. He then stopped cold when he saw little George Destonbury standing above the broken tea set.

“I’m sorry, Robert. I thought I’d surprise everyone by pouring out the tea but the whole tray toppled over.”

Robert’s demeanor softened as he walked over to George, going down on one knee and bringing himself to his eye level. “Think nothing of it. Hollis will have all this cleaned up in no time.” George instantly relaxed and Robert couldn’t help but smile. “So, young man, when did you arrive in London?”

“Just this morning,” George answered. “We’ve already ridden through the park and Charlotte promised to take me again tomorrow.”

Robert felt his breathing halt at the mere mention of Charlotte. “And tell me, where is your sister at the moment?”

“She was just here but now she’s waiting for you in the library.”

Robert slowly stood up. “Thank you, George. Let me go find her and we’ll be back straightaway. Hollis?”

The old butler hesitantly appeared in the doorway, looking quite worse for the wear.

“Have someone clean this mess up and call for fresh tea. And please keep an eye on Master George until his sister and I join him.”