Nick walked her back, and it didn’t take long, ten minutes at the most. They chatted easily as they walked, and the time almost went by too fast. Before she knew it, she was at the front entrance of the hotel.

“Thank you so much for dinner. For all day, actually. I had a great time,” Bella said.

Nick smiled—the easy smile that reached his eyes and made tiny laugh lines dance around them. “Thanks for spending it with me. If you want to do it again, just let me know.”

“I will. Goodnight, Nick.”

Chapter 15

“Look who’s here!” Paula’s mother said. Paula had just walked in the door of her parents’ house for Sunday dinner. And sitting around the kitchen table were her parents, her sister and the surprise guest, her Aunt Vivian. Great. Paula hadn’t seen her aunt in over six months. She wondered what kind of new drama had happened. Aunt Vivian was all about the drama. She and Uncle Freddy had been touring Europe, last Paula knew. Uncle Freddy was not at the table.

“Come give your aunt a hug!” Aunt Vivian exclaimed.

Paula did as requested, giving her aunt the briefest of hugs and wiggling away when she tried to pull her in tightly.

“It’s nice to see you. How was Europe?” Paula noticed that everyone had a glass of wine in front of them. It wasn’t quite five o’clock yet, but Paula decided to join them and poured herself a glass before sitting down at the table.

“I was just telling everyone what’s going on. I’ve asked your uncle for a divorce!”

Paula sighed. Her aunt did this every few years and never went through with it.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” She didn’t ask what happened, because she knew her aunt well enough to know she was going to tell them, in great detail.

“So, I was just telling everyone what’s going on. I’ve just had it with Freddy. He was slowing me down. I wanted to see everything, and he wanted to stay put everywhere we went. I just couldn’t take it anymore. Especially when he told me I was being dramatic. Me! Dramatic. He’s the dramatic one.”

Paula couldn’t even look her sister’s way. She knew if she did, she’d break into laughter. Her aunt had no idea how ridiculous she was.

“Where’s Uncle Freddy now?” Paula asked.

“He’s still in Tuscany. Said he needed a break from me. How rude is that? Says he’s coming home next week. I’m thinking about having the locks changed. That will show him.”

“I’d wait on that. See if you calm down,” her mother advised.

“Hm. I’m really done this time,” her aunt insisted.