Chapter 13
Lana slapped at Gema’s hands as they tugged once again at the new thick straight across bangs that fell just above her eyes.
“Stop it, you look fine, but if you keep messing with them they will look messy”
Gema clasped her hands in her lap as they drove the rest of the way to Vistos’ mother’s house in Palerme. A sudden urge of confidence had convinced Gema to get her hair cut the way she had always wanted but had never had the courage to do. She had let Lana convince her into wearing a white cut off tank top that showed an inch of her golden flat stomach, above a hip hugging emerald skirt that showed off her toned legs from all the exercise she had been getting, and petite, feminine sandals. Her hair was down and slightly wavy, and the only makeup on her face was a light coat of mascara and eyeliner. Gema was going to wear a necklace and bracelet that Vistos had given her, but Lana had insisted she wear no jewelry but the simple silver bracelet that was her own.
“Now.” Lana said as they pulled up to a beautiful house on top of a precarious hill. “Remember, you have nothing to be sorry about, do not apologize for startling him with your presence, but revel in it, flirt a little bit with other men, be friendly, converse with everyone. Basically, just be Italian!” Lana urged and Gema squeezed her hand.
“Thank you”
Lana smiled. “Take care of him”
Gema nodded and the car came to a stop. Christof looked at Gema and nodded.
“You are good for him, you know, and definitely beautiful enough to be by his side”
Gema was surprised, and she muttered a thank you as he helped her from the car. The house in front of them was beautiful, large but old and crumbling on the edge of a cliff. Lana and Christof led the way to the door, and he knocked, Gema hanging behind them, trying to calm her nerves and wondering what the hell she was doing there. The door opened and a woman with Vistos’s eyes opened the door, squealing and embracing Lana as she riddled off in Italian at a mile a minute. After they screamed and hugged, who could only be Vistos’ sister hugged Christof, and then her eyes fell on Gema. She looked at Lana then and asked her in Italian.
“This is Gema?”
Lana nodded and motioned for Gema to come up. Gema stepped up cautiously and the woman looked her up and down with Vistos’ eyes before smiling and speaking to her in English, her accent heavy but her English perfect. “Lana has told me so much about you, I feel as if you’re already my sister!” She embraced Gema and Gema hugged her back, thankful to be accepted. “I am Viola, and I can not wait to see Vistos’ face when he sees you are here” She laughed and Gema smiled wearily, but Viola waved it away. “He has been in the worst mood since he has been here, and I believe you are the reason why, or very well, your absence is why”
As Viola issued them through the house and to the backyard where Gema could hear hundreds of people were gathered, she couldn’t help but wonder if Vistos’ bad mood really was her fault, and if he had missed her as much as she had missed him. People were packed into the house and backyard, and Viola chatted with Gema and Lana as they walked through in a mix of English and Italian. Gema had been dutifully studying the language, and she was surprised to learn she understood most of what was being said around her. She blushed at the mutterings of “Ciao Bella” and Lana smirked at her.
“What did I tell you? You look nearly Italian with that tan and your dark hair. Your eyes are all that give you away, and your accent of course”
“Which is adorable” Viola interjected before leading them into the backyard. Gema spotted him as soon as they walked outside, his presence hitting her like a blow to her heart. Vistos stood with his back to her, one hand on his hip and the other holding a cool glass. His broad shoulders in his blue partially see-through shirt were endless, and his back muscles rippled as he lifted a hand to run it through his hair. As if he could sense her, Vistos suddenly turned around and his eyes met hers across the patio. His golden pools widened in surprise and his jaw fell open slightly, then his jaw clenched tightly together. His eyes swept her slowly from head to toe, as they had when he first met her, and her body hummed in response. Gema heard Viola faintly beside her muttering to Lana.
YOU ARE READING
An Unexpected Romance
Fiksi Umum“Mio dio, I love the way you say my name” His voice was a husky whisper, and Gema took a step back, caught off guard. He stared at her intently, shoving his hands into his pockets. “What do you want” he snapped at her, and Gema hesitated. “Well I…...
