Tuscan Love Letter

CHAPTER 11

When I finish getting ready, I go outside where Noah is waiting. He smiles at me, and we head downstairs to say goodbye to everyone before taking one of the rental cars. Noah still won't tell me where we are going, despite my playful attempts to get it out of him.

As we drive, I look out the window, trying to guess our destination. When we finally pull up to the restaurant, I realise where we are. It has been years since I last been here, and I have fond memories of the place and its owners.

"Noah, you didn't!" I exclaim, turning to him with a broad smile.

He grins, clearly pleased with himself. "Surprise."

We walk inside, and as soon as the owners see me, their faces light up with recognition and joy. They greet me warmly, chatting with them animatedly.

"È passato così tanto tempo!" one of them exclaims. "Non sapevamo che fossi l'accompagnatrice di Noah!"

I smile, taking Noah's hand and squeezing it gently. "Sì, questo è Noah, il mio ragazzo," I say, presenting him proudly.

Noah smiles and extends his hand for a handshake. "Piacere," he says, one of the few Italian phrases he knows well.

"Piacere nostro, Noah," the owner replies, shaking his hand firmly before turning to me with a wink. "Sei fortunata, Sofia. Noah sembra un uomo meraviglioso."

I chuckle, translating for Noah. "They said you're a wonderful man and that I'm lucky."

Noah grins, leaning in to kiss my temple. "I already knew that," he whispers, making her laugh softly.

Noah and I follow them to a private terrace he has arranged for us. The setting is perfect: intimate, with a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape as the sun begins to set. It's romantic, and I feel so lucky that Noah took time to organise all this for me.

As we settle in, Noah hands me the menu. "I hope you like it. I wanted to do something special," he says.

"It's perfect, amore," I say, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. "Thank you."

We order our meals, and as we wait, we talk about everything and nothing. The conversation flows easily, as it always does between us, and I find myself laughing often. Noah's charm is one of the things that drew me to him, and tonight he is in full form.

As we linger over our drinks, enjoying the atmosphere of the restaurant, Noah leans forward with a curious look in his eyes.

"Are you planning to come back to the States before you move back?" he asks.

"Yeah," I reply with a smile. "I have a couple of events to attend. If I have nothing to do here, I'll stay some days with you if you don't mind."

"No, that's great! Just tell me, and I'll come to pick you up if needed, okay?" Noah's smile is warm and reassuring.

"I will," I say, feeling a rush of affection for him. "Thank you."

We continued to chat, delving into topics that range from the mundane to the profound. Noah talks about his work as a movie producer, sharing some behind-the-scenes stories that have me almost crying from laughter.

"You know, it's not all glamour," he says, grinning. "There's a lot of waiting around and dealing with egos. But I love it. I love the creativity and the collaborations."

"I'm glad you do," I say, reaching across the table to take his hand. "It's inspiring to see you so passionate about your work."

"And what about you?" he asks. "Any big plans?"