Caught up in the sins and glamour of high society life, Astoria became the girl no one could trust.
In order to return to grace, she must do the unthinkable: find a husband before the end of the year... before her mother chooses for her. With only...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Around seven, after Nathaniel had traded his swim shorts for chinos and I traded my bikini for a sundress; we finally arrived in Rome. The smell of lasagna and tiramisu were thick in the air. Nathaniel stood beside me, tall, dark, handsome, glowing from the sun he got today. He wore a pair of black shorts, white V-neck shirt and sunglasses, while I sported a white sundress and a pair of nude wedges. He looked so handsome as he flashed me his brilliant, super star smile and put his arm around my shoulders as we walked down the narrow streets, lined by restaurants and bakeries on either side.
"Where are we going, captain?" I asked, resting my hand atop his as I rested my head on his shoulder.
"You'll see," he said, nudging me towards a small red brick building. He opened the door as I stepped under his arm, my head whirling around to meet his expectant eyes. My mouth fell agape when I looked up at Nathaniel.
"You did this for me?" I asked, stepping away from him, finding it hard to breathe. The entire restaurant was empty, aside from the single table on the rounded terrace, which had a red rose and a candle. There were small lanterns, lining the floor, illuminating the area in a soft, romantic light. The low walls had flower boxes exploding with bright colored flowers and greens falling down the walls like ivy, making my heart soar. No one had ever done something so thoughtful for me before, it was exhilarating. I shook my head, walking towards the table, overlooking the gondolas on the canal below. I felt Nathaniel's hand on my shoulder and I leaned into him, reveling in the moment.
"Your mother told me you'd love-"
"Thank you," I whispered, kissing his cheek before grinning up at him.
He intertwined out fingers, before pulling me to his chest. "Just wait, Astoria."
I nodded my head as he pulled out my chair, motioning for me to sit.
"This is incredible," I whispered, staring at him from across the table. "I can't believe you went through all this trouble-"
"You deserve to be treated like a Princess, Astoria. As my fiancé, you will be held as nothing less than a Queen. This is only the beginning."
I just stared at him blankly, unsure of what to say, and thankfully a waitress appeared, making it so that I didn't have to respond.
"Two glasses of your '89 Pino, please," Nathaniel said easily. "And you can begin serving at your leisure, we are in no hurry." The girl nodded brusquely before disappearing again, leaving us in the serenity of the soft lapping of the water and a distant violin playing in the background.
"Are you looking for love?" I asked, unable to stop the question from falling from my lips. I listened as the beginnings of a light rain were sprinkling down on the canal in a calm, soothing fashion.
