A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR (11 page)

“I’d be happy to give you advice on setting up your business. Hell, Gina, you have a degree in marketing. Put it to use on something you’re passionate about.”

“But I’d need to rent a place with a big kitchen,” I argued, but the idea was settling in, the possibilities filling me with barely contained excitement. “That takes money, something I don’t have an abundance of right now.”

“I happen to know a place you can rent for almost nothing. Large kitchen. Great location. I’d even be willing to put a good word in for you with the owner.”

“You would?” I said, feeling a surge of hope for my future for the first time ever. At least as far as careers went.

“You can count on it.” Wrapping his arms around me, he said with a grin, “Now, how about showing me how much you appreciate my kind offer?”

“You want a kiss?” I told him. “You got it.”

He pushed me just far enough away to keep me from kissing him. “A kiss sounds nice, but I had something else in mind.”

“Anthony!” I said, smacking him playfully on the arm.

He chuckled. “I’m talking about you marrying me.”

“What?” I gasped in surprise.

He settled onto one knee in front of me and pulled out a small box from his shirt pocket. “I know you just moved out on your own, so I’m not going to rush you to the altar, but I love you, Gina Stewart. Have loved you forever. Say you’ll wear this ring and know that I want a future with you. Only you.”

I looked down at the solitaire winking back at me under the fluorescent kitchen lighting. “It’s beautiful,” I said with tears in my eyes.

“No,” he said taking the ring out of its satiny perch and sliding it on my finger. “You’re beautiful.” Then he stood, his gaze meeting mine.

“I’ve loved you forever, too,” I said, the words no more than a whisper. “Only you.”

* * *

Six months later, I stood staring up at the newly painted sign Anthony had made for the front of my new bakery. As it turned out, Anthony’s ‘kitchen’ connection was my father and he didn’t have to ask twice. Together, my father and my fiancé came up with plans for the addition Anthony had added on to the side of the Casa di Pasta.

My bakery - A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR - was already a huge success. So much so that even Lucia Manetti got past being pissed at me for the spaghetti slinging incident and had become one of my best customers.

I finally had it all. A loving family. Great friends. A job I was crazy about. And best of all, I had a guy who believed in me even when I didn’t. A man who loved me for who I was. A man who wanted to spend the rest of his life making me happy. Life didn’t get any sweeter than that.