Page 3 of Tempted Hearts
2
JULES
“I feel like I’m forgetting something,” I said to Delaney as we headed toward the wine tent. “Even though I’ve been over my checklist a hundred times.”
“Probably because you are.”
I gave the red head who had been my friend since I came to Cedar Falls in middle school a look that saidthankseven though I knew she was right. As they said, I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached.
“I hope the converter I got is right. I’ll have to compare it to yours before we leave.”
“I’m sure it is.” Delaney smiled to the older gentleman who had been a staple of our town since before my parents and I arrived. “Buongiorno, Emilio.”
“Practicing your Italian for the big trip?”
Delaney looked at me, slightly panicked.
“Sì,” I said. “It means yes.”
Emilio chuckled.
“I know that one.” Delaney continued to look like she might be constipated, so I tried again.
“What were you trying to say?”
“I’m trying.”
“Ci sto provando,” Emilio provided.
Delaney repeated the phrase, just like she’d done for the millionth time since she decided to start learning Italian for her “bachelorette party alternative” as she’d called it. The two of us had been talking about visiting my grandfather’s hometown of Monterosso in Perugia for years. And now that she was getting married in less than two months, instead of a bachelorette party, Delaney and I were going to make the trip.
“Perhaps you should let Signorina Juliette do the translating,” Emilio, who had immigrated with his wife from Italy to Cedar Falls many years ago, suggested.
“I told her most people speak English there anyway, but the girl is insistent.”
“Stubborn, I think you said,” Delaney corrected, peering behind us as a couple joined the queue. “Anyway, we don’t want to hold you up. Two white wines please. Oh,” she added. “What is that again? Somethingvino rosso?”
“Vorrei,” I said. “Androssois red. You’re looking forbianco.”
“Oh crap, I give up.”
Emilio handed her a glass of wine from his shop in town. He’d partnered with Pia and Mason for this event which, so far, seemed to be a success. Between Italy and my various jobs, I wasn’t able to make it yesterday, but today’s festival had just gotten started an hour ago and it was packed. Every inch of Heritage Hill was packed with people wandering from the wine tents to the various food trucks and into the inn. Thankfully, it was a beautiful day and the first annual Heritage Hill/Casa Di Vino Summer Wine Festival was cemented as a not to be missed Cedar Falls event.
“I have faith in you,” I said as Emilio handed me a glass.
“As do I, signorina. You’d do great. Make sure you ladies come by and tell me about the trip when you get back.”
“Will do,” I said, shoving in front of Delaney to hand him a bill. “My treat. This is bachelorette non-party eve.”
Delaney rolled her eyes. “That’s not a thing.”
“Sure it is.” We stepped aside. “Ciao, Emilio. See you next week.”
“Ciao ciao.”
Wine in hand, we strolled through the vast grass lawn and caught up with Pia and Mason, who seemed happy about the festival so far. We then made our way to the edge of the dock where Delaney’s fiancé Parker was giving boat rides to kids, a very Parker thing to do. When one of them tried to climb out of the boat prematurely, with Parker telling him to sit down, I rushed to the edge of the dock. Unfortunately, instead of helping, I tripped and ended up ass up in the rowboat.
By the time I got myself up and helped Parker empty the boat of kids, we had a crowd of onlookers.
