Page 78 of Shattered Oath
"Sounds glamorous."
"Glamour is a lie I tell myself to justify waking up at 4 AM." She squinted at the screen, studying me. "Where are you? That doesn't look like Milan."
"Tuscany."
"Tuscany." Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "As in, Italian countryside Tuscany? As in, a certain vineyard owner’s Tuscany?"
"Maybe."
"Isabelle."
"Fine. Yes. I'm at Matteo's vineyard."
She set down the makeup brush with deliberate care. Gave me her full, undivided attention.
"And how exactly did that happen?"
"He had business meetings in Milan. We had dinner like we planned. And then... he invited me here for the weekend."
"And you said yes."
"I said yes."
Naomi was quiet for a moment, her expression shifting through several emotions before settling on satisfaction. Then a slow smile spread across her face.
"Okay, girl. I see you. Living your best life."
"It's not—We're just?—"
"You're at his vineyard. In Tuscany. For the weekend." She held up a hand, stopping me. "Don't explain. Just... don't forget to give me the deets when you get back."
"There might not be details."
"There will absolutely be details. I can see it on your face—you look different." She glanced at something off-screen. "I have to go. They're ready for me. But Isa?"
"Yeah?"
"Have fun. You deserve this. You deserve to be happy."
The call ended. I set my phone on the nightstand and looked around the guest room—the same one I'd stayed in before, with its white linens and exposed beams and windows overlooking the valley that stretched endlessly green.
Except this time, everything felt different.
This time, I wasn't running from anything. I was running toward something.
Toward someone.
Matteo knocked on the door frame, his knuckles soft against wood. He was wearing a white linen shirt, untucked and casual, and dark trousers. His hair was still damp from a shower, curling slightly at the ends.
"Ready?"
"Where are we going?"
"Dinner. A friend of mine has a restaurant nearby. He's preparing something special for us."
"Something special?"
"Marco likes to experiment with his menu. He asked what you enjoy eating, and I told him to surprise us." He smiled, that warm private smile. "Trust me. You'll love it."
