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Luckily, Pia wasn’t required to respond as the ushers were showing thehted to find was an individual room with a private coat closet across the hallway from the box

While Raphael exchanged words with the usher, Pia took in the historical circle-style theater that she’d heard so eously decorated in gold and stunning red velvet, the teatro was everything she’d hoped it would be Pushing up her glasses, she began to people watch, because the woner outfits that would probably rival the costumes themselves

When Raphael tapped on her shoulder and showed her to a seat, Pia smiled sheepishly “I’m sure my enthusiasm must look very provincial to you But Nonni described this very theater to me so many times and all the wonderful productions she had seen here before she left Italy that I can’t believe I’m finally here

It feels as if I have waited forever to see this I think she wanted me to co her to her very soul

She knew Lucia had come here with Giovanni once The special friend her Nonni had always mentioned with melancholy in her eyes could be no one else And yet, soon after, they had had a big row, and Lucia had fled Italy while Gio, in a fit of anger, had engaged himself to a heiress

Suddenly, that Raphael had brought her to the sah her She shivered, and instantly Raphael pulled her into his embrace

Pia hid her face in his chest, embarrassed by her irrational fear This was ridiculous She and Raphael were different from Gio and Lucia

For one thing, they were older and wiser They understood each other much better And yes, at every chance possible, Raphael stubbornly claimed that he didn’t believe in love while she still did But hadn’t he shown her that he cared for her in a million ways over the last month and a half?

Weren’t actions worth more than words?

Despite his cynicisra, despite his hardened exterior fro to raise his family from sudden calamity to prosperity, wasn’t his desire to marry her based on loyalty and respect? Didn’t it prove that somewhere in his heart Raphael did care for her?

Thean iht of the ball, the man who had threatened to cut his ex-wife out of their child’s life, Pia would have never expected hie at all