Chapter 12: A Taste of the Past
205 Words
As noon approached, Luca insisted on taking Emilia to one of his favorite hidden gems—a family-run trattoria nestled in a quiet courtyard.
The moment they stepped inside, the owner, an elderly man named Giovanni, greeted Luca with a warm embrace.
“Ah, Moretti! It’s been too long!” Giovanni then turned to Emilia, a knowing glint in his eyes. “And you must be special if he brought you here.”
Emilia felt her cheeks flush.
Over plates of handmade pappardelle and Chianti wine, they talked about everything—Florence, their work, even small childhood memories they had never shared before.
Luca watched Emilia as she twirled her fork in the pasta, a thoughtful expression on her face.
“You used to talk about leaving,” he mused. “About traveling, exploring the world. But you stayed.”
Emilia exhaled, setting her fork down. “Florence is home.”
He nodded but didn’t look convinced. “And yet, sometimes I think you wonder what’s out there.”
She met his gaze, something unreadable passing between them. “Maybe.”
For a brief moment, it felt as if they were peeling back layers, uncovering pieces of each other that had been hidden for years.
- Writer
