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(edited)

It's been rather hectic once we came back from Fajardo.

I've been trying to catch up on my studies. It's been hard and nearly impossible, but my professors have been understanding and I managed to finish all of the missed work in less than a month.

Dad and Jade have, also, been busy running around and finishing things up with the CIA and the feds. The evidence Jade had was enough to lock the responsible ones up and Vince was more than satisfied. However, the whole situation wasn't cleared up all the way. New evidence and witnesses surfaced from time to time, opening the case all over again and prolonging the end.

Apart from doing the needed justice, Jade was busy preparing for her wedding with Gio, too.

Apparently, they have been dating for long enough and loved each other to get married.

When they told us, dad nearly flipped. We were all surprised, but no one could talk them out of it so the only thing left was to support their decision and help with the preparations.

The moment mum almost went crazy was when they said they wanted to do the wedding in less than three months. According to her, three months aren't enough to organize a wedding.

Now, we're at the baker's helping Jade decide what flavor she wants for the cake. Gio was here, too, but they didn't let the guy voice his opinions on the cakes so he gave up and left me alone with mum and Jade.

"Guys, can't you hurry up?" I whine for the n-th time in the last half an hour.

"You can't rush this stuff, Willa." mum hushes me and proceeds to ask the baker for other types and flavors of frosting.

As I prepare myself to sigh rather loudly out of boredom, my phone rings.

"Hi, tiger." When I hear Lazzaro's voice on the other side of the line, a warm smile stretches out on my face.

"Please save me. This is torture I'm going through right now, " I dramatically cry out to him and I hear his addictive laugh through the speaker.

"So I called at the right moment?" he asks but doesn't give me time to answer as he speaks again. "Look behind you, then, tiger."

With the phone stuck to my ear, I turn around, and there he is; leaned by his parked car at the other side of the street and looking straight at me.

"Stalker." I jokingly say to him.

"Well, this stalker has some promised date plans for us today. You up for it?"

"Definitely!"

He doesn't even have to tell me what the plans are. I quickly tell mum that Lazzaro is here for me and I sprint out the door. I carefully cross the street and as soon as he's in arm's reach, I hug the heck out of him.

"I missed you too, beautiful," he chuckles and hugs me even tighter.

We haven't seen each other in weeks because of his work and him dealing with the preparations for his apartment in Paris.

"How did you know I was here?" I ask him once we pull back from the hug.

"I called you home. Your dad picked up and said you'd be here," he answers and opens the door for me to get in the car. Laz gets in, too, starts the car and we're on our way to wherever he had planned.

"So where are we going?" I try asking him, but he smiles and shakes his head.

"It's a surprise."

And that's what he kept saying even the third time I asked him.

We continue driving for maybe thirty more minutes before we finally arrive.

I take in the scenery in front of me. Beautiful, tall trees stretch out in front of us and the grass? Jeez, that's the greenest grass I've ever seen, even in this weather closing in on winter.

Laz kills the engine and rushes out to get my door before I can open it myself.

"I could've opened it myself, Laz," I chuckle and put my feet on the ground.

"I know," he sets the cheekiest smile ever.

He closes the door behind me and as I admire the view, he walks to the trunk of the car and returns with a picnic basket in one hand and a cute blanket under his other arm.

"Do you need help carrying that?" I ask him, even though he doesn't seem like he needs one. Laz shakes his head for no.

"Okay, tough guy, " I chuckle. "So where are we headed?"

He puts the blanket over the basket so his right hand is free and offers me his hand.

"Take my hand and find out."

Laughing, I gently grab his hand and let him lead the way.

We walk hand in hand and I can't help but feel all warm and giddy on the inside. He's such a sweet and loving gentleman that a girl would question if he's even real if she heard about him without meeting Laz.

After five minutes of walking and joking from time to time, we reach a pond not too big nor not too small. The birds are chirping and there's one frog making up the other noises on the other side of the pond from us.  There aren't any people around us, but it doesn't feel unsafe, just calm and peaceful.

"It's beautiful, Laz," I tell him as my eyes can't stop wandering around.

"My mum brought us here a couple of times in the summer when we were younger, " he explains as he places the blanket on the grass and the basket on top of it. "I remember really liking it here and I think I liked chasing the frogs even more. " he laughs and I join him.

"So you thought I'd enjoy it if you brought me where you chased frogs?" I raise an eyebrow at him in a joking manner and watch as he nods with a devilish smirk, walking toward me.

"What? I can't share my good memories with the girl I love?" Laz places his arms around my waist and pulls me close to him. I let myself nuzzle my face in his chest to hide my embarrassing blush that crept up on my cheeks after hearing him say he loves me.

Laz kisses the top of my head before I pull back after composing myself.

"Nope, I think it's really thoughtful. Maybe later we can chase frogs, too?"

"I don't care if you're joking, but we're definitely doing that if we have some time left later," he says and brings us down to sit on the fluffy blanket.

We spend the next half an hour laughing, eating the delicious burgers and brownies he made from scratch, and drinking sparkling ice.

I can't remember the last time I had this much fun. These last few months were... bad and once that ended I got thrown in yet another stressful environment with college, then the wedding, and I couldn't catch my breath properly.

"So how's the apartment coming along?" I ask while taking a grape and putting it in my mouth. I take one and give Laz, too. He chews it and swallows it before answering.

"It's great. The renovation is done, walls painted, and I just have to go back next week for the furniture and that's it."

"So when are you actually moving there?"

I don't really want him moving out. I'll miss him once he's in Paris.

"Probably after Jade's wedding, " he sighs softly, knowing I'd get sad. "but I was thinking maybe you could come with me. Not live of course—well if you want you can—but I meant to visit me for a few weeks right after the wedding. "

His proposal takes me by surprise, but it brings a nice smile to my face. Visiting him will make it easier for me to get used to him being away.

"I'd love that," I nod.

With a smile that seems to not disappear, we continue talking about the new job he landed in Paris, then my recovery, and a brief question about Silvio if I've seen him ever since we came back. I tell him, no, which wouldn't be a total lie.

I noticed him a couple of days ago close to my college. He was just sitting in his car, with another woman who I couldn't quite make out, and looking at me for a few minutes before he sped down the street and disappeared. He didn't say anything, he just stared and left. That's why I didn't mention him to Laz.

When the sun started to go down, and the air became snipoy, Laz and I decided it's time to finish up our picnic-date.

This time I help him put the leftover food in the basket along with the drinks. While he folds the blanket, I throw out the used paper and wrappers in a near trashcan.

"You ready to go?" I turn to him and ask him. Laz nods and side by side we head to the car. While he puts back the basket and the blanket in the trunk, I take the opportunity to take a picture of the stunning sunset happening just above the trees. To steady myself I lean on the hood of his car and open the camera on my phone, but just as I'm about to take the picture, Laz walks into the shot and instead of the sunset I take a portrait of him.

"Lazzaro," I whine and put the phone down with a soft pout on my lips only to see him grinning at me.

"Sorry, tiger," he says but he doesn't sound remotely apologetic. He takes a step forward and comes to stand between my legs, which go jelly when I smell that delicious cologne of his.

Is that a Davidoff perfume or something?

Silvio always wore Boss...

"Now, you owe me a sunset pic," I shake off the intrusive thought of Silvio and tell him, still subtly pouting.

"How about I make it up to you with a kiss, instead?" his facial expression is still playful, but it hides a faint sign of nervousness and seriousness, waiting for my answer.

"You can try," I whisper, smiling.

I barely spoke the words out when Laz leans down and connects our lips. It's sweet and tender, but it lacks the energy and intensity Silvio gave off.

Shit, I'm thinking about him again.

Feeling a little bad about thinking that, I pull away.

"Is something wrong?" Laz asks me, worried.

"No, no, everything's good," I tell him.

Everything will be perfect when I get that idiot out of my mind, once and for all.