Chapter 34

Side by side they made breakfast the next morning. They talked about how to spend the day, AJ thought they should go ring shopping and Sam only wanted to spend the day with him.

By that afternoon she had a ring on her finger. Sam had to insist that a simple empress cut stone was the one she really wanted. On top of that they also purchased their bands because their date was so close.

While they had been shopping they had lunch on the plaza and AJ suggested they pick up a pizza for dinner. He had a favorite place that made up the pizza and then you took it home to bake it so it would be ready whenever they were ready.

At the house talk turned to how many guest they would have at the wedding and AJ asked, "Samantha will you invite your father?"

"There's not much point unless you think we would need the gift he would send."

"You really think he wouldn't come if you asked him?" AJ asked stunned.

"I'm sure. Don't you have any family like that?"

"The only family I have left is my daughter in Italy and my twin sister in Texas."

Grinning Sam said, "You never mentioned a twin, tell me about her."

"Adel, the bain of my childhood. She is eleven minutes older than I am and held it over me all my life. You'll see if she can get here. She runs the family ranch."

"I really hope to meet her and your daughter. But do you think she will come all the way from Italy?"

"It is short notice, but I know she'll be here if she can," he told her with a smile. "In fact with the time difference I should give her a call now and can call Adel this evening."

Pulling her over to his side they sat down on the couch. Dialing Francesca's number he put the call on speaker phone as he waited for his daughter to come on the line. She answered the phone in Italian and AJ said hello to her in the same language, then he switched to English for Samantha's benefit. "Francesca how are you?"

"I am well Papa, and you?"

"I too am well and I have a surprise for you."

"How wonderful! Are you coming to visit me?"

"Not this time daughter, in fact I was hoping you would have time to come here in a month. I'm getting married and would love you to be here with us."

"Oh Papa this is wonderful news! I will be sure to be there! But is there a reason why the wedding is so…how you say…quick? Is there a baby on the way?"

AJ smiled at Samantha and gave her a wink, "We are working on that but as for the date, we just didn't want to wait."

"I can tell how happy you are from your voice alone. Will you tell her that she is lucky to get my wonderful Papa?"

"She can hear you Francesca, Samantha is sitting right next to me and the phone is on speaker."

Grinning up at him, Sam started to speak to Francesca in Italian! "Hello Francesca I do know how wonderful your father is and I also know that I am very lucky that he is in my life. I am looking forward to meeting you."

Francesca laughed and told them, "I will make my travel arrangements and let you know when I can be there. Chao Samantha. Chao Papa."

"Chao Francesca," the engaged couple said in unison and the call ended.

AJ turned to his fiancé and said, "You never told me you spoke Italian!"

"It just never came up before now. Just so you know I also speak Spanish. I'm sure there will be other surprises that we will learn over time and we have the rest of our lives to do that."

"That's true, and I don't know about you but I'm ready for pizza," he told her getting up and holding out his hand.

She let him help her to her feet and they headed to the kitchen to get dinner in the oven.

To be continued…