Chapter 10 - The Return to Palermo
Three weeks later, the afternoon flight from Rome touched down smoothly at Palermo International Airport. The Sicilian sun blazed down on the tarmac, painting the horizon in brilliant shades of gold and burnt orange—the exact opposite of the bruised, stormy twilight that had greeted Mary on the night her entire world changed.
She walked through the sliding glass doors of the arrivals terminal carrying a single leather suitcase, her camera slung securely over her shoulder. Her mother had wept when Mary announced her decision to return, but she had not tried to stop her. Some ghosts cannot be buried, her mother had whispered with tears in her eyes. Just be careful, Mary. Guard your heart.
She stepped out onto the paved passenger pickup area, scanning the line of idling vehicles. Then she saw him. Parked beside a sleek black sedan was the familiar matte-black motorcycle. Liam stood leaning against it, dressed in his dark leather jacket, his face partially hidden by sunglasses. When he spotted her walking through the crowd, he pushed off the bike and stood completely still.
Mary stopped a few feet away from him, her heart hammering against her ribs just as it had on that rainy night three weeks ago.
"You took your time," Liam said, a slow, breathtaking smile breaking across his sharp features.
"I had a lot of loose ends to tie up in Rome," Mary replied, her chin lifting with a confident, familiar spark. "And a mother to convince."
Liam closed the distance between them, reaching out to take her suitcase with one hand while his other hand gently cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing against her skin.
"Did you bring your camera?" he asked softly, his dark eyes locked onto hers.
"Always," Mary murmured, stepping closer as the roar of airport traffic faded into the background. "Show me your city by daylight, Liam."
May you like
Liam’s smile deepened, radiant and fierce. "Welcome home, Mary."
He pulled her against his chest, sliding his arms around her waist, and kissed her deeply, right there in the warm Sicilian sun. The storm was gone, the shadows had retreated, and Mary knew with absolute certainty that her true life had only just begun.
