Page 31 of Ciao Bella

“Race you!” yelled Tailor, running toward the shop. Mac, Alec, Antoine, and Clay followed, laughing the entire way. The other men looked at Trak, who had a strange expression.

“No gelato for you?” asked Nine.

“Oh, yes. I was just giving them a head start.”

It was a ridiculous scene to watch grown men racing one another for chocolate and gelato, but, as expected, Trak and Clay tied for the win. The owner was more than happy to see more than thirty faces eager to try her treats.

Not only did they all get gelato and chocolate, they bought boxes of chocolates to take home with them. Sara spent twenty minutes asking about her recipes and how she got the chocolate so smooth and in so many strange flavors.

“Enjoy!” she called out to them. “But beware, the chocolates are aphrodisiacs.”

The team just laughed, but by the time they reached the villa, they were racing to their rooms, ready to strip their clothes off and enjoy some Italian amore. Enzo smiled as they scattered away, then looked at his friend working in the villa.

“They ate the chocolate,” he smiled at Enzo.

“Yes. They ate the chocolate and the gelato. They will sleep well tonight,” grinned the young man.

“Are they as kind as they say?”

“Kinder,” smiled Enzo. “Good night, Giamano.”

“Good night, Enzo.”

The smiling faces of the men and women at breakfast told Enzo all that he needed to know. They’d had a wonderful evening, alone in their rooms, with the cool breezes of early spring coming through their windows.

“Good morning,” smiled Enzo. “I trust that you all slept well.”

“Perfect,” grinned Kari.

“Spectacular,” laughed Rose. “How about you, Enzo? Did you sleep well?”

“I did,” he smiled. “Thank you. Breakfast is ready for you to enjoy. I’ll gather what we need for the day and meet you at the buses. My friend, Giamano, is going to drive the second bus so that all of you can enjoy the scenery.”

With breakfast done and the team well-rested and ready to go, they made their way to the individual buses and headed out for the day.

“Today, we visit Florence,” he said to the group on his bus. “Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region and is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture. One of its most famous sights is the Duomo, a cathedral with a terracotta-tiled dome engineered by Brunelleschi and a bell tower by Giotto. We will stop and see Michelangelo’sDavidand Botticelli’sThe Birth of Venus. And if that were not enough to impress you, we will see da Vinci’sAnnunciation. It should be a wonderful day.”

“I can’t believe we’re going to see all these amazing art pieces,” said Ro. “I’ve seen photos and walked past them but was never able to actually get close to them.” Jean smiled at his art-loving wife, knowing that today would be one she would remember for a long time.

Everywhere they turned were plazas, art museums, sculptures, cathedrals, and fountains. It was simply magical. While the women went into a local cosmetics store known for its amazing skincare products and rare perfumes, the men took over a famous pub nearby.

“So, what’s our grade so far?” smirked Dex.

“I’d give us all a B+,” said Nine. “I think we’re still looking over our shoulders now and then, but for the most part, we’re doing good.”

“I agree,” said Ghost. “We’re doing pretty damn well, and I have to admit, I’m enjoying the shit out of this trip. Being alone with all of you and my wife, it’s amazing. I love my kids and grandkids, but this reminds me of when it was just me and Grace.”

“Same,” nodded Trak. “I love my sons and daughters, my grandchildren, but getting time alone with Lauren is difficult some days.”

“Enzo has made this trip pretty spectacular,” said Wilson. “I know we were unknowingly his benefactor for the villa, but he’s gone above and beyond for us. We need to think of something special to do for him.”

“We’ll see what we can come up with,” said Gaspar. “Us. Not the girls. We always burden them with gift ideas. We’ll come up with something for Enzo.”

Enjoying the mid-day sun, the men indulged in tray after tray of pizza done the Italian way. They could see the cosmetics store from where they were sitting and watched as several children ran from the store, disappearing down an alleyway.

“Kids. They’re the same everywhere,” laughed Rafe. Gabe smiled at his brother, turning to look at the wives coming out of the store. Something was not right.

“Oh, this one smells wonderful!” said Tory.