“Dina and Vito are very good friends.” Alessandro stopped by the water. “I am thankful for your help. They are getting too old to run their shop, but they will never admit it.”

Joy chuckled. “I suppose I won’t admit it either when I’m too old for anything.”

“I care for them very deeply. Vito is like my brother.” Alessandro stopped and faced Joy. “I do not want them to get hurt.”

Her eyebrows rose, and she pointed to her chest. “You mean by me?” She laughed and shook her head. “Oh, no. Don’t worry about me. I have no nefarious plans or anything. I came to Venice for adventure, and I just happen to love flowers. I’ll help them out for a little while, but then I need to return to New York.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “I see. Good.” They continued along the waterway.

A calm feeling ran over her body. Alessandro was so concerned about his friends. Such an admirable quality.

“Is that where your family is? New York?” he asked.

Joy nodded. “Yes. My daughter is there. She’s getting married soon, so I must return to help her.”

He raised a finger into the air. “La famiglia . . . is everything.”

“I agree.” Joy smiled widely. “So, is your family here in Venice?”

“No.” He leaned against a railing and watched the water flow. “My family is in Caorle.”

Joy tilted her head. “Oh? Where’s that?”

Alessandro smiled. “It is north of Venice. A pleasant coastal town.”

“Sounds lovely.” Joy’s eyes sparkled just thinking about it.

“It is.” He waved his hands. “We have long sandy beaches that stretch for miles and miles. Oh, and we have a cathedral, and a bell tower. Very beautiful. And a lighthouse that many tourists come to photograph. On the beach, we have a festival each year. Very fun.”

“I can imagine.” Joy closed her eyes for a moment, trying to picture the town.

“My family has a farm there where we grow flowers for Venice merchants.” He shrugged. “And we have a vineyard too.”

Joy shook her head. “I’m shocked.”

“Really?”

“Here I thought I was going to walk around Venice, then return to my hotel. But I have met Dina and Vito and you . . . and you are fascinating.”

“What can I say?” He playfully shrugged, took her hand, and gently kissed it. “Shall we continue to your hotel?”

Joy’s face turned red. “Yes.”

After traipsing through the Venetian alleyways and over bridges, they finally arrived at the hotel.

In the lobby, Alessandro nodded, then waved to Joy. “Buona notte, Joy.”

“Ciao.” Joy waved back. “See you tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure. I have many deliveries to make for my family farm and then for Dina and Vito.” He winked. “But I hope we see each other soon.”

“Thanks for the walk and for the talk tonight.” Joy turned to leave.

“Perhaps one day before you return to America, I can show you our farm and introduce you to my family?” He placed his palms together.

“That would be nice. We’ll see. Good night.” Joy headed to the elevator and watched as Alessandro exited through the front doors.

Her phone vibrated, interrupting her. It was a text from Millie, her friend from Rome.

How is Venice?

Joy smiled and glanced up at the door to her hotel.

Like a dream come true so far . . .

CHAPTER 2

Sunlight streamed through the lace curtains of the window in her room, gently stirring Joy awake.

She fought against it as much as she could until she remembered where she was.

“Venice,” she whispered to herself, sat up, and stretched to the sound of the locals and tourists, cooing of pigeons, and the bells tolling from the Torre dell’Orologio bell tower in the piazza.

Rushing to the open window, Joy glanced down at the tourists crossing a bridge on their way to the piazza. Vendors set up their displays to sell their wares. And pigeons landed sporadically near the restaurants.

Joy inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. I still can’t believe I am here. She rubbed the chills of excitement off her arms.

She showered, then put on light makeup. Joy had been—and remained—an attractive woman. With brown hair, hazel eyes, a petite, curvy figure, and delicate features, she wasn’t the stick figure she had been in high school, but she remained slender enough not to worry about her clothes fitting or weighing herself on the bathroom scale each morning. Dressing quickly, she raced downstairs in time for a buffet breakfast courtesy of the hotel. Fresh croissants, jellies, cappuccinos, café lattes, juice, and cereal provided enough nourishment and caffeine for all hotel guests.

Joy chose her favorites: a café latte and croissant. The warm croissant melted in her mouth, and the strong coffee she sipped from a porcelain mug warmed her belly. Joy smiled as she held the warm mug in the palms of her hands. The warm caffeinated liquid worked its magic and jolted her awake, preparing her for the day’s work and adventures.

As she sipped her latte, a young couple seated at a nearby table caught her attention. Not wanting to stare at them, Joy returned her gaze to her coffee mug, but the couple’s conversation and laughter forced her to watch them.

The love reflected in their eyes and facial expressions warmed her heart as she remembered when she first met Tony, her ex-husband. His young, handsome face appeared inside her mind, sending waves of nostalgia over her.

Eighteen-year-old Joy couldn’t believe that Tony, the captain of the high school football team, would even know she existed, let alone know her name. But he did. And he asked her out on a date, and that date led to senior prom. Prom led to two years of dating and then a lovely church wedding. Joy’s heart raced as images of their wedding day flashed across her mind. With her long white gown, ten-foot veil, and bouquet of roses, carnations, and white alyssum in her hand, she was a vision to behold.

Tony stood at the nave of the church and smiled when spotted Joy, his bride, walking toward him. His handsome form in a black tuxedo brought tears to Joy’s eyes as she sat in that hotel lobby breakfast buffet three decades later. He was her prince. He was her knight rescuing her from her troubled home life.

Joy sighed as she watched the young couple drink their coffee and plan activities for the day, all while holding hands and staring longingly into each other’s eyes.

Ah, true love, she thought. Young love. But when she returned to her coffee, she frowned. It had become cold.

Tony’s angry face appeared in her thoughts. Sounds of their voices that day they’d argued about how dull and boring their marriage had become flooded her mind. Joy set down her coffee mug. Cold and lifeless, he had called her.

Cold.

Just like her coffee.