“Way to go, Alessandro.” Edith playfully punched him on the arm.

“Bravo,” Millie said as she clapped for them.

“To my Joy.” Alessandro raised a glass of champagne. The others followed suit. “I know you did not come to Venice for romance, but . . . I do believe romance found you there. Si? Please don’t turn it away.”

Joy smiled. “I won’t. I won’t ever turn romance away again.” She kissed him hard on the lips.

“Welcome.” Walter shook Alessandro’s hand. “Excellent surprise.”

“Ben fatto. Ben fatto,” Martin said as he took hold of his shoulders. “Well done.”

“Great surprise, Alessandro.” Edith nudged him.

“You?” Joy pointed to her.

“Me? No. He did this all on his own.” Edith pointed to him.

Joy beamed standing next to him, but her countenance fell as Tony approached them, sauntering as he always did. Uh oh. She gulped. Just breathe, Joy. Just breathe. She gripped Alessandro’s hand tightly in support of him.

The two men faced each other in silence for a moment. The air turned thick with tension until Tony held out his hand and Alessandro shook it.

“Congratulations,” Tony said to him. Then he placed his hand on Alessandro’s shoulder and glanced over at Joy.

She swallowed the growing lump in her throat, hoping there wouldn’t be a scene.

The room quieted down, and all eyes fell on them.

“I just want everyone to know that she’s the best.” Tony’s eyes shone with tears. “The very best. She really is a gem. Treasure her always.”

“I already do.”

“And Joy?” Tony cleared his throat. “It looks like the best man won. Congratulations to you both. I wish you nothing but happiness.” Tony stepped back and clapped for the couple.

Everyone applauded with him, including Jaime and Michael.

“Thank you, Tony.” Joy squeezed his arm then faced Alessandro.

He kissed her forehead. “Balla con me.” Alessandro led her back to the dance floor. “Dance with me.” He twirled her around.

“Forever.” Joy placed one hand in his and the other on the back of his neck. “I’ll dance with you for the rest of my life.”

“But I live in Venice. You live here in New York.” He raised his eyebrows.

“I know. It sounds impossible.” Joy shrugged. “But we have a God of the impossible, right?”

“Si.”

“He brought us together, Alex. And healed our wounded hearts. I know He can make this work for us, all right?”

He kissed her gently on the lips. “This is why I love you, Joy. Your courage and love of life gives me such happiness.”

“Oh Alex.” She held his face in her hands. “This is why I love you. You see the very best in me.”

He nodded. “I do.”

“So we live in difference countries. So what?”

Twirling her around, Alessandro laughed.

“We’ve dealt with worse things, haven’t we?”

“True.”

“So, for part of the year we’ll live here, and part of the year we’ll live in Venice. Simple as that.”

“Simple as that.” Alessandro twirled her around again. “But for now? We dance.” He kissed her hard on the lips there on the dance floor.

“For now . . . and forever, we dance.” Joy smiled.

As they swayed together on the dance floor, Joy’s heart fluttered against her sternum as she embraced love again.

She and Alessandro had more courage than they ever knew they had. Courage to start over after losing so much, courage to take a chance on love again, and the courage to discover love’s unexpected vistas through the windows of Venice.

THE END.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Former writing teacher, Ruth A. Douthitt is the award-winning multi-published author of books for adults in fiction and nonfiction as well as children’s fiction.

When she isn’t traveling to Italy, she resides in Arizona with her husband and dance partner, Scott, and their little dog.

Ruth loves creating art, running, hiking, and interviewing authors on her podcast, A Writer’s Day.

For more information about Ruth, visit her website:

www.artbyruth.com

Venetian Chicken Ravioli

Ingredients:

For the Pasta Dough:

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

3 large eggs