“Nope. He’s just having a hard time letting go.”
“Aw, the poor guy. He must not have gotten the memo my cousin’s a heartbreaker.”
I snort out a laugh as I place a tablet in the dishwasher and switch it on. “Hardly.”
“Apart from ‘he who shall not be named,’ have you ever not dumped a guy or been left heartbroken?”
I pad through my open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area and along the hallway toward the bedrooms. “My heart wasn’t exactly intact after that fiasco with Hunt.”
“Puh-lease,” Ashley scoffs. “That was a fake arranged marriage, and you were never into Sawyer.”
“This is a non-conversation anyway. Why are we discussing this?” Propping my cell on my bedside table, I strip off my silk nightdress and wrap a towel around my body.
“You haven’t moved on,” she quietly says. “I hate that for you.”
I shrug, trying to ignore the usual stabbing pain in my heart anytime I think of Jared. “I don’t need a man to be happy. I’m content in myself, and it’s taken me a long time to get to this place.”
“I’m proud of you, but I want you to experience love. No one deserves it more than you.” Ashley is the only other person, besides Cayenne, who knows exactly what I’ve been through. I only told her recently what went down when I was sixteen, and she was shocked and disgusted. She’s never had much time for Dad anyway, but she hates his guts almost as much as I do now.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever feel that way about anyone again or if I even want to. I’m not short of dates, and if I want sex, I can find it. For now, that suits me perfectly. I’ve got to go, Ash,” I say, glancing at the time, “or I won’t make it to work on time.”
“I’ll call you next week at our usual time.”
“Love you. Thanks for calling, and thanks for the birthday flowers and gifts.”
“Love you too. Enjoy the rest of your day, and don’t work too hard!”
* * *
Forty minutes later, I bounce from my apartment building located above Ponte Vecchio with a spring in my step. Summer in Florence is magical. Actually, year-round in Florence is magical. When I was first researching locations in Italy to relocate to, a couple years ago, I focused on seaside towns. I always daydreamed about a little house by the ocean, but then I happened across Florence, and I fell in love with the city known as the birthplace of the Renaissance. It’s over an hour’s drive to the nearest beach, but I didn’t let that sway me. I just knew Florence was the place for me the minute I found it.
It’s not surprising, really, when it’s been voted the most beautiful city in the world in the past and it’s renowned for art, architecture, and fashion. You won’t find skyscrapers here—only an abundance of carefully preserved classic and neoclassic buildings, pristine streets you could eat your dinner off, stunning gardens and parks, and the great dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which stands proudly above all other structures in the thriving city. Giotto’s Bell Tower is the highest vantage point to view the city, but it’s not quite as tall as the dome that dominates the city skyline.
One of my favorite things to do is wander around the Piazza della Signoria, a distinctively medieval square that showcases stunning historic buildings dating back centuries. Palazzo Vecchio, a palace that was once the center of Florence, looms over the square like a majestic ruler with its tall tower and impressive architecture. Elaborate ceilings and the most exquisite frescoes line the walls inside the ancient palace. I usually stop first for a latte and a pistachio-creamcornettibefore I explore the magnificent sculptures housed in the Loggia dei Lanzi and admire the sublime skill of the master craftsmen who created the Fountain of Neptune.
Some of Florence’s and Italy’s most famous painters have walked these streets before me, and I can almost feel their ghostly hands guiding me to explore their impressive city. This place is an artist’s paradise. From the wealth of art museums and galleries to the myriad of stunning scenery to spark every imagination and the eclectic mix of the creative community, no place has ever felt more like home. Outdoor painting is a regular occurrence for me. Whether it’s painting one of the city’s lush gardens, an ancient monastery, the palace, one of the oldest buildings, or the Ponte Vecchio—the famous old bridge that arches over the river Arno—with its quaint collection of shops on either side, which makes it feel more like an enclosed road than a bridge, there is no shortage of inspiration.
Florence feeds my soul.
It’s been a breath of fresh air for me.
Strolling around the city is like stepping into the past. You can feel the history all around you though it’s equally modern in sophistication. I don’t even have a car. I have a bicycle, and I walk a lot. The small boutique gallery I work at is only a ten-minute walk from my penthouse, and the city center is a twenty-minute walk.
Everything is on my doorstep, and I love how free I feel here. Cay visits several times during the year, but I suspect I will see less of her now Jerry has popped the question and they’re planning their wedding for later in the year.
I smile as I pass tourists on the bridge, not minding how crowded the city gets in the summer months. It never feels as claustrophobic as New York.
Though I miss The Big Apple, it will never be home.
Too many bad memories are attached to the city for me to ever feel happy there again.
ChapterNine
Sydney
Salt water from the Arno lingers in the air as I make my way over the Ponte Vecchio, basking in the glorious sunshine as I smile and wave at the people passing by. Scents of coffee and fresh pastries tickle my nostrils as I pick up my pace and head toward the Neptune Art Gallery building. Named after the famous fountain at the Piazza della Signoria, it occupies prime real estate a couple blocks from the bridge. The building dates back to 1554, and it has a gorgeous courtyard and garden that we make use of during the summer for outdoor showings.
“Buongiorno.” Francesca, the owner, greets me with a kiss and a mimosa when I step inside the air-conditioned gallery. “Buon compleanno.”
