Billionaires Don't Fall in Love

FORTY-FIVE

Everything felt right. I had the most beautiful girl in the world lay in my arms as we gazed out at the city of Venice.

We sat on a gondola, traveling through the small canals. It was windy, causing the smell of warm, soft vanilla to blow through my nose. It was Athena, she always smelled heavenly.

Her curls blew in my face, but I didn't mind. Nothing else mattered but her laying in my arms.

"That building over there..." The gondola guide pointed. "Is known as lovers nook."

"Why so?" Athena questioned.

"Way back, a couple madly in love lived in that building. They were known to have...fun every night. Their neighbors always banged on their door because they were noisy. Sadly, both of them were found dead in their bedroom, intertwined."

"As in?" Athena questioned. "They were in the act?"

"Correct. No one knows what happened. The myth is, that if you walk past at midnight with your lover, they tell you if you're meant to be. If you knock on the door and can hear them in passion, you're not meant to be. They think you're the uptight neighbors. If you don't, they're quite out of respect."

"You ever took a special lady?" I questioned.

"Yes." He nodded. "My wife."

"You believe in it?" Athena questioned.

"Nope, but it's fun testing it out. We went about twenty years ago and there was no noise. Maybe you should take lover boy."

"Maybe I should." She laughed. "How's that sound, lover boy?"

"Perfect. Just don't get scared."

"No promises."

We got done with the gondola ride and soon roamed the streets of Venice. It was truly beautiful, the sun was setting and couples everywhere held hands while touring the town.

"Have you been here before?" I questioned. "To Italy?"

She nodded. "My father is Italian."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He was born Vincenzo Giovanni Solana-Ferrari, but he didn't want any parts of his Italian roots so he shortened his name to Vince Solana. Although, he says he only dropped Ferrari because Solana was new. He didn't want to be compared to the cars."

"Ferrari is a badass last name."

"Right? Athena Ferrari sounds hot." She shook her head. "But that's how I was able to work with Donatella. My father's mother was a model for Gianni."

"That's so cool, you have some deep roots here."

"I guess." She shrugged. "What about you, lover boy?"

"I like this nickname." I chuckled.

"Good, because I'm not dropping it. Thank the gondola man." She intertwined our fingers.

"I've been to Venice, for business. Never really explored it."

"Ugh. You're so lame." She rolled her eyes.

"How?"

"Because you have the opportunity to go to these amazing cities and amazing countries and all you do is work?" She questioned. "That's lame, man."