One Winter Weekend

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

S cott checked the pocket of his coat for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Still there.

He patted his pocket and zipped up his coat, stepping out of the hotel lobby into the brisk December air.

Rachel was waiting for him outside. Her red hair was gleaming under a knit cap and she was wearing a red woollen pea coat that made her look as though she belonged on a Christmas postcard.

Scott stood back for a moment, silently admiring his girlfriend as she chatted to an older woman in fluent Italian. Rachel was obsessed with Italy—the language, the art, the food, everything—so of course when everyone else chose to study Spanish or French in high school, she picked Italian.

She’d even spent a college semester abroad in Italy as an exchange student. Her efforts were paying off now; she’d been eagerly chatting to everyone she met since they’d touched down from New York on Thursday night. She seemed to be having the time of her life.

Everything is going according to plan, Scott thought with relief. After all, when your girlfriend is obsessed with all things Italian, what better place to whisk her away for a romantic vacation…and a Christmas proposal?

He’d spent nearly six months planning everything out. Step one: find the perfect ring, a combo of diamonds and emeralds that would appeal to Rachel’s non-traditional tastes. Step two: book the perfect hotel in Venice, a five-star affair with a gorgeous view of the Grand Canal. He wanted their long weekend in the city to be one of utmost luxury; nothing less would do.

Step three: choose a romantic site for his proposal. Venice had such a reputation as a romantic city, he was sure he’d have no shortage of memorable spots to choose from, so he planned to take Rachel on an extended tour of the city and just wait until the mood felt right. They had plans to visit the Basilica, have a romantic dinner or two, and perhaps tour the canals, so he was confident the perfect magical setting for a proposal would present itself in no time.

But first, they needed to get breakfast. A small café near their hotel offered piping hot cappuccinos, pastries and more for a tasty Italian breakfast. They sat at a small table by the window, looking out at the festively decorated streets, sipping their coffee and chatting about their plans for the day.

“Where do you want to go first?” Scott asked, still absentmindedly fingering the ring box in his pocket.

“Oh, I don’t know.” Rachel nibbled at a pastry, her eyes alight with happiness. “There’s so much to see! Did you have a preference?”

“I was thinking St. Mark’s Square,” he said casually. “It’s pretty mild today, so it’s a good day to be outside. And after that, we could tour the Basilica, since you did say you wanted to go there.”

“Oh, I’d love that.” Rachel gestured expressively with her hands when she was excited; just like an Italian, Scott thought. “We should go to the sung Mass there on Sunday. I hear it’s amazing.”

“We will,” he promised. They finished breakfast and went outside to navigate their way to St Mark’s Square. Scott hoped he was keeping his excitement under wraps; he didn’t want Rachel to have a hint of the surprise that was waiting for her.