Chapter 296

"I wish you’d told me," Brianna said, wondering how the sky could be so blue and the sun could be out, yet it was so cold as they emerged from the hotel. Finally, she was to be treated to a real glimpse of the Eternal City...

"It wasn’t my place to tell."

"So you let me think the worst?"

"You chose to think the worst," Elmo pointed out.

"So do you..." It was the hardest thing she’d ever said, offering a fact that was only based on her feelings. "Elmo, surely it’s something we should talk about—?"

‘Not today.’ He silenced her with a kiss. "Let’s just enjoy today."

There were only a few hours till they headed back to Australia—and though she’d braced herself for coldness and the distance between them, it was anything but. And once breakfast was over, he’d suggested they spend the day wandering Rome.

They stopped in tiny cafés, where Brianna practiced her appalling Italian and Elmo winced in apology at the waiters. She took her camera out at every turn. She ate chestnuts out of the bag,