Page 93 of La Dolce Vita

“Calm down. It was just a rock you hit. You didn’t climb a mountain,” he chuckled.

“Whatever, I bet you would have landed on your ass too!”

He shook his head smiling. “Can we continue without the racing? We’re almost there.”

“Party pooper,” she said and began to pedal again. Giovanni rode at her side. The night was warm and sweet. The pleasant smell of ripe grapes across fields of sweet grass was inviting. She looked over to Giovanni and then back out to the road. The further they traveled the more adventurous she felt.

"So, you just came up with this?" she asked.

"Been thinking ofthisall day," he smiled.

"I see. If you wanted to be alone with me, all you had to do was say so."

"Too many people in the villa, outside of the villa, everywhere."

Mirabella agreed. She missed Melanzana; at least their home was big enough to disappear into if they wanted.

"It must have been wonderful to come here as a child, huh?" she asked.

"At times it was. Especially when I was younger. But when I got older I wasn't allowed to visit here as much."

"Why?"

"My father and Rocco had a disagreement. He was banished here permanently."

"Banished? Was it business or personal?"

Giovanni seemed to consider the question. It was clear to her he knew the answer, but she could tell he wouldn't share it. "A matter of trust between them."

"Your father was a complicated man. It's sad that he would push his brother away instead of dealing with the problem," she said. "I guess history repeats itself."

He glanced over at her choice of words.

She didn't feel the need to hold back her words. Not with him and not on a night ride. "You pushed Rocco out of the family because of the kidnapping. It's been stressful for us all. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. Kei had been planning to kidnap me for years. He did this. He paid for it."

"Not enough," Giovanni grunted and slowed to a crawl on his cycling. It caused her to reduce speed as well. Together they strolled on their bikes on the empty country road. "Rocco and I have an understanding."

“Have you forgiven him?” she asked.

“I have, he’s welcome to come to Sorrento as he pleases.”

“Grazie,husband,” she said.

“Prego,”he said with a sly smile.

“There! Ahead. See it?” he pointed.

She glanced to the wagon and horse. It waited in the road for them. A real horse drawn wagon.

“Is that for us?”

“It’s part one of our surprise.”

Two men waited by a truck next to the wagon. She couldn't see their faces but didn't feel threatened by their appearance. They were men who worked for her husband.

“Now I’ll race you!” he said and sped off.

“Oh you are going to pay for that!” she yelled after him. She pedaled as fast as her legs would work. She caught up with him at the wagon. She could barely capture her breath. Giovanni dropped his bike and came over to help her off hers. She didn’t need any help, but the moment she got off the bike she untied her dress at the side.

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