7
Donna guided Blackwell back through the alley and toward the hotel. His face went white when he saw the outside. She knew she’d paid for a budget hotel, but he didn’t have to be a snob. She pointed to the door and he asked, “This was yourhotel?”
“Yes. It was a good price and close to things I wanted to see.” They walkedinside.
She asked for her bag and he kept quiet until the bellhop brought it out. He immediately tipped the man and took the bag forher.
As they walked back into the alley, he said, “This wasn’t the place for you,Donna.”
She looked over her shoulder. The worst part about the lobby had been the cigarette stench. She took his arm. “It smells, but I’d hoped the rooms wereclean.”
He lifted her bag and urged her to walk faster. “Come. Let’s hope everything you packed is stillinside.”
As they passed the small souvenir shop, she asked, “Why wouldn’t itbe?”
He took a deep breath once they made it to the main road. “You’re trusting. It’s part of yourcharm.”
Trusting wasn’t a bad thing, was it? Sure, the hotel needed a good sprucing up but she hadn’t gone beyond the lobby. There was hope that the rooms would be fair value for thecost.
As they walked back toward the Grand Canal, she asked, “How did you get here, toVenice?”
He guided her to a much nicer part of town. “I drove. The roads can be faster than the train because it makes so many stops. We’ll take my car to Firenze, that’s what Italians callFlorence.”
A drive would be great. However, he didn’t need to judge her as they passed Cartier. “Well, I was trying tobudget.”
He turned the corner with her, taking long strides in jeans and a t-shirt that were casual, yes, but still designer. “Budgeting is important toyou?”
For someone raised in America, she felt they were miles apart on reality. She blinked. “It’s important to most people. You must have realized that growing up inColorado.”
He lowered his head as he guided her further down the posh street next to the canal. “We still own the farm there. The truth is my parents always had money. I never questioned how they had it orwhy.”
“Family money.” She tried to imagine what her and her grandmother’s life would have been like if her parents’ life insurance had been slightly bigger, but she couldn’t picture anything. Her grandmother never needed anything, and neither hadshe.
Blackwell had no idea her thoughts as he said, “My heritage goes back in Avce to about 600 AD when some ancestor helped the king befriend the crusaders on their way and then sold goods they mightneed.”
Her eyes widened. She couldn’t name her family past her great-grandparents. Having his lineage would be so interesting! It would be nice to know where she came from. “That was a longtime.”
He guided her through a crowd. “He, like many of my relatives, was good withnumbers.”
“Are you good too?” They maneuvered through people all milling around thestreet.
He nodded and walked closer to the building. “Decent.”
His face blended in well here. His olive skin must come from the ancient Roman history of his country. She blinked and wondered what he thought of her looks, though she’d never ask. “That soundsmodest-”
He interrupted her and opened the glass doors to a building that could double as a small palace. “This is the hotel. If you need anything to freshen up or if you lost anything in your bag, just call the front desk. We’ll get itreplaced.”
“Sounds good.” She followed him and the clean smell of lemon was the only scent she detected in thelobby.
He walked toward the front desk and was taken right away to sign in. With barely a word, he signed papers and was given akey.
She looked up at the huge crystal chandelier that reflected against the pale yellow walls with murals of Venice life hand-painted on top. The feeling of opulence met with warmth. As he turned toward her and placed his hand on her back, she said, “Wow, this place must cost afortune.”
He made a sound like that didn’t matter and directed them toward the elevator. “It’s safe, clean, offers a good breakfast, and is near all the sites on your list.” They went to the top floor and the doors opened. Then he glanced at her jeans and said, “If you change into a knee length skirt or longer, we can go to St. Mark’s next, before we getdinner.”
“Why theskirt?”
“Our Churches are more traditional here than in America. If you want to see St, Mark’s on your list, we both have tochange.”
