4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Isabella Bianchi

I know I haven't even been in Italy for twenty-four hours, but so far, I'm loving it. I had an amazing dinner with Gabo last night—his restaurant looks straight out of a movie. It was so luxurious, and the food was to die for—just exquisite. I really liked that he played it safe and decided to walk home instead of driving his car while tipsy. The boys at school were all about flaunting their cars and driving drunk. Allegedly, it made them cooler and more badass. Huh, not in my eyes, that's for sure.

Last night, I didn't get a chance to tour Gabo's penthouse; all I wanted was to shower and crash. My room is absolutely gorgeous: it has a four-post bed with a beautiful silk canopy, the fluffiest comforter, and tons and tons of pillows.

This morning, I woke up refreshed and ready to take Bologna by storm. The moment I set foot in the kitchen to prepare breakfast, my jaw hit the floor. It's a state-of-the-art kitchen, and all the appliances are industrial-grade. There's even a goddamn walk-in fridge! This place is honestly surreal. Everything in Gabo's place is out of this world. Owning my own penthouse—just like this one but in Santiago—has become my top dream. Right after I establish my gallery, of course.

I'm not sure why, but every time I'm in the kitchen cooking, my mind wanders to my childhood.

Growing up, I used to do ballet. Although I really enjoyed wearing tutus and the recitals, as I grew older, I switched to contemporary dance. I felt it allowed me to express myself better. It was another outlet for my creativity, just like painting.

I'm lost in my thoughts, dancing to the beat of a song I can't get out of my head while making breakfast in Gabo's immaculate kitchen. I turn from the stove to plate the pancakes I just made when I see the most sculpted body I've ever seen in my life. Gabo is wearing black basketball shorts that hang low on his waist. His muscles are on full display since the man decided not to wear a T-shirt, nearly giving me a heart attack. Not to mention the beads of sweat rolling down his abs. Does he have a gym here, too? Of course, he does. Even Luca has one at the villa.

I can't take my eyes off Gabo. I'm sure I'm red as a beet, but I'll worry about that later because now I see the dust of hair that forms a happy trail to what I'm assuming is a huge cock. Those shorts leave little to the imagination. Fuck, after seeing Gabo like this, I'm rethinking my past choices. All the guys I've been with are just kids compared to this Adonis in front of me.

Maybe I can find a man to have a fling with while I'm here. Hmm, I better add that to my to-do list for the summer.

"Oh, morning, Bella. I didn't realize you were already up," he says, cool as a cucumber as he wipes the sweat from his face with a towel that's now hanging on his shoulders.

I open my mouth, but no words come out. I must be making a very silly face because Gabo chuckles.

"Listen, I'm about to get ready to go to the office, but if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to contact me. If I can't come get you, I'll send Mario. He's my security lead." He slides a business card on the counter, and after a little salute, he makes his way to his room.

Once I hear the lock click on his door, I release a deep sigh. I know he's not the first attractive man I've laid eyes on, but damn, he's definitely the hottest.

After eating my breakfast, I grab his card and can't help but notice the beautiful design. His name is in bold gold letters against a black background—elegant and sophisticated, just like him.

I head to my room, shaking off any thoughts of Gabo. I take a shower before checking the weather on my phone. Beautiful sunny skies and a balmy 80°F (26°C) call for a cute summer dress from Dani's collection and comfortable sneakers to wander the streets of Bologna and get lost in its beauty.

I plan to start my day at Piazza Maggiore. It isn't too far from Gabo's place, so I use Google Maps to guide my walk.

Walking slowly, I take my time appreciating the architecture. It's incredible how Gabo's apartment building blends in with the traditional structures around it.

Last night, it was too dark to appreciate the charming details Gabo incorporated into his building. The beautiful arches and baroque statues he designed are stunning. Seeing this building only from the outside, I'd have never guessed all the modern amenities it contains. I wonder if all of the apartments are like his. My guess is no since he lives in the penthouse, but I'll definitely ask.

Last night, I could tell that architecture is his passion. The way he talked about his current project is the way I light up when I talk about my art.

I make it to Piazza Maggiore in no time and am breathless at the sight. There are so many beautiful stone buildings with their old-world charm that I'm not sure where to start my tour. I try to absorb as much as I can while I look for a place to sit down, but I just know it'll take me days to go through the intricate designs of all the windows and arches on the structures here. That's what happens when you have a degree in art and an eye for everyday artistic elements.

There's a cafe on the left side of the piazza, so I decide to set up camp there. I get my sketchbook out, and once the waiter comes around, I order a coffee and focaccia. My phone vibrates in my bag, and I immediately take it out, wondering who would be calling me.

" Hermanita , are you okay? I texted you last night but didn't hear back from you." Luca's voice is almost frantic. He honestly needs to calm down.

"Good morning, Luca. Yes, I'm fine. Gabo picked me up at the hangar and took me to dinner. I honestly haven't checked my phone. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I arrived safe and sound, but since you and Gabo talk all the time, I figured he'd fill you in."

I hear him release a deep breath, and I immediately feel bad. I need to remember he's just trying to be a good brother, not trying to control my life. At least, I hope so.

"No, the boludo didn't answer my calls or texts either. That's why I was starting to get on edge."

"I'm sorry I worried you, Luca. But I promise you, everything is fine. I haven't been here for even a full day yet, but what I've seen so far is gorgeous. The architecture is exquisite, and the food is delicious. I feel like one summer here won't be enough to really take everything in."

"I'm glad you're enjoying your time there so far. You don't need to call or text daily, but please try to answer when I call." His tone is sincere so I'm not going to give him a hard time for being a little overbearing.

As I'm about to reply, a request for Facetime comes in, and I chuckle. To my surprise, it isn't my brother on the screen—it's Karina.

"Isa, hi! Your brother was about to get on a plane and go find you," she says, laughing, and Luca takes the phone out of her hand.

"I was not. I'm not that deranged. Am I?" Luca pouts, and Karina laughs harder.

"So how's everything? Where are you staying?" Karina asks as she gets comfortable on Luca's office couch.

I flip the camera so I can show them where I am. "Everything is so beautiful here. I was about to grab a bite and sketch for a while before heading to the university to see where my summer class will be."

I talk to Karina until Luca starts chasing her out of his office so he can take a call. After saying goodbye and promising Luca I'd be better at staying in contact, I put my phone away and start trying to capture the essence of the piazza on paper. My favorite way to paint is with watercolors, but when I'm out and about, carbon pencil is my go-to. It gives dimension, and I can use shadows to do a better representation of the little details.

I lose track of time between sketching and people-watching, but I can tell it's lunchtime because the cafe is getting busier. My stomach rumbles, reminding me I need to eat. I flag down the waiter and order a pasta dish that caught my eye, along with a glass of red wine he recommended. All too soon, it's time to make my way to the university. Packing up my art supplies, I head off in the direction of the campus.

The University of Bologna is out of this world—the buildings are so beautifully preserved, you can smell the history of the walls—so much knowledge to be absorbed. Even though the ceilings are painted only in some rooms, I can't wait to attend class here. I know I'm being greedy, but I wish every single corner of this school was beautifully painted. It'd take me a lifetime to catalog all the details in the paintings here. It feels like just by being here, in this historic place, I'm already learning so much.

I want to double-check that I'm indeed registered and that everything is ready for me to start my modern art class on Monday, so I head toward the registration office. There's a huge line, but there's nothing else I have to do today. I'd rather stay here than go back to the apartment and fall asleep. Jet lag is no joke.

"Excuse me, are you here to register for the summer semester?" a guy asks me, and I am taken by surprise because I didn't see him get in line behind me.

"Oh. no. I just want to make sure I'm registered," I tell him, and he gives me a blinding smile.

Damn, he's cute. Tall, with dark hazel eyes and unruly hair. He almost reminds me of someone, except this guy is a boy, and that someone is a man.

"Oh, great, nice to meet you. I'm Giacomo." He extends his hand to me and gives me a peck on each cheek.

"I'm Isabella."

"So, what did you register for?" he asks nonchalantly. He's wearing white pants and a black tee, and his shoes are covered in paint. He has a very relaxed style, so I'm guessing he's an artist.

"History of modern art," I tell him, and his eyes grow big.

"No way. That's the class I'm trying to get into," he says with much more enthusiasm than I was expecting.

Was he going to take that class? Or is it because I told him I'm taking it?

"Really? Why do you want to take that class?" I ask.

"I'm studying art, and during the summer, I like working a couple of days a week and taking a class that can be used toward my degree. The rest of the time, I enjoy traveling," he tells me with glee in his eyes, and I smile at ease; he seems genuine.

"That sounds amazing. I just graduated from college." He raises his eyebrows in question, and I chuckle. "Yeah, back in Chile," I say as I rearrange the strap of my bag on my shoulder, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by Giacomo's attention.

"Your Italian is impressive. You could have fooled me, I thought you were from here."

I smile at the compliment. "Thanks. This truth is I enjoy learning languages."

"So, are you here just for the summer?" he asks, and I don't answer immediately. As nice as he seems, I don't know him.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to interrogate you. I'm simply genuinely interested in getting to know you," he says with a sheepish smile, and I smile back.

Before I can answer, it's my turn to talk to the registrar employee. I got all the documents I need for Monday, including a campus map and a couple of books the professors want us to work with.

As I'm turning to leave, Giacomo asks, "Would you wait for me? This won't take long." I nod, and fifteen minutes later, we're making our way out of the building.

"Do you have plans tonight? I'm going out with my friends, and I figured you could join us," Giacomo says expectantly.

Even though he seems nice, I'm still struggling with the jetlag, so I decide to tell him the truth.

"As fun as that sounds, I arrived yesterday, and I'm still trying to catch up with sleep. I'll see you next week," I say as I start making my way toward Gabo's place. Giacomo falls in step beside me.

"I can understand that, but maybe we can see if you're feeling better over the weekend?" He looks like he wants to say more, but he simply smiles and waits for me to make up my mind.

I shrug as I take my phone out and pass it to him. Once he enters his number, he texts himself from my phone.

"Thank you, Isabella. I'll see you around." He pockets his phone and gives me two kisses, one on each cheek, before he walks in the opposite direction. I watch his figure recede as he walks away, then continue on my way toward Gabo's place. I can't wait to take a long bath, maybe order some food, and sleep for a long time.