“You going to buy it?”
“Yeah. I'll get this one for me. My mother likes light blue.” She held onto the purple one while searching through the rack.
Viktor helped in the search and pulled out a light cream and blue scarf with pale lavender stripes. “How about this one?”
“Oh, that’s perfect!” She came towards him to inspect it. “Let me just pay for these and we can go.”
The next store they entered was a jewelry shop with an extensive collection of heathergems. Made from Scottish heather, no two pieces are alike. They were formed into a wide variety of shapes and sizes; nearly any color could be found. Some were set in silver or gold with intricate designs. Each piece was unique.
Everything was so beautiful, it was difficult to settle on any one item until Amanda came across a complete set that featured a purple butterfly pendant wrapped in white gold with matching earrings and bracelet. She loved butterflies and purple was her favorite color.
Viktor watched her eyes light up as she carefully studied the pieces inside the display case. “You going to get it?”
“I don’t know. Depends how much it costs.”
The clerk came over and Amanda asked to see the jewelry. She had a feeling it would be beyond her reach and that was confirmed when she saw the price tag of 350 pounds.
“Thank you,” she said to the clerk as she handed it back.
Viktor wanted to just buy it for her but knew she would never let him. He said nothing as Amanda settled on a small pair of earrings instead.
Around 11:30 they were hungry again and decided to have lunch together before they would be forced to part ways. They both felt a little sad as their time together neared its end.
“When will we be able to meet again?” Amanda asked, seeming somewhat melancholy.
“I will already be near Venice when you arrive. I can meet you at your hotel whenever it’s convenient if you like?”
A huge smile broke across her face. “I would love that.”
“Good.” He smiled back. “Would you like a lift to the airport?”
“You don’t mind?”
“Not at all.”
“Would you like to keep me company while I pack? Or do you need a break?”
He grinned. “I don’t need a break.”
When Amanda returned to her room, Sheila was already there packing. They were ready to leave an hour later and Viktor drove them to the airport. He let them off in front and stepped from the car to say goodbye. Sheila went ahead to check her luggage while Amanda stayed behind to talk to Viktor.
“I had a great time,” Amanda said. “Thank you for everything.”
“I had a great time as well. I’m very happy we met.”
“Me too,” she agreed.
They both seemed sedate as neither one wanted to part ways. Amanda knew she wasn’t going to have as much fun with Sheila as she did with Viktor. She wished he was also going to France and Spain. Her countenance fell and for a moment, sadness washed over her face.
“I’ll see you shortly,” he said in response.
She tried to perk up. “Yes. I’m sure the next two weeks will fly by.” She knew that was a lie.
Viktor was debating whether he should kiss her cheek, give her a hug or do nothing when she reached her arms forward and moved towards him. He instantly reciprocated and put his arms around her, giving her a hug goodbye. She kissed his cheek as they pulled away.
“Until we meet again,” she said, trying to sound brave.
He smiled and nodded but found it impossible to open his mouth in response. She turned and began walking to the doors. She looked back one last time and smiled before disappearing inside.
Viktor let out a heavy sigh once she was gone. He knew he was in trouble. It had only been a couple days and already he had strong feelings for her. He looked forward to seeing her again in Italy but worried about what would come next. He needed another way to see her, preferably one that didn’t tip her off to how rich he was. He felt almost certain that would kill any chance he had with her. Until he could convince her to look past it, he had to hide it from her.
The next two weeks with Sheila in Spain and France went better than Amanda had thought they would. While Sheila was still a flirt, she had toned it down significantly since meeting Gavin. They were both having a good time visiting the sights and finding cool restaurants to eat in. It was how Amanda had wanted their entire trip to be.
Viktor and Amanda exchanged text messages several times over the weeks they spent apart. Amanda sent pictures of their adventures and they talked over a video chat while she was in France, just a few days before they were to meet up in Venice. By the time they were on their flight to Venice, Viktor was the only thing Amanda could think of. She still couldn’t believe they were going to be in Italy at the same time. It was almost too good to be true.
Chapter 8
It was a little after 4:00 P.M. when their plane touched down at the airport in Venice. After disembarking from their flight, Amanda and Sheila headed to baggage claim to retrieve Sheila’s suitcases. They were walking down the long row of baggage carousels trying to find the one they needed when Viktor suddenly came into view.
Amanda nearly shrieked and walked briskly towards him, restraining the urge to run. Sheila just waved and then walked to the carousel to wait for her bags while Amanda greeted Viktor.
Before they even said hi, Amanda had her arms out and gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back, then struggled to let go. She pulled back to look
