"What happened between you and Viviana, Alex?" Rachel asked.
She snuggled back up to Nikki, placing her head on her shoulder. A small frown marred her features as she thought about the past. "Looking back, what Viv and I had was purely physical. We failed to connect on a deeper level, and I was blind to what Viv needed." Alex sighed as she pulled away from Nikki, stood, and headed over to the bar. She pulled a bottle of Limoncello from the small freezer below the bar. "From the moment Viv said yes, until it ended, was just a few short months." She poured a double shot of the cold lemon liqueur into a small glass and leaned against the edge of the bar. "One day she failed to show up at our usual meeting place. I waited all weekend." She took a sip of the cold liqueur.
"What happened to her?" Dani asked.
Alex looked up, startled at the question. "She couldn't meet with me because she was on her honeymoon." She shrugged and downed what was left of her drink when Dani gasped.
"So, you were just an experiment?"
"That's what I always thought. Tonight I realized that wasn't the case." She pushed off of the bar and sat beside Nikki. "I told you she was a good Catholic girl. Turns out she took her religion far more seriously than I thought. She turned her back on love and married to please her family and her church."
"How terribly sad." Dani frowned as she grasped Rachel's hand. "I can't imagine."
"She hurt you." Nikki reached out and gently lifted her chin, looking into her eyes. "Then I did essentially the same thing."
Alex shook her head. "You can't compare the two. Not really. You both left for very different reasons, and I played a big role in yours."
Nikki brushed a tear from her cheek. "That doesn't make what I did right."
Alex reached for her hand. "How about we both learn from our mistakes, and promise to do our best never to repeat them? Only then can we move past this."
Nikki clasped her hand and used it to pull her closer. "I promise."
They sat quietly for several moments before Dani asked, "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"
Alex pulled away and sat up. "A surprise. I suggest you go pack a couple of day's worth of clothes. Don't forget your bathing suits, comfortable walking shoes, and your camera." She chuckled at Dani's narrowed eyes and pursed lips. "We have several hours of driving ahead of us tomorrow, so I'd like to leave early." She pushed off the couch, walked over to Dani, and held out her hand. Alex pulled her to her feet and slipped an arm around her waist. "Humor me. This is a business trip and the reservations were made weeks ago. I was going to take Zaira, but now I want to take all of you instead."
Chapter Twenty
"Why did we have to get up so early?" Dani grumbled as she leaned her head back against the soft leather seat.
Alex pulled onto the A11 and headed west towards Florence. "It will be worth it, I promise. I'm hoping this will help us avoid some traffic. I'd like to get to our destination early enough for all of you to take a nap before lunch."
"What will you be doing while we nap?" Nikki asked.
Alex reached over and placed a hand on Nikki's thigh. "I hope to convince Pia to meet with me. I'd like to finish my business early so we can enjoy the rest of our time in the city."
"I like the sound of that."
They spent the next hour flitting from one topic of conversation to another as the scenery flew past the windows. They discussed Dani's job, how she felt about working at the Wellington Center, and what a great boss Kelly had turned out to be.
Alex's eyes widened and her grip on the steering wheel tightened. She looked up into the rearview mirror and caught Dani's eye. "If you're working, that means Maddy's in school." Tears filled her eyes as she saw her nod. She quickly dropped her gaze back to the highway as a single tear slid down her cheek.
"What's wrong, Alex?" Rachel asked as she watched her wipe the tear away.
"I missed it. I wanted to be there. How did she do?"
Rachel chuckled. "She had a rough couple of days, but has since made friends. It's gotten easier for her."
Alex sighed. "I'm glad to hear she's gotten over the rough patch. I wanted to write her a story that would excite her about school, but I just couldn't find the words." She changed lanes and prepared to merge onto A1 and head towards Bologna.
"You will, Alex. And when you do, the books will flow." Dani squeezed her shoulder. "Just relax and let it happen."
Alex gave her a wry smile. "Maybe I'll have it done in time for her first day of college."
Dani huffed as she slumped back in her seat. "I don't even want to think about college. Do you know how expensive college is these days? She'd better get scholarships because we're never going to be able to send her to a good school."
Alex chuckled as she looked over at Nikki. "I do know how expensive college is, and I also know that it's something you don't have to worry about."
Rachel looked between Nikki and Alex through narrowed eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"The trust covers college. Didn't my lawyer explain everything to you?"
Rachel looked at Dani who shrugged. "Frankly, I don't remember. I was too stunned to really listen to everything he had to say."
"I see. Well, you can rest easy knowing college is covered for Maddy and any future siblings she may have."
They drove in silence for several minutes before Dani spoke again, her voice filled with emotion. "Tell me, Alex, why did you set up the trust?"
She bit her lower lip as she thought about
