her to come to live in Verona if he wasn’t serious about their relationship?
The hours flew by as Eva gazed out the window and daydreamed about her life with Marcello. Soon, the train was pulling into the Munich station. She collected her luggage and walked to a small café inside the station to enjoy one last cappuccino in Germany while waiting for the next train. She opened the zip pocket on the front of her purse and unfolded the note she’d received from Marcello a few days earlier. She lifted the paper to her nose and with closed eyes drew in the last bit of aftershave scent. Slowly, she reread the words on the paper, savoring each one even though she’d read the note about fifty times:
My Sweet Rose,
I am so happy for you to finally come to Verona. I have thought only of you day and night, longing for your sweet smell, your gentle touch and your beautiful smile. We will finally be reunited at the Verona train station and then I will take you to your apartment, where we can again be as one. My heart and my body have been aching for you, but I take comfort in knowing that we will be together again soon.
Yours,
Marcello
It was a dream come true, Eva thought as the train pulled out of the Munich station. At 21, she’d met the man of her dreams. Now, one year later, she had finished university and was moving to the City of Love to be with him, and she just knew it would be for the rest of her life.
Eva had never intended to fall in love at such a young age, nor had she expected marriage to be part of her near future. Not for years to come. She’d made big travel and career plans for herself and didn’t need anyone in her life to complicate things.
But that was before she’d met Marcello. Meeting him had changed everything, and she’d gladly given up her New York travel plans and the job offer in the finance department at one of Dusseldorf’s most prestigious public-event planning firms. “Thankfully, Daddy never caught wind of that,” Eva thought. He’d allowed her to go to Verona instead of New York, but he’d have never let her pass on such a plum job, especially since they were willing to let her delay her start until she returned from New York.
“No matter,” she thought, as she settled back into her seat. “By 6 o’clock this evening I’ll be in Marcello’s arms again, and nothing is more important than our love.”
***
The first tenants for the Benedetto family’s newly acquired apartment building were scheduled to arrive mid-morning. Marcello had spent the night with Carlotta, who had once again politely denied his amorous advances with the usual excuse of a wine headache. “How convenient it’s become to help run a vineyard,” he’d thought while lying awake on his side of the bed.
After arising early, Marcello left the sleeping Carlotta and headed directly to Verona for his espresso and morning newspaper. The Piazza delle Erbe , once the site of Roman chariot races, was quietly coming to life as he sat down at an outdoor table near the corner of the open-air market. Without Marcello having to say a thing, a folded newspaper and a steaming espresso arrived on a silver platter. The Benedetto family was well-known in Verona, and Marcello enjoyed the care and attention his family name commanded.
The sun was just rising over the top of the stone buildings on the other side of the piazza. Even though it was barely 7:30, the air was already warm and there was very little breeze to bring relief. It would be a rather hot day for September 1 st , and Marcello decided to give the empty apartments one more walk-through before the heat got to be too much.
Most of the new tenants were landing at Verona International Airport around 10am. The banker had emailed to say he’d been asked to a last-minute meeting and would go there directly from the airport, arriving at the apartment around noon. Marcello waited to greet the Reardon couple and Carlisle Everdeen so he could show them to their