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“And do you remember what we swore?”
    Another nod. “Yep, to get tattoos before we died.”
    Julia gave a triumphant chuckle. “Ha! My dear Hettie, my reconstructed breasts now sport two of them, so it’s your turn.”
    Hettie’s eyes took on an impish gleam, and she crooked her finger tighter. “Okay, so I want to modify the oath a tad. The new agreement is to not only get a tattoo, but to bed a sexy Italian before we die.”
    Julia protested. “But you just told me you’ve already done that.”
    Hettie squeezed the pinkies together and then gave them a quick jerk apart to seal the bargain. “And you just told me you already have a tattoo, so we’re halfway there and even steven.”

C HAPTER 3
    J ulia slouched down low enough in her desk chair to rest her head on the back. She ran her fingers into her hair, grasping the roots for a quick squeeze. “How did people travel to foreign countries before the Internet? If I hadn’t read the comment on that blog, I wouldn’t have considered taking a bus from La Spezia to Lerici. It’s a lot cheaper than a taxi and runs every twenty minutes.”
    Her business partner, Camille, glanced up from the catalog she was ordering from. “Will a bus take you to the hotel, though?”
    â€œNo.” Julia rolled her head from side to side to loosen the tight bands of muscles in her neck. “But I checked that out, too. It’s only a short walk.”
    â€œTwo miles is short to you.” Camille jotted something on the paper in front of her. “Remember, you’ll have luggage.”
    â€œI’m packing light.” Julia sat up and stretched her arms over her head. “The heaviest item will be my hiking boots.”
    â€œYou’re sure your boobs are ready? It’s only been six weeks. What’s going to keep the friction from rubbing those new nipples completely off?” Camille flipped the pencil she was holding and rubbed the eraser roughly across the paper. Then she lifted it to her lips and blew away the debris. “Like that.”
    â€œThanks for that visual.” Julia shook her head as she covered her eyes. “Only you would come up with that comparison. The doctor says I’m already good to go, and the trip is still two weeks away. Trust me, the girls are ready.” Grasping a breast in each hand, she bounced in her chair. “And so am I.”
    Camille’s chin buckled, putting her face in serious mode. “I worry about you. Going by yourself. Hiking alone in a foreign country. Nobody to take care of you.”
    Camille could be such a mother hen, despite being sixteen years younger. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. You know that.” Julia used a firm tone, hoping to put this subject to rest for good. “You know I’ve done my research and checked everything out.” She held up the brochure she’d been looking through yesterday. “The hiking trails around Lerici are popular, so there’ll be plenty of other people on them.” She dropped that one and picked up another. “And the Cinque Terre trails will be filled. I’ll probably have to step over the slow ones who get knocked down in the stampede.”
    That brought a giggle from her friend. “I’m sure you’ll lead the pack.” She turned her attention back to the catalog.
    Julia stared at the photo of the village of Monterosso gracing the front of the pamphlet. The Cinque Terre was in her grasp. In two-and-a-half weeks, she would be living the dream she’d first conceptualized nine months ago. Her “baby’s” due date was almost here.
    Her hand and the brochure it held trembled with excitement.
    She’d worked hard for this—going from couch potato to someone who could walk twenty or more miles a day.
    But she would be all alone.
    Was she ready?
    Her hand trembled again. She laid down the brochure and