Cristiano laughed. “No, unfortunately not. He does his blessings on Wednesdays, so we will not see him.”

It was early evening when they got inside the walls of the Vatican, and once again Keira was overwhelmed by what she was witnessing. Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint Peter’s Square, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel; she could hardly believe she was seeing such places with her own eyes. She was utterly exhausted, in part due to all the steps she’d had to climb to reach the Vatican dome, but also from her unadulterated sense of wonder and awe.

When all their sightseeing was done for the day, Keira’s feet were throbbing with pain. But she didn’t care, she was glad to have seen so much in one day, to have absorbed so much inspiration.

“There is just one last place for us to see,” Cristiano said, as the evening air began to cool slightly.

They were strolling along, slowly now, more at Cristiano’s laidback Italian pace as opposed to Keira’s quick New York pace. They were eating gelatos again, and Keira tried not to think about her expanding waistline.

“Where is that?” she asked.

“The Trevi Fountain,” Cristiano told her. “Have you heard of it?”

Keira shook her head and regarded Cristiano contemplatively in the fading light. It seemed that the changing colors of the sky seemed to all have the effect of making his appearance even more stunning and unique to her.

“It is one of the oldest water sources in Rome,” he explained. “Named the Aqua Virgo, or Virgin Waters, in honor of a Roman girl who led soldiers there so they could replenish themselves with the fresh spring waters. Now people throw money in and make wishes that are granted by the virgin girl. I believe the figure is close to three thousand euros a day, which all goes to charity. One coin grants you a safe journey. Two coins grants you a great romance. Three, an enduring love.”

Keira raised an eyebrow, wondering what purpose Cristiano had for bringing her here.

They reached the structure and Keira was confronted with a cross between an art piece, a sculpture, a mansion, and a fountain. It was enormous, lit by bright white lights.

“Will you make a wish?” Cristiano asked her. He held his palm open, showing her three coins inside.

She looked up at him, knowing that the number of coins she took from him would communicate more than perhaps she was ready to. But the romance of the gesture was overwhelming.

Keira picked up the first coin, closed her eyes, and made a wish before throwing it into the fountain. One coin for a safe journey. She looked back at Cristiano, into his hopeful eyes, and plucked up the second coin. Two coins for romance. Then, finally, she went back for the third coin. Three coins for love.

Cristiano closed his palm, his gaze still fixed on Keira. Keira knew the moment was now. Everything was in place. The perfect location, the perfect moment, and she knew that Cristiano too had put his fears to one side; she could read it in the inviting expression on his face.