Enzo remained calm, slowly moving from my head down to my bare legs. “I can definitely take her to the doctor. Fran, can I check your ankle?”

I nodded again, liking that he asked before running his hands over me. He repeated the same actions for both calves and ankles. Shivers ran up and down my spine at the touch of his fingers on my bare skin. “Can you move your toes?”

I wriggled them and they obeyed. Allegra looked distressed, so I forced myself to smile at her. “It’s okay, honey. I’m tougher than I look.”

“How’s your back?” he asked.

I moved from side to side tentatively, but other than basic soreness, there were no sharp flashes of pain. “Fine. It’s just some scrapes and bruises.”

“We should go to the doctor and make sure,” my mother said.

I shook my head. “No. I’m not wasting the rest of the day in a doctor’s office for a silly fall. I swear, Mom, I’m okay. I’d tell you if I needed to get checked out. Here, let me try walking and make sure.”

I stood up, hobbled a bit, but soon was able to walk at a regular pace. “See? I’m fine. I had a good enough cushion,” I said, patting my rear. I noticed Enzo’s gaze paused on my ass before quickly jerking back up. Was that a flush on his cheekbones or my imagination? Was it wrong to hope for the former?

Mom still looked doubtful, but I refused to baby myself over a few bumps and bruises. “If I start feeling strange, I’ll tell you right away. Now, can we go do some shopping? I want to get away from this crowd, who’s still staring at me.”

“Mom, you freaked us all out,” Allegra said. “You pretty much bounced all the way down the Spanish Steps.”

“At least we’ll always remember the landmark,” I quipped.

Enzo shook his head, but a grin tugged at his lips. “If there is any problem, call me and I’ll come get you. I will check on you before dinner tonight.”

“Grazie,” I said. His gaze probed mine for a few moments, and then he nodded and turned his head. “Enjoy your shopping, ladies.”

I watched him walk away and disappear into the square. Mom was still frowning. “I know what our first stop should be,” she said.

“What?” I asked.

“New shoes for you. That’s why you fell. You need a pair like mine.” She stuck out her foot with the god-awful thick sole and ugly leather, and instead of getting mad at her usual “I told you so,” I began to laugh. Allegra looked surprised, but then she began to laugh too, and Mom joined in, and we stood by the Spanish Steps, bent over in hysterics, and I realized I hadn’t felt this good in a long time. The fall was worth it if Allegra had forgotten all about being mad at me.