Wedding Bells & Cinnamon Rolls

3 - Roman Holiday

"Autumn, we're landing soon."

Blinking blearily, Autumn yawned and licked her lips. Ugh, my mouth tastes like shit, she thought with a grimace. Leaning forward, she rummaged through her carry-on for the water bottle she'd stashed there—how many hours ago?

"What time is it?" she asked, opening flaps and lifting magazines. Where did I put it again?

"Six in the evening, local time," Corbin replied, producing the missing water bottle. "It slid out of your lap when you fell asleep."

"Thank you." She twisted the cap off, took a long swig, and immediately felt better. Brushing hair out of her face, she peered past Corbin and out the airplane window. There it was—Rome. The EternalCity. Even from high up in the plane, the sight was better than anything she had ever seen on TV.

Visiting Italy had been on her bucket list as a child—an event she had long consigned to her dreams. But after meeting Corbin, the world had suddenly become available to her and Jordyn. Her husband—Autumn had to pause and smile; that very handsome, kind, and loving man next to her was her husband now—always told her that if she wanted to go somewhere, all she had to do was ask. While over the course of three years together, she had grown more at ease with her new life but vowed to never treat Corbin like a living ATM. As someone who had spent most of her adult life counting pennies and making dollars stretch, suddenly having access to wealth made her uncomfortable.

They'd gone with Jordyn on a tour of wine country last year, right after Corbin had proposed. After Autumn told him of her desire to visit Rome, Corbin suggested that they make it their honeymoon destination: tours of museums for him and authentic Italian cooking classes for her—and in-between, lots of sightseeing, shopping, and, of course, eating.

Lots and lots of eating.

How could she say no?

"How're you feeling?" Corbin asked as she took another long sip.

"Better, thanks."

He smiled. "Are you up for having dinner after we get settled?"

As if on cue, Autumn's stomach rumbled. She chuckled. "Yes."

"Excellent."

Tucking the water bottle back into her carry-on, Autumn straightened the hem of her dress. Being fashionable was not in Autumn's vocabulary, but she wanted to have at least a few cute, fun sundresses to wear when they ate out—like this little white knee-length number with flowers on the bodice and ruffled hem.

"Did you sleep at all?" she asked Corbin as he reached down to tug at the cuff of his white pants. He was wearing an open-collar pale blue shirt and dark blue blazer, which was so far out of his professor-chic comfort zone that Autumn suspected Jordyn had urged him to compliment his new wife's outfits.

"I took a nap for a few hours, then watched a couple of in-flight movies. Did you know that there's an entire film series about vampires that sparkle in the sun?"

Autumn giggled. She was about to suggest that they visit the fountain from the second film when the pilot announced that they were starting to descend. Even if they did go there, poor Corbin wouldn't get the joke. She loved that man, but he was so blissfully unaware of popular culture.

But she was very glad that he didn't sparkle.

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Two men dressed like mafia enforcers met them at baggage claim; the thinner one held a sign that read Mr and Mrs Westbrook, while the taller, burlier gentleman took control of their luggage.