Gianluca Ginoble and I

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

          When I got back from my walk the next morning, Mrs. Ginoble was sitting down to fold laundry, and I sat to help her.

          “Oh, thank you sweetheart. That’s very nice of you.”

          I nodded, and reached for the pile of Gianluca’s shirts to fold, taking a moment to smell them.

          “Mmm…,” I said to Mrs. Ginoble, who laughed. “They smell like him!”

          “So, Naomi, how do you like Abruzzo?”

          “I LOVE Abruzzo! It’s so magical! It must be the most beautiful place in the world!”

          She nodded.

          “I agree! Mr. Ginoble and I are just loving our time back. We really missed this place. There are so many great memories here from our family.”

          “I’ve been having such a great time here! I don’t want to go home!”

          She nodded.

          “I completely understand! I don’t want to leave either.”

          We kept talking about the trip, and eventually I realized that I was only going to be in Abruzzo for three more days, including the rest of that day.

          “Oh my gosh!” I said, jumping up and rushing to the calendar. “It’s really only three more days! I can’t believe it’s almost been two weeks!”

          I heard Gianluca coming down the stairs, and I turned to see him in his black T-shirt and jeans, looking down at his phone.

          “Gianluca!” I said.

          He looked up at me and smiled brilliantly.

          “Hi, sweetheart!”

          “We only have three days left in Abruzzo, including today!”

          He tucked his phone into his pocket and clapped his hands to his cheeks.

          “Only three more days!?”

          “Right! Our two weeks went by so fast!”

          “Three days!? Only three days left!?” he repeated in mock incomprehension.

          “Gianluca?”

          What was he doing?”

          He dropped his hands from his face and ran out of the living room onto the porch, grabbing his tennis shoes and pulling them on. He ran back into the room, yelling, “Three days!”

          He ran up to me and bent to grab my legs, picking me up and tossing me effortlessly over his shoulder.

          “Gianluca!” I gasped, laughing.

          “Naomi, if we only have three more days, then I better show you more of Abruzzo, fast!”

          I laughed, and he carried me out to the car, where we sped off.

          He took me to a beautiful little ranch to go horseback riding. A kind old Italian man led us to the stable, and pointed out to us the field we should ride in with the horses.