Fated (A Chris Evans Series)

Gifts from Denver

Chris and Denise spent four weeks in Italy for their honeymoon, the word 'amazing' couldn't even begin to describe the time they had there. They started their trip with six days in Milan where they stayed at Hotel Principe Di Savoia, a very luxurious and classical Italian hotel. Their plane landed at 1:25PM local time, but seeing as it was 4:26AM in Los Angeles- the jet lag quickly kicked in. It didn't affect Chris as much as it did Denise, but that was because he actually got some sleep on the plane. She had a terrible time, managing only an hour of sleep. She also threw up twice, courtesy of the baby in her belly. So as soon as they could check in, they did and she caught up on some much needed rest.

The couple did end up going out after she woke up. They had dinner at a lovely little place near the Navigli District then took a moonlit stroll, capturing memories by the Naviglio Grande Canal that they'd treasure for the rest of their lives. The days after, they traveled to all the tourist hotspots: Milan Cathedral, Sforza Castle, Brera, Teatro Alla Scala, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Planetario di Milano, Piazza Mercanti. Both Chris and Denise took lots of photos which they bombarded their friends and families with in the group chats they had with them.

After Milan, they traveled to Verona to see where Romeo and Juliet fell in-love. Verona was also the place where one of Denise's favorite Rom-Coms was filmed. 'Letters to Juliet' was a film she'd made Chris watch with her on numerous occasions. She even wrote a letter to Juliet, like every other girl who'd stopped by her wall. Her letter, however, was unlike every other girl's. She had everything with Chris, she didn't need advice. She simply wanted Juliet to know she understood; true love, soulmates- it did exist, and it was something worth dying for.

While Denise was writing her letter, Chris took a photo of her and tweeted it out with the caption: "my hopeless romantic." It quickly went viral, much like the few photos they'd shared of their wedding. It always came as a surprise to his fans when he posted photos because he wasn't typically known to share aspects of his personal life on social media. Other than a few photos and videos of Dodger, he kept everything tightly sealed away. But sometimes, he just couldn't help himself. And in that moment, he couldn't help himself. Denise looked so beautiful and peaceful doing what she loved best, he had to share it with the world.

Venice was their next stop: they experienced the gondolas, toured the Venetian masters of art, listened to well-played Vivaldi, ate traditional Venetian foods, and even had the best gelato in the city at Boutique Del Gelato- according to Timeout. They moved onto Florence after and indulged themselves in Renaissance Art. Denise thought it was breathtaking to be up close and personal with art pieces she'd only ever read about, or seen in pictures. They saw Michelangelo's 'David' which wasn't originally on Denise's bucket list, but was checked off anyway. She wondered if that meant she was now of the women in T.S Elliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock', talking of Michelangelo. Chris laughed at her when she asked him that, calling her an "English nerd."

They stopped at Pisa next and checked out the Leaning Tower; and to also have pizza in Pisa. They then visited The Knight's Square where Geoffrey Chaucer's 'A Knight's Tale' came to Denise's mind. She kept that comment to herself so Chris wouldn't tease her again, but he already knew what was on her mind. The couple also stopped by Naples and Pompeii, just so Denise could see Mount Vesuvius; the volcano that killed more than 16,000 people in 79AD. She did a History report on it when she was in high school, and immediately after, she knew it was a place she had to see at least once in her lifetime. Her heart ached when she visited the ruins in Pompeii, the grief could be felt even 1,931 years later.

Rome was the last stop in their trip as it was where they wanted their honeymoon to end. They stayed at the Rome Cavalieri, Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resort; the priciest lodging location of their entire trip. They'd tried to keep things as simple as possible with their hotels, knowing it was just a place to sleep they'd opted for the most reasonably priced rooms. Rome was the one place they indulged themselves because it was where they were staying the longest, and where they planned to actually enjoy the hotel itself. Despite that, Denise still found it unnecessary when Chris made her reserve the suite. But it was an experience she was incredibly grateful for. With the planetarium suite, they had their own private roof garden with a jacuzzi overlooking St. Peter's Basilica. Denise couldn't use the jacuzzi or drink Moscato because she was pregnant, but she had a nice time nursing an iced tea with her feet in the warm water.