“Thank you for today,” Landon said, tucking his phone inside his pocket. Robert had laughed at him, but Landon had still taken all the tourist precautions suggested to him. He’d bought a few articles of clothing with hidden compartments that buttoned and zipped at odd angles to keep his passport and cash safe. He’d even bought shoes designed to help his arches while walking over the cobblestoned streets of Rome. The shoes were stiff and hurt his feet. The rest had been complete overkill.
Robert had insisted common sense tourism was all that was needed. He wore his most comfortable walking shoes. If something didn’t change soon, Landon might need to do some shopping or lose some of this uncomfortable gear. Lost in thought, Landon walked straight into Robert’s extended arm, which stopped Landon in his tracks.
“Take my picture.” Robert quickly turned with his back facing the street and struck a pose. He automatically reached for his phone, blindly doing what his husband requested until he caught Robert’s eyes darting wildly to the side. Finally, he figured it out and looked past Robert to the armed military man. He and Robert had both developed a fascination with the Italian Army men stationed randomly throughout the city. They generally came in pairs, wore green fatigues, and were armed with both pistols and Beretta automatic rifle. They were beefed up, tough as nails, and hot as hell. They had both started taking these men’s pictures yesterday, capturing them to prove they were real.
“If we ever need money, you could come guard this city. You fit the look.”
Landon grunted in response. He was fine wiping drool off his own lip, but he wasn’t quite so excited about his husband’s ogling. Robert saved himself though and got an A-plus for bringing him into the mix.
Reservations had turned out to be the best idea for their travels through Italy yet the hardest to come by. Robert had tried to thoroughly plan this trip, thinking of Landon’s tastes, but he readily admitted, he’d never traveled on such a tight budget before. They were down in the trenches so to speak and he loved every minute. They were tourist by day and fun-loving partiers by night. They’d drunk their way through Cinque Terre, Tuscany, and now it seemed Rome would be no different.
He and Landon had really enjoyed the freedom they’d shared with one another in this extraordinary place. Back home, of course, Robert was out and proud, so was Landon for that matter, but they also picked their surroundings carefully. Here, especially in Rome, they may have found their forever home. He could totally see them retiring somewhere in this region. Especially after today. Landon had changed in front of Robert’s eyes, taking in the Colosseum and Roman village as if he had absorbed them into his soul. Landon had connected to this place, making this trip perfect and right. Robert wasn’t sure Landon could be happier.
They lived like the locals, staying planted in the restaurants for hours, taking in the atmosphere, eating the foods and drinking their wines. Another very telling thing was that Landon seemed to really enjoy his meat tartare. He ate whatever raw thing anyone put in front of him. Robert had even teased Landon, saying his heart might be blocked beyond repair. Secretly, Robert had scheduled himself a note to take a closer look at Landon’s health when they returned home.
“Toast!” Landon declared with a slight slur to his words. Robert readily reached for his glass with only a swallow or two left. “To you, I love you.”
Robert paused in clinking his glass with Landon’s. “That’s not a proper toast.”
“The hell it isn’t! Best retirement trip ever.”
Robert agreed with that being closer to a toast and clanked their glasses together. The problem was that Landon’s sly side was coming out. He’d repeatedly given some variation on that same toast, maybe even every night since they had arrived in Italy, and it always resulted in a free round of drinks.
“You’re a mess,” Robert whispered against Landon’s lips.
A retort was coming when Landon’s phone rang loudly. They both looked down at his cell phone on the table. Landon instantly grew serious.
“It’s a Minnesota number.” That had Robert pulling his cell phone from his pocket as Landon answered. “Hello?” Their gazes locked, and Landon’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Can you give us a minute? It’s loud in here. We need to step outside.”
“It’s Sophia. She’s been trying to call you. Hurry and pay.” Landon shot out of his seat like a bullet discharged from its chamber. He was zigzagging through the narrow walkways between the tables before Robert ever fully got to his feet. He quickly called over the waiter, asking for the tab. He followed the guy to the back where he laid cash on the bar.