XOXO

15. Violeta

Eat, pray and love into Italy.

“I’m sorry Matteo couldn’t drive us back,” Paola said, her accent thick in English. “I swear something always happens when we go to the hotel.”

“It’s fine,” I said, looking out the train window. “I love riding the train.”

I tried not to feel hurt that he had left before I had woken up, just like I had done to his best friend.

Karma, maybe? We didn’t even see him for the rest of the day and he texted Paola to go back to Milan without him.

What really hurt me was the thought that he might be doing this maliciously to get back at me for Levi. Did he sleep with me just for that?

“Did something happen with you and him?” she asked, looking innocent. If the past couple of days had taught me anything, she was anything but innocent.

“No, we had a great dinner together. He took me on the roof to see the lake and it was gorgeous. It was everything I had hoped for when I dreamed of visiting Lake Como,” I said, forcing a smile, wondering how she would feel if she knew I had slept with Matteo.

“I’m glad he took you to the roof,” she said, studying me. “That’s the best place to see the lake, and it’s kind of romantic, too.”

“Your brother doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body,” I chuckled. “He was just being nice.”

Paola laughed with me. “You’re right. Matteo is going to be single for the rest of his life.”

“Marriage isn’t for him?” I asked, trying to appear as nonchalant as I could.

“I don’t think so. He enjoys being a bachelor, plus he and his two best friends are so close I can’t imagine any of them marrying,” she said, pulling her phone out. “They should all just marry each other.”

Her statement made me extra curious about who the other best friend was.

They always talked about him, but now I kind of wanted to meet him.

Were Matteo and Levi in love with him too?

So many questions invaded my mind as I pulled out my phone.

I had a few notifications from Rendezvous which were probably from Levi.

I opened the app and it opened to the main page. The person I saw was a kick in the gut. Matteo’s intense gaze stared back at me. Of course, he was on Rendezvous. I sighed, tempted to swipe left, but a little part of me wanted him to see my face and maybe feel a little guilty. So…I swiped right.

Not to dwell on how stupid that was to do, I opened Levi’s chat, sending him the pictures he asked for.

Paola and I chilled by the pool and took a dip in the lake to cool off before we ate at the hotel's restaurant right over the lake. It was a perfect girl’s day and even though Matteo’s absence hurt me, I loved spending time with Paola.

I didn't have many girlfriends and I needed more in my life.

“Hey, Matteo says we should go eat at this new restaurant tomorrow,” Paola said not looking up from her phone. “I told him you were leaving.”

I raised my brow and she gave me a look that she knew what had happened.

“I was thinking about the Amalfi coast,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush.

“That sounds great, girl,” she grinned. “Should I tell him?”

“Nope, what for?” I shrugged.

“You’re right, girl,” she said, typing on her phone. “There’s a train leaving tomorrow morning or a flight tonight. I think you should leave tomorrow morning. We can eat, drink and watch some trashy TV at my home.”

“That sounds perfect,” I sighed, feeling like I needed a night to veg out.

“Great, I booked you a ticket,” she said as a text came through.

I opened the ticket seeing she had gotten me an upgraded ticket.

“There is a forty-five-minute bus ride, but I swear it goes by fast and you get a free meal with Wi-Fi,” she said as she continued typing on her phone. “I can send you with a meal too. Most of the times the food is good, but—”

I leaned over hugging her. Sometimes us girls just need someone in our corner and I loved that Paola had become that person. Still tripped me out that she was Matteo’s sister, but she was amazing, unlike her brother.

That night healed a part of my soul I didn’t know needed healing and just before we went to sleep, my Rendezvous app pinged. Matteo matched with me and a message sat in my inbox.

MATvine: I hope you have a safe trip to wherever you're going.

The text bubbles popped in and out of the chat and I sat on pins and needles waiting to see what he said.

MATvine: If you come back through Milan again, message me. I had things I wanted to do with you before I had to help the hotel.

I scrunched my nose at his stupid messages. I almost wished he hadn’t messaged at all. Another message came through.

MATvine: I’m sorry I wasn’t there for your last day. That’s not how I wanted you to leave Como.

Was he feeling guilty for being an ass? Because if he wanted to, he would, right?

The Amalfi Coast was breathtaking. The moment I got off the bus, all I wanted was to go visit the beach.

The hostel was in Positano, one of the nicer ones I had stayed in, and just down the street from a beach.

I spent the first two days here visiting most of the coast, tanning, working and reading at the beach.

Last night, I gave Rendezvous another chance—Don’t ask me why, I apparently was a glutton for punishment—and matched with a gorgeous Italian man that might have looked like Matteo, except he was smiling.

Adamo was laid back and funny. He invited me to brunch at this gorgeous restaurant I had seen on the first day I arrived.

I wore the skirt and top I had bought in Madrid, feeling sexy in it, even if it was a tad revealing.

It had been a while since I had styled my hair and put extra effort into it, blow-drying AND even curling it.

My hair was getting long; it was almost to my waist. While I loved the luxurious length, it was a pain in the ass to style. I needed a cut and thinning out.

Getting around the coast was a little difficult because traffic was insane. Taxis were really the only way to get around the city, but they were a bit pricey if you had to go far. The ride to the restaurant was quick, with minimal traffic and I arrived ten minutes early.

Adamo had booked a reservation and they quickly sat me.

The inside was gorgeous with plants everywhere and an open terrace that overlooked the coast. I ordered a coffee as I waited, so mesmerized by the place that I didn’t even realize Adamo was running late.

Five minutes turned into fifteen minutes and then thirty minutes.

Feeling more embarrassed each time the server asked if I wanted to order or wait for my date was almost enough for me to just walk out. I checked Rendezvous constantly hoping for a message to come through, but nothing but silence.

“Would you like to order something?” The look in her eyes told me waiting was futile.

I had officially been stood up.

“The pizza is amazing, the linguini with prawns is even better and you can’t go wrong with the beef filet,” a man at a table with two other women said to me.

They didn’t look at me with pity, but with warm affection.

“The porn star martini is also delicious,” one woman said, raising her glass.

“That sounds fabulous,” I said. “I’ll take a porn star martini and the beef filet.”

“Great choice, Darling,” the other woman said.

“Thank you,” I said as the server left.

“He doesn’t deserve you and I hope you never see him again,” the man said.

“Oh, I won’t. If he can’t even communicate that he's not coming then I don’t need him,” I said.

“Exactly, Darling. You’re more than welcome to join us if you'd like. I’m Yoona and that is Jacque and Maya,” she said pointing at the empty chair.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt,” I said, feeling self-conscious.

“Oh, Hermosa, you aren’t,” Jaques said, waving me over. “You can tell us all about that awful man or not.”

He called me beautiful in Spanish and I felt like it was fate.

“Okay, if you insist,” I said, grabbing my purse and moving to their table. “Hello, my name is Violeta.”

“Beautiful name,” Maya said. “Are you local or are you visiting?”

“No, I’m from America,” I said, flattered. “I’m traveling around Europe.”

“That’s wonderful,” Maya said, taking a drink of her martini. “How are you liking Europe? What's your favorite place so far?”

“I just visited Lake Como and it was breathtaking. I wish I could have spent more time there. Paris was gorgeous, too,” I said as the server put down my martini.

“Lake Como is gorgeous,” Yoona said. “It’s so peaceful, but Paris has always had my heart. It’s so romantic there and visiting in fall is even better, along with all the great pastries.”

“I ate my weight in pastries while I was there. I loved it,” I said, taking a sip of my porn star martini and I moaned at how good it was. “Oh, this is delicious.”

“If you have another cocktail, the Basil Smash is delicious.” Maya raised her glass.

“Are you looking for love in Europe?” Jaques asked.

My cheeks grew red. “Well, not exactly. I’m just trying to have fun meeting new people wherever I go.”

“You know what, I wished I had done that before I met my husband,” Maya said. “Smart girl. You have fun.”

“Sample before settling down,” Jaques smirked. “But what happens if you fall in love?”

“I won't, I'm not looking for love,” I said confidently.

They all looked at me with varying degrees of amusement. It felt like I wasn't a part of the inside joke.

“Sometimes love doesn’t care if you're looking for it or not,” Yoona said. “I thought I was done with love and turns out it wasn’t done with me.”

“I’ve never been in love and I don’t think I’m meant for it,” I said truthfully.

Yoona studied me before nodding her head. “I think you just haven’t meant the right person and one day it will sneak up on you.”

“God, I hope not. At least not now,” I said, taking a drink. “I want to have fun first.”

“Here's to having fun,” Jaques said, raising his glass.

“Having fun,” we said, clinking glasses together.

The server brought our food and our conversation was easy and fun.

They each had boys who were friends and they were vacationing on the coast together.

Yoona’s husband built her a home and she had so much love for him it was sickening, and so fucking beautiful.

They were everything I wished my parents were or at least my mother.

They gave me recommendations as we ate dessert with coffee and even looked at my Rendezvous account.

“Oh, he’s cute!” Maya said, swiping right before I had a chance to see him.

“Maya, no. He looked emotionally constipated,” Jaques said. “Oh, he’s cute!”

He showed the table a very good-looking man, who looked straight from a GQ cover.

“Oh my god!” Maya gasped.

Yoona’s eyes widened as Jaques smirked mischievously.

“Yes,” he said, not even letting me look at who he swiped right on.

“He better be cute or at least old enough,” I said, getting a little worried.

“Oh, I think he would definitely be your type,” Jaques said, as Yonna picked up her own phone.

The sound of a match chimed and when I reached for my phone they all shook their heads. The whole situation was suspicious, but they were fun to be around, so I let it slide.

“You wait for him to message you,” Jaques said.

“I’m starting to get worried,” I said chuckling.

“Don’t worry, we will find you some fun for the next few days,” Maya grinned, taking a sip of her coffee.

I rolled my eyes, smiling because while I hated this, I secretly loved it. They spent the next ten minutes swiping left and right, scoring the men and sometimes making fun of their outfit choices and horrible photos.

“Oh, that was so much fun,” Yoona said, giving back my phone.

“That was. Maybe next time you need to scroll, call us and we can help,” Jaques said.

“Yes, we can make dinner and have drinks,” Maya said excitedly. “I will live vicariously through you, Violeta.”

“Anytime,” I said, as the server brought our bill.

I took my card out ready to pay for the meal when they argued and ordered the server not to take my card. Maya paid for all of us while Jaques and Yoona glared at her. I laughed at their playfulness.

“How long have you been friends?” I asked.

“Too long. If I tell you, it will reveal our ages and we don’t want that,” Jaques said finishing his drink. “Let’s just say we’ve watched our children grow up together.”

“That’s sweet, I love that.” I sighed at how damn cute that was.

“Oh, Nae-saekki!” Yoona stood up as a handsome man made his way toward us.

“Eomma,” he said, reaching our table.

He was tall, broad-shouldered and dressed all in black. He looked just like Yoona, her complexion, almond-shaped eyes, and cheekbones. She hugged him tightly as Maya and Jaques said their hellos. He looked like he was loved by them all, like they were all his family.

“Nae-saekki, this is Violeta,” Yoona introduced me.

I stood up immediately, almost knocking down my chair and dropping some silverware.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” I said, holding my hand out.

He looked at his mom, then Jaques and Maya.

“tto naleul hamjeong-e ppatteulilyeoneun geoya?” he snapped in Korean.

Are you setting me up again?

I let my hand fall, watching him talk to the table like they were children. Yoona’s face hardened as she spoke to him backtelling him how we had met. He said something about a money-hungry American woman who would open her legs to any European and I probably targeted their table.

I laughed rolling my eyes.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I snapped in Korean. “Your shining personality must win over the ladies in massive crowds. I can get laid without their help, and fuck you for thinking I’m a money-hungry woman”

I grabbed my purse pushing back my chair as the table went silent. I glanced at the asshole who looked shocked.

“Thank you for a lovely meal and saving me,” I said quickly in English. “I truly enjoyed your company. Goodbye.”

I hated leaving like this, but I would not sit here and be spoken to like that.

I didn’t care if he was Yoona’s son. Jaques laughed as I walked away and the table erupted in conversation, mostly getting mad at him.

I took a deep breath shaking off the embarrassment and deciding this was the last time I looked for someone on Rendezvous or maybe ever.