‘Not quite all night. . .’ Kate said.
‘It was very kind,’ she replied. ‘It was lucky for us Alessandro met you.’
‘How did you meet Alessandro?’ Maria chipped in from the far end, looking very pointedly at Kate. It was obvious that she knew exactly how they had met, but she was waiting for Kate to enlighten them and make herself look pretty bad into the bargain.
‘Well, I, um. . .’
‘She had her purse stolen and came to report it,’ Alessandro cut in, sparing her the need to tell the story of their actual first meeting on the Spanish Steps. It wasn’t a story she was keen to tell and she was grateful for his gallant rescue. His version sounded a lot better, and he had probably guessed that Maria and Orazia had spoken at length about Kate.
Maria shook her head and tutted loudly. ‘It’s terrible. People like that make everyone look bad. There are many things that give our city a bad name. Just like all the tourists who get drunk and misbehave. . .’
Kate grabbed a glass of water from next to the wine that had just been poured for her and took a huge gulp. So Alessandro had mentioned the incident on the steps to someone. . . maybe one of his closer colleagues, perhaps even before he’d realised that he and Kate would end up out on a date? Kate hoped so, because the alternative – that he had told Orazia, who had then told Maria – was rather disconcerting. It meant she couldn’t be sure that what he’d told her about his relationship, or lack of, with Orazia was true.
‘Did they take all your euros?’ Jolanda asked.
‘Luckily I didn’t take everything out with me and left some in the hotel safe. I’ll have to try and claim it back on my holiday insurance.’
‘How long do you have left in Rome?’ Isabella asked.
‘Two more days. It’s flown by.’
‘I’ll sure miss her,’ Jamie put in. ‘I’ve got to stay another week.’
‘You must come to eat with us again,’ Lucetta said. ‘Whenever you are in Rome you must come to see us.’
There were noises of agreement, even from Signora Conti, who seemed to get the gist of the conversation and smiled broadly at Jamie.
‘I’d love that,’ he said. ‘I do get lonely sometimes when I’m here on business. It’s OK when I have clients to take out but that’s not all the time. That’s why it’s been so great having Kate around.’
Kate smiled. Jamie was like a brilliant, eye-catching social butterfly, and he probably made a new friend every time he went anywhere. He probably had a whole address book full of people from all over the world he’d picked up on his travels. It was no wonder the impressionable Pietro had been dazzled by his charm, because he had the whole Conti family eating out of his hand right now, and it was easy to see why.
‘I’ll give you my address,’ Jamie continued to Lucetta. ‘You can come to see me any time you’re in New York.’
‘I’ve never been to America,’ Lucetta said. She looked across at Gian. ‘Perhaps we will go before we have our children.’
‘You will not be able to go when you have your children,’ Isabella laughed. ‘They will have all your money.’
‘Gian has a good job,’ Lucetta sniffed. ‘He will bring me lots of money.’
‘It is not too bad,’ Gian said, looking rather embarrassed about the boast.
‘It will never be enough,’ Maria said, wiping a bogey from the nose of her youngest on her lap and not seeming to care one jot who was looking. She scrunched it in a tissue and then shoved it into a pocket.
‘Not for Lucetta,’ Alessandro said, and the Conti family, apart from Lucetta, laughed. Gian looked as though he didn’t dare laugh, and it was easy to see who would wear the trousers in that marriage. Kate saw Lucetta stick her nose in the air, but she didn’t look overly upset. She was probably used to getting ribbed by her siblings, and in a family that big it was going to happen a lot.
‘So, where do you think I should visit tomorrow?’ Kate asked in an effort to change the subject.
‘Wherever it is, make sure you hold onto your purse,’ Jamie said with a grin.
‘Yes,’ Alessandro agreed. ‘You must be more careful when you are alone.’
‘Will you be on duty tomorrow?’ Jamie asked him.
‘Yes. I will rest in the day and start in the afternoon.’
Kate knew this and she should have been relieved to hear him say it, but she just felt empty. She would miss his company for the rest of her time in Rome. She had Jamie, of course, but it wasn’t just about being alone. It was him, Alessandro, that she’d miss. The smile that gently mocked her, the eyes that showed every tiny shift of emotion, the kindness and goodness in his soul, his downright turbocharged sex appeal. . . Her mind went back to her musings of earlier, when she had been waiting for Lucetta to pick them up. Que sera sera. . . Whatever will be will be. Over the course of the last few days she’d fallen in love. Not just with Alessandro, but with Italy itself, and that was a love which was far more certain. Sitting here today with this remarkable family had only proved it to her. This was a way of life she wanted now that she had tasted it. She loved her own family, of course, but they were the only thing keeping her in Britain. She hated her job, owned a house that now gave her only painful memories where she had once loved it, along with a deep sense of humiliation that it wouldn’t be hers for much longer anyway, and then she would have to watch as Matt moved on with his life and found someone else to take her place. As Lily had her family and Anna eventually did the same, their priorities would change too, and Kate would become less important in their lives in the face of new bonds, and, as much as she’d be happy for them, it would break her heart. Her mum was in Scotland, forever on the brink of another breakdown, and barely ever made the journey down to visit. Besides, she had her husband, Hamish, to look out for her now and he did a great job. What was left in Britain for her? More importantly, did any of it matter enough to stop her from leaving?
Alessandro looked at her and smiled as he filled up her wine glass. ‘Are you happy?’ he asked. ‘You have enjoyed the meal?’
Kate tried to smile back, though her thoughts had sobered her mood. ‘Yes, thank you.’
‘I am glad. We are a big family and very noisy.’
‘I’ve had a lovely day, and I really haven’t noticed the noise. It makes a nice change from a big empty house.’
He replaced the wine bottle on the table and as she picked up her glass to take a sip she couldn’t help but notice that he was still watching her. Was he thinking about how he would miss her when he was back at work? Was he wondering if she would ever come back to Rome? Was he falling for her as she had fallen for him? It didn’t seem likely, and Kate resolved at that moment to put this silly notion out of her mind once and for all. She might well decide to come back to Rome, perhaps for good, but the reason had to be a better one than a relationship with absolutely no certainty to it whatsoever.
Chapter Twelve
Hangovers weren’t something that Kate often suffered with, but this was a humdinger. It probably meant she’d had a very good night with the Conti family as lunch had turned into the evening meal, which had then turned into night, although God only knew what awful, embarrassing things she might have said as she slipped steadily under the influence. It was probably very lucky that Jamie had been there to take the attention from her; he had entertained like a pro and had everyone in stitches with his jokes and stories, even Signora Conti, whose laughter was always delayed by a few seconds as someone translated for her, but laughed heartily just the same. Kate had to wonder how Alessandro was faring – she wasn’t sure he had drunk as much as her or that he had been affected by what he had drunk quite as much, but it was still undoubtedly a good thing that he didn’t have to report for duty early. As for her own memories of the evening, things were hazy, but she recalled many moments with perfect clarity: her hand brushing against Alessandro’s as she tried to help clear the table; the looks she caught from him when he thought she hadn’t noticed, the feeling of belonging
with his family, even though she barely knew them, the warm hugs and goodbyes at the end of the night, Rome sparkling as Lucetta drove them through the city back to her hotel, the words of friendship from her and Jamie as they’d bid each other goodnight before she staggered back to her room. She had collapsed, spark out on her bed in her clothes, and had woken in exactly the same position this morning but with a drum and bass convention in her head, though she had woken happy. What it might mean was confusing, but she had once heard it said that if a decision was tough and scary and hard to make, the best thing to do was pretend you’d made it and live with that thought for a day. At the end of the day, if the choice you had made felt right, then it probably was right.
So this morning, despite not really having a clue where to start and knowing that it was just about the maddest thing she had ever done, Kate was going flat hunting. It was only pretend, of course, and there was a lot to consider before she took such a huge leap, but she was curious, and she wanted to find out what her chances of success were – how much rent was likely to be, what sort of area she could hope to be able to afford, whether there were other English people living nearby and whether she’d be able to get work. But she could enjoy the dream for a while, and indulge in a little fantasy house shopping, and perhaps it would give her something other than Alessandro to focus on.
A modest breakfast was needed, and she felt more human once she had some pastry and coffee inside her to mop up the excess alcohol still clogging her system and fogging her brain. After filling her new purse with as much money as she thought she’d need for the day and locking her room safe again, she picked up her phone to make a quick call to Lily. Being with Alessandro’s family last night had also reminded her that she hadn’t phoned her own sisters nearly as often as she ought to while she’d been in Rome, and it was no wonder Anna had been annoyed with her when she last spoke to her. Sooner or later she’d have to tell them the plans she was mulling over too, and she knew that their reaction would be shock, worry, perhaps even a little hurt, but maybe it was something that would wait until she was certain herself.
‘Hey,’ Lily said, picking up on the first ring, ‘I was just on my way to work. Is it something urgent?’
Kate looked at her watch. ‘You’re going in early.’
‘I know. We have this presentation today for the directors. Angela cocked it up and I’ve had to step in and give her a hand. She owes me a night out for this – when I can drink alcohol again, that is. So you’re still having a nice time in Rome? You’re enjoying yourself? You don’t need to talk about anything? A certain date?’
‘No, I was only going to check in. . . see how you and baby are,’ Kate said, ignoring the reference to Alessandro, though it was obvious Anna was always going to tell Lily and there would be some sharing of views. Kate was only glad she hadn’t been there to witness it.
‘Oh, we’re both good; nothing to report except a lot of heartburn and an already expanding waistline. I’m going to be the size of Wembley Stadium by the time I get to nine months.’ There was a pause. ‘So you’re not going to tell me what happened with this Italian fella you had a day out with? Don’t tell me you’re running off with him to get married.’
The remark was flippant, and Lily probably would have forgotten it almost as soon as she’d said it if Kate had lied about the plans she was considering, which didn’t involve running off with a man, but quite possibly did involve running off. But it wasn’t that easy and perhaps it would have been worse to let her sister find out later down the line. Kate didn’t know what was going to happen, but she knew what she wanted.
‘Actually. . .’ Lily cut into her thoughts. ‘You’d better tell me later. I’m running late for work as it is. I’ll call you tonight if that’s OK – about seven?’
‘I might be out – I’ll phone you.’
‘Right!’ Lily laughed. ‘Out again? Phone me when you can fit me into your packed schedule then. Love you.’
‘Love you too,’ Kate replied before ending the call. She had been ready to say it, but the moment had been and gone. It was going to be that much tougher later on when she’d had time to digest the enormity herself of what she was actually planning to do.
Feeling quite full of food, culture and history, not to mention her dalliance with the locals, the only thing left in Rome that Kate hadn’t sampled was the shopping. Window shopping, of course, and Via Condotti, Via Borgognona and Via Frattina had been recommended at the hotel reception as the streets to visit if you wanted to stare into the windows of the high fashion houses that Italy was famous for. It was a far cry from Kate’s own home-made clothes, but she had been keen to see their glitzy shops, if only for ideas she could admire and perhaps adapt for her own creations. It wouldn’t be a trip to Rome without seeing some of the glamour, and before Kate had left for her break, Anna had insisted she try a dress on in the most expensive store and take a selfie to send home. Kate hadn’t dared, of course – she hadn’t even dared step inside one of those hallowed premises in the fear that they might want a thousand euros from her just for doing so – but she had enjoyed mingling with the crowds, lost in a world of crocodile handbags, diamante-detailed evening gowns and razor-sharp suits. She’d also been keeping an eye out for estate agent windows, in the hope she might get a handle on property and rental prices in the city, but hadn’t come across any. By the time her stomach had started to groan to remind her that lunch was well overdue, her thoughts had turned back to the issue in earnest.
Finding a pleasant roadside café, she settled at a table under a large parasol and ordered lunch, rather enjoying the novelty of dining alone. She’d expected to do a lot of that when she’d first arrived in the city, but now having an hour by herself was practically a non-existent occurrence. As she waited for the food to arrive, she connected to the Wi-Fi on her phone. After a few minutes of searching, she came across a handful of websites that offered help to expatriates wanting properties nearby.
One thing was clear as she scrolled down the listings – almost everything that looked nice enough to live in was out of her price range or, at least, out of a price range that would make for sensible budgeting of an as yet unknown income. It would need a search further afield, and she would need to feel a lot more confident in her knowledge of the suburbs before making such a commitment. She could ask Jamie if he knew, though she suspected his knowledge of anything outside central Rome might be as limited as her own. There was one person who would know – the most obvious candidate – but she wasn’t sure it was a good idea to ask him. She hardly knew herself what she wanted yet and any sort of hint to Alessandro that she was thinking of staying in Rome would complicate things hugely. Lucetta had told Kate her brother was fond of her, but how could she know what that meant? Had Alessandro said it in passing, flippantly, knowing that Kate would be on a plane back to England soon? Was it that he simply fancied her but knew that she wasn’t marriage material? Did he like her as a companion? Or did he actually think he was falling for her, in which case, why hadn’t he told Kate this himself?
The more she puzzled it over, the less certain she was of the truth and of what her own heart was telling her to do. Anna and Lily would think her foolish and immature to move across Europe on a whim, and even more foolish to do it just to live in a city she’d spent only a week in as a tourist. But something was pulling her here, even if she couldn’t get a handle on exactly what it was herself. And the more she thought about the possibilities of a future in Italy, the more excited she got, even though the idea was truly terrifying. What if it was simpler than it sounded, simpler than she was making it? What if she just never got on the plane home? Matt could put the house up for sale, and perhaps it was about time he took some responsibility for all that he had walked away from. She hated her job, so it would be no hardship to tell her boss where to stick it, and maybe she could rent a place right out in the suburbs of Rome where it was cheaper, find some work and build herself a little sewing business in her spare time.
She was certain Lucetta would spread the word for her and that she could make her own friends and contacts along the way. There had to be other English people living here too, surely? They’d give help and advice, wouldn’t they? They couldn’t be that hard to find if she knew the right places to look.
As the waiter brought her iced lemonade, she checked her watch. Perhaps Jamie would be free for a chat.
He picked up on the third ring. ‘How’s your head?’ she asked.
‘Like a marching band is walking through it. How’s yours?’
‘It was bad first thing but shopping has blown away the cobwebs.’
‘Lucky you. Have you bought much?’
‘Nothing. I couldn’t afford any of it.’
‘That’s too bad.’
Kate heard him stifle a yawn at the other end of the line. She could have felt guilty about waking him but it was lunchtime and his suffering was as self-inflicted as hers was, so she didn’t. ‘Where are you?’ she asked instead.
‘In my room. I feel like death.’
Kate frowned. ‘You’re OK?’
‘Sure. If someone could cut my head off and put it in some ice I’d be even better.’
Kate giggled. ‘You have nobody to blame but yourself.’
‘I can blame you, can’t I? Please tell me I can blame you because I was kinda counting on it.’
‘Afraid not. Listen, can you come and meet me for lunch?’
‘Like lunch as in now?’
‘Uh huh.’
‘Sorry, no can do. I have a meeting at three and I need to pull myself together. But it shouldn’t be longer than an hour, so I could meet you afterwards for dinner. Unless you have plans with hot cop, that is.’
‘No,’ Kate said. ‘He’s working and we hadn’t really arranged to see each other again.’
‘You’re kidding me! You’re not going to see him again? He was panting after you like a dog last night!’
Rome is Where the Heart is: An uplifting romantic read, perfect to escape with (From Italy with Love Book 1) Page 14
