The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop

by Abby Clements

  ‘Hi,’ Imogen said. It was achingly hard to be this close to him, yet unable to touch him, kiss him, curl up towards him in the way that she wanted to.

  ‘Quite the entrance,’ he said.

  ‘Yes. And they kept us waiting, too. It’s been on my mind all evening. And after what happened to Carolina . . .’

  ‘She was just telling me,’ he said.

  ‘Yes,’ Imogen said, biting her lip and trying to fend off the jealousy. ‘She’s very brave.’

  ‘Anyway, everyone’s here now,’ Finn said.

  Imogen wanted more than anything to erase the distance that had grown between them, to undo what she’d done, and make it all right again. ‘It’s good you could come. I know how much Anna and Matteo wanted you here.’

  ‘I wouldn’t have missed it,’ Finn said. ‘I know it would be hard seeing you again though, and it is.’

  Imogen nodded, and tears sprang to her eyes. They stood like that for a moment in silence, then he reached a hand up to brush the tears away from her cheeks.

  ‘Don’t cry,’ he whispered.

  ‘I’ve been an idiot,’ Imogen said.

  Finn looked away, over at the crowd, for a moment. Then he turned back and said, ‘You’re not going to hear any arguments from me on that one.’

  The silence between them stretched out, and even with the buzz of the party it seemed as if everything was quiet.

  ‘I’ve thrown away the best thing that ever happened to me,’ Imogen said.

  ‘You haven’t,’ Finn said, shaking his head.

  ‘But after everything . . .’

  ‘You haven’t,’ he repeated, softly.

  Jan and Anna walked together through the party at the ice cream shop.

  ‘Me and your dad have been so excited about all of this,’ Jan said. She looked around the room and marvelled at the décor. ‘The shop – I can see what attracted you to this place. It all looks fantastic.’

  ‘Well, I’m glad you arrived in one piece. And you’re one person I’ve never had to worry about before.’

  ‘I’ve never done much that’s adventurous, that’s why – I mean besides raise my family, which was an adventure of sorts – but now, with this bike trip. It’s opened my eyes, Anna. We’ve met the most interesting people, and it’s brought me and your dad back to our best, being in all these romantic places.’

  ‘That’s great. There’s something about Italy, isn’t there?’

  ‘Yes. It’s very special. And Matteo’s father was so generous showing us around. He and your dad got along famously – much better than at Christmas.’

  ‘Oh, good.’ Anna lowered her voice to a whisper, even though the hum in the room was already loud enough to mask anything she was saying. ‘They take a little while to warm to, but they’re very good people.’

  ‘I can see that. And also what it was that attracted you to living out here.’

  ‘It’s been a rollercoaster, but I’m glad we came.’

  ‘I hope you’ll come back – of course I do. But if you choose to make your life here, you know that the two of us will understand.’

  Anna put her arm around her mum and brought her in towards her for a hug.

  ‘Thank you, Mum.’

  At the end of the night, as the guests headed back to their apartments and homes, Matteo and Anna were standing in front of their shop, waving goodbye. Bella had gone upstairs with Carolina a few hours before, after being passed around the relatives for most of the evening.

  ‘And we’ll be doing all of this again tomorrow,’ Anna said.

  ‘We’ll be doing more than this. We’ll be getting married too – or did you forget about that part?’

  ‘I didn’t forget,’ Anna said, taking his hand. ‘That’s the part I’m looking forward to most of all. So I guess this is it – our first night apart in over two years.’

  ‘It’ll be strange, won’t it?’

  Anna nodded. ‘I’ve got kind of used to having you around.’

  ‘It won’t be for long. So who would have thought it? The two of us. Two ice cream shops and a little girl later, and here we are, ready to get married.’

  ‘You’re not getting cold feet, are you?’ Anna said. ‘Because, if you are, there is going to be an awful lot of tiramisu for me to get through on my own tomorrow . . .’

  ‘Don’t worry about that,’ he said.

  ‘The town hall. Twelve o’clock. None of this Mediterranean timing, either.’

  ‘I’ll be there.’

  Chapter 48

  Anna turned to Imogen, and Imogen adjusted one of the white flowers in her hair. ‘There. Perfect.’

  Anna, Imogen and Bella were standing just outside the doors of the town hall, in the centre of Sorrento. Anna’s hair was loose, falling in dark-brown waves around her shoulders, with two small sections twisted and pinned back with flowers. Her makeup was subtle – the summer in Sorrento had already given her a warm hazelnut glow, and Imogen had just added some shimmer and mascara to her eyes, and a touch of lip gloss. Her dress was ivory satin, with spaghetti straps and a low back, and it fell to just below her knee. Matching satin heels showed off her long, tanned legs.

  ‘You look beautiful,’ Imogen said.

  ‘Thank you. I feel like I might cry.’

  ‘Don’t you dare smudge that mascara,’ Imogen said. ‘Now, are you ready?’

  ‘Yes,’ Anna said, a trace of nerves in her voice. ‘I think so.’ Imogen looked down at her niece. In her pistachio satin dress, with its wide bow, Bella looked like a mini version of her. Imogen squeezed her tiny hand. ‘Bella, how about you?’

  She pointed through the gap in the doors. ‘Daddy!’ she called out, spying her father waiting.

  ‘I think we’d better go before she beats you to the top of the aisle,’ Imogen said, laughing.

  ‘OK.’ Anna took a deep breath. ‘This is it, then.’

  ‘Yes,’ Imogen said. ‘It is. Let’s do this.’

  Imogen and Bella followed Anna down the aisle, passing Anna’s and Matteo’s families. Imogen kept her eyes focused on her sister, and led Bella past the relatives, all of whom she wanted to play with.

  At the top of the aisle, Imogen brought her restless niece up into her arms as they watched Anna and Matteo say their vows. This was it. Things were changing. Anna, the elder sister she’d always adored and idolised, was making official her commitment to Matteo, and to their small family. Imogen was close enough to see Anna’s tears, and hers started to fall too. Matteo – with his easy smile and ability to roll with the ups and downs of life – was the right man for Anna, and a great father to their daughter. To see them promise to always be there for one another, whatever happened, didn’t seem like either of them making a compromise, or a sacrifice. It simply seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

  As they exchanged rings, a cheer went up from the crowd, and Bella leaped into her father’s arms.

  Imogen looked out at the guests: Jan and Tom, whooping and calling out; Carolina, linking arms with her parents, who were both smiling broadly; Martin and Clarissa, holding each other close. And there, on the third row back, was Finn. She tried not to let her gaze linger there too long.

  As Matteo and Anna pulled away from one another, Imogen brought her sister in towards her for a hug. ‘Congratulations!’ she said.

  ‘We did it!’ Anna said, her smile irrepressible. ‘We actually did it, Imo.’

  After the ceremony, a procession of hooting cars, led by Anna and Matteo in a white Cinquecento, headed up to a nearby cliff-top village. There, they trooped out towards the marquee and bar set up with a breathtaking view of the coast.

  Imogen looked out at sunshine on pastel-coloured, picture-book houses, and the coastal road snaking out of view. The bride and groom were chatting and laughing, Anna’s hair blowing gently in the sea breeze, Matteo’s hand clasped tightly in hers. This was better, thought Imogen. Much better, than watching a wedding from the outside.

  ‘Dreaming?’ Imogen turned
to see Carolina by her side. In a navy empire-line dress, her dark curls pinned up loosely, she looked elegant and serene.

  ‘I guess I was,’ Imogen said. ‘Your brother and Anna look happy, don’t they?’

  ‘He’s got excellent taste, Matteo,’ Carolina said with a smile.

  ‘Anna, too, of course. Have your parents enjoyed the day?’

  ‘Oh, everyone’s had a wonderful time, yes.’

  Tom chinked a glass, and announced that everyone should take their seats for dinner. Imogen’s eyes drifted over the crowd, and came to rest on Finn, who was leading Bella up to the top table.

  ‘You should talk to him, you know,’ Carolina said, kindly.

  ‘I don’t know. It’s complicated.’

  ‘There’s something about weddings,’ Carolina said, with a wink. ‘It’s a different set of rules.’

  Anna and Matteo danced their first dance together as the sun set on the sea.

  The dance floor filled: Tom led Jan up there by the hand; Evie and Luigi swayed gently to the music; and Carolina danced with Bella, their laughter ringing out. Elisa and Matteo’s father were up there, too, Elisa’s high heels lay on the ground, kicked to one side, as her husband twirled her round. Carolina was right, Imogen thought: when there was so much love in one place – people united regardless of blood ties – there was a different set of rules.

  She saw Finn standing by the edge of the dance floor, a glass of wine in his hand. Steeling herself, she approached him and stood by his side. ‘Have you got a minute?’ she asked.

  He smiled, confused. ‘I suppose so. I don’t have anywhere in particular I need to be.’

  She took his hand, leading him away from the crowd and towards the ocean. They sat on a bench there.

  ‘I’ve really missed you,’ she said. ‘I know when we bumped into each other I acted like everything was OK, but it’s not. I still think about you – about what we had – every single day. I was so stupid to risk it all by not being honest with you.’

  Finn looked at her, then glanced away. ‘Don’t say this stuff unless you mean it, Imo. We’ve been through so much this year and I don’t think I can have my head messed with any more.’

  ‘I do mean it,’ Imogen said. ‘And the one thing I’ve always wanted is to be with you. Nothing happened with Luca, and he knows that nothing ever will. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted to be with. It’s just that . . . that it scared me, I guess. The idea of marriage, settling down.’

  ‘I get that,’ he said. ‘And there’s no hurry. Really there isn’t. I just wish you’d given me a chance to say that to you at the time. I can’t help the way I feel, that I was so caught up in loving you I couldn’t wait to propose. But I always knew you might not say yes. I never wanted to settle down for the sake of settling down – it was because I loved every day with you and didn’t ever want there to be a day when things were different.’

  ‘Instead, it was the thing that broke us up,’ Imogen said.

  ‘Yep. Perhaps I should have seen that coming. I knew it was never going to be the easiest path being with you. But you know what? I don’t care. I don’t care about easy – I care about you.’

  ‘I love you, Finn,’ she said, tears rising to her eyes. ‘I’ve learned my lesson, I really have . . .’ The words gushed out, uncontrolled. ‘If you give me another chance, I’ll be honest – one hundred per cent.’

  ‘Promise?’

  ‘I promise.’

  He held out a hand and drew her in towards him. She relished the warmth of his skin.

  Imogen bit her lip, tears rising to her eyes. ‘I do want the same things as you, Finn. I know I haven’t made that clear. But I want to be with you. For the long haul.’

  ‘Do you really mean that?’ Finn said.

  ‘Of course I do. I wouldn’t be here begging for you to take me back if I didn’t,’ she said, reaching out her hands, which he took in his.

  ‘Hang on, did you say begging? I don’t think I heard that part . . .’ Finn said, smiling.

  ‘Please,’ she said, playfully. ‘Please.’

  ‘OK, then. Move back in with me, then. Because you know what? I’ve really, really missed you. The house is empty and quiet, and God knows I’d never find another use for the darkroom. You know I’m rubbish at taking photos.’

  She started to laugh, then moved closer to him. He touched her hair gently, tucking a loose strand back behind her ear. Their eyes met and he brought her in towards him and kissed her.

  Strains of music drifted over to them through the night sky. Italy had taught Imogen so many things that summer, but what she was looking forward to, more than anything, was going back home.

  Acknowledgements

  Three years ago I met with my editor, Jo Dickinson, and we got talking about the joys of ice cream. From there came the idea for Vivien’s Heavenly Ice Cream Shop, and then this Italian sequel. Thank you Jo for all your brilliant support as an editor and a friend.

  To the wonderful team at Simon & Schuster – Carla Josephson, Sara-Jade Virtue, Rumana Haider, Eleanor Fewster and Matt Johnson.

  To Caroline Hardman, the best agent there is.

  To my mum, Sheelagh, expert in both toddler-juggling and spotting continuity errors and tirelessly committed to both.

  To James – we made it through this whirlwind year together. Thank you for your love, patience and for all the laughter.

  Finally, to my son Finn, I hope you don’t mind being in this story. It turns out OK for you in the end.