by Rachel Lyndhurst; Carmen Falcone; Ros Clarke; Annie Seaton; Christine Bell
“Worked up? I asked you to pretend to be my fiancé and before I know it you’ve organized a whole bloody wedding with my lawyer without one word to me.”
“Will you listen to me?” He spoke loudly as he grabbed her arm and she looked down with disdain. There was no one around to overhear them since the square was deserted. “Unless you signed that document today and also proved you were married, there was no way you would have gotten your mother’s house. As it was, I had to do some quick thinking and assure him we were getting married straightaway or you would have missed your chance.”
She leaned against the warm brick wall and folded her arms and watched Tom. Her temper faded away and was replaced by a glimmer of sympathy as she appreciated what he’d done. Before she could speak, the bus appeared around the corner and Tom put his hand out and held it as they walked over to the bus. After they boarded, he followed her to the back of the bus where there were two vacant seats.
Her shoulder rubbed against his as the old bus trundled up the steep hill to Canneto, the village closest to Lipari. The spectacular view across the water from the top of the cliff filled the window as the bus lurched close to the edge of a big drop. Neither the sapphire blue waters of the Mediterranean nor the profusion of wildflowers growing down the side of the cliff could hold her attention while she tried to process what Tom had just told her.
I have a grandfather and he wants to see me this afternoon.
And I have a house.
And Tom and I are getting married.
A giggle bubbled up from her chest and she fought to control it. He sat there beside her with no expression. He was a master at hiding what he was thinking, although he had been very intense when he’d held her hand and told her what had happened in the lawyer’s office. For some reason, she could see the humorous side of what he’d done. She choked it back and the tears welled in her eyes. He reached over and patted her arm.
“It’s okay. I’ll help you sort it out.”
She leaned forward, her shoulders shaking from crying, and put her hands over her face. Tom rubbed her back, his warm hand etching soothing circles through her thin shirt, and her skin sizzled beneath his fingers.
“Come on.” His voice sounded strained. “It’s okay. We’ll figure out a way to get around it. There’s no need to cry.” Brianna straightened up and looked across at him.
“I’ve had some amazing friends in my life and lots of people have done good things for me, but no one has ever stepped up for me like you did today.” She leaned across and somehow his arm ended up around her and she was against his chest. “What you did was the most gracious and amazing thing. Now tell me all the details.”
She laughed with sheer delight when he’d repeated what had been discussed in Signore Antoniolli’s office. Then in his organized fashion he ticked off the things they needed: an Atto Notorio filled in at the town hall and faxed to the consulate, a statutory declaration, and their birth certificates. He had been amazed when she said she had a copy of her birth certificate in her travel documents.
“I carried it with me to Australia, in case I needed proof of identity over there. But surely he knows your aunt. It’s such a small island. Wouldn’t he have known you were coming over anyway? Is it too much of a coincidence?” She chewed her bottom lip.
“No.” Tom paused for a moment. “There is something a bit tricky there, but nothing you need to worry about yet. I’ll explain later, but he definitely didn’t know either of us were coming until the lawyer rang him today.” He leaned in closer, and Brianna got a whiff of his aftershave and stared back at him, fascinated by the black rims around his deep blue irises. She hadn’t noticed before what beautiful eyes he had.
“I knew I was taking a big risk telling him we were about to get married, but I couldn’t risk telling you in the office, because he might have been a bit suspicious. Especially with your grandfather there.”
“So—” She dragged her attention back to what he was saying. “You said we would be getting married soon just so I wouldn’t lose the house? Why would you do that for me? It’s not like you even really know me.” She looked up at him as gratitude overwhelmed her. “I thought maybe being engaged would be enough. I really didn’t expect I would have to be married.”
“The terms of the will are explicit. Once the marriage certificate is signed, the inheritance will be completed. In the meantime, he let you have the key so you can have a look at the place.”
She shook her head and tried to shake off the feeling she was in a dream. Even though she had known from the letter the inheritance all hinged on her being married, deep down she hadn’t really thought it would happen.
“Bri.”
He shortened her name, and she liked the roll of the abbreviation in his deep voice.
“All I could think of was my family and what it would be like not to have known my own mother. And I knew you now had the opportunity to find out about your own birth mother.” He shook his head, a rueful expression on his face. “You don’t know me very well, but let me tell you, never have I made a decision so quickly in my life.”
“I’m still not sure it’s the right thing to do, but I guess we’re sort of stuck with each other till we get this sorted.”
Looking up into his face, she was taken aback by his expression. Something serious, something much deeper than a friendship, was in his gaze and her heart pounded a warning.
She sat back in her seat, pulling away from the arm still loose around her shoulder. “Okay, it’s time we made an agreement here. We can’t risk doing it through the lawyer, so we’ll have to draw up something and sign it together.”
“Cross our hearts and hope to die? In blood.” He grinned unapologetically. “Sorry, I have brothers.”
“Talk about loosening up. Must be the Mediterranean air. Don’t be flippant.” She shook her head and grinned back at him. “I appreciate what you’ve done, but we do need some sort of agreement. For all you know, I might demand half your money when we annul the marriage.”
“That’s a good idea,” he said, the grin still on his face. “You never know, I might want half your cottage in six months.”
Brianna looked at him curiously. When he dropped the serious face, Tom had quite a sense of humor. Before she could reply, an elderly woman stood and pulled the bell rope and the bus stopped in the middle of a cobblestoned square in Canneto.
“We’re here,” Brianna said. “Come on.”
…
They stood on the crest of the hill on the northernmost side of the village. Tom had sought directions from the bus driver, who told them to follow the road through to the other side of the little village.
“It’s magnificent.” Brianna took a deep breath and stood staring out over the sea.
Mount Stromboli lay seven miles to the north across the Tyrrhenian Sea. Clouds of smoke hung over the volcanic island, contrasting with the deep blue sky and the azure waters of the sea. From the side of the road, the hill ran steeply down to a magnificent white beach.
“Oh, I do hope we can see the water from the cottage.”
“Come on, let’s find this place and then all your questions will be answered.” Tom tugged at her hand and they walked up the steep hill.
“Are you sure he gave you the right directions?” Brianna asked, stopping and pulling a water bottle from her bag after they had climbed for another ten minutes.
“Yes, I am sure. It should be around the next bend.”
She skipped ahead of him and he smiled to himself. From a distance, she looked like a teenager with her long gangly legs and her black braid flying in the breeze as her excitement at seeing her mother’s house spurred her along.
A whitewashed villa sprawled down the hill at the end of the road. The vista of the sea formed a scenic backdrop to the waves breaking gently on the pebbled beach far below them.
“Is this it?” He strode down the hill and caught up to Brianna, who stood at a locked wrought iron gate. Tom peered over the top
of the intricately scrolled metal into a paved courtyard with a small fountain in the middle. Wind chimes tinkled and the soft sound of the cascading water greeted them from inside.
“This is it. La Casa Brianna.” Tom held the key out. “The White House.”
“But…but…it’s not a cottage. It’s a lot posher than I imagined. I thought it was going to be a wee cottage.” Brianna’s hand shook as she inserted the large key Mr. Antoniolli had given them. To Tom’s surprise the gate opened noiselessly on the first turn of the key and they stepped through.
“Oh my God. Look at this.” Brianna turned to him, wide-eyed. “Is this really the right place? Is this my mother’s place? Did the lawyer say it’s really going to be mine?”
“Twenty questions again, Bri?” He couldn’t help grinning at her delight, and stood back as she whirled around and took off to the side of the building.
He followed her slowly, allowing her time to have her first look alone.
It wasn’t a cottage. It was a small villa that was well cared for, and it was obvious from the pots of pink and red geraniums spilling down the sides of the wall overlooking the sea that someone still maintained it on a regular basis. The windows shone, and the pungent smell of thyme growing in the cracks between the cobblestones floated in the still air as it was crushed beneath his feet.
Brianna was standing at the wall overlooking the white pebbled beach far below, with her back to him, hands gripping the bricks tightly, her shoulders shaking. The unpredictability of this woman left him guessing most of the time. The emotions she showed freely confused him. He hesitated, unsure if she was laughing or crying this time, and then walked across and stood next to her. He breathed in deeply, as the heady aroma of the geraniums and herbs filled his senses, and he followed her gaze. Below the whitewashed brick edge of the balcony, a steep hill covered in yellow wildflowers led down to the shoreline. There was another small gate at the side of the balcony opening to a rough stone path that meandered along the cliff down to the water.
“I know I’m being emotional.” She turned and smiled shakily up at him through her tears. “But it’s so amazing. Pinch me, Tom. Tell me this is real. I’m not dreaming?”
He patted her on the arm. God, he’d run a mile when his sisters had gone through their teenage emotional stage, and he’d didn’t know how to react to Brianna. “Okay?”
She turned to him and he held his arms out. She buried her wet face in his chest, taking gulping sobs as he rubbed her back. Her whole body was shaking. This time there was no laughter. The loose hair from her braid tickled his nose, and as he turned his head to the side, he inhaled the sweet jasmine scent of her hair.
“I don’t know if I can even go inside. I thought I could do this. I had a strange childhood. Even though I love Mum and Dad, and Phil, and Susie and Alan to pieces, I never truly belonged in the family. When I got the letter, the thought of Italy and a little cottage took over. But Tom”—she pulled back and he looked down into her red-blotched face—“this is my mother’s house, my real flesh-and-blood mother who gave birth to me, and now I know she’s dead and I’ll never see her, but I feel like I’ve come home. This is where I belong.”
Tom’s eyes pricked at the mix of grief and happiness on her face.
“Are you going to be all right to meet your grandfather later? You don’t have to do it all in one day.”
“Yes,” she said dragging in a deep breath. She touched his shirt, which was damp from her tears. “Thank you—you’re a good man. Now come with me while I explore my mother’s home, my new home.”
…
The same large key opened the ornate metal screen door leading into the villa from the back courtyard. Like the outside of the house, the interior was clean and well maintained. Even though it was unoccupied it was not musty, and it had a welcoming feel. Tom followed Brianna as she walked slowly from room to room. The villa was spacious, and the two bedrooms, small bathroom, and living area adjoining the tiny kitchen were bursting with color. Pottery, rugs, and paintings in bold, bright colors contrasted with the stark white walls and the white tiled floors. Each room had an external door opening out to the balcony, which wrapped around the whole house.
Brianna was quiet as they looked around. She stopped in the living room and ran her hand along the back of the deep sofa and stood looking out over the water. Every room had a view of the sea. Comfortable chairs sat by the large windows, and brightly covered shawls and throw rugs graced every piece of furniture. The afternoon sunlight streamed in onto the tiled floor. She slowly pulled open a cupboard door in one of the bedrooms and sighed softly.
“Oh my God. Look, Tom, all my mother’s things are still here. It’s like an Aladdin’s cave.” She opened doors and cupboards until it seemed to overwhelm her. Her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m going to wait till I move in to look at the rest. Come on, let’s head back to Lipari,” she said. “It’s a bit much to take in all at once, and there have been enough tears for one day.” She caught Tom’s hand as he passed her the key to lock the door.
“Tom…”
He gazed down into her face, her eyes bright but now clear of tears.
“Yes? What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been thinking. Look, I’m still getting my head around all this. After we get married—” She stopped and giggled. “Shite, can you believe I said that? I really feel like I am dreaming.”
“Yes?”
“You know you’ll have to move in here with me. You said your aunt’s apartment was too small. We’ll have to keep up the appearance of being married so you can’t go finding an apartment. But now I’ve seen it and felt it…there’s no way I’m letting this opportunity go.” She met and held his gaze. “Not because it’s a lovely little villa perched on top of an island in the Mediterranean, but because it was my mother’s.” She grabbed both his hands and looked at him, her eyes wide. “What do you think, Tom? There are two bedrooms. There’s the bus down to Lipari every day, although if it wasn’t for the hills, the villages are close enough to walk between.”
Tom’s gut clenched. Her brown eyes were bright with happiness. It made sense, and he did need somewhere to live, and if they were going to go through with this marriage, they would have to make it appear real or it would be for nothing. But he wasn’t sure. Things were going way too fast for his liking; even though he’d told the lawyer they’d get married, he hadn’t really expected it would happen.
“What do you think? Could you agree to live with me for a few months? Could you stand it?” She spoke fast and her words ran together. “I’ll be busy writing my book, and I promise to leave you in peace and give you some space.”
Looking down at her, a surge of affection rushed through him and he smiled.
“I think I could stand it, and I am very grateful for the offer.” He reached across and wiped a single tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “After all, you don’t really know me.
“How about a simple agreement, sealed with a kiss.” He bent his head and briefly pressed his mouth on her trembling lips. He pulled back as a surge of desire headed straight to his groin.
He turned away before she could glance down and see the effect of that single kiss.
“You lock up,” he said gruffly. “I’ll wait out here. We’ll go down to Lipari and you can meet my aunt.”
She looked at him with a knowing glance, and he cursed inwardly as she turned to the door. It was obvious she knew why he’d turned away, even though he’d tried to change the subject.
It was a shame the island was so small. There was no way they could get a legal agreement drawn up and keep it quiet. They would have to draw up a gentlemen’s agreement. It could jeopardize her inheritance if they got it done on the island. He’d surprised himself when he had told Mr. Antoniolli they had waited before they came to Italy to get married. There was nothing in it for him, but it would solve the problem of his matchmaking aunt. And that was almost payment enough for what he was about
to do, for a perfect stranger.
Chapter Eight
Brianna’s nerves got the better of her as they waited outside Aunt Carmen’s apartment. She paced up and down the narrow footpath as Tom rang the doorbell a second time.
“Maybe she’s not home?” she said hopefully.
“She’s expecting us.” Tom reached out and took her hand. “Come on, she might be down in the office.” A surge of warmth shot up Brianna’s arm at his touch as he pulled her along. She wasn’t used to having a reaction like this when a man touched her casually.
He wasn’t her usual type, and she pushed her emotions aside and tried to think logically. She was obviously a bit fragile with all the family stuff happening.
That’s all it was.
They walked down a narrow path at the side of the building and walked along a short wharf back to the office. An elderly woman in a bright-pink dress had her arms around a woman sitting at the desk. As they entered the room, the younger woman stood and pointed at Tom.
“I am not going to work in theeze job.”
She picked up her elegant leather bag and slung it over her shoulder, and walked across to Brianna. Dressed in what appeared to be a designer suit and four-inch heels, she towered over Brianna, who was still dressed in her shorts, spaghetti-strap shirt, and sturdy walking boots.
“Pah, she looks like ze boy anyway. You will be sorry you didn’t marry me. You could have had a real woman.”
Brianna’s heart plummeted and she looked from Tom to the elderly woman in confusion. Tom already had a girlfriend here? He hadn’t even mentioned her. At least the house was signed over, but they still had to go through with the marriage before it was final. And from his conversation earlier, she knew Tom was having second thoughts—and now she knew why.
“Tom?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain later. Helena just quit her job.” His face was flushed and she could see the pulse beating in his cheek. She pulled her hand out of his and turned away.
“Brianna, this is my Aunt Carmen.”
The old woman enfolded her in a close hug and Brianna blinked to clear the tears pricking behind her eyelids
