by Karen Aldous
She noticed the near-empty pack of contraceptive pills stacked with the new one and threw them in the bin. ‘I won’t even need these. Thank you for returning the key. I’ll see you out.’
***
On the train as she made her way to the airport, Olivia couldn’t stop thinking about Will. He did seem genuinely hurt, and whilst the break-up was sad, there was no point in continuing to harbour guilt. She had done the right thing and therefore she should now embark on a journey that would certainly force her to think for herself. Or, at least try.
Dealing with her grandmother’s death ten years ago in England was going to be quite different to Italy. She wanted to do the best for her nonna but she hadn’t a clue about the legalities and would be relying on the lawyer her nonna had appointed. Her Italian was fairly good but she dreaded having to deal with legal documents.
As she anticipated the journey ahead, her nerves felt jagged. Someone had always travelled with her, sharing the responsibility of it all. Nearing her stop, she bit her lip, opened her handbag once more and flicked through it. Passport, phone, charger in bag and one in case, flight check-in on phone, a flight check-in printout, car hire confirmation details on phone, car hire printout, insurances on phone and in print, and two purses.
At the airport, after checking in her large case, she raced across the hall to security. The train journey had been delayed twenty minutes due to an ‘incident’, which had been announced on the train line from Bermondsey to Canning Town, and she was cursing as she rifled through her hand luggage to take out her Kindle, laptop, and phone, which all had to go separately into the security box.
‘Oh damn,’ she cursed again, as her Chanel sunglasses dropped to the floor. She bent down in a harassed stupor. Twisting around to grab them, she saw a large olive-skinned hand retrieve them and she stood back up.
‘Thank you,’ she said, grasping them and peering up, catching a sparkling glint from dark eyes behind heavy-rimmed specs. She stared for a few seconds. Too long, then in a fluster as the queue behind her seemed to be bustling, she thrust the glasses, along with her handbag, into another box and pushed it forward on to the small rollers in the security machine.
‘Prego,’ he muttered in Italian and proceeded to concentrate on his own box.
Olivia continued in a fluster through security, gathering her belongings on the other side and moving to an out-of-the-way area to reorganize herself before checking the screen and heading for the right gate. It was so chaotic and for some reason, being on her own, she felt so much more self-conscious. Maybe it was the handsome Italian who was making her more so.
Relieved to be on the plane, snuggled away in a seat next to the window, she blew out a sigh, placed her handbag by her feet, lifted out her Kindle, and switched it on. She was just starting to read the prologue of the book she had deliberately downloaded for her trip to Italy when a small hand waving in front of her face appeared.
‘Hello, Lady,’ the small child said peering over the chairs in front.
Olivia looked up. ‘Hello.’
‘Freddie, sit down. So sorry,’ said his harassed mother who was stashing bags into the overhead locker and carrying a baby on her back. ‘I’ll buckle him down as soon as I’ve put these away.’
‘No worries. He’s excited I imagine.’
‘Very.’
Olivia smiled and began the page again struggling to ignore the child as he began telling her about his baby sister. His large blue eyes soon had her hooked as he told her about his sister crying because she hadn’t had her dinner and his mummy crying because it was the wrong milk.
‘Oh dear, poor Mummy – she’s having a tough morning,’ Olivia told him, feeling helpless as his mother closed her eyes probably wishing the ground would swallow her up.
‘Can I help?’ she asked watching her wriggle the baby carrier off.
‘Here. Allow me,’ a deep Italian voice intervened. The man reached his tanned arms up to shut an overhead locker and then he reached for the baby carrier on the woman’s back. He held the weight of the baby in the carrier so that the woman could slip out her arms with ease.
‘Thank you. You’re very kind,’ she told him. Then the woman steered her eyes to Olivia. ‘You have a gem of a husband here.’
‘Oh, he’s not with me.’
‘Oh.’ The woman sniggered, covering her mouth. ‘Sorry, well, enjoy your journey. Hope we don’t disrupt it too much,’ she said squeezing in to the seat in the row in front, next to the toddler, and trying to get herself organized with the infant on her lap.
Olivia buried her head back into her Kindle, feeling slightly exhausted herself after watching the woman try to manage. It couldn’t be easy trying to cope with more than one child, she imagined. She wondered why the woman was travelling alone. Was her husband too busy with work or football to accompany her with the children?
Feeling satisfied her decision was sound at least, her mind centred on the long legs and rather pert bottom nearing her face. Sliding up to the seat beside her, was the man who had helped the woman, and retrieved her glasses, the mop of near-black hair and his thick-rimmed glasses seemed increasingly sexy as well as familiar, she thought, as she looked up and smiled.
‘Buongiorno, are you staying in Florence?’ he asked.
Olivia’s eyes once again met the Italian’s, which lit up as he smiled. She guessed his age to be less than her own.
‘Actually no. I’m heading a little way south, to a village up in the hills.’
He held out a hand. ‘Alberto Luciano.’
‘Olivia. Call me Liv.’ She took his hand and shook it. At the touch, notes of sophisticated aftershave raced up her nostrils, dispersing inside her and stirring rumblings of desire she barely recognized.
‘Ah, beautiful,’ he said placing his folded newspaper on his knees. Careful not to crease the quality fabric of his shirt, he slid the seat-belt locks together.
She gripped her Kindle, unable to control jittering, nervous hands.
‘And Olivia is also a beautiful Italian name. You should not shorten it. Do you live in the village?’
She cleared her throat. ‘No. My nonna – well, she did.’
‘Ah, that’s doesn’t sound good. So, you had family there?’
‘Yes, Nonna died. My mamma is still in Italy though.’
His brows furrowed, sincerely. ‘I’m very sorry. But it’s good that you are still part of the living masterpiece that is Chianti. I live in Florence and have got to know much of Tuscany: its villages, towns, the scenic vineyards. My mamma is also Tuscan, from north of Siena.’
‘How lovely,’ she said, meeting those luring eyes again and then clutching her hands suddenly either side of the seat as the aircraft lifted. ‘Well …’
‘You’ll be OK. We are up,’ he assured her.
‘It’s still unnerving, the take-off and landing,’ she told him, fanning her face. ‘Yes, Nonna was always urging me to go and see the region. She told me it was lovely. I just enjoyed seeing her and Mamma – Nonno too when he was alive at her villa. Their farm is so warm and welcoming, and the landscape is certainly spectacular.’
More heat rose to her head as she gazed at his succulent moist lips, which revealed a sensitive smile. She guessed although pretty confident on the outside he was levering outside his comfort zone within. She went on. ‘Oh, I believe I went to see the Duomo in Florence when I was younger with my nonna and my friend Chiara. The thing is, I only ever got to visit a few days at a time usually. I know I’ve been to the village on several occasions, and I remember the leaning tower in Pisa. We flew in to Pisa last time we came so, Wi … we walked around the town and around the cathedral, went up the tower. A rather gruelling day.’
‘Is we the husband?’ His gaze rested on her hands.
‘No, he was a boyfriend.’
‘Was. I’m sorry. You have now broken up?’
‘Yes.’
‘So, do you come to Italy to re
stock?’
Olivia chuckled and realizing the plane was now moving took a deep breath. ‘What – the boyfriend or the mind?’
Alberto’s lips relaxed too. ‘Yes, well either, I suppose.’
‘I’ve Nonna’s business to attend to mainly. What about you? What’s the reason for your journey today?’ she asked, not wishing to discuss too much of her private business with a total stranger.
‘I’m working with a university in London. We are teaching one another really. I’m exchanging my knowledge with theirs. They are helping me refine development of an electric autonomous car my company have designed.’
‘What is that, exactly?’
‘Have you heard of driverless cars?’
‘They’ve been in the news lately. The industry still having problems with them; well, totally controlling every potential hazardous scenario, I gather. Rather like the robots and artificial intelligence.’
‘That’s it. And the wireless charging is another issue.’
‘Totally out of my realm,’ Olivia said feeling the subject could quite easily fly over her head with no power required whatsoever. She did find his geekiness attractive though. ‘It sounds amazing and very interesting. I’d love a car to drive me. It would be nice to be chauffeured everywhere, especially in Italy. I’ve never driven there before and I’m not looking forward to it.’
‘Let me. I can give you a tour of Tuscany.’ He held his palms open and nodded as if he had resolved her problem. ‘I have time tomorrow. I’ll take you.’
She thought of her tight schedule. ‘I couldn’t possibly. I’ve so much to do before Monday. Maybe next week some time, but impossible tomorrow I’m afraid.’
‘A few hours – that’s all. I’m sure you can spare a few hours.’
Afraid he could read her as simply as she could read a diamond catalogue, she leaned on the chair arm by the window and bit her lip. She only had the next two days to clean, as tempting as it was. And, she reminded herself, it was not her intention to start any romance as stunning as he was, and cute. ‘I would love to but I have so much to do in the short time I’m here. Thank you, anyway.’
‘You know balance is key to a healthy life, right?’
‘Yes, but I’m reluctant to reward myself until I’ve actually done some work, which, as yet, I haven’t.’
She watched his playful eyes as he pondered momentarily. He seemed so caring and grounded, as though he genuinely paid attention to keep the balance in his life. And her mind catapulted back to minutes before – the way he had helped the lady in front with her children. He was so at ease and not at all intimidated by a baby. Unless of course he had his own.
She was just about to open her mouth when he said, ‘What about tomorrow afternoon then, after you do some work? You could begin an hour or two earlier. I’ll get you back home for an early night too. Why don’t you take my card?’ He whipped a card from the top pocket of his shirt and held it up. ‘When you finish your morning’s work, ring me.’ Then as if he had looked up her character traits on some hidden profile of hers on Google, added, ‘Or before, if you like to be organized.’ That was so spooky.
Hesitating before accepting the card, she licked her bottom lip. ‘Really, I’ve just …’
‘I’m single, I promise, if that’s what you’re worried about,’ he said as though reading her concerns. ‘I would very much like to see again. Please take it. I promise you, I’m never this forceful, but sometimes, you have to push yourself that bit harder for what you want. At least allow yourself the choice. I’ve learned never to close an open door until you’ve at least seen what’s behind it.’
Rubbing the smooth card, Olivia’s other hand flew to her mouth as she laughed, nervously. He was clearly on her page – as well as being physically irresistible.
‘You sound very wise; maybe I should heed your advice.’
She closed her Kindle realizing there was more entertainment to come from the man beside her, and even if she tried to read, nothing would go in. How could she absorb anything with his body at such close proximity? Her body and head were swirling with lust.
This was truly a bizarre situation to be in, and not one she could ever have imagined. This wasn’t on her agenda. Hadn’t she just convinced herself she didn’t need a man? Wasn’t that what she’d spent the whole of Friday night and weekend concluding? A loud ping sounded over the Tannoy and the lights signalled so that seat belts could be unsecured.
‘Perfect, so let me buy you a drink when the stewardesses begin serving.’
‘Thank you. Yes, but something non-alcoholic – I’m driving the other end.’
‘You choose,’ he said with a dimpled smile.
She peered at him as he craned his neck to gauge the steward’s movements. She surreptitiously eyed him, admiring nearly black curls, strong dark brows and lashes, straight nose, well-proportioned lips that she found herself yearning to kiss. She could feel a heat radiating from her chest, as though her blood had only just found its way into the main artery of her heart. Even her loins ached for his touch and she yearned to touch him. She had never had to restrain herself like this before.
He then suddenly glanced sideways at her and she jumped, guessing he’d caught her looking.
‘Oh, er, a fruit juice,’ she said swiftly.
His blush blazed as bright as hers. ‘I might have the same,’ he said.
Trying to steady her rapid breathing, she moved her gaze to the window. Was he having to control his lust as much as she? He seemed fidgety. Had Nonna sent some spiritual message from her photographs? Maybe Nonna was here in the clouds and knew this meeting was going to take place. Could it be Nonna’s spirit was the force urging her to act; to finish with Will, to be here on this flight, meeting this Italian man?
Ridiculous, she told herself. Alberto was just playing with her. Men lusted after anything in a skirt, didn’t they? And Will, he had never evoked such momentous eruptions in her. It set her wondering what it would be like if everyone in the cabin disappeared right now. What would she be capable of with these wild and lurid urges? She tried to switch her mind back to the long list of things she had to do. Would a few hours be possible?
She was still gazing into the ether when the child in the row in front of her popped up from his seat again. He showed them a fire engine and a Fireman Sam figurine, and then he and Alberto began chatting. They spent the following hour hearing all about Fireman Sam and all his vehicles, playing peek-a-boo and singing nursery rhymes to the three-year-old whilst the mother fed the baby and got some much needed rest.
Her rest was short-lived, however, as little Freddie reported his need for the toilet, and his mother immediately jumped back to attention with the baby in her arms.
‘Would you like us to help? We could hold the baby whilst you take him,’ Olivia said, then added as a reassurance: ‘You don’t have to worry, we aren’t likely to run away anywhere.’
Agreeing with a nod, the woman popped a soother into her daughter’s mouth. ‘Zero chance I’d say. Thank you. That’s very kind.’ She handed the child to Alberto to pass along.
‘She is pretty,’ Alberto said as he passed the infant to Olivia, who cradled her arms in readiness. Alberto, she noted, was very gentle with the bundle.
‘She is – very. I’m guessing three or four months. I don’t know that much about children, not having any.’
‘I have several younger sisters and a brother, plus nieces and nephews, but I’m useless at knowing their ages. I’m looking forward to having my own,’ Alberto said clearing his throat. ‘Hopefully, one day.’
Sitting back in her chair, Olivia tucked her hair behind one ear, listening to her heart thud. This was a man whose attitude differed from hers.
Chapter 4
Olivia jumped as the wheels of the plane hit the tarmac.
‘Oof!’ The sound escaped her lips as she bounced.
‘Safely down,’ Alberto assured her. ‘Life will go on
and you will live to have lots of beautiful babies I’m sure,’ he whispered, arousing her again.
‘I’m not particularly maternal,’ she admitted, thinking it was only fair he should know. He would probably think twice and swiftly lose interest. Perhaps she wouldn’t go so far as telling him that – like her mother – she would just abandon them and screw them up.
‘Watching you with that baby and little Freddie, you have a natural maternal instinct. You would know if you didn’t want babies, believe me. I was with a girl for three years before she told me, but when I thought about it afterwards, all the signs were clear, if I had read them. Her reaction to this scenario today would have been to immediately move seats. She couldn’t be near a child. Hated any attention I gave my nieces and nephews. She was selfish. Some people just don’t want them and a few are perhaps too materialistic to want to share their wealth and time. She was the latter. You strike me as someone who would be a loving mother.’
Financially, Olivia was exceptionally lucky having inherited her grandparents’ home, and running a thriving business. Having a child was not going to ruin her, but she wasn’t convinced about being a committed mother. Doubts still lurked in her mind and until she had a child, she would never know. She would never be able to test her reaction to having her own child and that was such a huge and possibly damaging leap of faith to take, one that convinced her she would need a relationship with every ounce of support.
However, Alberto’s suggestive tones and readiness to make her even consider a child was hugely provocative, a massive turn-on. If anyone was going to persuade her to get pregnant, it would be him – but still, such a risk. And anyway what had happened to that iron determination to embrace being single and manage without a man? Her nerve was already weakening.
