Page 6 of In Italy for Love

Instead of pushing open the door, he peered through the window, past the vintage rotary dial telephone, Roman coins and local embroidery on display. He’d been right. She wasn’t there. It was for the best. He wasn’t sure what he would have said if shehadturned up – whatshewould have said, or why he was so keen to prolong their acquaintance.

Checking his watch, he wondered how long he should wait and how long it would be before Salvino saw him and questioned why he was loitering outside the bar. He’d just decided he should go home when he heard a bark, and the joyful ball of curly fluff he recognised from earlier that day appeared around the corner, making a beeline for him.

It was impossible not to smile at the goofy animal, his tongue hanging out as he jumped up in excitement. Alex dropped to his haunches to greet him and Arco promptly perched his front paws on Alex’s thighs.

‘Ciao, bello,’ he said, scratching the dog under the ears as he preened in apparent ecstasy. He was a handsome dog, brown with white markings on his face.

‘If you say “Ciao, bella” to me now, I’m going to feel like a dog.’

His gaze snapped up to find his date with a smile on her lips that couldn’t quite disguise her uncertainty. Rising quickly to his feet, he held out a hand. ‘You can have a Friulian “mandi”.’

She took his hand and shook it once, decisively. ‘Is that the local greeting? I thought I could understand quite a lot of Italian, but I’ve disappointed myself around here.’

‘Don’t be disappointed. Furlan – that’s what we call Friulian – is classed as a different language from Italian, an older language.’ He cut himself off before he babbled any further. ‘I’m Alex, by the way. We… forgot that part earlier.’

‘Julia,’ she said with an awkward smile.

He caught Salvino’s eye as they walked into the small bar, greeting him with a lift of his chin but ignoring his friend’s questioning gaze. Perhaps he shouldn’t have brought her here – shouldn’t have accepted her invitation at all. He knew what his friends and neighbours were all thinking, when they saw him with a woman.

When he and Julia were settled at a table in a corner near Salvino’s display of cast-iron cauldrons and teapots, she watched him warily. ‘Seriously, you don’t have to do this. I didn’t even expect you to come.’

‘I thoughtyouwouldn’t be here.’

‘Well… here we both are.’ Her eyes were guarded under her lashes. ‘Are we having that drink? Is there something local you recommend?’ she asked, breaking the silence. At least babbling about the local wines gave him something to say for a few minutes.

After he’d called out their order to Salvino, still studiously ignoring the curious looks from his friend he could feel on the back of his neck, he gathered his scattered thoughts.

‘Eh,’ he began, knowing he owed her an admission up front, but not certain how to explain himself. ‘I’m sure you’re not interested anyway, but I should tell you that I’m not… that meeting someone romantically is not… available. Not that you’re not… It’s me. I’m not…’

‘Please don’t tell me you’re married or?—’

‘No!’ he denied immediately. ‘That’s not what I meant. I’m single. I’m just not…’

‘You’ve said “not” at least six times.’

‘I know, it’s not coming out right,’ he said, rubbing a hand over his eyes. ‘I just wanted to be clear that at the moment, for me, a relationship is…’

‘Not,’ she supplied with a huff of a laugh. ‘I hear you, don’t worry.’ He finally dared to meet her gaze to find shadows at the edge of her expression, making him wonder if ‘I hear you’ meant ‘me, too’. ‘I didn’t ask you to dinner with romance in mind. Mainly I was just… hungry. Eating alone is awkward.’

‘Ah,’ was all he initially said in response. And it was a relief – truly, it was – that she wanted to meet him simply to havecompany for dinner and not because of… anything else. He forced a smile.

‘Not that you’re not…’ she continued. ‘Damn, now I’m just saying “not”. I mean, it wasn’tonlybecause it’s awkward eating alone. You’re also gorgeous.’

Her voice trailed off at the end and the tingle in him bloomed into warmth concentrated in his cheeks.

‘I’m leaving tomorrow anyway,’ she finished, giving herself a shake.

‘Tomorrow?’

She nodded. ‘I’m just passing through on my way back to Australia.’

‘Australia, yes, you said,’ he repeated, his brain still catching up. Perhaps with good reason he’d warned her he might be a boring dinner date. ‘I thought you looked travel weary,’ he commented, looking up to thank Salvino when the barman placed his beer in front of him. Julia’s glass of sparkling Ribolla Gialla arrived as well, along with a bowl of crisps and a basket of grissini. She took a few crisps as soon as the bowl hit the table.

‘Travel weary,’ she repeated thoughtfully once she’d finished chewing. ‘Does that have something to do with bags under my eyes along with all the rest of my luggage?’

‘I didn’t mean—’ Romance or not, he was a terrible date and heat crept up his neck. ‘It was your expression, not your appearance. I… like your appearance.’ He could do better than that, but he probably shouldn’t tell a woman he’d just met that he liked her pointed chin and her wry smile. Releasing a pent-up breath, he looked her in the eye and said, ‘I find you attractive too.’

Silence stretched following his confession, long enough for the air to fizz. Then she smiled – a grin that blossomed on her face – and her nose wrinkled.

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