Page 60 of In Italy for Love

‘Give the dog a bone!’ called Siore Cudrig.

‘No, he might choke!’ Siôr Mauri disagreed from the floor below. ‘Let him run beside the bici! Why put him in a stupid basket? Dogs need to run.’

‘He will be run over! The boy has crafted a good solution. He’s so good with his hands.’

‘If he’s so good, why is the postbox by the gate still hanging by one screw? And there’s a paver missing. He’s too busy doingsomething elsewith his hands.’

‘Andyou’rebusy doing nothing at all with your hands! I hear your TV all day.’

‘I hear your washing machine every day!’

‘Are they talking about us?’ Jules asked out of the side of her mouth. ‘I only understood something about a washing machine and a TV.’

‘Always assume they are talking about us.’

‘What are they saying?’

‘Aside from speculating about what we do to each other with our hands? Not much.’

He expected a splutter or an outraged choke, but she chuckled, rubbing a hand over her eyes. ‘How often do you think the subjects of gossip are actually doinglessthan everyone assumes? Do you think they’d be disappointed to know?’

‘Definitely,’ he said with a wink as he unlocked the chain on his own mountain bike. Her hand landed on his shoulder and she leaned over until her cheek was a breath from his, then she paused. ‘What are you doing?’ he whispered.

‘They like to gossip, don’t they?’

‘It’s one of their five-a-day.’

‘I’m feeding them, then,’ she said with a smile. ‘And I’m saying thank you for the bike.’ Her lips landed on his cheek, lingering, warm and a little clumsy.

He hopped on his bike with his face flaming, but a lightness in him he wasn’t sure he deserved. Siore Cudrig and Siôr Mauri were talking about him, but something entirely unrelated to Laura. It felt better than he would have expected.

Arco barked sharply all through town, even when Jules shushed him with a soothing voice and slipped him a chewy treat. Alex rode in front, directing her onto the little strips of concrete allowing them to cycle more easily over the bumpy cobbles.

‘Is he all right? Do you want to stop?’ he called back.

‘I think it’s okay. He’s barking, but he’s not panicking. Hopefully he’ll stop soon.’

When they reached the open road, with the wind in his face, Arco’s barking became more sporadic – and there were fewer people to disturb.

‘This is so much fun!’ Jules exclaimed, and Alex peered over his shoulder to see a broad smile lighting her face. ‘I liked thewalk, but the bike ride is heaven. I think autumn is my favourite season.’

‘You haven’t seen the other three here.’

‘True,’ she said wistfully. ‘And there isn’t really an autumn at— Where I— In Brisbane,’ she finished.

‘You’ll have to enjoy it while you can.’

He glanced back to find her watching him. ‘I will.’

‘The mountain biking is fantastic around here,’ he said over his shoulder.

‘I heard you were the local champion,’ she responded with amusement in her voice.

He didn’t acknowledge her comment, even as his cheeks heated again. ‘Since you like the forest so much, you should try it. Stop and collect some chestnuts when you take a break. That bike’s a hybrid, but if you stick to the flatter trails, it would be okay.’

She didn’t respond and then a tractor puttered past, drowning out anything she tried to say. Eventually, he heard her mumble, ‘Maybe I’ll try it, if I have time,’ in a half-hearted tone.

They turned off the main road and juddered over the stony track to Due Pini, which set Arco off again. Pulling up in front of the farmhouse, Alex tugged off his helmet and looked back to see Jules step off her bike, her cheeks pink from the cool air. She opened the basket and lifted Arco down, letting the dog run free now he’d made peace with the goats and knew his way around the farm.

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