Page 88 of In Italy for Love

‘Back from the old country, ay?’

‘Yep.’ Her phone vibrated, adding to her distraction.

‘But without the bloke.’

Jules wished she had her own beer in hand – or anything to distract her from the ache of absence. Her dad hadn’t meant to upset her. In fact, she hadn’t realised he knew about Alex.

‘Yep,’ she repeated, trying to muster a fake smile.

‘Mum said the dog will come over later.’

Another twist in her stomach. Missing Arco was almost physical, like quitting caffeine. She missed him in her hands – like she missed Alex in her skin.

‘Aw, Jube,’ Tony said, slinging an arm over her shoulders. While she appreciated the gesture and settled her head on his shoulder for a moment, the hug was in sad contrast to the cosy fireside touches she wished for. ‘If he wouldn’t come after you, then he doesn’t deserve you – and he doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.’

‘Thanks, Dad,’ she mumbled, even as she disagreed vehemently inside. Alex deserved everything and she’d neverhave asked or expected him to leave his carefully constructed support network, not after everything he’d been through.

‘You don’t believe me? You never know. Maybe he’ll turn up at our doorstep one day begging for you to take him back.’

‘Tony!’ her mother called from where she was emerging through the screen door from the kitchen with a bowl of salad. ‘Even if he did, Jules would tell him where he could put his apology. Right, honey? After everything he put you through, he’s not welcome here.’

‘But it wasn’t Alex’s fault—’ She cut herself off when both parents gave her an identical frown.

‘Who’s Alex?’

Goosebumps rushing to her hairline, Jules stared at her sandals to cover her faux pas. ‘Oh, a… friend.’

‘I know you’ll think I’m speaking with hindsight, but I never liked Luca. He wasn’t the type to bend, you know? Life’s full of disruptions and you don’t want someone who can’t deal with them.’

Jules stood and gave her mum a squeeze around her middle. ‘You’re right, Mum,’ she said softly. ‘Life is about learning to bend and not break.’

The words reminded her of grumpy Alex, who’d taken her in despite his reservations. He’d thought he was broken, but he’d bent for her and she treasured that. Luca hadn’t even tolerated the inconvenience of the dog, while Alex had bonded with Arco, despite the fact that it would bruise him again when he said goodbye.

Unable to resist any longer, she glanced at her phone to see Alex’s reply:

Maybe bonding isn’t as bad as I thought it was.

She stared at the screen, trying to convince herself he didn’t secretly mean bonding withher. His profile photo on the messaging app was him wearing his rumpled felt Alpino hat with the top of his black accordion in the corner and a wry smile on his face. Then her gaze snagged on the time and she frowned.

You’re not asleep?

I wouldn’t be texting you if I were asleep.

His little joke was all it took to transport her right back to Cividale, to the familiar courtyard with the persimmon tree and Alex’s bedroom.

Your insomnia is kind of practical for this time difference.

She wished she could judge his reaction to her joke, but she’d mostly stopped walking on eggshells around his grief.

But Arco is asleep. I suppose I could take a dark video of him snoring for you.

It wasn’t only Arco she wanted to see.

How’s your family? I bet they’re happy to have you home.

With a sigh, she looked out at her brother’s big yard with its chain link fence. Her two nieces jumped on the trampoline while her little nephew raced around squealing. It was precious being back with all three generations of her family, but she stubbornly thought it wasn’teveryone.

She didn’t know how long she would feel that Alex was missing. But their families were separated by oceans andcontinents and cultures and if she could be rational, she’d tell herself they hadn’t known each other long enough to get so attached. She wrote back:

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