Page 40 of Livia in Rome
My lips part in disbelief. We’d both been thinking the same thing all along, worrying we’d taken up too much space in the other’s life. It’s as if I’m seeing a whole new side to him, a side that understands exactly where I’ve been coming from, a side that sees the real me.
‘And how do you feel now?’ OK. I really wish I’d worded that differently...and that my voice wasn’t so breathy. And did my body really strain towards him without my say-so?
The hammock is perfectly still now, but everything around us feels like it’s tipping...waiting. It’s just us, balancing between the old and new understanding we have of each other.
‘Now . . .’ Giulio’s lips are a mere whisper from mine . . . brushing them as he murmurs. ‘Now I feel . . .’
‘Livia!’
Ma calls up from the bottom of the stairs and Giulio and I startle like a jump scare in a horror film. The hammock rocks wildly and...
‘Uh-oh!’ Giulio’s eyes widen.
Before either of us can stop it, we tip right over, crashing on to the terrace floor in a jumble of limbs and heavy fabric. My elbow jabs into his side, and I groan as his chin bumps against the top of my head.
We untangle ourselves, red-faced but grinning like idiots.
‘Ma has impeccable timing,’ I mutter, half embarrassed, half exasperated, as she calls again, asking if I’ve seen her favourite cat pyjamas anywhere.
If only she knew what she just interrupted.
Ican’t think about my rooftop rendezvous with Giulio last night without my face bursting into flames. But I can’tstopthinking about it either – which basically means my cheeks have been on fire non-stop. So when Giulio walks into the bar the next morning, I immediately insert my head into the under-counter fridge.
‘So, umm, I’m not sure we have enough milk, but...do we increase the order, cancel it completely or keep it as it is?’
There. Cool and professional and not at all flustered about our near-kiss last night.
But it’s Ma who answers. ‘Don’t place any orders, Livia,d’accordo?’
I pull my head out to find Ma looking smarter than I’ve ever seen her – so put together, I suspect she’s raided Nina’s wardrobe, because even Nina’s dressing gowns have a tailored look about them. And the reason she’s sneaked up so soundlessly is not because she was a cat in her former life, but because she’sbarefoot – a pair of heeled sandals from the rack upstairs dangling from her fingertips.
I point to the few remaining milk cartons. ‘But it’s been busy—’
‘And we have no idea if the bar will still be ours after tomorrow,’ she finishes.
Uff!The words land like a gut punch as Ma reaches over to close the fridge door. Not that I need it any more. I’ve gone cold all over. We’ve come so far, worked so hard to turn the bar around...how has it got to the point where there’s no point ordering milk?
Ma hikes a smart leather handbag – also not hers – on to her shoulder. ‘I’ve got things to do this morning, but can you two pick up some food and meet me outside the hospital at 1 p.m.?’ Her gaze locks with mine. ‘Outside,d’accordo? No sneaking in to talk to Nina without me.’
We both give Ma a silent nod.
She puts on the sandals and totters out of the bar. Giulio and I watch until she disappears from sight, pausing every few paces to free the stiletto heel from the pavement cracks.
We’re focused so intently that we both jump when a loud meow suddenly echoes through the bar.
Giulio’s head whips round. ‘Is there a cat in here?’
‘Nope...that’s Ma’s ringtone. She must’ve left her phone.’ I scan the counter and spot it peeping out from under the pile of daily newspapers that were delivered a short while ago.
A notification lights up the screen and my heart jumps into my throat. ‘It’s a message from Bertolli.’
‘Cosa?What does it say?’ Giulio’s beside me in a second.
I type in Ma’s Password-For-Everything and read the short text. ‘It’s instructions on how to access his office building. And look at this...’ I show Giulio the screen.
It will be a pleasure doing business with you again.
I frown up at Giulio. ‘Again? Does Ma know Bertolli?’
