Page 17 of Perfect Match
Rome, Italy
Laughter drifts up from the café tables below, reaching me through my open window. My friends are somewhere down there grabbing drinks and snacks, sustenance before we set out to explore the city by night. It’s been a big day of sightseeing already, and we’re all exhausted and hungry, but we don’t want to waste a moment.
I brush my hair back off my face, where strands are still sticking after my shower. The heat today drained every ounce of energy from my body, and the only respite has been sitting on one of three narrow beds in this room with an ancient air conditioner rattling out semi-cool air. The Airbnb apartment is tiny, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in location. It’s only a short walk to Trevi Fountain, and we’re in the middle of a district alive with cafés, bars, and shops.
May 29 – Rome is busy. The traffic is worse here than peak hour on the Harbour Bridge in Sydney.Today we bought tickets for the hop-on and hop-off double-decker bus, as it’s the easiest way to get around, other than by foot.
24,372 steps so far today, according to my Apple Watch. Most of those were done at the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Yes, my historical era is still a thing. But my favourite of the stops was Trevi Fountain, and unfortunately, that seemed to be the case with about a thousand other people. But finally, we made it to the stone edge of the aquamarine-coloured waters and threw a coin over our shoulders. Actually, we had to throw a second one in to capture the moment for Tina’s social media posts. Lucky, really, as I looked it up and found that two coins means I’ll not only return to Rome but get a wish too.
What did I wish for? That my vacation fling from Capri becomes several steamy nights in Florence. Now,that’sa hot and sweaty feeling I can enjoy.
Gio and I are still texting and getting to know each other better. I like him. More than I should because I know it’s only temporary. Just some vacation fun with a hot guy who’s not available on a permanent basis. And even if we could overcome the major stumbling block of distance, I doubt I’d be the kind of woman he’s looking for. I don’t fit in his fancy rich world.
Today was historic!
A key scratching in the lock of the apartment announces the return of my friends, and I toss my journal and pen down on the bed. I don’t want to think any more about Gio and the question of whether I’m opening myself up to a world of hurt by seeing him again. Right or wrong, I’m going to meet him in Florence. He’s my next adventure, and I promised myself I wouldn’t back away from anything exciting and new, even if it scared the hellout of me. If I can go canyoning in Switzerland and bungee jump off the Danube Tower in Vienna, then enjoying some sexy times with Gio will be simple—as long as my heart stays locked up and protected as tightly as the vault beneath the Bank of England.
As I start toward the apartment kitchen, really no more than a couple of cupboards with a sink, microwave, and small fridge, my phone buzzes with an incoming call from Charli. Seeing her name light up on the screen brings a smile to my face, and when I swipe and her whole face fills the screen, the smile stretches impossibly wider. I missed speaking to her yesterday because of her shifts at the bar, and it left an uneasy feeling in my chest. Even if all we manage to carve out of our day is a few moments to speak, then that’s enough.
“Hey, sis,” Charli chirps, and I instinctively recognize the forced cheeriness behind the two simple words. Although they are the same as every one of our calls, her voice sounds different today.
“What’s wrong?” I jump in, knowing instantly that something is.
“Just the usual stuff. I hate my job. I miss you. And Brad is an annoying shithead.”
“So not much.” I smile. “Let’s start with Mr. Shithead. What’s he done now?”
“Apart from being on the same roster as me this week and just being in my face, it’s the usual.” She sighs heavily before adding, “But I want to hear about your day. How’s Rome? Have you met any more sexy Italian men?”
Sadie—our cousin and currently my sister’s roommate—pops her head into the frame over Charli’s shoulder. “Yes, tell us about the sexy Italian men. Actually, better still, show us some pictures of them.”
“Sadie, isn’t that a bit creepy, taking photos of random strangers, whether they’re hot or not?”
Sadie is the complete opposite of Charli and me, with no family resemblance seeming to connect us. She’s petite and cute while we’re tall and athletic. But what Sadie lacks in stature, she makes up for in other ways: A head of soft dark-red curls that cherubs would envy, sparkling bright-blue eyes, and curves that men would duel to the death for a chance to hold. On top of that, she’s as bubbly and fun as her wardrobe is eye-wateringly vibrant. But surprisingly, she’s as single as we are. Maybe there is one family trait we all share; the three of us are very choosy when it comes to men. No dickheads may apply.
Which brings me back to Charli and having to deal with the king of dickheads, Brad.
“How’s the job hunting going?” I ask, and the small smile that was beginning to tease at her mouth disappears.
“Not well. It’s very hard to get an interview when I’m not prepared to offer my current boss as a reference.” She really is in a difficult situation because her boss and Brad are best buddies and equally misogynistic creeps.
“Sorry, I have to go. I don’t want to be late.” Damn, she sounds miserable. And being identical twins, I swear I can feel every drop of her torment.
“Here, Sadie, you talk while I grab my bag. Bye, Tori. Love you.”
“Love you too, sis.” And as I go to swallow, a lump lodges in my throat. Charli’s face disappears, and I’m left with Sadie.
She leans in so her perfect white teeth fill the bottom half of the screen, then begins to whisper, “She’s really unhappy. That asshole is doing a number on her. He’s going out of his way to turn all of the other staff against her by saying that it’s somehow her fault that he fucked a customer in the toilets.”
“Should I change my flight and come to New York earlier?” I ask, my mind already working out which airport I could fly from.
“No, hun, she’d never forgive you if you did that. I’ll look after her, and she’s strong still. She just needs to find another job.”
Then I remember what Gio told me in Capri. “Look, that guy I met in Naples … he knows someone who owns a club in Manhattan. I guess I could ask him to speak to his friend to see if they need bar staff.”
“That would be great. I won’t mention anything to Charli until you can find out. But I’m sure she’s willing to try anything.”
My cheeks scrunch up with worry. “There’s one little hitch.”
