Page 15 of A Winter Wedding Adventure
‘And me? When I’m involved?’ He ducked his head to catch her eye.
‘I’m sure we’ll get on okay when you’re properly dressed.’ And my hormones don’t scream at me so loudly.
‘I was just finishing my yoga.’
Her gaze drifted behind him to where a mat was set up at the foot of the bed. She was rather curious to see his yoga.
‘I’ll meet you in the breakfast room,’ she said, backing away. ‘Don’t take too long with your eyeliner!’
‘I only wear it on stage!’ he called after her. ‘Sorry to disappoint you!’
6
‘Yes, it looks like we’ll be a little delayed, but I’ll be there soon, cara mia,’ Mattia said to Alessandra, his phone pressed to his ear. He hoped it was true. Traffic was moving, finally, which was more than he could say for their slow trip out of the city and onto the Autobahn. At least the heat was blasting from the vents on the dashboard of the minivan.
‘I can’t believe you had to go to an audition so close to my wedding!’ It wasn’t her wedding for another three days, but he wouldn’t dare mention that.
‘You haven’t even asked how the audition went.’
‘I know it went well. Nobody can resist you when you sing and I can hear it in your voice that you got the part.’ There were no secrets from Alessandra – and she would never accept anything but the highest praise for his musical ability, even though she was biased. ‘But three months away from home? It’s a long time.’
‘It’s only ten weeks, actually. And I’ll be able to go home at least once.’
She continued as though he hadn’t said anything. ‘How are you doing after the auditions – and the delay last night? I was worried.’
He smiled faintly. Alessandra was his biggest cheerleader, but she did worry. ‘It was fine. I’m fine, Ale. Focus on the wedding.’ Her marriage – to a guy who barely gave Mattia the time of day, but each to their own.
‘That’s what Carla keeps telling me.’
There was no way he could stop his insides seizing up at the mention of her name, so he let it happen and then waited for his muscles to relax again. ‘She’s right,’ he replied mildly.
‘Yes, something you have in common,’ Alessandra responded brightly – too brightly, considering she was discussing her two best friends who had dated each other and then broken up in sticky circumstances. ‘We’ll be all together soon,’ she said softly, making him glad she couldn’t see his scrunched-up grimace. ‘That’s what I wanted for my wedding – to celebrate it with everyone important to me.’
He dropped his head back against the seat and tried not to imagine she meant bringing him together again with Carla. ‘I’ll see you this afternoon, hmm?’
‘It’s so beautiful here – and so quiet in the snow. I can’t wait to show you.’
The thought of all the snow didn’t exactly soothe him. ‘I’m glad it’s everything you wanted. Ciao, cara.’
He felt Kira’s curious glance as he disconnected the call, but he waited to see if she’d ask – what she’d ask. He suspected she wouldn’t be able to wait long. The hum of the unfamiliar car engine drilled at the back of his mind, but the swish of Kira’s technical trousers sounded somehow louder. She moved around a lot.
‘What were you arguing about?’
‘We weren’t arguing,’ he insisted. ‘Perhaps Italian conversation is more animated than you’re used to.’
‘But you did this thing with your face. You looked like someone just killed your cat.’
He smacked a hand to his chest in horror. ‘Don’t even suggest something like that!’
‘Yikes, you actually have a cat? Sorry.’
‘I don’t have a cat, but that’s terrible.’
The gaze she flicked him was pleasantly warm. ‘I’ll choose my metaphors more carefully from now on.’
‘Thank you,’ he said with a pointed nod and flung himself back against the seat with a sigh. ‘Do you know the happy couple?’ he asked after a moment’s pause.
‘I’ve met them once. Ginny – my colleague – did most of the planning. I just help out when needed, thank God. Why? Are you secretly in love with the bride?’
