Page 93 of A Winter Wedding Adventure
She couldn’t have known where Mattia’s thoughts would immediately go: Kira hanging from the ceiling of the chalet, her powerful body moving as gracefully as music.
‘I asked Ginny about the classes and she gave me all the info,’ Alessandra continued, oblivious to Mattia’s vivid distraction. ‘She drives down to Weymouth to the gym there, partly because she lives in Glastonbury, which isn’t as far, but mainly because of her teacher.’
She couldn’t quite stifle her smile and Mattia’s heart turned somersaults as he caught her meaning.
She leaned close. ‘Apparently, Kira’s been miserable.’
‘Don’t sound so glad about that!’
‘I bet she’s been miserable over you. I wouldn’t be so happy, except I can see what a mess you are too.’
‘I’m not a mess,’ he protested, although it was feeble. ‘But I could be better,’ he admitted, remembering how much better he was with Kira.
‘Go and see her,’ Alessandra urged.
He studied his hands – his smooth, moisturised hands, so different from her scarred ones. ‘She might not talk to me. She might run.’ He wasn’t sure which was worse: the idea that Kira truly wasn’t interested in anything deeper with him or that she felt so much, he could lose her regard anyway if he pushed too hard when she was still scared. One would hurt, but the other would cause the worst regret of his life.
‘It can’t be any worse than things are now,’ Alessandra pointed out with a huff.
His gaze dropped to the album, still open to the photo of the two of them, so unexpected and vulnerable in their tenderness, and he accepted that Alessandra was right. He’d get through his auditions and he’d think of a way to go to her wherever she was comfortable, with no expectations. The obstacles were surely too great and hope could become hurt later on if he indulged it.
But at least he’d get to see her one more time.
37
‘I’ll be right there! I promise!’ Kira knocked on Toni’s desk as she hustled in the direction of the changing rooms.
‘Class starts in three minutes! Everyone’s arrived,’ Toni said, her voice raised in alarm.
‘Three minutes is plenty,’ she called, jogging backwards for a moment to reassure Toni. ‘Send any complaints to Reshma. All that wedding business is keeping me from my real work.’
The head of I Do Destinations emerged from the meeting room behind Toni’s desk. ‘Have a good class, Kira. Thanks for ironing out those details with me. I wish you weren’t too busy to help with the Elba wedding.’
‘What can I say? Everyone wants me,’ she joked. The irony was almost unbearable. She bolted for the changing rooms, whipping on her vest top and lightweight trousers.
If she kept making jokes, they might finally stop treating her as though she’d had her heart broken. And she could mourn those last bits of her heart in private, staring at Mattia’s Instagram feed with the duet from Don Carlo playing in her earbuds.
God, her pining had got so bad, she’d started appreciating opera.
Still hopping as she slipped into her rubber climbing shoes and smoothed the Velcro, she greeted the group of four beginners who were staring up at the wall in awe.
‘Right, hi everyone. I’m your instructor, Kira. We just need to start with some safety st—’ Her voice gave out.
Even if he weren’t in the process of turning around, she would have recognised those shoulders, the soft hands, clenching and unclenching with nerves, the black curls she’d run her fingers through every chance she’d got.
He was wearing grey yoga trousers and a sleeveless workout top that highlighted all the dips and protrusions of bone and muscle in his torso. His shoulders were hunched – as usual. Offstage Mattia.
Mattia. In her gym. In her class.
He lifted his gaze to hers and her breath deserted her. That spark in his eyes. The way he seemed to hug her with just a look – the hug she’d spent five weeks longing for.
‘What are you doing here?’ It wasn’t the smoothest greeting, but Kira was all out of politeness and rational thought. Her brain had kicked into fight-or-flight and with a job to do, ‘flight’ was a little difficult.
He inclined his head, the movement reminding her of secret looks across the table. ‘I heard that learning to climb is good for confidence.’
That had not been the answer she’d expected, although she didn’t know what she’d thought he would say. Certainly not, I missed you like the sun in winter and I had to see you.
‘I signed up last week,’ he continued with a grimace. ‘I thought you’d see. I didn’t mean for—’ He couldn’t seem to finish his sentence.
