Page 54 of Tour Wars
“She’s been performing adequately,” Luca said. “It’s a shame my uncles couldn’t find someone with more experience.”
Nico stared him down. “Get back on the bus. We’re leaving.”
Maybe because Nico was bigger, burlier, and more intimidating than anyone else on the tour, Luca did as he said. When Emilia tried to follow him, her legs wouldn’t move. She was trembling all over, her stomach twisting in knots. Not only due to sheer exhaustion, but also because of the sickening nature of Luca’s comments.
Nico placed his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t let Luca get to you. He’s got a giant stick up his ass. I meant what I said earlier. For someone who’s never led an extended tour through Italy, you’re doing an excellent job. You and TJ have been a pleasure to work with.”
“Thanks.” Clutching the binder under one arm, she followed him onto the bus. Once he started it up, she addressed the group again. This was her mistake, and she wanted to own up to it right away. “Sorry for the delay, but this binder is like the trip bible.” She held it up. “Without it, TJ and I would have a lot harder time leading this tour.”
TJ stood up beside her and chimed in. “I don’t know, Em. I’m a whiz at memorization. I have most of that stuff down cold.”
She was grateful he’d resorted to his usual shtick—bantering with her as though they were a comedic team. Pushing aside her jitters, she grinned at him. “Normally, I’d accuse you of bragging, but youdohave a great memory. Almost as good as mine.” She directed her attention to the group. “How many of you caught TJ’s one-man show on the piano last night?” When a dozen hands went up, she added, “He played all those songs from memory.”
“Wait,” Sylvie called out. “There was a piano concert? Why weren’t we notified?”
TJ gave her a sheepish grin. “It wasn’t like I planned it ahead of time. I couldn’t sleep, so I came downstairs and asked if I could use the piano in the lobby. Most of my repertoire consists of classic rock tunes—stuff by Elton John, Billy Joel, the Eagles, and James Taylor.”
“Any Harry Chapin?” Alice asked. “I love ‘Cat’s in the Cradle.’ It always makes me cry.”
TJ placed his hand over his heart. “It’s one of my favorites. If our hotel in Bari doesn’t have a piano, I could find a place to play in town. Then we could do a sing-along, just for fun. If you have any requests, write them down, and I’ll collect them later.”
“In the meantime, please relax and enjoy the drive,” Emilia said. “Before we get to Matera, TJ will give you the full rundown on today’s itinerary.”
After she and TJ sat back down, she gave a sigh of relief. “Thanks for saving my ass. I think the group is so excited to attend an exclusive TJ Mayer performance that they don’t care if I set us behind schedule.” She handed him the binder. “Maybe you should hold on to it for now. Luca chewed me out for leaving it in my room.”
He set it on his lap and lowered his voice. “Then he’s an asshole. It was an honest mistake.”
“Thanks.” Though she was still shaky from her encounter with Luca, a few deep breaths eased the tightness in her shoulders. Beside her, TJ flipped to the section on Matera. She wished she had a better way to show her gratitude than a simple “thanks.” A hug would be nice. A kiss would be even better. If luck was with her, she’d get to express her gratitude in just three days.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
At noon, the Buon Viaggio bus climbed toward the city of Matera, located on a limestone plateau in a region of Italy known for its deep ravines and extended network of caves. Though TJ had seen photos of the town before, the view was more stunning in real life. Above him, the tangle of stone houses, in muted shades of beige and gray, appeared as though they’d been built one on top of the other.
Mixed in with the modern homes were ancient caves carved into the rock, some of which were thousands of years old. Most of the caves were no longer occupied, but a few still functioned as homes, while others had been converted into shops, hotels, and restaurants. The whole area had a biblical feel, reminding TJ of his visit to Israel seven years ago, when he’d worked at the site of Tel Dor.
He shook Emilia’s shoulder gently. “Em? Wake up. We’re almost there.”
“Huh?” She rubbed her eyes. “How long have I been asleep?”
“About an hour, but you didn’t miss anything. I gave the group a quick overview ten minutes ago.”
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I wasn’t drooling, was I?”
He grinned. “Yep. Like a bulldog. It might be a medical condition.”
“Shut up. At most, it would have been a delicate trickle.” She turned to peer out the window. “Check out that view.”
“It’s incredible.” Since neither of them had been to Matera before, it made their visit that much more interesting.
Once the bus reached the top of the hill and everyone disembarked, TJ steered them toward a spot that offered a view of the ravine below. He gave them time to spread out and take a few photos before speaking.
“Matera is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the world and a contender for the oldest city in Italy,” he said. “Over the centuries, hundreds of caves were carved into the limestone, and they served as the primary dwellings for people living in the area. Today, we’re going to visit the Casa Grotta, a local history museum set inside a traditional cave house from the nineteenth century, complete with the original furnishings and household goods.
“We’ll also visit the Park of the Rupestrian Churches. It contains over 150 cave churches, carved into the cliffs lining the Gravina River. Inside them, you’ll see religious frescoes spanning nearly a thousand years of occupation. Fun fact—though the frescoes depict typical Christian iconography, some of the cave churches were used as places of pagan worship before the Christian monks took over.”
TJ was glad he’d reviewed the section on Matera during the drive from Paestum. Emilia, on the other hand, had slept for most of the ride.
The nap must have improved her spirits because she raised her hand and waved it around like a kid clamoring for attention. “Dr. Mayer? May I interject with another fun fact?”
