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‘It’s not that bad.’ In fact it could be invigorating. And wet, and cold, and—home. But she wasn’t missing home. Not when Mattia was taking her and Aimee to Napoli for the family lunch later in the morning. Sofia had phoned for a chinwag yesterday, talking about anything and everything as friends did. She’d made Elene feel welcome and homesick for her sisters at the same time.
‘Want to go shopping again?’ Mattia asked from where he was loading the dishwasher.
She’d love to. She was so over the few clothes she’d brought with her. But Mattia might offer to pay for her and that would be a slippery slope. It could become a habit and then he’d be right in thinking that she wanted to get what she could from him. ‘Not today.’
‘I won’t ask the other female in the house. My mother’s already bought out the shops for her.’
It was true. Aimee now had more outfits than she’d ever wear before she outgrew them. Maria enjoyed indulging her grandchildren. If Sofia hadn’t told her Maria did the same for Giulia and Marco, Elene might’ve suspected her of deliberately overdoing it to show what Aimee could have if Elene brought her to live here full-time. Mattia had suggested they shouldn’t say anything about what they’d agreed while they worked out the details or his mother would want a say in everything.
‘Aimee looks gorgeous in that dress Maria brought on Friday.’ Elene hadn’t been able to resist dressing her girl in the pretty dress for their outing.
The day went without a hitch, and Elene felt as though she’d been dropping by on Sundays for ever. Sofia and Alessia had as many questions as the previous week while they sat in the back yard with their wines, watching the kids play and laughing and talking nonstop.
Mattia regularly checked that Elene was happy and had whatever she needed. ‘He’s just as attentive as Marco,’ Sofia said around a laugh. ‘Watch out, Elene. The man’s getting serious.’
‘Don’t go getting ideas,’ she warned. About to say more, she looked up to find Mattia standing in the doorway watching her. It was obvious he’d heard Sofia’s comment and her reply—and he didn’t seem upset at her answer.
Her heart banged. Which was silly when she knew there was no hope in that direction. Typical. When she’d finally moved on from the past she’d fallen for a man who had his own issues to deal with before he’d reciprocate her feelings, if he could. Homesickness swamped her. Her sisters would know what to say, would tell her to get Mattia out of her system and find someone to love her properly. Neither of them had had their hearts broken yet and believed moving onto the next man was a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Long might that last for them. But if only they were here. Or she was at home, sitting around the table catching up on family news and nonsense. But they weren’t, and she wasn’t. She was in Naples with Mattia and his family, being made to feel she might belong. She should be grateful, not sad. Deep breath then. ‘Where’s the best place in Napoli to buy shoes? I promised myself I’d take a couple of pairs home with me.’
Alessia sighed and did an eye-roll. ‘Now I know we’re best friends. I’ll take you to my favourite shop this week.’
‘We could have lunch at Prego’s,’ Sofia said.
‘Knew you’d want to come,’ Alessia laughed.
‘Sisters united,’ Sofia scoffed.
Elene wasn’t so sure about sisterhood yet. ‘I work most mornings, and then there’s Aimee to think about.’
‘We’ll have a late lunch. Maria can look after all three children.’ Sofia was checking her diary on her phone. ‘I can do Wednesday.’
‘Works for me,’ Alessia said. ‘Elene?’
She gave up pretending she didn’t want to go out with these two. ‘Wednesday’s good. I’ll catch a train up so I’ll be a while getting to the city.’
‘Anna can drive you and Aimee up,’ Mattia said from behind. So much for thinking he’d returned inside.
‘Done. Thank you, everyone.’ Then Elene thought about the housekeeper. ‘If it’s all right with Anna.’
‘It will be.’ Then Mattia said, ‘Lunch’s ready,’ and waited to take Elene’s elbow to lead her inside.
* * *
On Tuesday Maria came down to Sorrento to spend time with her granddaughter, and stayed on while Mattia again took Elene out to dinner.
‘Seems your mother can’t get enough of Aimee,’ Elene commented halfway through the entrée.
‘You’re heading home on Saturday. Naturally she wants to spend time with her granddaughter.’
‘Fair enough.’ Mattia had relented and told the family on Sunday that Elene would be moving to Sorrento permanently. Everyone was genuinely thrilled. She had yet to break the news to her family.
Mattia put down his fork. ‘I’ve been thinking about where you should live. There’s plenty of room in my house for us not to get under each other’s feet all the time.’
Elene ignored the tightening of her heart. He’d only said what she already knew. They were not going to be sharing the same bedroom. She suspected the nights of passion wouldn’t be picked up when she returned to live here, that Mattia would use the break to end the fling. He was a flings man, not one for commitment. ‘I think I’d prefer a small place of my own, an apartment, maybe.’
‘The problem is finding one that isn’t rented out to vacationers in summer. There’d be more opportunity in the towns between here and Napoli, but then you wouldn’t be close for me to drop by after work.’
‘But living in your home won’t work long-term. We’d want privacy to come and go as we please, with who we please,’ she added to see how he reacted.
He gulped down the mouthful of seafood he’d been chewing. ‘True.’
‘What would it cost me to buy here? Ballpark figure.’ She could sell her cottage back home since she wouldn’t be living there. Plus she had an investment from her grandmother that could be used.
‘That won’t be necessary.’
‘I’d prefer that to renting long-term. I’d need your advice on the best areas for safety and weather.’
‘I repeat, that won’t be happening. If there’s any property purchase happening I’ll do it.’
‘Mattia, without starting an argument, I get to decide where to live, and to choose my own home.’ One moment she believed they were on the same wavelength, the next Mattia proved her wrong. Indignation rose. ‘I can afford this.’ I think. Shouldn’t have said that until she’d checked out prices. Not that she’d let him pay.
‘You don’t know the system here, won’t know what to look out for in a property.’
‘Then you can help me, or put me in touch with a realtor you trust.’
‘Why don’t you give me a list of what’s important to you and let me do the job?’ He didn’t give up easily.
But she’d known that. It was one of his endearing char
acteristics when it wasn’t aimed at wrecking her requirements. ‘Because I can’t tell you what the X factor will be, what that undefinable something that ticks my boxes will be. When I bought the cottage it had everything I was looking for, as did most of the places I’d seen, but the cottage touched me in some way. Its warmth, quirky kitchen, the tree out the back. Things I hadn’t believed I’d care about.’
‘I’ve never bought a house so I don’t understand. I presumed it was all about getting value for money, the right location, sun angles, not quirky anything.’ His smile said he was trying to understand her need to make her own choices.
‘If I found a property I loved I’d certainly want your opinion, and someone to make sure it wasn’t going to get washed off the hill in the next rain deluge.’ She’d worked too hard to get where she was, and wasn’t about to toss it away.
‘If you’re giving up your home to move to my side of the world then you must let me make it as easy as possible for you. If that means buying you a property then I will. And—’ he held his hand up ‘—I want to give you something back for all you’ve done for Aimee and me.’
Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. This was still Mattia, with his kindness and thoughtfulness, but he liked, maybe needed, because of what Sandy had done, to be in charge. A sip of her wine loosened her tongue enough to speak. ‘Bet you never thought you’d be saying that to me.’ She had to go for the light-hearted approach or spill her heart, and he wasn’t ready for that.
Already there was withdrawal going on in his eyes. ‘Funny how life flips you on your head when least expected.’
Lifting her fork, she watched him. Whatever he was thinking, he wasn’t about to turn into a monster. If only he wanted to share more with her than raising a child. A shiver caught her. Mattia might be feeling close to her but he didn’t love her. She had to accept that or living here would be hell.
Starting now with accepting how it would be, she said, ‘This gnocchi with four cheese sauce is divine.’ It really was. One thing she’d never complain about in this country was the food. ‘Just like Mum makes.’ Talking on the phone to her mother wasn’t the same. She needed to see her expressions, feel her warmth, love. Love. She had it in abundance back home. Now she’d have to cultivate some here. Her eyes lifted to the man sitting opposite her, wanting to see and feel his love.
