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A sudden, horrifying thought struck her. Now that Nico had been identified, the press would start stalking him, too. For all they knew, a telephoto lens could be trained on them right now. Reflexively, she looked over her shoulder at the kitchen window.
“Relax,” Nico told her. “I drew the curtains when we got home last night. No one can see you.”
Sure, they couldn’t see her now. But eventually... “This was a mistake. I’m better off just going to Florence.”
“No one is going anywhere except to the winery.” Nico’s hand reached across the table and grabbed her wrist, preventing her from standing. “Trust me, everything is going to be fine. In a few days, another scandal will erupt and the press will forget all about you.”
Louisa looked down at the bronzed hand gently encircling her arm. His thumb brushing her pulse point, the tiny movement as soothing as a caress. That his slightest touch could calm her was disturbing in itself.
Slipping free, Louisa reached for the newspaper and flipped it back over. The picture on the front page showed the two of them with their heads together in quiet conversation. Arm slung casually over the back of her chair, he was leaning forward as she spoke in his ear, her hand resting lightly on his forearm. She remembered the moment. The orchestra had started playing, and she’d moved closer so she could comment on the song selection. Thanks to the angle, they looked more like a couple who had eyes only for each other.
A second photo greeted her when she turned the page. The two of them dancing. No need to mess with the angle this time. Their gazes were locked; their bodies pressed together like lovers’. Must have been taken only moments before Nico had kissed her.
What if there was a photo of them kissing? Louisa’s stomach dropped. The blogosphere would have a field day. Her horror must have shown on her face, because when she looked up, Nico was watching her. “If they had a photo, they would have used it,” he said, reading her mind.
He was right, Louisa thought, letting out her breath. “The one they used is bad enough. Did we really look like that?” Like they couldn’t get close enough.
“Considering what followed, I would have to say yes.”
That’s what she was afraid of. Louisa dropped her head on her arms with a groan. “It’s only a couple of photographs,” he said, patting the back of her head. “We’ll survive.”
He didn’t understand. Any photograph was one photograph too many. “Believe it or not,” she said, lifting her head, “there was a time when I liked having my picture taken.” She remembered her first public date with Steven and how the local press surrounded them. She’d felt like someone had dropped her on a Hollywood red carpet. “I thought being featured in the paper was the coolest thing ever.”
Letting out a long breath, she balanced her chin on the back of her hand. “After Steven was arrested, reporters started camping out in cars across the street. They’d call my name each time I left the house, and I would hear the cameras snapping. Click-click-click-click. It never stopped. After a while I stopped going out unless it was to go to court. I had my food delivered. I kept the curtains drawn. I swear Steven had more freedom in prison.” Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Nico’s gaze slide toward his windows and the green linen drapes blocking the view.
“Did you know, I couldn’t even take out my garbage, because they would go through the contents?” she asked. “I had to let it pile up in the basement until after the trial was over.” If she concentrated, she could smell the stench. The horrible sour smell that drifted up the stairs every time she opened the basement door. “I actually dreamt once that the bags overflowed and buried me alive.”
“Bella mia...” He reached for her hand.
Louisa pulled back with a shake of her head. No more comforting touches. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel sorry for me.” Honestly, she didn’t know why she’d told him at all. The memory had simply popped out and it had been the first time she shared the secret with anyone. She supposed it was because the situation was repeating itself again now.
“Well, I promise no garbage here.”
How was it he knew the way to make her smile no matter how aggravated or sad she got? “Well, if there is,” she said, “you’re responsible for taking it out.”
“Agreed.” Nico smiled, and the warmth in his eyes was as reassuring as any embrace. For that moment, anyway, Louisa felt as if everything would be okay.
* * *
Seeing Louisa smile cheered him. It was strange how important seeing her smile was becoming to him. Nico tried to imagine what it must have been like for her during the trial, trapped inside her home while the wolves with their cameras gathered around in wait.
