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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
‘YOUARETENSE,’ Antonietta commented as she massaged Vincenzo’s shoulders.
As part of her training she was still practising on the staff, but they were actually asking for her now, and a couple of them had told her that they would be her clients if she ever set up on her own.
‘Isn’t everyone tense at Christmas?’ asked Vincenzo, who was lying face-down.
‘No!’ Antonietta smiled. ‘It’s supposed to be a happy time.’
‘Well, you should be happy!’ Vincenzo said. ‘It would seem you made the right choice!’
‘Sorry?’
‘With Sylvester. You know...because his wife left him?’
Her hands stilled on Vincenzo’s shoulders.
‘You haven’t heard?’
‘No,’ Antonietta said.
As Vincenzo spoke on she discovered that it had been a terrible break-up—and, no, it did not make her happy to hear it.
She poured more oil on her hands and got to work on Vincenzo’s knotted neck. Some clients preferred silence, which Antonietta was very good at, and usually Vincenzo was one of them, but today he seemed keen to talk.
‘I am so over Christmas, and it isn’t even here yet,’ Vincenzo said.
‘You’re off to Florence tonight?’ Antonietta checked.
‘Yes, but my family are driving me crazy.’ He sighed. ‘They expect me to come home, yet they don’t want me to bring a guest...’
Antonietta’s hands paused and, unseen by Vincenzo, she frowned, though she kept her voice light. ‘My family don’t want me home with or without a guest, so I win.’
He laughed and relaxed a little. ‘I don’t know how to keep everyone happy,’ he admitted.
‘I think it’s time to make your own traditions, Vincenzo. I know I’ve been relying on other people to make this Christmas a happy one.’
An idea was forming, though she did not share it with Vincenzo as he was now half asleep. But when he was done, and it was time for her break, Antonietta knocked on Francesca’s door.
‘Come in, Antonietta,’ Francesca said.
‘I lied to you.’
Antonietta saw Francesca’s curious frown as she took a seat in her office.
‘About what?’ Francesca asked. ‘Are you intending to open a bordello here?’
They shared a small smile before Antonietta answered. ‘Of course not. But I do want to take advantage of my friendship with Aurora and Nico. I wanted to speak with you about it beforehand. I don’t want to go over your head.’
‘I’m curious,’ Francesca admitted.
‘I came to Silibri hoping for a wonderful Christmas,’ Antonietta said, ‘and I’ve realised I have done little to bring it about.’
Francesca frowned.
‘I have left my fate in other people’s hands for too long,’ Antonietta said. ‘I have been waiting for my parents to decide how I spend my days, and what will make me happy, but no more.’
‘What do you have in mind?’
