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‘I used to call him Ragno,’ Alicia said, ‘because he was so tall and skinny. And then he broke my heart, because he got off with every girl in the village except for me. Well, in my jealous mind he did.’
She turned and looked at him then, as if she loved him—which, of course, she did. And because she was meant to be acting, she got the chance to speak her truth.
‘I saw he was in Milan and I couldn’t resist looking him up.’ Her hand stroked his cheek. ‘Who can blame me?’
And then, because she was Alicia, she took it too far, her lies blurring the truth, her wishes stronger than reality.
‘I think his mother knew about us...’ she said. ‘She gave me a beautiful compact mirror for my eighteenth birthday.’ She felt Dante still. ‘I treasure it, and I carry it everywhere with me.’
He took her hand from his cheek and for the sake of their audience gave it a squeeze, but she felt his tight warning. And as the desserts were served he spoke into her ear. ‘A little less syrup, Alicia.’
Giustina was now more curious about Alicia’s parents.
‘So you’re saying they had you, and then went on to marry and have more children?’
‘Giustina.’ Dante looked over at her. ‘Really?’
He knew Alicia would be upset, and perhaps biting her tongue—a very hard thing when you had Sicilian blood pumping through your veins. And it was he who turned and looked straight at the less than impartial Giustina.
‘You never did tell me, Giustina...’ Dante gave her a black smile. ‘How did you meet my very rich father?’
She shot daggers back at him, and it was tense at the table as the affogato was served.
Before she poured her shot of coffee on her ice-cream, Alicia excused herself. ‘So warm in here...’
Dante looked over to Giustina and his eyes fired a warning. ‘Don’t talk to her like that again.’
He got up and went out for air too—or rather went to join her.
‘Sorry about that—she’s a cow.’
‘It’s fine,’ Alicia said, staring out at the night. ‘And excuse my ramblings. You know me... I just can’t help myself when I start.’
‘Yes, well...tone it down.’ He gave a wry laugh. ‘Do you remember how you would say to the tourists that your parents died in a house fire?’
‘Yes,’ she said with a laugh.
There were some advantages to tonight being a ruse, she thought. Because if they were a real couple, it might be dreadfully awkward to tell him. But, given they weren’t, what the hell?
‘I can see where you got it from,’ she said.
‘Got what?’
‘Your father has spent half the night flirting with me. He’s insatiable. Please make sure I don’t have to dance with him!’
‘I promise.’ Dante smiled. ‘Every dance is for me.’
‘Giustina really has it in for me.’ She glanced back at the table. ‘Or for you. I can’t work it out.’
‘She’s cross. I think Giustina is starting to realise that her son might not be able to drag his eyes off his phone long enough to steer the ship away from the iceberg if I pull back from the business.’
‘Are they in trouble?’
‘No, but I do a lot. I have not been idle.’
‘Can I say one thing?’
‘Alicia, I don’t want a lecture on family tonight, please.’
