AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Don't let it go to your head.So where now?"
"How about the nearest bar?"she asked.
"Is there a clue at the nearest bar?"
"No, but I think there will be alcohol, and I could use a drink."
He found a touristy bar a few blocks away from the church.It was crowded, not surprising on a Saturday night, and there was a mix of English, Italian, and other languages creating a cacophony of sound that seemed even louder after the quiet church.He ordered a bottle of red wine while Isabella picked out a couple of appetizers.
The wine arrived first, and he was happy to take a sip.In recent years, he'd become more of a beer or whiskey drinker, but being in Italy made him want to savor a deep, smooth red.He couldn't help noticing that Isabella's first sip was half her glass.That reminded him of their disastrous date when he'd watched her down two glasses of expensive champagne that he was quite sure she'd ordered on purpose when he'd been late.
"What?"she asked, giving him a wary look.
"Nothing."
"I'm not a big drinker, Nick.I know you think I am because of the first time we met, but that night was an exception."
"You can just say I drove you to drink," he said dryly.
She smiled at his words."That would be the easiest explanation, but not the whole truth.My career was stuttering because of my big mouth, and I was still reeling after finding out the man I'd been seeing had been cheating on me.You became the epitome of all things bad in my life.And every minute you were late increased my frustration level.I'm really not a lush."
"I'm not judging, Isabella."
"You act like you don't judge, but you do.You have this way of watching people.It makes me nervous sometimes."
Her admission surprised him."I'm not watching you to judge you, Isabella.It's because I have trouble taking my eyes off you.You're a beautiful woman."
She flushed at his words and then reached for her glass, taking another long sip."Okay, that time you did drive me to drink."
"You don't like compliments, do you?"
"Of course I like compliments.Who doesn't want to be told they're beautiful, but…"
"But what?"he asked with interest.
"This sudden flirting is taking me off guard.Why are you doing it?"
"I'm not flirting.I'm talking."
"In a sexy way."
"You find me sexy?"
She shook her head."I didn't say that.Let's talk about something else, something that won't make me want to drink."
"Then I better not say what I was going to say."
She raised a questioning brow."What were you going to say?"
"That we need to talk to someone who knows more about Lucinda than we do."
Her lips tightened as she read his gaze."I don't think so, Nick."
"You know where this is heading, Isabella.You're not only beautiful, you're also incredibly intelligent.Your mother studied Lucinda's work when she wanted to become an artist.She had that painting in her hands for years.She must have looked at it a million times.You have to talk to her."
"Lucinda died when my mother was a toddler.She didn’t know her."
"She knew her work, and that might be more important."
