I took all my salad ingredients to the dining table so I could chop things out of Katerina’s way.
“Everything you’ve got there was picked from Massimo’s farm! He dropped it off this morning.”
I cut up big, ripe bell peppers and stole a slice or two when Katerina was too busy to notice. She was sautéing the onions and garlic, making a delicious-smelling sauce for the chicken. After I’d finished chopping and preparing the salad, I poured us big glasses of wine and set up a little radio she kept in the corner beside the book stacks. She had it programmed to a popular station and we went to work, drinking and prepping with Italian pop songs on in the background.
I set the table and lit a few candles in the middle. I cut up large pieces of crusty bread and arranged them on a little plate with a pat of butter. Katerina pulled the chicken out of the oven, covered it to keep it warm, and then we hurried to change before the boys arrived. They were due any minute and I had an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, a swirl of butterflies at the idea of seeing Gianluca again. I prayed he wouldn’t cancel last minute.
“Oh god,” she groaned. “I sort of hate you for looking that good.”
I laughed and twirled around in my new blue dress. “It’s not me, it’s the dress.”
The light, silky material spun around my legs.
She shook her head. “It’s lovely, but you’re wrong. Your hair has gone a bit lighter from the sun and your arms are a lovely brown now. You’re tan and toned from all the swimming you’ve been doing. You’re in full Italian mode and you’re practically glowing from it.”
A knock sounded from the front door before I could let her compliments sink in.
She clapped excitedly. “They’re here!”
I followed her out into the living room as she rushed to the door. Massimo was standing on the other side with a bottle of wine in his hands. Gianluca stood behind him, a little taller, with his hands tucked into his pockets. His medium-length brown hair was styled away from his face, wavy and blissfully thick. He’d dressed up in a pair of dark jeans and a white button-down. The color complimented his tan skin and I was struck again by how excruciatingly beautiful he was. He stepped past the door, saw me standing near the coffee table, and offered up a small, easy smile. My heart nearly broke from the sight of it.
Katerina kissed Massimo and accepted the bottle of wine from his hands. Then, she popped up onto her tiptoes and planted two kisses on Gianluca’s cheeks. I wrung out my hands as Massimo stepped forward to greet me, planting two kisses on my cheeks and then turning to compliment the table arrangement.
“You’ve cooked my favorite sauce, haven’t you?” he asked, turning to Katerina with a giant, cheesy grin.
She smiled coyly and I turned back to Gianluca, aware that he had ducked past the door and we still hadn’t really said a proper greeting. I turned to face him and he stepped forward. My heart shot up into my throat as he bent to kiss me. To him, it was all very polite and customary, but I nearly fainted from the feel of his lips on my cheeks. God, it was an intimate greeting, wasn’t it? I could have turned my face an inch to the left and oops, his mouth would have been on mine.
“You look lovely,” he said, admiring my dress with a quick gaze down my body before turning his attention to Katerina.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and turned to cover my blushing cheeks. “Thanks.”
Lord it was annoying how much I clammed up when he was around. I’d never gone this mental over a man before.
“I’ll pour some wine,” I said, my voice a bit peaky. I turned quickly and set out doing tasks that kept me flitting around the apartment. I brought Massimo and Gianluca full glasses of red wine then tossed the dressing into the salad. I set everything out onto the table and relit a candle that had blown out. Katerina laughed and asked if I was all right when I’d set out cutting up even more bread. She put her hand over mine to stop me from slicing. “I think we’ve got enough bread to feed the village. C’mon, let’s sit.”
Gianluca pulled my chair out for me and I squeaked out a quiet thank you.
Katerina poured the sauce over the chicken and set it down on the table. We had loads of food and more wine than we knew what to do with. I gulped down another long sip and draped my napkin over my lap, aware of how close Gianluca was sitting to my left. Katerina’s table was small and we were sort of crammed together over the food and candles. It was heaven, all of it. She’d left her windows open, so a soft breeze swelled in every now and then, spreading goosebumps over my bare arms.
Gianluca noticed. I saw him glance over and furrow his brow. I thought for a second he’d say something or offer to shut the windows, but he swallowed and turned his attention back to his chicken. Massimo broke the silence.
“Georgie, what are we going to do once you’ve left Vernazza? Katerina says you’ve been helping in the shop a lot lately.”
She moaned. “Don’t even bring it up. I don’t want to think about it.”
I laughed. “I actually think I might stay on a bit longer. I asked Chiara about a prolonged stay at the hotel.”
Massimo’s brows arched. “Really? That’s great!”
“What will you do?” Gianluca asked. “If you stay?”
“It’s not like she needs a job or anything, Luca,” Katerina chimed in, hinting at the posh life I’d left behind in England.
“I think I’d like one, though,” I admitted. “I’ve loved exploring and relaxing, but I can’t just loll about all day, every day.”