Rome is Where the Heart is: An uplifting romantic read, perfect to escape with (From Italy with Love Book 1)

by Tilly Tennant

‘I am confused,’ he continued. ‘But I know one thing that is clear – I do not want you to leave Rome tomorrow. I know you must but I do not want it.’

  Kate’s eyes filled with tears. He couldn’t say those three little words, just as she couldn’t say them either. As soon as they were out things would shift and change, and every action would have seismic implications, and it was a terrifying thought. She wanted to come back, but what if she didn’t or couldn’t? What then? Love didn’t deserve to be treated that way, abandoned and left to die. And yet there were so many barriers, so much else to think and worry about that would stand in the way of it. She took a deep breath and stepped into the void. Only time would tell if she would fly or fall, but the decision was made.

  ‘There’s so much to do at home before I can think about anything else,’ she began.

  He gently thumbed away a tear. ‘I understand,’ he said.

  ‘No. . .’ She shook her head. ‘You don’t. I’ve been thinking a lot about my future, and I’m going to try to come back to Rome.’

  ‘When?’ His face lit up. ‘If I know when I will try to take leave and we will be together all the time you are here!’

  Kate smiled, sniffing away her tears. ‘That’ll be a lot of leave then. Because I want to move here.’

  He frowned.

  ‘I want to live here,’ she clarified. ‘In Rome. When I come back again it’ll be for good.’

  He broke into a grin and pulled her into a kiss that melted her in his arms. ‘I am so happy,’ he whispered. ‘Ti amo troppo.’

  There was some Italian that Kate didn’t need interpreting. Her heart soared at his declaration as he kissed her again.

  ‘This is true, a promise?’ he asked as their lips parted. ‘You will come back?’

  ‘I’ll do my very best,’ Kate said, though already reality and uncertainty were setting in. He rifled in his pocket and produced a coin.

  ‘We must make a wish in the fountain,’ he said, leading her through the crowds to get closer to the waters. They stopped at the lip of the fountain’s basin. ‘We turn our backs, like so. . .’ He turned away from the water and she copied him before he handed her the coin. ‘You throw it behind you, and if it lands in the water then you will return to Rome.’

  ‘I would think it’s pretty hard to miss,’ Kate laughed, but then her laughter died as she saw the earnest look on his face.

  ‘It will make me trust your promise,’ he said. ‘If you do this I can be sure you will always come back.’

  He wanted reassurance, and after losing someone dear once before, she understood how desperately he must need it. She closed her eyes, uttered the prayer under her breath, and tossed the coin over her shoulder. The crowds were too noisy to hear the splash above them, but she opened her eyes and saw that he was smiling.

  ‘Va bene. I am happy now.’

  ‘Me too,’ Kate said.

  At that moment her phone buzzed in her bag. For a second she considered ignoring it, but then she wondered if it might be Lily, who had been on her mind in one way or another all day, so she pulled it out and checked.

  ‘Jamie.’ She smiled up at Alessandro’s questioning look.

  Have you told him yet?

  Kate locked the phone and dropped it back into her bag. There would be time to talk to Jamie later, and when she filled him in he would understand that right now it was all about Alessandro. He was probably at the airport, bored and wanting to talk to someone, but it would have to be one of the other many friends he had. She reached for Alessandro’s hand.

  ‘I think we’ve seen the fountain.’

  ‘You do not like it?’

  ‘I love it. I just think we’ve seen it.’

  ‘You would like to see something else?’

  ‘Not really.’

  He frowned. ‘You would like to go back to your hotel?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Oh. . .’ His expression was one of disappointment. She smiled. Perhaps she had a cure for that.

  ‘Are you tired yet?’ she asked.

  ‘No,’ he said.

  ‘Good. I was hoping you’d say that.’

  She’d never understood how functional the years of sex with Matt had been until Alessandro made love to her that afternoon. It wasn’t even that she’d only ever been with one man, but she knew instinctively from the way he touched her that he could do things few other men could or would. It was about her pleasure and her desires, and only when he was happy that she was floating on a cloud of ecstasy, unable to take any more, did he allow himself his own. There was no fear, no anxiety, no hang-ups, only trust and contentment as she dozed naked in his arms in the afterglow, the city breeze whispering over their bodies as if casting an enchantment of love as it blew in through the open window. There was no going back; she was completely and irretrievably lost to this man no matter what else happened from now on.

  From the length of the shadows as she opened her eyes, it was early evening. Alessandro was dressing.

  ‘You’re going?’ she asked in a groggy voice.

  ‘I must,’ he said. ‘It is late and I must be on duty in one hour.’

  Kate shot up. ‘We’ve been asleep that long?’

  ‘Yes.’ He grinned. ‘You were very tired.’

  ‘I’m not surprised,’ Kate said with a sly, flirty look, the instant tingle in her loins making her wish she could pull him back into bed and do it all again. ‘You should be tired too.’

  ‘Not me,’ he said, his grin widening. ‘I am like a horse.’

  Kate laughed. ‘My Italian Stallion. Now I can’t get that image out of my head!’

  He pulled on his shoes before grabbing a notebook from the bedside cabinet, where he wrote a number and gave the page to her. ‘You will need this. My phone number.’

  Kate looked at it before tearing off a blank section at the bottom of the page and writing hers.

  ‘And you’ll need this. I don’t know why I didn’t give it to you before, but. . .’

  ‘Va bene. It does not matter.’ He took a seat next to her on the bed and cupped her face in his hands, kissing her gently. ‘I will not see you again before your flight?’

  Kate shook her head, the awful reality of their imminent parting sapping the happiness from the air around them until the room felt a little colder and a little greyer than it had done a moment before.

  ‘You must hurry back to me,’ he said. ‘I will not be happy until then.’

  ‘I will.’

  There was time for one more passionate kiss, whispered promises, and then he was gone.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lily still wasn’t answering her phone. It was strange and very worrying. Kate tried once Alessandro had gone, and then again after dinner, and once more as she packed for what she hoped would be a return flight. She sent a brief text expressing her now mounting concern and a wish for Lily to get back to her as soon as she could, and the only other thing she could do was call Anna.

  ‘Have you heard from Lily today?’ Kate sat on her bed, her gaze drawn to the filled suitcases now standing in the corner of the room. ‘I tried her this morning and a few times since but there’s no reply.’

  ‘Have you tried Joel?’

  ‘I sent him a text but he hasn’t replied either. He is a bit crap at checking his phone, though.’

  ‘He is but it’s unlike Lily. I can try her if you like.’

  ‘I doubt you’ll get any further than me but you never know. Will you let me know if you hear back?’

  ‘She’s probably just working late on some big project or other. I wouldn’t worry too much.’

  Kate was silent for a moment. Perhaps she was worrying too much. ‘I suppose it’s being so far away that makes me more worried. . . I feel a bit helpless to do anything if something was actually wrong, you know?’

  ‘Well, you’ll be home tomorrow so if there’s a state of national emergency declared you’ll be right on hand to sort it out, won’t you?’

  Kate smiled. />
  ‘I can’t wait to see you,’ Anna added. ‘Do you want me to come to the airport to pick you up?’

  ‘That would be brilliant; thanks.’

  There was another silence. Kate could break her news about Alessandro now, and her decision to relocate, and she desperately wanted to. She felt she could burst with it, and she hated keeping secrets from her sisters, especially one this big. But was it fair to do it over the phone? And was it the time when there were other things to think about, like where Lily was and why she hadn’t replied to her messages?

  Kate chewed her lip, and as Anna spoke again she knew the moment had passed. It would have to wait until she got home, but perhaps that was for the best.

  ‘Are you all packed? I bet you’re ready for a cup of English tea, aren’t you? That’s what I miss most when I’m abroad, a good, proper cup of English tea.’

  ‘Sounds lovely,’ Kate replied absently.

  ‘Are you OK?’

  ‘Yes. Of course. . .’ Kate shook herself. ‘I was just thinking about things I have to do when I get back.’

  ‘Only. . . I wondered if you were still upset about Matt. . .’

  ‘Matt?’

  ‘You know. . . the baby business. I wondered. . . well, I didn’t want it to ruin your holiday and I was worried that it might have done. I’ve been thinking all day that I shouldn’t have told you until you got back and it was a stupid thing to do and—’

  ‘It’s fine. She’s welcome to him and I couldn’t care less if they have ten babies.’

  ‘Really?’ Anna’s tone was one of disbelief and Kate could understand why. But the landscape of her future had changed beyond recognition since Anna had broken that news to Kate, and her words now were heartfelt. Matt was in her past, and she had no desire to see him feature in what was to come.

  ‘Absolutely. He’s nothing to me now. I don’t wish him ill but I don’t particularly care what he does either.’

  ‘Wow. . . what’s brought this on?’

  ‘I’ve moved on. It’s not that strange; people do it all the time.’

  ‘I know, I just thought. . . never mind. I’m glad you’re putting it all behind you now. Text me when you get on your plane tomorrow so I’ll know when to be at the airport.’

  ‘Thanks, I will. And don’t forget to let me know if you hear from Lily.’

  ‘OK. But I’m sure she’ll be fine. See you tomorrow. Love you.’

  ‘Love you too.’

  Kate tossed the phone onto the bed beside her and stared at the suitcases packed and waiting. If someone had predicted for her the week she would have she would have laughed in their face. But she was leaving the eternal city a different person, for better or for worse.

  She got up and went over to the window, throwing it wide and leaning over the narrow balcony to get a better view of the streets below. They were still warm and teeming with people, despite the hour, still vibrant and exciting and full of possibilities. Somewhere out there Alessandro walked his beat, keeping those same streets – the ones he loved so dearly – safe. How was it possible that such a man could love her too? He was everything she could have dreamed of but never dared hope for, and yet he had promised himself to her, told her he would wait however long it took for her to get back. She was the luckiest woman alive, so why did she feel like crying? What she wanted to do was run and find him right now, just to see his face once more before she left, even if he was working and she couldn’t talk to him. It was late, and everyone who cared for her would be unhappy at the idea of her wandering the streets to look for him, but none of them were here. Before she could think about it long enough to talk herself out of it, she had grabbed her phone and keys and was heading for the door.

  Almost as if he was psychic, her phone bleeped the arrival of a message from Jamie. He’d just landed at JFK airport and was waiting for his luggage at the carousel. Kate smiled as she read it.

  You never told me – did you get your man?

  Yes. He’s all mine.

  Did you seal the deal?

  Kate’s smile grew. My secret, she replied.

  You go, girl. I never thanked you properly for being an awesome friend.

  No need to thank me, it was my pleasure. I loved having you show me around Rome. Thanks for taking good care of me.

  Not that good! You owe me a visit in New York. Don’t forget about me.

  As if I could!

  Damn straight! Have a safe trip home tomorrow. X

  Kate dropped the phone back into her bag. Not only had she fallen in love with a man and a city, she had fallen in love with a brand new best friend. And who knew what other possibilities life held, because right now it felt like everything was out there, just waiting for her. The world felt fresh, like the first page of a new book, and it was a wonderful thing. She’d emerged from the shadow of Matt’s betrayal and rejection and she’d become stronger, more dazzling, ready for anything. She was capable of so much more than she ever thought possible. And she couldn’t wait to see what life threw at her next.

  Her walk took her to the Spanish Steps, and although she saw a couple of pairs of policemen, she didn’t see Alessandro. Making her way to the Piazza Navona she scoured the streets, but there was no sign of him there either. She’d never actually asked him where he would be tonight – perhaps he was in a brand-new area, or even working at the station.

  Another half hour and she had to admit defeat. She could spend all night looking and never find him. He was working too, and despite her temptation to phone him now that she had finally obtained his number, it probably wasn’t a good idea. Along with all that, she had a flight to catch in the morning, so it was probably time to make her way back to bed. A slow walk back took her past the Trattoria da Luigi. She glanced through the wide windows, the warm interior of the restaurant almost deserted apart from a couple kissing at an intimate corner table, and a man who looked so startlingly like an older version of Pietro that it could only be Luigi himself manning the bar. She was struck by a sudden wild urge to go in and talk to him, wanting to know for herself that everything had worked out OK for the family. The old Kate would have hurried back to her hotel, ignoring such silly impulses. But this wasn’t the old Kate. She pushed open the restaurant doors and went in.

  ‘Buonasera,’ he said, looking up from the till.

  ‘Hello.’

  ‘A table?’

  ‘No, thank you. . . a drink might be nice. Do you have limoncello?’

  He nodded and reached for a glass. Clearly he didn’t recognise her from the evening she’d been there with Jamie, despite the unusual circumstances of her departure.

  ‘I wondered if Pietro was here tonight. . .’ she asked, and he stopped dead, holding the bottle over the glass as he stared at her.

  ‘My son?’

  ‘Yes. I. . .’ Kate was suddenly aware that perhaps she shouldn’t be poking her nose in after all, but she was here now and she had already raked the mess up. She felt herself colour as she quickly changed tack. ‘I don’t suppose you remember me but I dined here earlier in the week. I met Pietro. . . he was very nice. I just wondered if he was here tonight. Just to say hello.’

  Luigi looked her up and down as he continued to pour the liqueur. ‘You are wasting your time,’ he said gruffly. ‘He would not be interested.’

  Oh shit! Now it looked as though she was trying to cop off with him! Shit, shit! Could she have given a worse impression? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go at all! ‘I’m not trying to get a date or anything,’ she said, her face burning even redder. ‘I just wanted to thank him, for good service and being friendly. It was my first night in Rome. That’s all. It doesn’t matter.’

  Luigi looked her up and down again. ‘He is not working tonight. I will tell him.’

  If he meant that, then at least he was in contact with Pietro, which had to be good. Kate had to satisfy herself with knowing at least that much; it looked as though it was all she was going to get out of Luigi and, in the absence of ot
her family members in the restaurant, all she was going to get from anyone. She paid for her drink, downed it quickly, and left.

  So much for sticking your nose in, she thought as she emerged back on the lamp-lit street to return to her hotel. She’d barely gone ten steps when her phone rang. Immediately, she thought of Jamie, bored again as he waited for a cab or something. Better not to tell him about her embarrassing episode at the trattoria. But when she pulled the phone from the depths of her bag, it wasn’t Jamie but Anna.

  ‘Hey. . . what’s up?’

  ‘Kate, it’s me. . . I managed to get hold of Joel. He’s been at the hospital with Lily all day and he’s only just managed to get free. Oh, Kate, it’s bad news. . . she’s lost the baby!’

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kate stared at the phone.

  ‘Did you hear me?’ Anna asked.

  ‘Yes. Oh God, poor Lily. What happened?’

  ‘The details are a bit sketchy – Joel’s in bits and he’s not making much sense. From what I can gather she started to bleed this morning. She stayed in bed, hoped it would go away, but it didn’t and the midwife told her to go straight to hospital. She’d already miscarried when she got there.’

  ‘I’ll come straight back, see if I can get a plane tonight—’ Kate began but Anna stopped her.

  ‘Don’t be daft. What can you do? It’ll cost you a fortune and the damage is done now. Stick to your original flight – Lily wouldn’t want you to go to all that trouble on her account.’

  ‘She needs me there!’

  ‘Mum is on her way down from Scotland and I’m on my way over to the hospital now so she’s got plenty of support and probably more than she wants. There’s honestly no point and she’ll be back at home tomorrow; it will really hit home then what’s happened and she’ll probably need you around a lot more than she does right now.’

  Kate chewed her lip. ‘OK,’ she said. ‘But you stay with her and I’ll make my own way back from the airport. I’ll be straight over as soon as I’m home.’