by Brenda Grate
Julianna let out a tinkle of a laugh.
She studied Aja for a minute, then shook her head. “No. You have someting else. I get for you.” She turned on her heel and left.
The tiny restaurant was quaint, and designed more for the enjoyment of food than anything else. The tables were large and well-spaced. Aja agreed with the designer. There was nothing worse than trying to enjoy a good meal crammed up against your neighbor. The tables were covered in pretty floral cloths and there was a fat candle in a vase on each. The walls were covered in landscape paintings, apparently all done by the same artist.
Before long, Julianna was back with another plate of food. It smelled more amazing than any smell Aja had ever experienced. She put her face close to the plate and breathed in deeply, with great drama. Aja flopped back in her chair, pretending to swoon. Julianna grinned at her. Aja's dramatic nature was good for something at last. She could communicate without knowing the language. She took a bite and knew they were going to be the best of friends. “If I were a man, I’d ask you to marry me.”
Julianna beamed and babbled something in Italian, then flew away from the table again. Within seconds she was back dragging someone vaguely familiar behind her.
“No. You marry heem.” She thrust Pietro at Aja causing her to nearly choke on her food.
Pietro pounded her on the back while Julianna brought a glass of water and tried to force it down her throat.
“Okay, okay!” she gasped. "I’m okay."
The other customer had taken his eyes off the amazing food and was watching them in amusement.
Julianna and Pietro both stepped back and beamed at her. “My brother!” she said with obvious pride.
Of course he would be Julianna’s brother. He was starting to become like the proverbial bad penny. Or was this just the way her new life was going to be? No matter how hard she tried to be good, temptation was there to lure her.
Aja should have remembered how Italians love to match-make. Mia’s mother was forever trying to find them husbands - although Mia had eventually found her own, Mia’s mother was still working on Aja, sending a new man over to her house every other week.
Another couple came in, and Julianna bustled off to serve them. Pietro pulled out a chair and sat at Aja's table. She looked down at her plate so he wouldn't see the dismay in her eyes. As much as she wanted to keep him at bay, she couldn't bring herself to be mean to him.
Pietro took Aja's hand and kissed it. She snatched it back with a gasp. She knew if she wasn’t careful she’d be matched up before the night was over.
“We meet again, bella.”
“My name is Aja, not Bella.”
“I know, it a compliment. You are beautiful woman.”
Aja nodded at him and turned back to her food. Pietro made her nervous. He was too male, too enticing. She didn’t come to Italy just to fall into bed with another loser. Maybe she was being unfair to him, but she had no reason to expect anything else. She had met many men like him in her life and they always spelled trouble. In capitals.
“Good food, Aja?” Pietro flashed a set of brilliant teeth.
Aja smiled back. She couldn’t help it. The food was amazing. “Yes. Your sister is a wonderful cook.”
“Yes.” He puffed out his chest.
Aja liked seeing how he loved his sister. He moved up a notch in her eyes. Just a notch!
“I like your dress, very sexy.”
Foolish man. He just dropped three notches. Aja said nothing and continued eating.
“Aja? Do I say someting wrong?”
“Yes. I am not interested in dating anyone right now.”
“Dating? What is this meaning?” He looked genuinely puzzled.
Aja squinted at him, trying to figure out if he was hiding behind the language barrier. He looked all innocence. “It means I’m not interested in having a boyfriend.”
“Ah. You not want to be friend with me?” He looked heartbroken. Of course she felt guilty, which was precisely his aim.
“Yes, I want to be friends with you, just not...” She tried to find a word that he would understand, then she saw the twinkle in his eye and smacked his arm. “You’re teasing me!”
“Yes, teasing you. You funny to tease. Very cute.”
Julianna brought a plate of pasta for Pietro and thumped it on the table in front of him. “You have stop eat here. I lose money.” She shook a finger in front of his nose. “You need wife,” she said with a sly glance in Aja's direction. Aja crossed her eyes at her and Julianna acted innocent.
Julianna pulled off her apron and sat at the table. She rattled off what sounded like a question to Pietro who then turned to Aja. “Julianna ask where you from.”
“I’m from Canada.”
She understood and her eyes widened. “Ah, Canadese.” She seemed pleased. “I like Canada. Want go there.”
Aja was surprised to hear that Julianna wanted to visit Canada when she lived in Italy. How strange that someone who lived in an exotic place wanted to visit what she thought of as a mundane place. Then she put herself in their shoes. Italy was home. It was normal everyday life for them. Only to Aja was it different and exciting. She wondered what they’d think of Canada.
“Canada is beautiful but it’s not like Italy,” Aja said.
“No, not Italy. Italy is...” Julianna waved her hands, searching for the word, then finished with, “Italy. It is Italy. No word.”
“Yes,” Pietro said around a mouthful of pasta. “There are no words for it. It’s...um...”
“Unique?” she asked.
“Ah. Unique. Yes. But, Canada too, no?”
“Yes, Canada is unique, too. Beautiful country, wild mountains, many animals. The winters can be cold, but they have a beauty, too. Canada is an amazing country.”
They both watched her, eyes wide. Julianna turned and poked her brother, babbled something at him, then pointed at Aja.
Pietro rubbed his arm and said, “Juli want to know if you going back or if you stay here long time?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugged, not knowing how to respond. “I want to stay for a while, but I will have to go home sometime. My family misses me.”
Julianna asked, “You have husband?”
“No.”
She grinned at that. Incorrigible woman.
She turned to Pietro, “See!”
“Okay you two, stop trying to match me. I’m fine on my own.” Aja changed the subject in desperation. “You have a husband, Julianna?”
She shook her head emphatically and Pietro looked upset. She realized it wasn’t a good topic, so she cast around for another one and came up empty. Instead she pushed her plate back and sighed, rubbing her stomach with drama. “That was wonderful, Julianna. Thank you very much.”
She beamed. “You welcome. Come back tomorrow?”
“I’m sorry, no, I can’t. I start work at the vineyard tomorrow. I probably won’t be back into town until the weekend. I’ll come back then.”
“Okay. Pietro will see you then.”
Aja pushed her chair back and Pietro rose with her. “Thank you. I better get back to the villa.”
“I walk with you,” Pietro said. Why wasn’t she surprised? She accepted though, because she had too many bags from her shopping excursion to carry on her own.
She paid far too little for the wonderful meal, but Julianna wouldn’t take any more money. Aja told her she would see her soon and to say hi to Bella for her. The food was wonderful, but the company even more so. Aja wanted to know more about Julianna and her daughter. She found herself wondering who Bella’s father was and why Pietro seemed so upset about it. She looked forward to getting to know them all better, but first she had to get through the rest of the night without allowing Pietro through her defenses.
Chapter 16
Aja and Pietro set off down the road, alternating with him grabbing her hand and her pulling it away. He would laugh, then try again a few minutes later. He was persistent - she had to
give him that. They arrived at the villa. He pulled Aja into his arms and tried to find her lips with his while she did her best to evade his seeking mouth.
“Pietro, stop!” she gasped, pushing him away with all her strength. He was a large man, but thankfully he was also somewhat of a gentleman.
“Why don’t you want kiss me, Aja? I not sexy for you?”
“Good God, Pietro, you’re sexy enough for three women. I’m just not up to the challenge.”
He leaned his arm on the door above her head and looked down into her face. “You are challenge.”
“No, I don’t mean that, I mean I’m not ready for someone like you. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You are ready, bella, you just don’t know it yet.” He leaned down slowly and brushed his lips across hers. Aja's eyes closed and she was swept into the flood of desire. He drew it up from deep inside her. She trembled and wanted more.
The door behind her disappeared. She fell through space and landed on her back with a thunk, her bags spilling from her hands around her. Staring down at her was a pair of dark blue, arrogant - but amused - eyes.
“Sorry to spoil the party, but you might want to get to bed now. Work starts rather early.” Marco gave Pietro a fierce look. “You better get to the men’s quarters. You don’t want to make the other ladies jealous.”
Aja looked between her feet, but Pietro was already gone. He’d set the bags down outside the door. She squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten, then opened them when she heard muffled snickering.
“You going to sleep there, Aja?”
“No.” She struggled to her feet and of course Mr. 'High and Mighty' didn’t offer her a hand. She rubbed her sore backside and glared at him.
He smiled, all innocence, and pointed to the stairs. “You do know where your room is?”
“Yes." Goodnight Mr. “Prick”. Of course she said the last part under her breath so he wouldn’t hear. From the look on his face, though, she didn't think she said it quietly enough. She gathered up her shopping bags.
The stairs were steep and she could already feel the bruises forming on her rear. Thanks to Marco, she was going to be sore on her first day. At least the rash had subsided quickly. That was a relief. The morning would come far too soon.
Aja set her alarm clock for five-thirty, got undressed and sat on the bed, staring at the wall. Going to bed at nine o’clock was too weird for her. She’d always been a night owl and loved staying up till all hours of the evening. Having to wake up at five-thirty was a new thing for her. She knew sleep was important, she just couldn’t figure out how to convince her body of that. It didn’t want to sleep, it wanted other things. It wanted to continue what Marco had so rudely interrupted. Oh hell!
She got up and paced the room. It didn’t help. She still burned for Pietro. Stupid woman. She stopped walking, struck by a thought. What was Marco doing in the women’s villa? Maybe he was visiting a woman. No, surely he could get her to visit him in the big house. Maybe he was checking up on her. Why would he do that? Why would he open the door when he knew she was leaning on it? That was just plain ignorant. Yup. He just wanted to be an asshole as usual. No news flash there.
Aja threw herself onto the mattress and pulled the pillow over her head. No good. It was hot and that just made her unable to breathe. So unless she planned on suffocating herself to sleep... Aja pulled on shorts and a tank top and left the room. A walk would be just the thing, she assured herself.
The air was cooler outside, but not by much. The darkness made it difficult to see the path in front of her. It was refreshing outside, and much better than the stuffy room. The fact that she would pay for the nightly wakefulness in the morning was something she shoved far into the back of her mind where it belonged.
Aja wandered up and down the rows of grape vines being very careful not to touch them. Their perfect rows and crisp leaves were amazing. They looked so otherworldly and very different from anything in her experience.
It suddenly came to her. She was there, in Italy, like she’d always dreamed. She hugged her arms around herself and grinned like an idiot. It was exotic, charming, breathtaking and just plain incredible. She had never been so happy.
Aja heard something behind her and she spun around, her heart in her throat. Marco was advancing on her, his eyes intent on her form. Aja wrapped her arms around herself again and tried to shield herself from his gaze.
“Aja, what are you doing out here? I could have shot you.” His voice was low, but she detected menace.
Aja tried to sound calm. “I’m just going for a walk.”
“Dressed in your underclothes? Among the vines you’re allergic to?” His voice was riddled with suspicion now.
“I’m not dressed in my underclothes. This is a tank top and shorts and I’m being very careful not to touch the vines.”
He stared at her for a few seconds, not saying anything. Then he said, “I have no idea what a tank and shorts are, but they are almost indecent. No, they ARE indecent. You shouldn’t be out like this. The workers are not gentlemen. I am suspicious, though, why you would be out in the vines. Are you sure you aren’t giving away our secrets?”
Aja stared at him, dumbfounded. “Secrets? What secrets? I didn’t even know there were secrets involved with growing grapes.”
He let out a hearty laugh. “I should have known better. You really don’t know anything about wine making, do you?”
Aja sniffed. “No, but that doesn’t make me a bad person, you know.”
“No, it doesn’t.” His voice was soft. “You’re not a bad person, Aja. You’re a rather interesting person.”
She took a step back. She hadn’t seen this side of him. He wasn’t being arrogant, he was being nice. That didn’t sit well with her image of Mr. ‘Haughty’.
He stepped closer. She started as he reached toward her, but he only plucked a grape beside her arm. Aja reflexively stepped away. So far she hadn’t noticed an allergy to grapes or wine, though the amount consumed during her university years should have put her off it forever.
He lifted the grape and examined it carefully. “Generations have poured their lives into creating this,” he mused. “My ancestors loved wine, and they spent their lifetime giving to this winery only to get back this small return.” He shook his head as if mystified by it all.
“I thought your father came from Canada?” she asked, a little hesitant to break into his reflective mood.
He wasn’t disturbed. “You’re right. He did come from Canada, but my mother’s people have owned this vineyard for generations. My father married her and took over the running of it until he died. My mother worked it until I finished my studies and took it over. It’s been an honorable life.”
The way he said it spoke to her of dissatisfaction, and dreams of other things, but that didn’t make sense. When he spoke of the vines, the grapes, she heard passion. You wouldn’t have passion for something you didn’t love to do.
Hesitantly, she voiced these thoughts and he turned to her with a smile. His eyes were unnerving when turned fully on her. “You surprise me, Aja. You understand a lot without being told.”
His praise warmed her. She wondered if the Italian air was turning her into a weak woman. Just an hour before, she’d hated him.
“You’re right; I am dissatisfied. Not with growing grapes and making wine, but with the old ways. I want to try new things and move forward with the times… but we’re in Italy.” He shrugged. “I fight against progress, I fight against the old ways, and then I’m made to feel disloyal to my ancestors. I can’t do it anymore. I want to go where they embrace progress.”
He finished and stared skyward for a moment, then turned to her. “I’m sorry, Aja. I didn’t mean to tell you all this.” He cocked his head and studied her. “You are a very sympathetic listener. I’ve never talked to anyone about how I feel.”
“Not even Nona?”
He laughed, but didn’t sound amused, more like cynicism. “Especia
lly not Nona. She would have a heart attack to hear me speak of these things. She’s always done everything the way it’s always been done.” His shoulders slumped in frustration.
“Maybe that’s because it’s the only way she knows. No one has ever asked her to try a different way.”
He lifted his head and stared into her eyes for a minute. She could see hope sparking in his eyes before it slowly dimmed again. He moved his shoulders as though easing the fit of his shirt. “No. It’s not that. You don’t understand.”
“I guess I don’t. What do I know about wine growing? I’m allergic to the vines.”