Back at the hotel, Sacha thanked Alessandro for a wonderful evening and was surprised when he offered to take her out again the following afternoon.
“I’d like that, thank you,” she said. “But only if you don’t have anything else that you’d rather do?”
“No,” he said.
Again, that sadness, thought Sacha, wondering what had happened to give him a fleeting, haunted look every so often, when he thought no one was watching.
“It will be my pleasure.”
Mine too, she thought. “Good night then. I’ll see you tomorrow. Same time?”
“Yes, I will be here.” He bent his head down and kissed her on both cheeks. “Ciao, Sacha.”
She enjoyed the way he said her name and rather liking being kissed on both cheeks.
She went to thank him again for a wonderful evening but before she managed to say anything, he bent his head and kissed her hard on her mouth. Sacha’s eyes widened. He faltered, and when she didn’t pull away he closed his eyes, his firm lips pressing against hers, taking her breath away. He pulled her against him, and for a few blissful seconds all the sounds around them disappeared. Alessandro let go of her and moved back and from the look on his face, Sacha suspected he hadn’t planned to kiss her. She wasn’t sure which of them must look more surprised. They stared at each other in silence.
“Ciao, Sacha.”
Not sure what to do next, she forced a smile and went into the hotel. Looking over her shoulder, she could see he was waiting for her to enter before he left. Once inside, she ran up the stone staircase, stopping before entering the bedroom to rummage for her key card. She didn’t want to disturb her aunt, so as soon as she was inside, Sacha took off her makeup as quietly as possible, changed and got in to bed. She lay in the darkness, her fingers resting against her lips, where only minutes before, Alessandro’s had been. She fell asleep almost instantly, and dreamt about a tall, Italian with blue-grey eyes.
The next afternoon and evening with Alessandro were equally as fun as the first day. Sacha couldn’t help feeling guilty that she was having such a wonderful time while Aunt Rosie suffered in their room. She decided to buy her a gift, so her aunt would at least have a keep-sake to take home.
Sacha yearned to bring up the subject of their kiss, but couldn’t find the right moment and suspected Alessandro was keeping the conversations going so that they couldn’t address it. Eventually he brought it up as they sat outside a café, drinking iced coffees.
“I kissed you,” he said suddenly.
“You did.”
He looked away from her, staring at a couple with a small dog on a lead, before adding. “You did not mind?”
She put her hand on his arm, waiting for him to turn his attention back to her. “Not at all,” she admitted. “It was a bit unexpected, though.”
“I didn’t mean to kiss you,” he said, hesitating before continuing. “But you are so pretty and I was enjoying your company very much. It just happened.”
Sacha was flattered. “Thank you. I had a lovely evening with you, too.”
“I wish you were staying here for a few more days,” he said, picking up his glass and drinking some of the coffee. “I would like to spend more time with you.”
“Then we’ll have to make sure that we go out together when you come to Jersey.”
Alessandro put down his glass. Leaning forward, he kissed Sacha lightly on her mouth. “I am looking forward to my visit already.”
So was she.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.
“What would you like to go and see tonight?” he asked, before finishing his drink.
“I’m not sure.”
Alessandro smiled and took her hand in his. “Then I will take you to a few places that I know, on our way to a bar overlooking the Colosseum. As the sun goes down the ruins are lit, and I believe it is one of the views you should see.”
She nodded. “That sounds perfect. Let’s go.”
After saying goodbye to Alessandro later that evening, it cheered Sacha up to discover her aunt showered, sitting on the bed in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. “You’re feeling better,’ she said. ‘I’m so relieved.”
“I knew it wouldn’t last too long,” she said, raking her hands through her hair. “Now, tell me about your day and that gorgeous man you’ve been spending so much time with.”
Sacha shook her head. “I have to admit you were right to arrange for me to go out with Alessandro,” she said. “He’s great company and knows so much about the city. He’s an archaeologist, you know.”
Aunt Rose’s perfect eyebrows moved up as much as they could with her Botox-injected forehead. “I had no idea. I just thought he was related to the Salvatore’s who run this hotel.”
“He is.” Pulling the small present she’d bought her aunt from her bag, Sacha held it out to her. “I bought you this,” she said. “It’s only a little something, I hope you like it.”
Aunt Rosie opened the top of the bag and peeked inside. “Oh, it’s beautiful. Is it hand-painted?”
“Yes,” Sacha said, relieved her choice had been right. “The cover of the notepad is all hand-painted. Alessandro suggested the shop when I told him I wanted to buy you something beautiful to keep, but also use.”
“Clever, as well as handsome then?”
Sacha tilted her head to one side. She sensed where this was going. “Stop it.”
“Well, you could do worse than become involved with the very beautiful Alessandro.”
Sacha knew this was coming so wasn’t surprised by her aunt’s attempt at matchmaking. “What am I?” she teased.
“Happily single,” her aunt mocked, mimicking Sacha’s voice. “I sometimes think you protest too much. And although I’m sure you are,” she said, raising her hand when Sacha went to speak. “I suspect you’re only trying to protect yourself after The Little Shit did the dirty on you. You’re young, you have the sort of fresh-faced beauty that wouldn’t look out of place in Sports Illustrated, and, quite frankly, I don’t think you know what you’re missing.”
Sacha wanted to argue, but her aunt had hit a nerve when she’d mentioned Sacha not wanting to be hurt again. “I just think life is easier without the distraction of a man,” she said, wondering if she’d think quite the same way if she was in a relationship with Alessandro.
Her aunt took the notepad from the paper bag and studied it thoughtfully. “I don’t know why the younger generation are always so unadventurous.”
“We’re not,” Sacha said, trying not to sound as indignant as she felt. “We just have other things on our minds, apart from sex.”
“Dull, that’s what it is.”
“No,” Sacha laughed. “It’s called being ambitious, and not needing another person in our lives to make us feel whole.”
She’d had this conversation with her aunt many times. Her mother had been an ambitious woman until she’d had her and Jack, she’d said so many times. Then she discovered motherhood and realised that her ambitions lay with bringing up her children to the best of her ability. Sacha didn’t see anything wrong with that at all, it just wasn’t for her.
“Maybe he’s not ready yet either for the next relationship in his life,” her aunt said, thoughtfully.
“What do you mean?” Sacha hated herself for asking, but couldn’t let a comment like that go by without finding out more about the man with whom she’d spent the last few days.
“I shouldn’t say anything more,” her aunt said, mysteriously, sipping her glass of water and staring out of the window. “If he’d wanted you to know, he would have told you.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”
“No, it’s not for me to say.”
Not wishing to ask again, Sacha stood up. “We’d better get packed for boarding the ship tomorrow. I’ll be back shortly, after I’ve sorted a few of my things out.”
Sacha went to her adjoining room. She loved her aunt, but wasn’t going to pres
s the matter. Sacha enjoyed her company, but was looking forward to being able to spend time alone on the ship and catch up with reading some of the many books she’d loaded on to her tablet. She’d become very used to her own space when she wasn’t working, and from what her aunt had told her, she should be able to spend time, quietly enjoying a cocktail, while reading a good book and lying in the sunshine. It was what she envisioned for herself for the next week. That, interspersed with trips to new places each time they docked somewhere.
She went into the shower room and gathered her hand washed underwear. As she folded her dress from dinner with Alessandro the night before, she couldn’t help reminiscing about their evening together. Tonight had been more of the same, and as much as she’d forced a smile on to her face when she had to leave him, she couldn’t help feeling that she was missing his company already, which was ridiculous as she hardly knew him.
Returning to her aunt’s room, she asked, “Do you want me to pack your things?”
“Not necessary, darling,” her aunt said. “I’ve barely taken anything out of my suitcase. It’s the first time in months that I’ve gone a couple of days without putting on any make up, and I have to admit it’s been quite a treat not to have to take it all off again before going to sleep.”
She stood up and opened the balcony doors. A rush of heat swept into the room.
“Are you looking forward to the cruise?” Sacha asked, breathing in the warm Jasmine filled air. “I know I am.”
Her aunt turned around and walked over to her, giving her a hug. “I’m delighted you’ve come along with me and I know you’ll enjoy yourself. Cruises are the best fun. Arriving at a different destination each day without having to cart your case through a packed airport. It’s so tedious, all that hurrying, and the endless waiting to be called for flights. With a cruise, someone else does everything while you relax, drink and eat. Bliss.”
Sacha laughed. “I can’t wait to get going,” she said. It was a bit of a fib. She was looking forward to seeing what it was like to be on a beautiful and massive cruise ship. She had enjoyed visiting Rome and especially meeting Alessandro. Far more than she had expected. Sacha could not help feeling secretly excited about seeing him again when he came to Jersey in three weeks. The thought gave her butterflies.
She cleared her throat. “I’d honestly never considered a cruise before. I thought it was for families or older people, but knowing you’ll be on the ship I’m sure it must be quite sparkly.”
“Sparkly? In what way?” Rosie walked passed her, making her way to the shower room. “Time for me to freshen up.”
“You know, like dazzling,” Sacha said, picturing the photos of the ship she’d seen online. “All the chandeliers, and everyone dressed up in ballgowns.”
Her aunt closed the door, laughing. “Yes, I suppose it is like that, but it’s also very informal during the day time and not as imposing as you’re probably imagining. I’m sure you’ll love it once you get there.” The door opened and she poked her head round. “I know you were pretty much forced to come along with me by your mother, darling, but I do think the break away from everything will do you a lot of good. It seems to be working so far, I haven’t seen you looking so bonny in months.”
She disappeared behind the door again, closing it and leaving Sacha to wonder what she meant. Why did her family always assume that the drastic change in her lifestyle had been a problem for her? Her mother always hinted that she was being brave earning less money and not travelling for work to conferences and business meetings most weeks. It didn’t feel brave at all; more like tasting freedom for the first time since leaving university.
Sacha walked onto the balcony and stared out over the city. No, she was perfectly happy as she was. She might earn very little and now live in a tiny flat, but it was her business, sort of, and her flat. Sort of. Either way, there was nothing about her life that she intended changing. Or so she’d believed until today, when she’d said goodbye to Alessandro and had to remember that if she did see him again when he visited Jersey, their time together would never be quite as isolated as it had been when he was showing her around this beautiful, historic city. The thought saddened her.
Sacha stared up at the navy and white ship with its red and black funnel.
It was massive from where she stood on the dock. Magnificent, too. Queen Victoria, in all its glory. She’d heard of Cunard before being booked on this trip, but she’d never thought about the ship’s height, or connected it with anything she might wish to do.
She’d been disappointed to receive a message from Alessandro that morning, letting her know that he wouldn’t be able to make it to the hotel to see them off, but now she was here and about to board, Sacha couldn’t help being excited. She only hoped she had packed the right clothes and enough of them. Thankfully, she still had a lot of her clothes from her former life, and just hoped they were suitable for wearing on the ship.
A short while later, she and her aunt were walking along the lengthy, blue-carpeted corridor, looking for their stateroom.
“4150,” said Rosie. “This is us.”
Sacha grinned. Their door was open and they stepped into the luxurious bedroom with twin beds. Rosie insisted they were the most comfortable beds she would sleep in, to find their cases lying on protective mats on their bedspreads.
“This is stunning,” Sacha gasped. Just inside the stateroom door was another door to the left. Sacha peeked in and found a shower room, complete with small bottles of shampoo, conditioner and various other complementary gifts. In the main area of the stateroom was a small sofa, a coffee table and dressing table, with a television on top of a built-in fridge. Sacha walked to the other end of the room and stepped out onto a glass-fronted balcony.
She couldn’t decide where she was most excited about visiting; the Gaudi park and La Sagrada Familia by Gaudí in Barcelona, the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, or anything in Sardinia before returning to Civitavecchia and flying home from Rome.
“You will see for yourself why I love this mode of travel best,” Aunt Rosie said coming out to join her on the balcony. “I’m going to show you all those amazing places I’ve been telling you about. You’ll have experiences you’ll never forget,” she insisted, her arms held wide and a smile on her face.
Sacha believed her.
“But now, we need to get freshened up and ready for the sail away party.”
“The what?” Sacha couldn’t mistake her aunt’s delight at the thought of the party. Her excitement was infectious.
Twenty minutes later they were standing by the rails in the sunshine, a floppy straw hat with a scarlet ribbon around it on Aunt Rosie’s head and a Panama hat that she’d bought in Rome on Sacha’s to keep the heat of the afternoon off her head.
The waiter brought over the cocktails they’d ordered in tall glasses. “The Sundowner?” he asked, handing it to her aunt when she nodded. “The Mojito,” he said, smiling at Sacha. “Is very good, you will enjoy this, I think.”
Sacha thought so too. She took a sip, unable to resist, and closed her eyes in bliss. “Oh yes, this is heavenly,” she said, promising herself not to overdo it.
“If you get brain freeze from that thing,” her aunt said, presumably speaking from experience, “rest your tongue against the roof of your mouth. These things are too damn delicious for our own good.”
Sacha knew all about brain freeze from the many times she’d hurriedly eaten an ice cream, and more recently those delicious gelatos Alessandro had taken her to sample. She thought back to Alessandro kissing her and how much she was going to miss spending time with him.
“Isn’t this fun?” her aunt asked, breaking into her thoughts.
They were standing on deck nine at the back of the ship. The band was playing and they were swaying to the music, unable to help themselves. Passengers kept arriving to join the party. Others were already tipsy and dancing to the live band, entertaining them with summery songs that everyone recognised, includin
g ‘Under the Boardwalk’ and ‘Walking on Sunshine’.
“When do we set sail?” Sacha asked, looking down as the huge ropes were lifted from the iron hooks holding the ship against the side of the dock.
“Very soon, by the looks of things,” her aunt said, taking another sip of her drink and swaying her hips.
Sacha was relieved to see her enjoying herself finally, now that her migraine had gone. It had concerned her that she’d been the only one enjoying the trip, up until now.
She realised the ship was slowly moving away from the dockside and stood with her arms resting on the varnished wooden rail, looking back at the quayside and wondering what Alessandro was doing now. No point in doing that, she admonished herself. She would just have to wait until she met him again in Jersey.
“Brace yourself,” her aunt said, putting her hands over her ears.
Sacha narrowed her eyes, unsure what she meant and opened her mouth to ask, when the Captain sounded the funnel, making her jump. “Bugger,” she moaned, noticing that she’d spilt a little of her drink down her summer dress. “What the hell was that?”
Her aunt laughed so hard she had to place her cocktail on a nearby table. “Sorry, but your face, it was a picture.” She bent over and held her stomach. “I did tell you to brace yourself,” she added apologetically, after a while.
Sacha puffed out her cheeks, her heart slowly returning to its usual steady beat. “Yes, but you didn’t say why, did you?”
She rested back on the rails once more and watched as the land became more distant. The cerulean blue of the sea, where spangles of light hit the peaks of tiny waves, and the heat of the sun on her face soon calmed her. Her aunt was right, this was the perfect antidote to hard work and she intended enjoying every second.
“So,” Sacha said, nudging her aunt, gently. “First stop Barcelona. I’ve travelled a lot, but it always seemed to be to distant places,” she said, thoughtfully. “I’ve never really seen much of the Mediterranean.”
The Boardwalk by the Sea Page 4