‘No I don’t.’ Maddy let out a laugh. ‘Jesus, woman, it’s only going to be me and Carlo in a tiny restaurant. Why worry?’ She stopped. ‘Oooh. Okaayyy. I see. It’s not me you want to be sultry and subtle for. Or was it subtle and sexy?’
‘Stop laughing.’ Leanne pouted. ‘This is important to me.’
Maddy shook her head. ‘Don’t be so dramatic. Why do you need a “look” at all? Can’t you just be yourself? Isn’t that trouble enough for any man?’
‘No… Yes…’ Leanne sighed and buried her head in her hands. ‘I feel so confused when I am with him. I can’t be myself. I’m always worried he won’t like it, so then I try to guess what kind of woman turns him on.’
Maddy sat down beside Leanne. ‘Let’s go through this stuff then and I’ll pretend to be him.’
Leanne got up, laughing. ‘Yeah, right, you’re going to turn into a sexy Italian now?’
‘Anything for you, darlin’. Go on, what are the options?’
Leanne went through the items one by one, while Maddy shook her head at nearly everything until Leanne held up her first choice; the black dress. ‘Aha! That’s perfect. I know, quite obviously sexy but it’s gorgeous. Very chic. To me it says “confident woman who knows her assets but don’t touch until I let you”.’
‘Really? Not like some jumped-up Dub, then?’
‘A Dublin woman but proud of it.’
Leanne looked thoughtful. ‘In that case, I’ll wear it. With no jewellery or even earrings. It’ll be just me and the dress.’
‘Perfect.’ Maddy got up. ‘I’ll go and get ready myself.’
‘Okay. See you in the lobby in ten minutes.’
Hmmm, Leanne thought as she did a twirl in front of the mirror when Maddy had left. Not bad for a Dub. The dress skimmed her slim body and ended mid-thigh, showing off her bronzed legs. With her light-blonde hair and brown eyes, black was the perfect colour for a summer evening. The dress had a demure neckline but plunged sexily to her waist at the back. Cheeky, like me, Leanne thought and winked at herself. But it didn’t calm her down. Butterflies twirled in her stomach as she closed the door to her room and ran down the stairs to meet Maddy in the lobby. She couldn’t wait to see what the night would hold.
* * *
They found the restaurant on the harbour, after a short stroll from the hotel down a lane lined with old crumbling houses where washing hung from the windows and rapid Italian could be heard from open doors.
Carlo, wearing a navy polo shirt and white chino trousers, waited for them outside and flashed a brilliant smile their way as they approached. ‘Buona sera, belle signore,’ he said and kissed their hands, sending sparks flying for Leanne.
Maddy laughed. ‘You’re a tonic, Carlo. But you can turn off the charm now. We’re hungry and thirsty, and we’re dying to eat, not indulge in flirting, you know.’
‘Speak for yourself,’ Leanne protested. ‘I’m always up for a bit of flirting.’
Carlo laughed. ‘You will forgive me if I show my appreciation. You both look lovely. I’m a very lucky man tonight, no?’
‘And so are we,’ Leanne retorted. ‘You’re the best arm candy two girls could wish for.’ She looked around the terrace next to the small harbour, where colourful fishing boats rocked gently on the waves. The sun had just set and the sky was turning a deep shade of blue, with stars sparkling above them. The tables were crammed together, close to the edge of the water that lapped against the rocks. The restaurant was packed with people eating and chatting and there was a smell of fresh grilled fish, garlic and herbs in the air.
Most of the tables were occupied, but Leanne spotted one at the far side, near the wall. ‘Is that our table?’
Carlo made a chivalrous gesture. ‘After you, madame.’
‘Thank you.’ Leanne shot a look at him over her shoulder as she led the way. God, he was gorgeous. With his black hair, green eyes and golden skin, he would turn the head of any woman with a pulse. And the voice; slightly gravelly with that sensual Italian accent. She couldn’t deny how attracted she was to him. She was so pleased that the sexy goddess Lucilla wasn’t in the picture any more, which would have made her back off. But his smile and his warm hand on her back told her he was as smitten as she was.
‘So, what’s your story, Carlo?’ Maddy asked as they dug into the antipasto, a colourful array of sweet prosciutto, spicy salami, big, juicy green olives, deep red tomatoes and tiny balls of creamy mozzarella.
Carlo swallowed his mouthful of prosciutto. ‘My story?’
‘Yeah, I mean how did you come to work for Jan Hovden, Erik’s company?’ Maddy asked.
‘Oh.’ Carlo nodded and passed a plate of olives to Leanne. ‘Well, it’s a long story. A lucky break for me. I met him when I was doing some modelling for a perfume advertisement and then there was a party for people in the business after the – how do you say – shot?’
‘Shoot,’ Leanne cut in and eyed his toned torso. ‘Modelling, huh?’ That explains a thing or two, she thought. ‘So you met my dad after the shoot was over, at a party?’
Carlo nodded. ‘Yes. I was saving up for a course in marketing in Nice. It’s easy money, really. Modelling, I mean.’ Carlo smoothed his hair. ‘When I met Jan – or Erik, which is his real name, as you know – we started talking about some ideas I had and then he asked if I’d join his team as an intern. I said yes. I have my own marketing business now and he’s my top client.’ Carlo drew breath and smiled at Leanne. ‘Not very interesting for a beautiful night like this.’ He gestured at the dark sky with glimmering stars and a nearly full moon rising above the roofs of the town.
Leanne smiled back. ‘I wouldn’t say that. People’s stories are always interesting.’ She propped her chin with her hand and stared at him in the light of the candle the waiter had just lit for them. ‘But what about the rest? Where are you from? Where did you get those green eyes?’
Carlo pulled back a little. ‘Ah, well…’ A phone rang. He jumped and pulled it out of his pocket, looking oddly relieved. ‘Excuse me. It’s Lucilla.’ He got up and walked a little distance from the table, starting an animated conversation.
‘Stop it,’ Maddy mumbled, darting a stern look at Leanne.
‘Stop what?’ Leanne asked, trying to look innocent.
‘You know. You’re coming on to him like a ton of bricks. He’s beginning to look uncomfortable.’
Leanne squirmed. Maybe Maddy was right? Possibly. She coloured slightly, feeling embarrassed and oddly caught out. ‘Mind your own business,’ she muttered, avoiding Maddy’s gaze.
‘Okay, sorry for butting in. I just thought… well, if he and Lucilla are an item, maybe it’s not a good idea to egg him on? It could turn this boat trip into a very tense affair. ’
‘He told me they broke up a while ago.’ Leanne tossed her head at Carlo, who was now gesticulating wildly and nearly shouting into the phone. ‘Can’t you tell they’re having a row?’
‘Italians always sound as if they’re fighting,’ Maddy remarked before Carlo made his way back to the table.
Leanne glanced at him and noticed he didn’t meet her eyes. Maybe it would be better to cool it for a while. Play hard to get. She sighed and dug into the rest of the antipasto in the little dishes. ‘What’s next on the menu?’ she asked to break the silence and the sudden chill in the air.
‘A little spaghetti, then some fish,’ Carlo replied. ‘In Italy we eat pasta as a starter. Just a small helping before the main dish.’
Maddy nodded. ‘Makes more sense than piling in all that carbohydrate as a main dish like we do in Ireland. No wonder all the Italian women are so slim.’
Leanne groaned. ‘Oh, whatever! No one’s going to get in the way of me and my carbs. I hope all is well with Lucilla?’
Carlo brightened. ‘Oh yes, very well. She says she’s looking forward to meeting up with you in Florence tomorrow. She will have beds for us all in her apartment. And she says her cousin will join us on the boat trip.’
�
��Sounds great.’ Maddy drank some of the crisp Pinot Grigio. ‘Looking forward to Florence and meeting Lucilla’s cousin.’
Carlo nodded. ‘Me too. He’s half Irish, so you should feel very much at home with him. He’s a doctor.’
‘Oh,’ Maddy said. ‘Where does he practise?’
Carlo frowned. ‘Practise? He doesn’t have to. He’s fully qualified.’
Leanne laughed. ‘She means where does he work.’
‘Oh.’ Carlo smiled and shook his head. ‘Sorry. English is a difficult language. Even after a few years in New York, I still make mistakes. Antonio has been working abroad. But now he’s back here to rest and then he’s taking up a job in an Irish hospital, I think. Very learned man, too. He’s also a great historian.’
‘Sounds fascinating,’ Leanne remarked, making a face at Maddy.
Maddy’s phone pinged. She looked at it and frowned. ‘A text message. Do you mind if I reply?’
‘Say hi to Dad from me,’ Leanne drawled. ‘If that doesn’t break the romantic spell, of course.’
Maddy looked confused at the sarcasm in Leanne’s voice. ‘This is from Tom. My soon-to-be ex-husband,’ she explained.
‘I’m sorry,’ Carlo said. ‘Must be difficult.’
‘Not at all, surprisingly,’ Maddy laughed. ‘We’re having one of those amicable divorces. It’s like we just found each other as friends. No more aggro or that hostile shite that was going on between us for years. We’re both very happy to have sorted it out and to get on with our lives. It’s nice to be free, you know.’
‘I see,’ Carlo replied, looking confused. ‘That’s not the way we do it in Italy. We scream and fight and throw things. Then there’s the blackmail and threats of assault and murder. Can go on for years.’
Leanne burst out laughing. ‘Just let it rip, eh? Sounds dangerous. But you Italians are always shouting at each other. Even when you’re just discussing the weather.’
Carlo smiled. ‘That’s true. We like a little drama in our lives.’
‘I’ve had enough of that to last a lifetime,’ Leanne muttered. ‘My mother is a real drama queen. I don’t miss it at all.’
The waiter removed the antipasto dishes and served them each a steaming plate of pasta. Carlo dug into his plate of al dente spaghetti with juicy fresh clams. ‘We have to make plans. I have a suggestion to make. About your car. Don’t feel you have to do this but…’
‘But what?’ Leanne asked. ‘You want to drive it? No way. It’s ours and we don’t let anyone—’
Carlo laughed. ‘No, that wasn’t what I meant. Driving it would be fun, but this is about where to park it during the sailing trip. Please listen while I explain. This was Lucilla’s idea. Her house in Florence has a garage, where the car would be safer than in some public parking place in Ancona, where we will get on the ferry. She also has a big car – a people carrier, I think you call it. So we could all travel from Florence to Ancona in that together. It will be fun to get to know each other before we get on the boat, she thinks.’
Maddy and Leanne exchanged a look. ‘That’s a good idea,’ Maddy said. ‘Especially about the car. I’ve been thinking about that and been a bit worried about parking it in a public place.’
Leanne nodded. ‘And this takes the pain out of finding our way to Ancona. It’s a long drive, I gather.’
Carlo put down his fork. ‘It’s not that bad. We take the Autostrada A14 across the country. It takes a little over four hours.’
‘Sounds easy. Except for the crazy Italian drivers. It’ll be a relief not to have to drive.’ Leanne tried not to slurp, but failed, as she sucked on the last of her spaghetti. ‘Sorry. Eating this politely is an art I have yet to master.’ She wiped her mouth. ‘Great stuff, Carlo. And we can leave the luggage we don’t need at Lucilla’s.’
‘Of course. You need to buy a few things for the boat,’ Carlo suggested. ‘Lucilla will give you a list and then you can get it all in Florence. We’ll have time for a day or two there.’
‘Great,’ Leanne said as the waiter approached. ‘Holy shit, here’s more food. How come you stay so slim with all these delicious things thrown at you all the time?’
Carlo shrugged, smiling. ‘I work it off. But I don’t eat like this every day.’
Leanne looked at the grilled red mullet with herb butter she had just been served. She picked up a wedge of lemon and squeezed it over the aromatic fish. ‘Well this doesn’t look too fattening. If we don’t have dessert and take a walk afterwards, it might not be so bad.’
Carlo’s eyes were suddenly a lot more flirtatious. ‘Why worry? You have a beautiful body. Tall and slim, like a ballerina.’
Leanne felt her face flush. ‘Thank you. But I also have to work at it. We all do, don’t we, Mads?’
Maddy looked up from her phone. ‘What was that? Sorry, I was miles away.’
‘Nothing important.’ Leanne dug in her bag for her phone. ‘Let’s do a selfie now, will we? For the blog post,’ she explained to Carlo.
‘You have a blog?’ Carlo asked.
Leanne turned on her phone. ‘Yeah. It’s a kind of travelogue about our European trip in this amazing car. For all the girls out there, who’re stuck at home. It’s for a magazine called Women Now.’
‘Really?’ Carlo asked.
‘Yes. We post pictures and short pieces nearly every day, they’ve been getting thousands of likes and shares. And here we are in this cute little restaurant with the lights of the town all around us, and the glittering water and the boats. We just have to do one with you in it. Handsome men go down very well on the Internet. Nearly as well as cute cats. You’re into marketing, so you must know this.’
Carlo looked excited. ‘Of course. So how many followers do you have?’
‘About a hundred thousand by now.’
Carlo’s eyes sparkled. ‘Wow. And you have some sponsors?’
‘Quite a few. Some cosmetic brands and a designer. And my dad, as you might know, if you handle his marketing.’
‘Ah, yes. I think I may have heard it mentioned in the office.’ He looked apologetic. ‘I’m sorry, I haven’t studied this part of his account. I left it to my assistant. I had no idea how big it was.’ He took the phone from Leanne. ‘I’ll be happy to be in this if it helps. I’ll ask the waiter to take the photo. Then I’ll look better.’
‘You mean we’ll both look good,’ Leanne replied, trying not to laugh at his demeanour. He suddenly seemed a little full of himself, so anxious to be in the shot, looking his very best. Sheesh, what a diva, she thought as he smoothed his hair for the tenth time and put his arm around her when the waiter aimed the phone at them. But then… when he pulled her closer and looked into her eyes, she felt herself melt. It was only for the photo, but in the moment that hot look he gave her felt like a promise.
‘Bellissimo!’ the waiter shouted and took a second shot. ‘A beautiful couple you make, yes?’
‘Yes, they do,’ Maddy agreed, turning off her phone.
Carlo laughed and let go of Leanne. ‘You pose very well. Nearly like a model for Dolce & Gabbana. Have you ever tried?’
‘Modelling? No, never,’ Leanne replied. ‘Hey, Maddy,’ she exclaimed, ‘you should be in a photo too.’
‘Gosh, no,’ Maddy said, laughing. ‘You two make such a cute couple, it’ll be great for the blog. Leave me out this time.’
‘But you are very pretty,’ Carlo protested. ‘With your honey colour hair and the very blue eyes.’
‘Thank you, Carlo,’ Maddy replied. ‘You’re very sweet. But this time I feel I’d ruin the effect.’
‘Okay, if that’s what you want,’ Leanne said. ‘Anyway,’ she breezed on. ‘The people who run the website give us royalties and a cut of whatever they make on advertising. But we donate our own takings to charity. At the moment it’s the homeless in Dublin, and Oxfam. But we can donate to one you’d like too.’
Carlo looked thoughtful. ‘Nice. Okay, in that case, I’d like you to give some money to Doctors Withou
t Borders. Lucilla supports them too. And her cousin Antonio.’
‘Okay,’ Maddy said. ‘We’ll add them to the list. We could rotate the charities and do different ones from time to time.’
‘Good idea. Hey, this is really a great shot.’ Leanne showed the photo to Carlo. ‘What do you think?’
Carlo looked at the screen for a long time. ‘This is very special, I think. Are you posting that on your blog?’
Leanne nodded. ‘Yes. I promised them a hot Italian, so I have to deliver. You don’t mind?’
‘No,’ he replied, if he was used to being called hot. ‘Go ahead. I’ll be interested in the reactions of your followers. I’ll take a look at the comments later.’
Leanne glanced at Carlo wondering what was going on behind that smooth exterior.
He met her gaze, looking at her appraisingly. Then he smiled broadly and picked up his glass. ‘A toast. To this night, to beautiful women from Ireland and to our future adventure. Saluti, as we say here.’
Maddy smiled and raised her glass. ‘Saluti, Carlo.’ She finished her wine and got up. ‘But now I think I’ll turn in. It’s been a long day and I want to walk Bridget before I go to bed.’
‘Thanks, Mads,’ Leanne said gratefully. ‘I’ll walk her in the morning, then.’
‘Perfect. Goodnight, Carlo. Thanks for dinner.’ Maddy leant over to kiss Leanne on the cheek. ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,’ she muttered in her ear.
‘That’ll give me a lot of scope,’ Leanne whispered back, which made Maddy snort out a laugh.
Carlo turned to Leanne when Maddy had left. ‘Nice woman.’
‘Yes. My best friend.’
‘It’s good to have friends.’ He took her hand gently. ‘But you and I, we could be more than that.’
Leanne smiled, butterflies in her stomach. ‘Maybe.’
‘Oh, I’m very sure of that,’ he said, bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing it. ‘I’m so happy you’re coming on the trip. Do you enjoy sailing?’
‘Love it,’ Leanne replied, her voice shaking slightly as he kept caressing her hand. ‘My dad and I used to sail in Dublin bay when I was small. And when I was older, in Kerry, on the Atlan––’
A Holiday to Remember: An absolutely hilarious romantic comedy set under the Italian sun Page 2