‘Lick it off,’ she ordered.
With a cheeky grin, he did as Leanne commanded. ‘Nice flavour.’ He held her tight. ‘I don’t want to let you go.’
Leanne put both her arms around him and hugged him tighter. ‘I know. I want to stay like this.’ She breathed in his clean scent and closed her eyes, enjoying the sense of security and peace she felt with him. ‘Do you want to come with me to the hotel?’ she whispered into his chest. ‘I’ll show you a five-star bedroom. It has amazing views of the sea.’
‘I have a better idea.’ Tony stepped away and looked into her eyes in the dim lamplight. ‘How about coming with me to the boat?’
‘Oh, I…’
‘I have a couple of cans of Guinness and a bag of crisps. And –’ he stepped closer ‘– I’ll fry sausages for breakfast,’ he whispered into her ear.
Leanne closed her eyes and smiled. ‘Ohhh. Guinness, crisps and sausages. How can a girl resist?’
‘Is that a yes?’
Leanne laughed. ‘It’s a what the hell are we waiting for?’
‘Perfect. And there’s a cab.’ Tony raised his arm, yelling: ‘Taxi!’
The car came to a screeching halt and they jumped in, laughing and holding hands until they arrived at the marina. Tony paid the taxi fare and they got out and wandered along the deserted jetty in the moonlight until they reached the boat. Leanne looked up at the glistening moon and breathed in the cool, clean air. ‘It’s so close you could nearly touch it.’
‘Beautiful night,’ Tony said grabbing the rope and pulling the boat in. He took off his shoes and jumped aboard. Leanne removed her sandals and followed him onto the cool deck.
He took her hand. ‘Come on. It’s late. We need to rest.’
Leanne hesitated. It was odd being with him in the same space where she and Carlo… She pushed the memory away. No. This was real. This was Tony. A true-blue, she felt. Someone who’d never let her down. Someone she might even be able to love at some stage and who would love her back. Except this love wouldn’t have to be earned – it would just be there, waiting for her, like a big, warm beating heart. She followed him into the boat, nerves racing through her, into his cabin where they lay down together. They looked into each other’s eyes and knew it was the start of something special.
Twenty-Nine
Later that night, Maddy arranged to have a Skype conversation with Erik. Having struggled with several drafts of a reply to his earlier email, she gave up, realising that she had to see him and talk to him directly. This was too important to cram into a written message. It would decide their future together – if they had one. What Claudia had said still echoed through her mind and she knew she had to make Erik see her point of view.
She logged into Skype and waited for Erik to come online, her heart racing. She clicked on his number and heard the ringtone, then he came into view.
‘Hello, Maddy,’ he said and smiled that broad smile she remembered so well. ‘How wonderful to see you.’ He peered at her. ‘You look beautiful from here. Very tanned. Are you having fun?’
‘Oh yes,’ she replied and shot him a cheery smile. ‘It’s been an amazing trip. And now we’re in Dubrovnik. Such a heavenly place. I’d love to come back here with you sometime. You’d love it.’
‘Good idea. Maybe next year? When we’re together for good.’
‘That’d be fabulous. And how are you?’
‘I’ve been working hard up at the farm. Things are falling into place. The planning permission has gone through and I’ve been looking into the olive production and planted some more trees. Can’t wait to show you when you come back.’ He paused. ‘Oh, by the way, have you had that talk with Leanne?’
Maddy squirmed. ‘Uh, no. I…’ She hesitated, wondering how to put it. Then Claudia’s words echoed through her head. Save the rest of your life. She took a deep breath. ‘I haven’t talked to her because I didn’t feel it was my place. Your relationship with Leanne is your affair. If she says she doesn’t want to take over your firm, then you should respect that. And I don’t want you to use me to try to make her change her mind.’
Erik’s face had taken on a stony expression. ‘I see,’ he said. ‘Okay. Fair enough. I just thought you’d help me get the point across to Leanne. But if that isn’t okay with you, I’ll talk to her myself.’
‘Good. Thank you. But that’s not all I wanted to say to you.’
He nodded. ‘I thought so. Please go on.’ His blue-green eyes were suddenly serious and Maddy felt a wave of panic. Maybe she shouldn’t say anything about her misgivings. Hadn’t she annoyed him enough? But a little voice inside her told her she had to go on. She couldn’t keep humouring him at the expense of her own future happiness.
‘Okay.’ She folded her hands in her lap. ‘It’s about your plans for the farm and your dream of moving to the mountains. The thing is, I’m not sure I can do that.’
‘Do what?’ he enquired politely.
‘I can’t shut myself away from everything for the rest of my life,’ Maddy exclaimed, exasperated. ‘You keep going on about what you want to do, how much you love that old place and how you can’t wait to move there with me. It’s all about you. Have you ever stopped to think how I’m going to fit into all of that?’
‘I thought we’d discussed that,’ Erik said with a hint of annoyance. ‘You’ll go back to Ireland for that final year with your students and to sort out your divorce and then you’ll be free to join me. Wasn’t that what we agreed?’
‘No!’ Maddy exclaimed. ‘That’s what you told me I should do. I never said it was set in stone.’
Erik blinked. ‘Oh? Forgive me for misunderstanding when you said you couldn’t wait to live in that gorgeous place and how you simply knew we were meant to be together.’
Maddy squirmed. ‘Oh, eh… yeah, I might have said that when I was feeling romantic and I had been drinking wine and I missed you so much. But…’ She wrung her hands. ‘Oh, feck it, you make me feel so confused.’
Erik stared at her. ‘I would truly appreciate it if you could get it all off your chest right now. You seem to find it difficult to be honest with me.’
Maddy looked at him, her heart drumming. ‘Yes, you’re right. I do find it difficult. I’m not sure I can shut myself away in the back of beyond. A lovely back of beyond in the summer but what about the rest of the year? I believe it gets very cold there in the winter months and that you can even get snowed in sometimes.’ Once she had started, the words came tumbling out of her mouth in a torrent. ‘You seem to forget that I’m a woman and that I like going out to dinner, and shopping and visiting museums. I also love to swim in the sea and sit in a café and watch the world go by. And I have two children I’d like to see sometimes, friends in Ireland I want to keep in touch with and also a lovely new friend I’ve just met who lives in Florence and…’ She stopped. ‘I’d like to have a bit of fun from time to time now that I’m free to make my own choices. After so many years, I want to… feel young again.’ Maddy drew breath and suddenly burst into tears. ‘And I want you too, so much, Erik,’ she sobbed. ‘But I can’t give up my whole life for you.’
Erik looked at her coldly. ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘I see. That puts a completely new complexion on everything.’
Maddy’s shoulders slumped. ‘I suppose it does.’ They looked at each other through cyberspace, each struggling with their own emotions until Maddy couldn’t bear it any more. ‘I’m sorry if I upset you. Goodbye, Erik,’ she sobbed, switching off her laptop.
* * *
Still drunk on wine, romance and sex, Leanne arrived back at the hotel in the early hours of the morning. The sun was rising over the mountains in the east when she tiptoed down the corridor. She was just about to slide into her room, when Maddy’s door swung opened and she peered out, Bridget in her arms.
She did a double take when she saw Leanne. ‘You’ve been out all night?’
Leanne smiled. ‘Yes. Wonderful night. Can’t tell you about it right now, but it was�
�’ She yawned. ‘God, I need to sleep. Sorry. Later…’ She went into her room and closed the door on Maddy, who was standing there looking like she hadn’t slept either. It suddenly hit Leanne how awful her friend looked and she opened the door a crack. ‘Are you okay? You look a little pale around the gills. Tummy bug or something?’
‘No. Something else.’ Maddy let Bridget down. ‘Long story. I’ll tell you at breakfast. Must take Bridget out for a bit.’ She walked down the corridor, pulling at an unwilling Bridget, who seemed to want to get back to Leanne.
Leanne watched her go, wondering what on earth had happened. Maddy’s obvious distress removed some of the gloss of her own new-found happiness, but not for long. She took off her dress and slid between the cool sheets, unwrapping the chocolate the maid had put on her pillow the night before. Lying there, she went over the evening in her head again from when she and Tony had held hands and talked, followed by the walk through the Old Town and the ice cream and the taxi ride and the boat… Oh what a night it had been. And how right it had felt to make love with Tony and then lie there afterwards talking, before doing it again and then sleeping and waking up, eating sausages at sunrise and kissing, laughing, and not wanting to say goodbye. They had only known each other for a short time and they hadn’t clicked immediately, but they had found each other during that sailing trip and now she felt such a strong connection to him she knew wouldn’t be broken. It’s all about trust, she thought, unable to ignore the feeling they were meant to be together. All this was so new and so precious she was afraid to share it with someone else, in case it shattered the dream. Of course she’d have to tell Maddy at least. Soon. But right now, it was her own lovely secret, hers and Tony’s. She fell asleep with a silly smile on her face.
Thirty
When Maddy returned from her walk, she felt there was no point going to her room and trying to sleep. She knew she couldn’t. She headed for the terrace and the breakfast buffet in order to drown her sorrows with coffee and pastries. She had lost Erik. She didn’t have to worry about her weight any more. She loaded a plate with two mini croissants, a raisin bun and a big Danish and sat down at a table near the end of the terrace, as far away as possible from the other guests.
‘Maddy!’ Claudia called from across the terrace. ‘May I join you?’
Maddy smiled and nodded. ‘Please do. I’ll order coffee and orange juice for two. Go get some yummy buns and sit down here.’
Claudia eyed the array on Maddy’s plate. ‘So it didn’t go so well, did it?’
‘How do you know?’
Claudia gestured at Maddy’s plate. ‘I can tell by the mountain of carbs. Comfort food?’
Maddy nodded. ‘Something like that.’
‘You want to tell me what happened?’
‘Okay.’ Maddy didn’t really feel like company, but Claudia would provide a good shoulder to cry on. She’d understand like nobody else.
But Claudia offered no comfort. ‘He couldn’t accept your wish to be independent?’ she snorted when Maddy had finished telling her. ‘Then he’s not worth it. Save your tears, honey. With your looks and charm, you’ll meet someone a lot better in no time. Come with me to Florence and stay for a week or two, why don’t you? You can help me do up my apartment. We can raid the lovely furniture and interior design stores in Florence. And we’ll shop for clothes and shoes and go to glamorous parties. There are plenty of attractive men in my circle of friends. They’ll love you.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Maddy sighed. ‘I think I’ll just go back with Leanne. She’d be upset if I said I wanted to do something without her.’
‘You’re not joined at the hip, are you? I’m sure she won’t mind. In any case, I have a feeling she has plans to be with someone else…’
Maddy sat up. ‘Who?’
Claudia winked. ‘I’m not going to tell tales. I’m not even sure I’m right. But I have a feeling…’
Maddy frowned. ‘Please don’t tell me she’s taken up with Carlo again? I think he’s big trouble.’
‘She’s an adult,’ Claudia remarked. ‘Let her make her own mistakes. Otherwise she won’t learn anything.’
‘But what if she doesn’t learn? What is she’s a rigid as her father?’
‘Then she’s a lost cause. She’ll end up like him. Alone.’
Maddy’s eyes stung with tears. ‘That’s awful.’
Claudia’s eyes softened. She put her hand on Maddy’s arm. ‘I know you’re upset about breaking up with him. But believe me, he would have ended up making you miserable. Come with me to Florence. It’ll cheer us both up. I like you a lot, you know. I think we could be very good friends.’
Maddy smiled. ‘You’re very kind, Claudia. I think I’ll take you up on that. But I have to sort things out with Leanne first. We went on this adventure together and she might be upset if I just bail out on her like this.’
‘Of course. I understand. You have to do what’s right. And if you don’t come with me to Florence now, you can visit me anytime.’ Claudia turned her attention to her breakfast. ‘So let’s try to enjoy this marvellous place and the fabulous food. And then we’ll go and explore the Old Town together. So much to see here, you know.’
Maddy sighed and nodded. ‘I know. This town is packed with history. I’m going to take photos and get as many books and brochures as I can for my students. I teach history as well as French, you see.’
‘Must be nice,’ Claudia said politely.
‘I love teaching young people. It’s a challenge to make it interesting enough for them to want to learn. The class I’m teaching now is lovely. A small class of only twenty girls that are very keen—’ Maddy stopped when her phoned pinged. A text from Leanne saying she had something to share and she would wait at the beach café below the hotel.
Please don’t scream when I tell you, the message ended.
Maddy stared at the message. Oh God, now she’d have to tell Leanne what she thought of her going back to Carlo. They had probably had a night of hot sex and Leanne would have stars in her eyes and say she’d been wrong about him. Maddy got up. ‘I have to go. Leanne wants to see me.’
Claudia raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh? Maybe she’ll give you the details of her romance.’
‘Maybe. I don’t know what to say to her.’ Maddy sighed. ‘Could you keep an eye on Bridget for me while I go and sort this out? She’s asleep under the table.’
Claudia glanced at the little furry bundle at her feet. ‘Oh so that’s what it is. Of course, darling. I’ll look after her. You can come and collect her when you and Leanne have sorted it out. I hope you’ll be telling me you’ll fly to Florence with me in the morning.’
‘We’ll see,’ Maddy said as she left the terrace, not looking forward to her confrontation with Leanne. But she had to speak her mind. Leanne needed to see that Carlo was very wrong for her. And the other thing, much worse, was to break the news that she and Erik had ended their brief romance. What a roller coaster her life had become.
* * *
Leanne sat at a table in the shade outside the beach café drinking iced coffee while she waited. She had slept for several hours and woken up feeling refreshed and happy. Then she’d had a swim and a long think. It was time to break the news about her and Tony, while the afterglow of their night together was still fresh in her mind.
What was it about Tony that was so different from other men she had dated? she wondered. His whole attitude to women for a start. When he looked at her it wasn’t just flirtatious but with true interest in her and who she was and what was on her mind. But then, when they touched and kissed, it was a whole other matter. It made Leanne hot just thinking about it. When Maddy arrived she greeted her with a cheery, ‘Hi! Lovely day isn’t it?’
Maddy came to a stop in the sand, glaring at Leanne. ‘Lovely? Well you certainly seem to think so, after a wild night with that gobshite. But I have to tell you before you go on that I think you’re making a huge mistake. That guy is so wrong for you and he’ll end up brea
king your heart. I told you so before, so don’t come crying to me when it all goes apeshit and he leaves you for some other—’
Leanne blinked. ‘What are you going on about? How do you know what I was doing last night?’
‘A little bird told me. I know you won’t listen to me. You’re just as rigid as your dad and you’ll end up just like him; all alone and bitter.’
Leanne stared at Maddy as if she was deranged. ‘Are you feeling all right? You seem to have lost your marbles completely.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘Have you and dad had a fight?’
‘We broke up, if you must know,’ Maddy said, her voice hoarse. ‘And it’s probably my fault, but I had to tell him that I couldn’t let him take over my life.’
‘You told him all that? Wow.’ Leanne was impressed. Maddy had finally flipped and told her father where to get off, something that nobody else had dared to do – not even her, his own daughter. ‘How did he react?’
Maddy shrugged, her head bowed. ‘He got all cold and silent on me. I hung up in the middle of our Skype call. He didn’t call me back. It’s over.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Leanne said, getting up to give Maddy a hug. ‘What a pity. I thought you were so good together.’
Maddy pulled back. ‘Well, it’s all over, so no use talking about it.’
Leanne sat down again. ‘I suppose not.’ She pulled out the chair beside her. ‘Hey, sit down. Have a coffee.’
Maddy sat down on the edge of the chair. ‘No thanks. I had breakfast with Claudia just now.’
‘Oh. Okay.’ Leanne paused. ‘What you just said… That rant about me and some… gobshite, I mean. I think you got it all wrong.’
Maddy looked at her coldly. ‘No, you did. How could you take up with him again after what happened that night?’
Leanne jumped up so fast her chair tipped over. ‘Will you shut up for just a moment okay?’ She lifted the chair back up. ‘Please just listen if you can manage that.’
A Holiday to Remember: An absolutely hilarious romantic comedy set under the Italian sun Page 22