Welcome to the real world, Luca.
I’m so used to people looking after me that I’ve never been self-sufficient. I grab some more bacon and make some more toast.
“I’m going to grab my bag and get out of your hair,” she tells me, placing her plate in the sink.
What? She’s going so soon.
Now she’s in my space I’m not sure I want her to go. Not because I think she’s cute, which I do—I certainly don’t need a cute complication in my life at the moment—but honestly, I don’t think I’m going to enjoy my own company. I had most of yesterday by myself, and it was so damn hard. I had to get drunk to even hang out with myself. For the next month, my only companion is probably going to be my whisky bottle, and I think I like the distraction standing in front of me much better.
“I heard there’s a snowstorm coming. Is it safe for you to go?”
Her eyes widen. “Shit! Is there?” She grabs her phone and furiously taps away on it. “Bugger, you’re right. They have issued a weather warning. I better go.”
“Don’t,” I say, stilling her. “I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you.”
Lilly frowns at me. “I can’t crash your holiday.”
“I can’t let a woman go out into a snowstorm.”
Her hands go to her hips, and she looks a little angry. “But you’d let a man?”
Huh, what?
“I… just…” I stumble over my words.
“Exactly. Thank you, but I must be going.” She looks like she can’t wait to get away from me, and it’s the exact opposite of how she looked at me last night. Maybe I was drunk and dreamed the whole situation. I guess that could be a distinct possibility. She picks up her bag and hauls it to the front door, stopping to pull on her coat and scarf. “Well, I hope you enjoy your stay here…” her words trail off.
“Luke, my name is Luke.” Technically, that is true, but she doesn’t need to know any more. It’s not like I’ll be seeing her again.
“Luke.” She smiles saying my name, and I like it falling across her lips. “Well, I hope you enjoy the cottage, it’s truly a beautiful place.” And then with that, she’s gone.
A couple of moments later, the door suddenly opens, and I’m caught still staring at the space she vacated. “Sorry, I left the breakfast cleaning up for you but, you know, the storm and all.” She waves at me and then closes the door again.
Maybe it’s for the best, cuddling up to a cute girl isn’t what I need. The distraction would be nice, but I must focus on the complete shitshow that’s my life at the moment, away from everyone who wants to influence it.
Not long later, there’s a knock at the door.
Who on earth could this be?
I move and open it, swirls of snow hit me in the face, the wind is so fierce out there. Bright yellow lights on a tow truck flash through the white abyss.
“Hi…” Lilly moves from the side and into my view. “Guess you were right. You shouldn’t have let a woman go out in the storm.”
My heart stops. Is she hurt?
“Aye, he was, Lilly. Ye know not to go out in weather like this.” A hulking giant places her bag on the doorstep. His eyes narrow on me, and he doesn’t look happy. “Who’s that, Lassie?” the man asks.
“This is Luke, a family friend.” The man eyes me suspiciously. “He’s Contessa’s nephew over from Rome.”
This seems to relax the old man a little. I wonder who Contessa is?
“God rest her soul.”
Lilly appears sad at his condolence. She must have been close with this Contessa.
“Say hi to your wife for me.” Lilly puts a large smile on her face when she bids him farewell.
He nods and disappears into the white.
Lilly lets out a heavy sigh, grabs her bag, and walks back into the cottage. “I’m sorry to be crashing your holiday, again.”
“Are you okay?”
She shrugs. “Just a bruised ego more than anything. Slid off into a snowbank. That was Broden, he owns the mechanics shop in the village. Won’t take long for the village grapevine to kick in and know that I’m back.” She shucks off her jacket and hangs her scarf, then rubs her hands together. “I promise I won’t be in your way. I’ll lock myself in my sister’s room until the storm has passed and let you holiday in peace.”
“It’s fine. Honestly, one day of my own company, and it was driving me crazy.”
She laughs. “Not used to your own company, then?”
I shake my head. “I come from a big family. They like to get into my business. A lot.”
“Sounds very Italian.”
“It is.”
This makes me smile, and I start thinking about my family for the first time since…
Shaking my head, I’m not going to think about it.
I’ve messaged my brother to tell him I’m okay but am requesting time by myself to get everything in order. I just hope they understand.
“They mean well.”
Lilly smiles. “I only have my sister who cares, and she’s enough trouble as it is.”
“Lolly?”
“Yeah, and I’m Lilly.” She holds out her hand to me. “If I’ve forgotten to introduce myself in the chaos, I can’t remember.”
I take her hand and shake it—there’s that zap of electricity again.
“Come sit, you’re frozen.” I usher her to one of the armchairs by the fire.
“Thanks.” Giving me a wide smile as she rubs her hands together in front of the fire, I head into the kitchen and grab the bottle of whisky and two glasses, setting them down in front of the fire on the side table.
“That’s Macallan whisky.” She looks at me with shock.
“It’s nice,” I respond as I start pouring the amber liquid into the glasses.
“But… that’s an expensive bottle.”
I hand her the glass, and she stares at me.
I shrug. Shit! Maybe I just gave myself away with the whisky. I could just be some
