Voice deepened by the desire to kiss her, I explain, “I do a lot of events. They fly me all over the states. I’m used to what’s included and what’s not.” Motioning to the villa, I keep things casual even with my heart pounding hard. “Ready to go in?”
“Mmhmm.” We walk toward the foyer, people sitting under vine-covered gazebos to our left, and Tempest asks, “Do you think I picked a good place?”
“I think it’s perfect.”
From the corner of long eyelashes she looks at me, our footsteps slow. “Really?”
“Wouldn’t change a thing.”
“I feel like you mean that.”
We walk inside and she hesitates, glancing to their small café.
I nod, “I’ll see you soon,” and head upstairs, leaving her behind — no doubt to wonder over a coffee why I’ve changed my tune so much.
Chapter 19
“Finally you answer!” I cry out, walking outside with my espresso so I can talk candidly without being overheard.
Zia reminds me, “You’re on a different time zone!”
“I didn’t call when you were sleeping.”
“Maybe I was doing other things,” she says with a smile in her voice.
I mutter, “Jealous!” taking a sip and finding it as strong as I’d hoped it would be. Such a tiny ceramic cup but I want it to last. Changing the subject I grin, “If you could see where I am right now!”
“Is it gorgeous?”
“We haven’t left Villa Crawford yet, but it’s set right in the Bay of Naples with water reaching to both sides, and Zia, it’s stunning. I’m so glad I did this! This morning when I woke up I called Grandma and Grandpa and thanked them until they told me to stop.”
“I bet they were really happy to be a part of this for you.”
Smiling, I agree, “That’s what they said, too,” and drink down the coffee. “Enough with the chit chat! What the Tuck is Josh doing here?! I know you knew about it! Why didn’t you warn a cousin?!”
“I was…busy.”
Stopping beside a low hedge blooming with hot pink flowers, “You can’t keep using that as an excuse!” I balance my tiny cup and saucer on them. “What is up with him, Zia? He’s acting really strange!”
Disappointment laces her tone immediately. “Oh no, is he being rude to you again?”
“No, that’s just it! He’s being…cool.”
Zia sighs, “Oh thank Tucking gawd,” and laughs, “You had me worried there.”
“Answer the question! Why is he here? I tried calling my sister and she didn’t pick up! Three times!”
“I don’t know why he’s there.”
Picking a flower petal, I turn it over in my hand, phone pressed to one ear, mind on Josh. “He said he’s building something. I guess I should be flattered my retreat seemed like a great place for him to heal.”
“Heal?” She pauses. “Oh right, he’s healing. That must be why he’s there.”
Setting the petal on my saucer, I frown, “He didn’t say?”
“I think he mentioned something like that to Nax. He must have. I can’t remember.”
“Zia, you know what?! It’s great that you’re in love and all that, but your airheadedness is out of control. How could you not know I needed a warning… that jerk… would be here.” Why was it so hard to say that?
“I should have. I’m sorry. You’re right. My head is up my ass.”
A grin spreads, and I lift my saucer, “It really is!” cup wobbling as I head back to change.
“What are you doing today? What time is it there now?”
“Almost eleven. We’re heading into city-center, and I’m so excited to see more of Sorrento!”
Will calls out in the background, “Is that Tempest!?”
Zia hushes him, “No, shhh.”
My footsteps slow. “Why are you lying to Will?”
“Um…it’s a long story.”
Momma-bear hackles raise, voice sharpening. “Don’t lie to him, Zia!”
“Just trust me, okay?”
With fire in my chest, I hesitate to speak while angry — because I do trust her, so there must be a reason —and force the blaze down to crackling embers before I mutter, “I don’t understand why you can’t tell him it’s me.”
“Just trust me!”
I walk into a foyer bustling with new arrivals checking in. “Fine, but I don’t understand. I’ve gotta go. Josh is picking me up on a scooter soon.”
“What?!!!”
Heading for the stairs, I mutter, mind still on Will, “I said he was being cool.”
“Hold on, Tempest Tuck, you’re going to ride on the back of Josh’s scooter in Italy?!!”
Will shouts, “Hey! I thought you said it wasn’t Tempest!”
“Will, hang on, okay?!”
“Dad got her to ride on a scooter with him? That’s great!”
On the second floor, I stop walking. “Why is he so excited?”
Zia stammers, “I, uh, that’s why I didn’t want to say it was you. Because, uh, Will is really hoping that you two might get together. Crazy, I know.”
My chest caves in, heart melted. “Oh no! Poor guy. No wonder you lied! Because that’ll never happen.”
“Yeah…”
Continuing to the third floor, my steps are slowed by a growing sense of longing, one I don’t want to think about. Not here. Not at all. My voice is quieted by the struggle against it. “I have to go change, Zia. Let Will down easy for me, please. Tell him, I don’t know…tell him…there’s no way his father is ready for anything like that.”
Zia whispers, “I’m not sure if he’ll believe me.”
We say our goodbyes, and I hang up, unlocking my door in a hurry, tears jumping to my eyes and I don’t want to know why.
Josh, why did you have to choose my retreat to heal, when the more time I spend with you, the more I want…you.
Chapter 20
The villa is protected by a security gate. I see three cars pulled up to the curb outside, drivers waiting. Slowing the scooter, I look through vintage iron to find Tempest and the others approaching. We both changed, but she outdid me by a long shot. I’m just in jeans and a
