The Skye Collection, page 45
She chatted on the phone and had text conversations with Clark, and he had invited her for coffee over and over, but she hadn’t plucked up the courage to visit him again after the drama of last time. More than anything, she wanted to leave the confines of the gardens and explore, and the more time passed, the more determined she became, regardless of Valerie’s protestations.
Her boredom was made worse by the fact that Kitty had gone away for a few days’ break. She’d told Ruby she should still contact her to chat, but Ruby was determined to let her best friend have the much-deserved, uninterrupted time with her family.
She watched the news on TV, but there were still stories about her, every so often, and even though she couldn’t understand what was being said, she guessed from the tone that her name was still mud and she was discovering how well mud sticks. Sometimes she missed the constant buzzing of her phone, the speedy catch-up with what was going on in the world via social media, but then she remembered why she was avoiding it and why she had deactivated her accounts. Although it was difficult going ‘cold turkey’, it wasn’t worth the stress to reactivate her accounts, even if she could access Wi-Fi. She knew there was probably Wi-Fi if she asked, but she didn’t want to open that can of worms – her willpower to stay offline would crash and burn if it was easy to access.
Mitch was busy working on the house with a couple of older builders, and when he wasn’t busy doing that he disappeared in his car. Thankfully, he asked if she needed anything and she had given him shopping lists of toiletries and magazines, even though she’d much rather be able to go by herself. Perhaps she was being incredibly conceited in thinking that she would be so well known over here? And perhaps Valerie was being overcautious?
It was the beginning of March and the sun was high in the cloudless sky above, deceptive considering she could feel the chill of the temperature outside through the opening of the covered terrace. Clark had texted to invite her over but had suggested she leave Nero at home on this occasion. She hadn’t answered, figuring she needed to speak to the security guards first.
Ruby wandered down to the gatehouse and found Jacopo leaning against the wall tossing the ball for his dog. Her little canine friend ran to her and jumped into her arms, giving excited yips.
She nuzzled his fur. ‘Hello, boy, I’ve missed you. Yes, I have,’ she told him.
Jacopo watched with a smile on his face. ‘I can help you with something?’ he asked.
Coyly, she nibbled her lip for a moment and placed Nero back on his four paws. ‘I’d like to go for a walk. Outside the gardens, I mean.’
He held up his finger and shook his head as he opened his mouth to clearly dispute her request.
‘Before you say no, I only want to walk to the next property. I… I made a friend there. I’d like to visit. To get out for a little while. You and Nero can escort me there if you wish.’ She pleaded at him with her expression and clutched her hands to her chest. She imagined she looked like the cat from the Puss in Boots animation but hoped it tugged at his heartstrings sufficiently for him to acquiesce. ‘I’m so bored, Jacopo, and I feel like a prisoner here. I promise I won’t stay away long. You can even come and collect me.’
He rubbed the back of his neck and cringed. ‘I don’t think this is a good idea to do. I don’t think—’
‘Don’t think about it! I’ll take full responsibility… erm… mea culpa.’ She grinned, feeling proud of herself for saying something that she knew the meaning of and something that sounded kind of Italian.
He smirked. ‘This is Latin. I’m Italian.’
Her imaginary pride-filled balloon deflated. ‘Oh…’
He sighed and stared at her for what felt like an age. The crease in his brow was deeper than usual and she was expecting him to tell her to go back into the house. Eventually he wagged his pointed finger at her, like a chastising parent. ‘I go with you and I bring you back. Sì?’
Her smile widened. ‘Yes! Yes, that’s great!’ Without thinking, she lurched at the burly man and hugged him. ‘Thank you, Jacopo. Erm… grazie, grazie, grazie.’
He laughed. ‘This is better Italian.’
He grabbed his gun and his jacket, collected his phone and Nero’s lead from the desktop and, once Nero was secured, he opened the gate. She almost skipped through as he held it open for her, feeling like Nero wasn’t the only puppy on a walk, and tried her best not to trot along the road, letting her small taste of freedom get the better of her.
They walked in silence and the shelter of the high walls shielded them from the brightness of the sun. When they arrived at the tall, wrought-iron gates to Clark’s property, she stopped.
‘We’re here. I’ll just buzz him.’ She pressed the silver button on the panel by the gate.
‘Hello?’
‘Oh, hi Clark. It’s Rebecca, your neighbour.’
He paused. ‘Rebe— oh yeah, of course, come on in!’
A buzzer sounded and the gate slowly opened, fully revealing the beautiful gardens and the house beyond.
Jacopo watched her as she stepped inside and Nero whined, clearly unhappy to be left out of the visit. ‘I will be back in two hours.’
She gave him a sweet smile. ‘Thank you, Jacopo. See you later, Nero!’
Clark came walking out of the house rubbing his hair with a towel. ‘Hey, hi. How are you?’ he asked as he kissed her on both cheeks. He smelled of fresh pine and tea tree. ‘Sorry I sounded so vague back there. You didn’t reply to my message and I fell asleep on the patio so I showered to wake myself up.’
She cringed. ‘Sorry, I should’ve replied. I can go if—’
He shook his head and frowned. ‘No! No absolutely not. Can I get you a drink?’
She smiled, relieved that he didn’t want her to leave. ‘Just water, thanks.’
‘Great. Take a seat on the patio and I’ll be right out. It really is good to see you.’ He gave her a handsome smile before retreating indoors.
She took a seat under the cover of the shade and admired the brightly coloured flora and fauna of his well-manicured garden. Even though it was only early spring, the plants were vibrant and cared for. He clearly loved his garden, just her like her mum. A pang of homesickness hit her again and she chewed the inside of her cheek to abate the tears that were stinging at her eyes.
He returned carrying two glasses of water complete with slices of lemon. ‘I was thinking, maybe we should head out for a late lunch or early dinner. There’s a great little place down in Cefalù. They do the best Pasta alla Norma you’ve ever tasted; I promise you. Aubergines, fresh basil and cilantro, parmesan. Bellisima. What do you say?’
Ruby cringed. ‘Oh… I’m not so sure I can go to—’
‘I have a small motorcycle and spare helmet. It’s not a long drive.’
‘It’s not that… it’s just…’ She wondered how much she could divulge without getting into a tangled web of lies that would eventually string her up. ‘I’m… I have to be careful about being seen.’ Her mind was whirring so fast she wondered how there was no steam erupting from her ears.
He leaned closer and lowered his voice. ‘Rebecca, you’re a real mystery. Tell me, are you in witness protection or something?’ Concern etched his features.
Her cheeks blazed, but he had given her a perfect excuse. One she wished she’d thought of herself. She nodded vehemently. ‘Yes. Yes, that’s right. Witness protection. I can’t say any more than that, I’m afraid.’
He held up his hands. ‘No need. I completely understand. But if it’s any consolation, the restaurant in Cefalù is mainly where the locals eat, so you’re not likely to run into anyone who would know you.’
The thought of eating out at a proper restaurant filled her with nervous excitement. It would be a real test of her disguise, but she was so tempted. ‘My… erm friend is collecting me in a couple of hours, so we’d need to be quick.’
He beamed at her. ‘I’ll go grab the keys.’
He disappeared again and she sipped at her water, letting the icy liquid calm the raging fire of anxiety that had begun to fill her veins. Was this a gigantic mistake that she would soon regret? Could someone be watching her here or was it all a little far-fetched to the point of it being a movie plot? Oh, the irony.
Clark appeared once more from the back of the property with a black, 250cc bike and two silver helmets, one of which he handed to her.
A realisation struck her. ‘Oh dammit, I only have my phone, not my purse.’
He grinned as he pulled his helmet down over his ears. ‘My treat.’
He was so lovely, his texts had kept her going and she was grateful to have met such a friendly guy. Not to mention handsome – not drop-dead, panty-melting gorgeous, but nice-looking. Perhaps he could change her view of the male species after all. ‘That’s very kind of you.’
Once seated behind him on the bike, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and they set off for the small, coastal city she had been driven through on her arrival. The journey wasn’t long and took them through small hamlets nestled into the slopes of what she guessed could’ve once been a volcano. The greens of the vegetation and the golden tones of the stone buildings they passed were incredibly vibrant and the sky overhead was cloudless and azure blue. The rush of air, as they travelled at speed, was chilly against her skin and on occasions took her breath away, but the ride was exhilarating. Freeing. She could feel the toned muscles of Clark’s stomach beneath her hands and several thoughts entered her head that she dismissed immediately. No romance, she reminded herself.
Ever the gentleman, Clark checked several times that she was okay and when he eventually pulled to a stop down a narrow side street, he helped her off the bike. They walked along the cobbles until they opened out into a paved square where an imposing, stone, Norman-style cathedral stood guard at one end atop a flight of stone steps.
‘This is the Piazza del Duomo,’ Clark said with a flourish of his hands. ‘It took over a hundred years to build the cathedral. Can you imagine starting to build something that wouldn’t be finished in your own lifetime?’ It was a rhetorical question, and he shook his head in awe. ‘Talk about a labour of love.’
‘It’s such a beautiful place,’ Ruby said with a sigh as she soaked up the buzz of the afternoon atmosphere, in awe of her stunning surroundings. The lilt of Italian speaking voices and music floated through the air, along with the clink of cutlery and wine glasses, and the sweet scent of the fresh flowers that adorned every table. It felt so wonderful to be out in the real world and exploring a brand-new place. She closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled, committing everything to memory.
‘It sure is. Now there’s a little market at the other side of the square, do you want to look there first?’
Excitement washed over her, and goosebumps rose on her skin. ‘Ooh, yes please!’
The walls of the buildings created a little microclimate and the sun warmed Ruby’s skin as they wandered over to the stalls. All at once, she was hit by myriad aromas and sights. People were filling wicker baskets with produce and chatting to the vendors, and the sound of laughter warmed her heart. Fresh fruit and vegetables filled one stall; the biggest oranges Ruby had ever seen. She picked one up and inhaled the aromatic, citrus fragrance which made her mouth water.
Clark took the fruit from her and picked up another. ‘Due per favore,’ he told the stallholder and handed over some cash. Once they were paid for, he told Ruby, ‘These are for you. I’ll put them in my backpack.’
‘Thank you, that’s so kind.’
They passed stalls selling fresh fish, bread, local artwork and clothing. Clark stopped at a stall selling brightly coloured summer scarves. He picked up a violet-coloured one with a vivid flower print and wrapped it around her neck. ‘Perfect,’ he told her as he handed the money over to the stallholder. Ruby gasped. ‘Oh, no, no, honestly you don’t need to—’
‘I insist. Now, come on, I believe I promised you the best Pasta alla Norma you’d ever tasted.’ He took her hand and led her towards a pretty restaurant with tables set outside. Red cloths wafted lightly under cream-coloured umbrellas and Clark pulled out a chair for her.
‘Actually, I don’t have anything to compare it to. I’ve never actually tried Pasta alla Norma,’ she admitted with a giggle. A lightness had washed over her, a sense of freedom and serenity had replaced the anxiety she had been feeling.
‘Well, I can assure you, you’re in for a treat.’ A waiter approached the table and Clark spoke. ‘Ciao. Potrei ordinare due paste alla norma e una bottiglia di pinot grigiot, per favore?’
The waiter jotted the order on his pad and, with a smile and a nod, walked away.
Ruby was silently impressed with his accent and his knowledge of the language. What was it about a handsome man with language skills that attracted her so much?
She glanced around nervously but was relieved to find that no one was paying the slightest bit of attention to her; apart from Clark whose gaze was fixed on her. He opened his mouth but closed it and shook his head.
She eyed him inquisitively. ‘What? You looked like you were going to say something.’
He smiled and rubbed at his chin. ‘I was going to ask you about yourself, but in light of your recent admission, I don’t suppose there’s anything you can tell me.’
The waiter returned with a jug of water, two glasses, a pot of olives and a jar of breadsticks.
Guilt niggled at her insides and Ruby picked up a breadstick. ‘I love flowers, my favourites are red roses, clichéd but true. I love music… ah, but I already told you that.’ She tapped her chin, trying to filter out truths that she could set free without consequence. ‘I love to dance. I studied it as a child and then when I was older too.’ She refrained from mentioning her performing arts studies for fear of giving away too much. ‘It was my first love, before… Anyway, it was all a long time ago now.’ She giggled and her face warmed a little.
Clark folded his arms across his chest. He nodded a little too conspiratorially for Ruby’s liking. ‘Okay, noted.’
Clark imparted a little more about his life and his record store. When he talked about things he was passionate about his face lit up, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and Ruby felt a little sad that they hadn’t met under different circumstances. What he knew of her was a mixture of truth and fabrication, and she knew that most people would shy away from someone who hadn’t been truthful from the start.
The waiter delivered their food and, after Clark had tasted the wine, he poured two generous glasses. Clark beckoned the waiter and whispered something to him before he left.
‘You must have built up some good friendships over here in the years you’ve been coming,’ Ruby said as she took her first mouthful of food.
Clark blushed a little. ‘Oh… no, not really. We’re quite a private family… well, we were. And now I’m more concerned with relaxing when I come over.’ He shrugged. ‘Anyway, what do you think?’ He gestured towards her plate.
‘Absolutely delicious. And I’m sure if I had tried the dish before, this would be the best by far.’ She smiled.
He nodded and grinned. ‘Right? I knew you’d love it.’
‘So, do you know Mitch who owns the property next door that I’m staying in? The house has been in his family a long while. His parents may have known yours.’
Clark chewed for what felt like a long time. ‘To be honest, I don’t really know anyone. Like I said, we’ve always been a very private family.’ He swallowed and took a large gulp of his wine. It was evident he felt uncomfortable talking about his past, so she decided not to pursue the matter further. He continued, ‘So, what do you do for hobbies?’
Great, a question I can answer. ‘Oh, well… I love reading. I think I got the passion from my mum. She’s an avid reader, although she can have several books on the go at once. I prefer to take my time with one book. I don’t think I’d cope with the flitting around. I think I’d get the characters mixed up in my head.’ She laughed.
‘I love to read too. What are your favourite genres? For me it’s crime novels. I love a good whodunnit.’
She felt her cheeks warming. ‘I’m a romance reader. There’s nothing nicer than a love story with a happy ever after. But my favourites are the classics. Wuthering Heights. Rebecca—’
‘Ooh, your namesake! Is that where your mom got your name from?’
For a moment, confusion clouded her mind until she realised what he meant. Of course, he knew her as Rebecca not Ruby. ‘Oh yes, maybe it was.’ She took a large mouthful of wine.
They finished their meal and talked about lots of very general things – something they were both more comfortable with. Clark hardly touched his wine, preferring to drink the water instead.
Once their plates had been cleared, a man appeared beside their table playing a violin. Ruby immediately recognised the tune as ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ by Stevie Wonder and she lifted her chin to find Clark grinning at her.
‘May I have the pleasure of this dance, Rebecca?’ he asked, holding out his hand.
She smiled widely and shook her head. ‘Did you do this?’
He nodded.
‘I can’t believe it!’ She laughed as she took his hand and he led her to the small space between the tables.
As the talented violinist played, Clark swayed her to the music, much to the delight of the other afternoon patrons. Clark spun her around and she couldn’t help giggling. The combination of sunshine, wine and dancing had made her forget her troubles for a while.
Once the piece ended, the place erupted in applause.
As they went to retake their seats, Ruby glanced at her wristwatch and gasped. ‘Oh no! I need to get back!’
Clark huffed, but she could see by his bright expression that it was in good nature. ‘It’s like dating Cinderella.’ His use of the word dating took her a little by surprise but didn’t exactly bother her. He took her hand. ‘Come on, let’s get you home before the search party descends.’
