Chapter 4 #2
‘We were just talking. No need to panic.’ Liberty rolls her eyes as Nacho strolls over to kiss Matteo on both cheeks.
‘Talking about what?’ Matteo says, smooth as anything, before I can stop this conversation from escalating. Nacho is laughingly saying something rapid in Spanish that neither Liberty nor I can catch.
‘I’m trying to learn Spanish,’ she says, beaming at Nacho. ‘Aren’t I?’
Nacho’s hungry gaze travels the length of her body before he nods. ‘Es verdad.’
To be fair, Liberty famously announced that she’d have more chance of learning the Latvian national anthem and singing it backwards than learning Spanish to any usable standard.
Matteo is clearly unimpressed. ‘How is Eddie?’
‘You tell me. You saw him last,’ Liberty replies a little too quickly. ‘He’s spent most of the month in LA with you sorting music contracts and investing in some new AI technology.’
Matteo nods thoughtfully. ‘You must be looking forward to seeing him then.’
‘Hola chicos y chicas!’ yells Liam, racing into the bar with arms flung wide. ‘Christ, Liberty, hun, you look friggin’ gorge.’
‘You look friggin’ gorge yourself, pet.’ Liberty kisses Liam full on the mouth, to his great amusement, before raising her brow at Matteo. ‘Going to tell Eddie about that too, are you?’
Oh dear.
Ged is hot on Liam’s heels and soon there are excited shrieks and hugging aplenty. Nacho is causing much of the excitement simply by being himself and kissing everyone on the cheeks and asking how they are. His heavy Spanish accent is visibly reducing Liam to mush.
We are disturbed by two members of staff, both dressed in white shirts and black trousers.
One is holding a tray of champagne flutes filled to the brim, one arm behind his back.
The other informs us politely in English that they have placed our suitcases in our rooms and they would be happy to show us the way after our welcome drink.
‘We have received ten crates of sparkling wine, courtesy of Lovington.’ The one with the tray points disapprovingly to the corner of the bar where there are huge wooden crates piled high with the famous Lovington logo stamped across them.
Oh dear. Things are going to get incredibly messy.
‘A toast. Great idea. Marvellous,’ exclaims Liam, waving a hand extravagantly in our direction. ‘Absolutely spiffing, my darlings.’
Ged raises an eyebrow in surprise. ‘And… as soon as my fiancé returns from the 1800s, we’ll take an amble around the gardens before retiring to our chambers.’ He grins. ‘Won’t we, old boy?’
Liam blushes. ‘It’s this place. It’s doing something to me.’ He touches a hand lightly to his cheek. ‘I’ve gone full Bridgerton.’
Liberty gasps. ‘I know what you mean. I felt it as soon as I walked through the door.’ Liam immediately leans his head closer to Liberty. Her voice becomes a theatrical whisper. ‘It’s as though the house is speaking to me. Urging me to have a good time.’
If anyone needs urging, it is not Liberty.
‘I do love a good urge,’ Liam retorts, smouldering at Ged. ‘The place positively screams decadence and debauchery, doesn’t it?’
‘No,’ I butt in. ‘No, it doesn’t. It screams of a demure, tasteful, well-behaved, smooth-running wedding. Please let’s not have any wild shenanigans until you two are safely married.’
‘I’ll drink to that,’ says Ged, accepting the champagne flute that is handed to him. The six of us clink glasses. ‘Here’s to a magical week.’
Matteo holds the bedroom door open for me, and I’m delighted to see how light and airy and festive it is.
They’ve thought of every detail, from Santa-print duvets and cushions with Christmas puddings on, down to woollen Christmas stockings hanging at the end of the bed.
There are two double-aspect picture windows with views of the palm trees surrounding the property.
The luscious green tops of the pine trees in the forest beyond cling to the rocks all the way down to the harbour and the colourful boats bobbing gently on the sea.
Shards of sunlight are streaking through the fluffy clouds to glint like diamonds on the water’s surface.
I stand taking it all in. It’s breathtaking.
‘Wow. It’s hard to believe it’s only five days until Christmas.
Look at that bright blue sky,’ I say, just as Matteo wraps his arms around me.
My hair is piled high on my head in a messy (but very cool) topknot exposing my neck.
I have a real soft spot for neck kisses.
They leave me weak at the knees. Matteo knows this only too well as I feel his warm lips make contact with my skin.
They send a delicious shiver down my spine.
Christ, now I’m getting an urge. Maybe it is this place.
Something about it whispers romance at every turn.
I should never have got on my high horse earlier.
I let out a gentle moan as Matteo leaves a trail of kisses down the other side of my neck.
‘I’ve missed you so much,’ he murmurs between kisses. ‘I can’t wait until we live together. Things will be so much easier.’
Ah. The whole moving-in-together thing. ‘Um, yeah. It’ll be great.’
Matteo tilts his head. ‘Try not to sound too enthusiastic, will you?’
I blink slowly at him, quelling the familiar doubt. ‘You know there’s nothing I want more. Although I must warn you that sometimes I operate at the highest mess-making levels imaginable.’ I haven’t told him that Ged calls me Hurricane Connie.
‘Not a problem. We’ll have a cleaner.’
‘I lost my house keys four times last week.’
‘Are you trying to put me off?’
‘Absolutely not.’
‘Then why haven’t you told your dad?’
Good question. Why haven’t I?
I shrug. ‘There’s a lot going on right now. He’ll be here for the wedding, so I’ll tell him when he gets here that we’re moving halfway across the planet,’ I say, turning around in his embrace. ‘Then when we go meet your parents we can tell them the good news too.’
I swallow nervously. Matteo has already told me a few things about his family. They sound like a really close-knit bunch with traditional values and a love of frequent get-togethers.
‘I told my family as soon as we decided,’ he says casually. ‘Because I’m sure we are doing the right thing.’
‘Me too,’ I quip. ‘I’m sure too. In fact, you’re right. Why wait? I’ll tell my dad tonight.’