Chapter 38
38
Stepping out onto this balcony is like climbing straight into the picture on a postcard. The wharf below is glistening under the sun. Rows and rows of brilliant white boats bob on the beautiful blue water, sort of like clouds in the sky, and then, just beyond it, the Adriatic Sea stretches as far as the eye can see.
Gosh, it’s such a beautiful day.
‘Oh, I could get used to looking out over this every day,’ I say with a sigh as I gaze out at the view.
‘That’s fortunate,’ Andrea replies, walking up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. ‘Seeing as though you are going to be living here from now on.’
I smile to myself.
I am still pinching myself but it’s all true. This is the beautiful apartment that comes with the Come a Casa job I’ve just landed, overseeing their ad campaign from over here, working with Beppe and the rest of the team. Oh, and on a campaign that I came up with, no less. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so proud of myself – although I still haven’t ruled out that, any moment now, I might wake up and find out that it was all a dream.
‘Let’s check out the rest of the place,’ Andrea suggests, giving me a gentle squeeze.
‘Okay,’ I reply. ‘I suppose there’s plenty of time to enjoy this view. I’ll bet it only gets more gorgeous as the sun goes down too.’
‘Well, if you let me take you out for dinner, then maybe we can watch it together when we get back,’ he replies. ‘The celebrating isn’t over yet.’
We head back inside, into the fully furnished luxury apartment, to check out the open-plan living space. It’s a room that is swimming in natural light, thanks to the large windows, and yet it still feels cosy. I can imagine making my morning coffee and doing my light stretches (I don’t do light stretches on a morning but, I don’t know, maybe now is the time to start, because I feel like that’s what a fancy business lady would do) just as easily as I can imagine making my evening cup of tea before curling up in front of the TV.
I think that’s when you know you’re making yourself at home, when you think about the TV. When you’re on holiday, it’s almost like TV doesn’t exist for a week or two but, now that I’m getting my feet under the table, I’m thinking about the telly, and this apartment has a big one that hangs on the wall in front of a large, plush grey sofa.
The kitchen looks state of the art – not that I would know, but I’m sure my chef boyfriend will make the most of it. Yep, I’m calling him that now. Well, technically I’m calling him ‘ il mio ragazzo ’, which is the first real thing I’ve learned – it’s genuinely amazing how motivated I am, when it’s something I’m excited about.
Next, we wander into the bathroom, and my eyes widen at the sight. It’s so big, luxurious, with sleek marble tiles, modern fixtures, and a spacious Jacuzzi bath that takes centre stage. My God, I want to get in it, right now, and probably never get out.
‘Yep, this will do,’ I exclaim playfully, already imagining myself relaxing in the bubbles after a long day at work – work where they make wine!
‘I’m jealous,’ Andrea replies with a smile. ‘Living back at home with my parents, I’m lucky if I get time for a bath.’
I flash him a cheeky smile.
‘I might let you use mine,’ I tease him. ‘Come on, let’s see what’s behind the next door.’
Finally, we step into the bedroom, and, yep, I’m home.
The room is spacious enough that the king-sized bed doesn’t seem like it is filling the space at all. The bed and the curtains look like they’re made of fabric I could only dream of affording. I can’t resist running my hand over the white sheets – but not before checking my hands are free from make-up (or the chocolate-filled Cornetto I ate on the walk here).
This room also has a balcony that looks out over the wharf. I’ll bet it looks so good on a night-time when the lights on the boats twinkle beneath the moon. I’m torn between wanting to savour every second and wanting to experience everything all at once.
‘It’s almost perfect,’ I say, sighing contently.
‘Almost perfect?’ Andrea questions, sounding a little surprised. ‘What more could you want?’
‘Don’t get me wrong, it’s really, really close to perfect,’ I reply with a chuckle, moving closer to him. ‘In fact, my entire life is pretty great right now, but there’s just one thing missing from it, and from here… A translator.’
Andrea cocks his head curiously, his brows furrowing in confusion.
‘ Che cosa? ’ he says, and I smile at his adorable perplexity.
I never thought a man could be so sexy when he was confused.
I don’t know what that means, which only proves my point, but if I had to guess, I’d assume it meant ‘What?’
‘I think that my life here, for however long I am here, is going to be pretty great,’ I begin. ‘I know that I’m here for a while, though, and if there is one thing I’ve realised during my trip, it’s that I definitely, desperately need Italian lessons – lest I become the butt of any more jokes.’
Andrea laughs. I don’t think anyone – not me, him, or anyone in his family – is ever going to forget what I said that day. I still cringe when I think about it.
‘Like, I might be trying to order some food, and God knows what I’ll order by mistake, or something like that,’ I point out.
‘Which reminds me, we really need to work on your pronunciation of “penne”,’ he says with a laugh.
‘Pene,’ I say. ‘What? What’s wrong with it?’
‘Robin, no!’ he says with a laugh that is so, so close to a giggle.
‘What?’ I reply. ‘A bowl of pene?’
‘No, no, no, it’s penne, with two Ns,’ he insists. ‘Never ask for a bowl of pene.’
‘Do I want to know what that is?’ I ask, wincing. ‘It doesn’t mean what I think it does, does it?’
‘Oh, Robin,’ he says, laughing as he pulls me into his chest for a hug. ‘Sometimes, I wish that you don’t ever learn Italian, because you make me laugh. But I will help you learn.’
‘Ah, but that is going to take time,’ I reply. ‘I am going to try to learn but, while I’m trying to learn the language, I’m going to need a translator. Someone who will be by my side, everywhere I go, to make sure I don’t say anything stupid. Oh, and someone here at home too, all of the time, you know, just in case.’
I turn around in Andrea’s arms just in time to see the realisation take over his face.
‘I see,’ he says with a smile. ‘Robin, are you asking me to move in with you?’
‘ Sì ,’ I reply. ‘It doesn’t have to be a big deal. But I know you’ve been living with your parents, while you work out what you’re going to do next, and I owe you one thousand favours so, yeah… Would you like to move in with me? Even if it’s just until you figure out?—’
‘Robin, I would love to,’ he says, interrupting me, just in time to stop the self-doubt pouring out.
I know it’s so soon in our relationship, but I’m only staying here while I’m working, he’s living with his parents – it just makes sense. And I meant what I said – I really do owe him (and I probably do need a 24/7 translator, if a bowl of pene really is a bowl of penis).
I jump into his embrace, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.
As we start kissing, Andrea carries me across the room. He must walk straight into the bed because we go crashing down together.
‘Sorry, sorry,’ he says.
‘That’s okay, it’s our bed,’ I remind him. ‘And while we’re down here…’
I roll onto my back, signalling for Andrea to get on top of me. He doesn’t need telling twice.
Isn’t it amazing how much life can change in the space of a couple of weeks? I really do feel like – dare I say it – I have landed on my feet this time. Dream job, dream location, dream home, dream man.
Okay, so some of those things are short term – but then again, isn’t everything, unless you stick with it and put the work in? – but the future is looking brighter. I may not know what is going to happen when my time in Italy comes to an end, but right now I don’t mind. I’m just happy to be here, in the moment, with Andrea.
I’m grateful for what I have now.
What comes next? We’ll have to wait and see.