Chapter 21
After the kiss, tensions seemed to ease between them – or at least the emphasis of the tension shifted into a different kind of tautness.
Holding his hand became the absolute focus of Amy’s thoughts, as though her brain was directly linked to the nerve endings in her fingers as they nestled against his warm skin.
They wandered through some more of the old town, past tiny boutiques selling candles, pottery or with leather bags hanging on racks outside.
Amy tugged Tad into one of the tourist traps so she could revel in the Riva del Garda trinket shopping extravaganza.
She wandered past the tea towels and more local pottery, stopping at the display of Christmas decorations.
Glass tree ornaments glinted in the shop lighting, but it was the Christmas snow globes with the local scenery depicted in miniature perfection that caught her eye.
As she shook one and watched the fake snow blizzard its way around the liquid, she glanced at Tad. ‘Does Riva get any snow?’
He shook his head. ‘Not down here, but Monte Baldo gets its fair share.’ A look of excitement crossed his face. ‘I might even get to go skiing, if I’m still here.’
‘Oh, you’ll be here. Who in their right mind would want to leave a place like this?
’ She said it without thinking, a reflex comment from a place deep within.
He looked so at home here, what he’d learnt of the Italian language from his mum’s side of the family serving him well enough for easy communication with the locals, his abilities as a chef more than ample to cope with his role at Casa del Cibo. She couldn’t picture him anywhere else.
‘I mean, I love it here, but I haven’t stayed anywhere for more than a few months, not for a long time. I guess I’ll have to wait and see what opportunities present themselves, you know? See which direction the wind blows.’
Amy wondered if he was thinking about Billie’s suggestions.
The opportunity to head up a team of chefs in a London restaurant would be difficult to turn down, she supposed.
Although Billie could be rather disingenuous with her ideas, and Amy had learnt over the years never to assume the plan was still the plan until the last moment.
It made for a lot of last-minute calls to airports and hotels, but it was part of the way Billie rolled.
Not that Tad would be aware of Billie’s flaky side.
But if Billie was serious about the restaurant idea and was serious about including Tad in her plan, it would mean Tad would end up working in the Billie bubble alongside her.
If Billie also pulled off her idea for taking the cameras into the dining room as well as the kitchens – there would be more than enough to keep Billie occupied in London, no need to head off travelling for a while.
It would bring together everything Amy wanted, wouldn’t it?
So why was she staring at Tad, hoping Billie’s offer turned out to be nothing more than another of her fly-by-night plans.
Why didn’t Amy want him to have the opportunities Billie might offer?
Why didn’t she want him in London, with her?
Why did she have this desire to eradicate everyone else from the face of the earth, so she could have his full and total attention forever?
Amy touched the dome of the snow globe once more, pulling in a deep breath. Everything was such a muddle in her mind, a knotted string impossible to pick apart.
‘That reminds me,’ Tad said. ‘Any chance we could swing by the market, get some fresh lemons? I did promise, so we’re learning how to make the classic lemon tart in our final lesson tomorrow.
I bought some fruit the other day, but I’m thinking – this is Billie’s last lesson, so it needs to be exceptional.
And the fresher the lemons, the better the flavour. ’
‘Is it really our last lesson tomorrow? This week has gone by so quickly.’
‘Flown past,’ he said, then gestured around the souvenir shop. ‘Do you want to get anything in here?’
‘No. I don’t think so.’
Tad took her hand, and they made for the streets again. Far too soon they were wandering up the twisting cobbled road towards Casa del Cibo, Tad swinging in his free hand a bag of the largest lemons Amy had ever set eyes on.
Before they rounded the final bend, Tad ground to a halt.
‘Once we get back, I’m going to need to get on with the prep for tonight’s dinner, not to mention for tomorrow’s lesson – and I kind of assumed you’ll be needing to catch up with Billie. But can we meet up later? Over dinner, maybe? Or afterwards? Go for a drink?’
‘That sounds perfect. Yes please,’ she said, tipping her face to his as he swooped in for a kiss, which didn’t last nearly long enough.
‘Good. That’s really good,’ he said, catching her hand and squeezing it as they rounded the corner, and Casa del Cibo came into view.
In the lobby, they smiled at one another.
Tad pushed a strand of her hair back behind her shoulder, his fingers resting there for a few moments longer than necessary, and Amy wanted nothing more than to melt against him, to forget about Billie and dinner and preparations for tomorrow’s lesson, to forget everything and lose herself in him. He sighed, pulling his hand away.
‘I’d better get on. See you later.’
‘Yes.’ She watched him as he headed for the kitchens.
She loitered, not sure what to do or where to go.
She could hear an irritated voice in the large reception room to her left, another beautiful space, lit by a pair of enormous picture windows during the day and huge chandeliers at night; timeless with an intricately designed parquet floor partly covered by a huge rug and littered with a mismatch of beautiful Italian sofas and chairs.
One entire wall was covered with integrated shelving, lined with hundreds of cookery books collected from across the globe and available for guests to browse through.
Peering round the doorway to see who was speaking, Amy could see Clare’s boyfriend – James – striding across the room, away from her, in mid-conversation with someone on his mobile.
‘How can you not manage this without me?’ he was saying, his body language more animated than anything Amy had seen from him thus far.
‘I’m only away for a few days, for the love of God.
You need to find your balls for once, Clive, and manage the Fellowes case without me.
Tell them to wait… No, I’m not fucking flying home, I need to be here…
I know it is, but this is more important… ’
Amy withdrew before he turned and saw her. She couldn’t help wondering what he meant.
It was also none of her business. Back in the centre of the lobby, Amy was about to reach for her own mobile, to phone Billie and find out where she was, when a familiar voice had her turning.
‘Thank God that’s over. Thought I was going to end up overboard at one point, it was so bumpy. Never have I been so grateful to be wearing a lifejacket. And you were no help whatsoever, Malc – in fact I think you were egging the captain on.’
Billie and Malcolm bundled in through the main doors.
‘I’m never going on a boat ever again. Unless I’m invited aboard someone’s luxury superyacht – I wouldn’t say no to that, obviously.’ Billie paused, noticing Amy for the first time. ‘Oh, Amelia. Wasn’t expecting to see you back already. Didn’t it go well, then, with Taddeo?’
Billie sauntered closer, a barbed edge to her words.
‘Always glass half full, aren’t you, Billie,’ Malcolm said, rolling his eyes at Amy over the crown of Billie’s wind-ruffled hair.
‘I thought the boat ride was excellent. I got some great shots of Billie looking like she was about to share her lunch with the fishes. Which would have been a phenomenal waste of the half dozen cannoli I saw her pack away for dessert.’
‘I did not eat that many. That was you.’ Billie squeaked with indignant rage.
‘Fair enough. Apologies, mein führer. How was your afternoon, Amy?’
An involuntary smile attached itself to Amy’s lips. ‘Very good. We walked around the old town, had ice cream—’
Billie sucked in a sharp breath. ‘I don’t think we have time for this right now.
I need a long, hot soak in the bath to recover myself after that godawful boat trip, and Amelia needs to get some work done.
Maybe the two of you should confer, swap notes on today so she can make her little notes in her little book.
’ The pitch of Billie’s voice became barbed again.
‘After all, I didn’t pay for you to come out here so you could swan about all day with the hired help. ’
Malcolm grimaced, watching as Billie flounced past them and made for the stairs.
‘Our afternoon was a bit shit, truth be told,’ he said, tone lowered and gaze wary in case Billie should reappear.
‘She hated the boat and decided the castles and fortresses we saw were all as boring as hell. It was embarrassing. The captain kept telling us he could land the craft, and we could get out and wander around, but she wasn’t having any of it.
’ Malcolm’s cheeks coloured as he added, ‘I think he thought we were married – or at least a couple. Kept referring to romantic spots, great places for couples to visit, which of the places we passed were licensed to hold weddings. At one point, he offered to take some pictures of the two of us with my camera. Completely misinterpreted why I kept taking photos of her.’
It was Amy’s turn to grimace. ‘Awkward.’
Malcolm smiled, but there was a hint of sadness to it. ‘He asked if we had any children, and it got very complicated when I told him I had three boys. I think he assumed Billie was my second wife. It wound her right up.’
Amy touched Malcolm’s elbow. ‘Are you all right?’
‘It’s not like I want Billie to see me in that way – God knows she would be far too much for me to cope with – but she looked genuinely disgusted by the idea. I know I’m not much of a catch, but…’
‘There’s nothing about you I don’t like, Malc,’ Amy said, her tone genuinely upbeat. Then she wrinkled her nose. ‘Well, I’m not keen when you leave me to deal with her tantrums. That’s not so much fun, but apart from that you’re a great work colleague and a better friend, in my opinion.’
‘Thanks, Ames. I appreciate that. But…’ Malcolm shook his head, shouldering his camera bag again.
‘Maybe it’s time for me to take stock of where I am with my life.
Maybe this is the wake-up call I’ve been needing.
She said some horrible things to me, hurtful things about my marriage, why it ended.
I’m so fed up with having to brush it under the carpet, pretend everything’s fine, you know? ’
Amy did know.
‘Thing is,’ Malcolm continued, ‘My boys went through so much when Kaye and I split, I didn’t want them missing out on anything else – so working with Billie has given me a consistent income stream not many photographers get to enjoy.
And I thought I could cope with the banter, suppose I’d convinced myself she didn’t actually mean any of it.
But maybe… If that’s really what she thinks of me – if I really do disgust her…
’ He dragged in a huge breath and tutted.
‘Ignore me, Ames, I’m tired. And I’m delighted you had a great afternoon with Tad.
I think he’s a kind, considerate bloke and, if I’ve learnt anything in my fifty-two years on this planet, it’s that when the dung hits the wall, the only thing that truly matters is having people at hand who care about you.
And kindness should never be underrated. ’
‘We’re not even… We went for a walk around the town, that’s all.’
‘Yeah. You said.’ Malcolm arched his substantial eyebrows. ‘That was today. But what about tomorrow? Day after that? Where do you want to be then, and who with? I think it’s a question I need to ask myself.’
He gave her a thin smile. ‘I’m going to grab a very hot shower. Notes from today – Billie hated everything about this afternoon, and she won’t want anything to do with it included in your write-up. There. Debrief complete. See you for dinner.’
‘See you later,’ she said. As she watched Malcolm’s dejected figure trudge away, it felt like something was shifting in the Billie Forsythe-Rogers bubble, and Amy couldn’t help but wonder if Malcolm was about to rupture it.