Lili did as he asked, too bemused and surprised not to. Cassian directed her away from the little local village and in the other direction, heading north along the lake.
The car was smooth and quiet and comfortable. Lili liked driving. Sometimes she took the Fiat out and went off on little trips to places along the lake-side, exploring. But always within her comfort zone. Something about that now irritated her. The years of feeling fearful. She was was starting to see that so much more had been taken from her than she’d even realised.
Cassian sat easily beside her. Relaxed. She remarked, ‘You don’t mind being driven by a woman?’
He shrugged. ‘Why would I? You’re a good driver.’
A little burst of pride lit up her chest. She said, ‘It’s a little intimidating to be driving a man who makes a living driving the fastest cars on the planet.’
‘I like being driven. I’m not a control freak.’
Lili snuck him a glance. He certainly looked relaxed. She looked ahead again and concentrated on not driving them into the lake.
After a short while they came into another village. Cassian said abruptly, ‘Are you hungry?’
Lili considered this and realised she hadn’t eaten much at all. Too busy in her head. She said, ‘I could eat.’
‘Good, because I’m starving. There’s a great restaurant here. Let’s find a parking space.’
Lili soon found out that the only other thing more intimidating than driving a racing champion was parallel parking with one in the car. But she managed it without disgracing herself.
People were emerging for the eveningpasseggiataand suddenly Lili was acutely aware of her loose dress and top and really regretted not dressing in the new clothes. Every other woman looked so elegant and put-together. And she stood out even more with Cassian at her side. She vowed to put them in a bag for a charity shop when they got back to the villa.
Cassian said, ‘It’s just here.’ And Lili looked to see a small doorway almost entirely obscured by twining vines. Cassian stood aside. ‘After you.’
Lili ducked her head slightly and went in to find a charming restaurant, much larger than she might have suspected, opening up into an airy courtyard full of greenery and flowers. Cassian was behind her, she could feel his presence and heat and it didn’t unnerve her at all. In fact she felt an urge to lean back against him.
The waiter approached, face wreathed in smiles. ‘Signore Corti, what a pleasant surprise. Welcome. For two?’
‘Yes, Alfredo, thank you.’
The man led them through and Lili saw couples looking up and their eyes widening when they clocked Cassian. And then looking at her. She avoided their eyes.
Just before they were led to a table in one discreet corner of the courtyard though, a deep voice said, ‘Corti!’
They stopped and Lili watched as Cassian greeted a tall and very handsome slightly older man with hints of grey at his temples. Then she saw that it was a family. The man’s wife was standing up now too. She was petite and very pretty, with long curly blond hair. Dressed in a very simple but cool silk jumpsuit accessorised with stylish gold jewelry in an effortlessly elegant look that Lili immediately envied.
There was a gangly tall boy of about seventeen who looked just like his father, then a girl of about fourteen who also took after the father and a younger girl of about ten with curly blond hair like her mother.
Cassian turned around. ‘Lili, I’d like you to meet the D’Aquannis. Dante and his wife Alicia have been friends of the family for a long time.’
Alicia came around to greet Lili who braced herself for the inevitable unavoidable handshake but she found that it didn’t cause her to tense as much as usual. She was too distracted as Alicia attempted to introduce her to all the children. Allesandro, Poppy and Cara. As far as Lili could make out.
And then Alicia turned and picked up a smaller child Lili hadn’t noticed, a little boy who immediately stuck his thumb in his mouth. He had to be about three years old and had a mop of unruly curls and dark eyes like his mother. She was wry. ‘And this is Olli, who as you might deduce was a very happy surprise.’
Lili couldn’t help respond to the other woman’s infectious and easy friendliness and smiled.
‘Please, join us?’ Alicia’s husband was saying. Lili looked at Cassian who was already shaking his head, but she put a hand on his arm and he looked at her. ‘I don’t mind, if you’d like to.’
‘Are you sure?’
Lili could tell he was concerned that this might be a bit much for her, all the people, and shook her head again. ‘It’s fine.’
‘Oh good,’ responded Alicia. ‘We’re all very bored just talking to each other.’
Within minutes the waiters had organised it so that Cassian was on one end of the table and Lili at the other. Cassian was shooting looks at Lili and she did her best to reassure him that she was fine. She was seated with Alicia on one side and her oldest son on the other and they were charming company. It made her even more aware of how much she’d cut herself off from other people.
Cassian was deep in conversation with Dante at the other end of the table and Alicia remarked, ‘A handsome pair, hm?’
