Nora twirled. “Happy you like it. It’s one of the few sets of clothing I had in my closet at my parents’ home. I’ll have to remember to leave some more practical outfits on my next visit.”
Sabrina rose from her seat. “And how was your visit home?”
“Too long. I love Mama dearly, but her nerves and excitement are too much for me. I’ll be more than happy to return home to the quiet of my flat.” Nora sighed. “At least we had a spot of good news about our vineyard. My brother went out to survey the fields this morning, and amazingly, most of our grape plants have come out unscathed. From how he explained it, the vines we have are a type of hybrid with deep roots. Somehow, this helps to pump excess water in wet years and to hydrate the plants in dry years.” She shrugged. “It’s all a foreign language to me.”
I didn’t realize Nora’s family owns a winery. I wonder just where their vineyard is and what type of wine they produce. Is it the same as Lorenzo’s family?
Sabrina nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she peeked out at the silhouette of Lorenzo conversing with a figure.
“Have you already eaten lunch? It’s about a two-and-a-half-hour train ride home. The food service on the train is decent, but you’ll find much better options here,” Nora said.
Sabrina patted her stomach. “Giulia, the hotel’s owner, gave me an impromptu cooking lesson.”
A smile crept up onto Nora’s face. “Did you make lasagna or fettuccini?”
“We made fettuccini.” Sabrina could still taste the symphony of flavors. “It was the second time I’ve ever attempted to tackle making a dish from scratch.” Sabrina pointed to a medium-sized brown paper bag sitting atop her backpack. “It didn’t turn out half bad. I have some leftovers I’m taking with us.”
Nora’s eyes went to the bag. “Eccellente.” She rubbed her hands together. “That can be dinner for tomorrow.”
They both laughed.
Nora checked the time on her smart watch. “If you’ll give me five minutes, I’d like to say a quick hello to Giulia before we leave.”
“Take your time. I’d like to spend as long as we possibly can here before we have to head over to the train station.” Sabrina slid her backpack onto her back. “I’ll meet you outside. There is one person I have to say my own farewells to.”
Sabrina opened the lobby door to see the back of a woman in a black tank top and jean skirt. She was screeching angrily at Lorenzo in loud, rapid Italian in the middle of the piazza. She gestured wildly with her arms, her midnight-black hair flapping side to side like a pair of bat’s wings. Lorenzo stood with his feet apart, fists clenched, and jaw rigid, his eyes glaring holes into the woman without becoming combative.
Sabrina stepped back into the wall of Castillo Roccia, her heart racing in her chest, her breath short. The temperature rose ten degrees.
What happened? Who is this woman? Is there anything I can do to help Lorenzo? What do I do?
Frozen in place, all she could do was helplessly watch the scene play out in front of her. Tourists walked quickly past the two, keeping their heads lowered. Locals stared openly, as if it were an intense sporting match.
Suddenly, the lobby door opened. She heard a gasp and the clatter of plastic hitting the ground. Sabrina turned her head to see Nora jogging over to Lorenzo and the woman. Placing her thumb and pointer finger in her mouth, Nora let out a shrill whistle, momentarily startling the two. Nora boldly inserted herself between them. She crossed her arms and made herself taller. Sabrina held her breath.
For a few tense moments, neither Lorenzo nor the woman budged. Nora spoke curtly in Italian, her head darting back and forth, surveying their body language. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the woman backed away and Nora was able to remove herself from between the two of them. She called for Lorenzo to do the same, but not before the woman, with the speed of a great white shark, slapped Lorenzo on the cheek and stormed away. Lorenzo stood rooted in place, watching her form retreat.
The crowd of assembled locals began to dissipate and resume the motions of everyday life. Lorenzo inclined his head. To Sabrina, it sounded as if Nora was telling him off. Almost a foot shorter than him, what Nora lacked in height, she made up for in presence. She pushed him toward Castillo Roccia. He shuffled in slow steps.
Nora and Lorenzo approached the building. Giulia popped out from the lobby, hands on her hips. “What on earth is going on?”
“Noemi,” Nora responded.
Sabrina frowned.
Who is Noemi? What connection does she have to Lorenzo and Nora, and what was all that brouhaha about?
“We all need a drink,” Giulia muttered She held the door open. “Leonora, settle Lorenzo in the kitchen and take an ice pack from the freezer. Sabrina, pull four sets of glasses from the top right cabinet. I’ll pop down to the cellar.”
Leonora? Is that Nora’s full name?Sabrina’s brain worked on overdrive.Where have I heard it before?
Lost in his head, eyes glazed over, Lorenzo filed past Sabrina, speaking to himself in Italian. The telltale imprint of a hand was on the left side of his face.
Sabrina touched Nora’s shoulder. She met Sabrina’s questioning gaze. “Later,” her friend mouthed. Sabrina nodded.
The front door creaked shut. An overhead fan circulated cool air. Entering the kitchen, she saw Lorenzo sat on a stool, resting his head upon the kitchen island. Nora massaged his shoulder and neck muscles. Pangs of jealousy shot through her body.
They’re awfully comfortable with one another. Are Nora and Lorenzo an item? Is this some secret like inSense and Sensibility, with Lucy Steele and Edward Ferrars? At the market, Tonia hinted Lorenzo was single. She must have been mistaken.
