Claire laughed. ‘No!’ She debated whether she should tell Ali that there was someone else, but Mark wasn’t her boyfriend – at least, not yet. Besides, she’d upset Ali enough for one night.
‘Phew! Thank goodness for that. I might have had to challenge you to a duel or something if I found out you were messing my brother around.’
Luca returned with a couple of glasses and Ali’s present, and sat down on Claire’s other side. ‘All okay now?’ he asked, handing Claire a glass and picking up the bottle of champagne.
Claire nodded.
‘Why don’t you stay the night?’ Ali said to Claire. ‘Then you could relax and have a proper drink.’
‘We could leave first thing in the morning,’ Luca added.
‘I doubt your mother would want me spending the night here after that performance.’
‘You’remyguest,’ Ali said. ‘I’m inviting you to stay. Anyway, she’s seen a lot worse than that, hasn’t she, Luca?’
Luca laughed. ‘Much worse.’
It would be nice to be able to relax and enjoy a good drink, Claire thought – and she wasn’t looking forward to the drive home in the dark.
‘If you don’t mind…’ she said to Luca.
‘No. Whatever you want.’
‘Okay, then. Thanks.’ She smiled at Ali. Then she fished in her bag and pulled out a small gift-wrapped parcel and a card. ‘Happy birthday,’ she said, handing them to Ali.
Luca handed his over too and Ali immediately began ripping them open.
‘Oh, I love it!’ she exclaimed, when she uncovered the blue sea-glass pendant Claire had given her. ‘Thank you.’ She hugged her.
She was even more enraptured by Luca’s painting. ‘You know that’s my absolute favourite and I’ve hankered after it for ages.’
‘I know. I’ve seen you eyeing it up every time you’re over. I’m surprised you didn’t just ask me for it.’
‘Because I knew you’d give it to me, and I didn’t want you to lose out on a sale. I was planning to save up to buy it, but I was afraid you’d sell it to someone else before I got the chance. Thank you so much.’ She hugged him tightly. Then she stood up. ‘Right. I’d better go and mingle – and collect more booty. See you guys later. The food will be served shortly.’
‘Do you really not mind staying over?’ Claire asked Luca, once she was gone.
‘No, I really don’t. Besides, I kind of like the idea of fulfilling some of my lurid teenage fantasies by having a girl in that room.’
‘Okay, then,’ she said, clinking her glass against his. ‘Here’s to making your teenage fantasies come true.’ She sipped her champagne.
‘I should warn you,’ Luca grinned, ‘I had some pretty filthy fantasies when I was a teenager.’
‘Nothing I can’t handle, I’m sure.’ Claire nestled into him as he put his arm around her. ‘It’s so beautiful here. Nothing but sea everywhere you look. It must have been amazing growing up in this place.’
‘Once I got used to it, I suppose it was. It completely freaked me out at first.’ Luca chuckled.
‘Why?’
‘I was terrified of the sea. Didn’t know what to make of it, I suppose. I’d never seen it before – never even heard about it.’
‘Never heard about it? You’d never seen it in a book or anything?’
‘There weren’t any books,’ he said quietly. ‘The first time I saw a book was on the plane coming over here. Jacqueline had got some for us.’
‘Oh.’ Claire swallowed the lump in her throat.
‘The first time I was brought to the beach I went ballistic. Screamed my lungs out, and had to be taken home. It was the same with grass.’
