‘It’s a secret. You’ll see.’ He gave her a maddening grin. ‘We’d better go separately. You go first and wait for me, go the long way round.’
‘Okay.’ She bounded down the steps two at a time, sending Francesco’s dog into a fresh frenzy of barking.
She passed under the archway, making a detour through small piazzas where steep flowerpot-lined stairs led to unpainted front doors, down gloomy stone passageways under unlit lanterns, past tiny shrines set into walls, past the carpenter’s workshop where clouds of dust hung in the air. Eventually, she arrived at the war memorial by the winding road that led to their meeting place. Hugging the kerb, she walked downwards until she came to the car park.
She leant nonchalantly against a post; a three-wheeled truck rattled past. A few minutes later, Gino appeared, sweeping his hair back from his nut-brown forehead, a huge grin on his face.
‘What are we doing?’ She bounced from foot to foot.
‘Your carriage awaits, my lady.’ He gestured to a red moped between two parked cars.
Stella gasped. ‘Where did you get that from?’
‘Mamma’s cousin has come for the weekend. He knows Mamma doesn’t approve of his flashy transport so he’s parked it here for the day.’
‘And he’s letting you borrow it?’
Gino kicked a stone towards the fence. ‘Not exactly, but the keys were on the side in the kitchen and as long as we bring it back in one piece…’
‘Oh.’ Stella knew she should refuse. Papà and Gino’s mamma, Fernanda, would go spare if they found out.
He swung one leg over the seat. ‘Are you coming or what?’
‘Where are we going?’ She hoped he didn’t hear the wobble in her voice. What if they crashed? They didn’t even have helmets.
‘Sanremo.’
The beach, the palm trees, the glamorous casino. Paradise.
Glad she was wearing jeans, she climbed on behind, needing no prompting to wrap her arms around him, burying her face in the back of his shirt.
‘Hold on tight.’ He glanced over his shoulder and they were off. Down the winding road, leaning into the bends. Now she knew what freedom felt like! Her and Gino together, and not another soul knowing where they were going. Pressed up against his back, she couldn’t see the traffic on the other side of the road until it was upon them; cars and trucks flashed past in a blur. Adrenaline coursed through her. And suddenly she was laughing and laughing with the sheer joy of it.
They parked near the seafront. She climbed off the moped. Her legs felt weird and wobbly, her heart still racing from the exhilarating downhill ride. She ran her hand through her hair. Her styling mousse had set solid in the sun.
‘Let me.’ He smoothed a rogue strand away from her face and kissed her. Right there where anyone passing by could see. But it didn’t matter. They were in Sanremo now. Far away from Fernanda’s talk of shame and sin. Far away from her parents’ warnings to keep away from the boy she loved. Blinded by some old feud with Gino’s family, they couldn’t see how kind and funny and clever and generous he was. She couldn’t understand why Papà wouldn’t give him a chance.
He took her hand, their fingers entwining. ‘Where shall we go?’
‘Anywhere.’
‘Gelato?’ His eyes sparkled.
She was about to point out that it was only nine thirty but there were no rules now. No Mamma poking Stella in the ribs, tutting at a non-existent roll of flab, no Fernanda rationing sweet things and treats as if God himself must approve before she dished them out.
They found a gelateria almost immediately. Gino ordered: three flavours each and a wafer poking out. Blobs of purplefrutti di boscofell on Stella’s trainers. She couldn’t eat it fast enough. Gino licked the drips off her fingers, laughing.
There were so many things they could see in Sanremo: the cathedral, the Russian church, Alfred Nobel’s villa, the famous casino. But they couldn’t be bothered. They just lay on the sand, him and her entwined in each other’s arms. They left the beach only to queue up with the tourists for slices of pizza, which she ate so fast her stomach hurt.
‘I want to stay here forever,’ Stella said.
‘Maybe we’ll live here together someday.’ Gino tilted her chin and kissed her. He tasted of pizza and the sea, his mouth warm as the sun.
‘I love you,’ Stella said before she could stop herself.
‘I love you too,’ Gino replied.
It was the best day of her life.
