“They weren’t dumb,” he responded. “Actually, I thought it was a pretty sexy ensemble.”
I shook my head. Everything about him, every least movement, was so calm, so casual, so confident. And it was contagious. And I guess that was why, before I even knew what I was doing, those words emerged from my mouth. “Lucas, will you rent me that room?”
He glanced at me skeptically over his cup. I’d clearly caught him off guard.
“You want to rent the room? Why?”
“Have you looked around here?” I asked. “It’s amazing, I love it.”
“Maya, I rent it out by the month, not the day. I’m not allowed to do vacation rentals.”
“I was thinking about sticking around for a while,” I said like it was the most normal thing in the world. When I saw he was suspicious, I added, “I’ve got money.”
He looked curious as he observed me, and I could see he wasn’t the type to rush things, even if you would have thought a guy so calm, so easygoing, just took things as they came. Finally, he took a long breath and said, “It’s three hundred a month, utilities included, plus one-seventy-five for a deposit.”
“Sounds good,” I responded. Between my paltry savings and what Grandpa had given me, it was doable. Plus, I wanted to be close to Giulio, and what better way was there?
“We split the chores, and you can have half the space in the closets, the fridge, and the bathroom. Having friends over is fine with advance notice, but no parties. The same goes for me. Your room is your castle: Whatever happens in there is your business.”
“Sounds good. Let me go grab the cash.”
I started to stand, but he stopped me, resting a hand on top of mine that seemed to give me an electric shock.
“If you’re going to live here, I need to know some things about you. Those are Catalina’s rules, but they’re mine, too.”
I felt immediately defensive, and asked, “Like what?”
“Nothing weird, I hope.” He leaned back and I checked out his bare chest before glancing quickly away at the little scratches on the surface of the table. “Look,” he continued, “the people who live in this villa are like a big family. When they say hi because they run into you on the landing, it’s not just good manners. We truly live together here, and we share our days with each other. I’m the person who’s been here the least amount of time, and I’ve been here two years. What we have here means a lot to me, and I can’t let just anyone in… It’s nothing personal, Maya.”
I nodded, I got what he wanted to say, and I understood why he was worried, even if I couldn’t help but feel judged.
“Fine,” I said. “What do you want to know?”
“Let’s start with the basics: age, and are you working or studying. Why you’re in Sorrento and how long you’re thinking of staying. Criminal record. Anything that will help me get to know you.”
“Are you serious? Do I look like a criminal? Do I need to take a medical or psychological test, too?”
“Listen, it is what it is,” he said.
He was calm and I was tense, and I didn’t understand why this was getting to me so much. I didn’t have anything to hide, except for things he hadn’t asked me to share. Things that were for me and no one else to know.
“OK,” I said, “my name’s Maya Rivet, I’m from Madrid, and I’m twenty-two years old. Until a few days ago, I was employed by the National Dance Company, but they had to let me go because of an accident I was in a few months back. I live… Excuse me, Ilivedwith my grandparents, but they decided to rent our place out and move to the coast.”
I took a sip of coffee. My mouth was getting dry. Lucas remained attentive.
“I caught my boyfriend, who was also my dance partner, banging one of our soloists, and I broke up with him. My plan had been to shut myself up in my best friend’s apartment and cry my eyes out in his arms all week, but he happens to share his place with my ex. Under the circumstances, I decided the best thing I could do was catch the first flight out of Madrid and get a change of scene. Distance, you know, so I could try to forget it all… I landed in Rome, I heard a group of tourists talking about Sorrento, and here I am.” This last part was a lie, but I didn’t even blink. There was no need for him to know everything about what had brought me there. “I’ve never committed a crime, and I don’t know how long I’m going to stay, honestly. But you can trust me. I won’t screw you over.”
He downed the rest of his coffee, his expression still strangely intense. I tried to ignore the way those blue eyes made me feel: how they looked dreamy in some moments and stormy in others.
He smiled. “Honestly, you had me in the bag as soon as you didn’t ask for milk for your coffee. For me, that’s a deal-breaker.”
I giggled. In part because I was so anxious, and in part because I was elated that I could stay. “Is that a yes, then?”
“You bet it is.”
“Thank you, Lucas!” He tried to shrug off the significance of it as I stood and told him, “If I’m going to stay, I need to buy some stuff. Is there a mall or something around here?”
He shook his head and stood as well. “Sorry, the closest thing would be in Pompeii, and that’s thirty minutes away by car. But there are some nice little shops around here.” He started clearing off the table.
