That went better than expected.Although, I doubted Bridget would leave the island for a long time, if ever.I’d made the introduction.It was up to her to figure things out.
Allie was well.Not showing, but glowing.Even Firenze could tell us apart at this point.Me being the morose twin, and Allie being the happy one.I hugged her for a long time.Mario must have cleared his throat at least three times.
He could wait for his.I was mad at him.
I left Perkins behind with the crew to climb a long-ass mountain trail.Firenze followed at a distance, only catching up and pointing to the right path when I got lost.It was lonely up here.The goats danced from rock to rock making it appear effortless.The bells around their necks clanged under the relentless sun.
I caught sight of a man in a ball cap sitting next to a circular hut.Stones piled on top of each other made up the bottom half of the cuile and the conical roof was shaped by rough boards bound together by brush and plants.
It was a far cry from a lakefront penthouse.Or that beautiful villa in Italy.The whole thing would fit in the atrium with that naked statue.
I tromped up to announce myself.
“What are you doing here?”Ringo stopped whittling a pointed stick and flicked his knife shut.
“I’m exploring a new career in goat shit testing.”
He glanced down at my shoes.
I knew my toes felt too warm.I scraped the tip of my boot in the dust to get the worst of it off.Then I straightened my back.
“Looks like you stepped in enough.”
“I also climbed a fucking mountain.”I swung my arm at the vista.There was nothing but trees, rocks, and steep slopes under the fluffy white clouds in a too-blue sky.
He glanced at my leg.“You’re limping.”
“Duh.”I was stabbed in the leg a month ago.
He frowned.“You shouldn’t have come.”
“Why?”I spread my feet apart, bracing for the worst.
“I’m not good enough for you.”
“Bullshit.Try a different story.”
He took a breath and stared at the slopes.“How’d you find me?”
Firenze scuffed a toe against a rock, giving away his position.
“Traitor.”Ringo threw down the stick he was destroying.
“Don’t bitch at him.Don Manca made him follow me.”
At the mention of Mario’s grandfather, Ringo winced.“I can’t be the man you need.”
“Don’t I get a say in it?”
He shook his head.
“So, that’s it.You’re just going to give up on me.On us?”
He stared at me with haunted eyes.“I killed someone in front of you.”He laughed once.“He was your fiancé for crying out loud.”
“Ex.”
Ringo squinted.
