Ella was home now, although nowhere near ready for bed yet, and she made herself a cup of tea and curled up on the sofa, deciding to text her aunt.
Are you still awake?
By the time she’d taken a sip, the little bubbles appeared on her phone, telling her that Kate was texting her back.
Awake!
She smiled at her phone, imagining the way her aunt would smile to herself as she typed. She texted the same way she spoke: lots of exclamation marks and capitals. She was about to reply when her phone rang. Ella answered it immediately.
‘Why are you texting me after ten on a school night?’
Ella laughed. ‘Because I’ve just got home from dinner with the musician, and I’m too wired to sleep.’
Kate gasped. ‘The gorgeous violinist? The one you reunited with? Was it a date?’
‘I’m not sure. It felt like one, but then he also wanted to tell me what he’d discovered about the sheet of music.’
She filled her aunt in, hearing the excitement in her voice as she asked questions. But it took her until the end of the conversation to tell her what he’d suggested.
‘Kate, he had this wild idea that I should go to Greece, to see if I could find the answer to the clues there. Do you think that’s completely mad?’
There was a pause before she answered. ‘I don’t think it’s mad at all, and let’s be honest, we both know you could do with a break.’ Kate laughed. ‘I do think it would be a fabulous idea to take the gorgeous musicianwithyou though.’
Ella didn’t even pretend to be shocked. ‘You know, you could always come with me if you’re worried about me going on holiday alone.’ She’d actually thought about asking Kate on her way home, worried that she might tire of the solitude.If I go, that is.
‘Darling, I can’t. And perhaps being alone isn’t the worst thing you could experience.’ Ella could practically hear her smile down the line. ‘Maybe you could take time to paint again while you’re there?’
She didn’t tell Kate that was one of the reasons it appealed to her so much; almost as much as trying to solve their family mystery.
‘But if youdodecide you don’t want to be alone, I would wholeheartedly support the idea of inviting Gabriel.’
There was no way Ella would ask Gabe. First of all, they were only just getting to know each other again. They’d had a great time together, but asking him to join her in Greece? Not a chance. And wouldn’t he have suggested it if he wanted to go with her? Besides, he had his tour to prepare for.
‘I’ll let you know if Gabriel manages to find out anything else about the music,’ Ella said, deliberately not replying about asking him. ‘He’s taken a copy to show some other musicians, just in case it means something to them.’
‘Sounds like an excuse to see you again, if you ask me.’
‘Goodnight, Kate.’
Her aunt laughed, wickedly. ‘Goodnight, my darling. Sweet dreams.’
Ella hung up and found herself smiling into her cup of tea. Sometimes her aunt was just too much, but then that was one of the reasons she loved her.
But Greece? Could she actually be brave enough to step aside from work for a few weeks and book a trip away on her own?
12
TWO WEEKS LATER
Ella curled her body against Gabriel’s, sliding her hand across his chest and pressing her cheek into his shoulder. She didn’t want to open her eyes—wished she could stay in his bed for at least another few hours—and she groaned when he moved away from her.
‘Sorry I was so late last night.’
She stretched beside him. ‘I tried to wait up for you, but I was so tired I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open.’
When she sat up, she saw that the wine she’d poured the night before was still sitting on the bedside table, completely untouched. Gabriel followed her gaze and chuckled. Clearly she’d been more tired than she realised.
‘Coffee?’
