“You haven’t read them?”
“No. I only went through her phone to look for someone to contact about Lilly—and I didn’t want to see any more after that.”
Perfectly understandable. Charlotte put down her empty cup. “Then I’m guessing you know nothing aboutmyfather.”
“I didn’t even know you existed,” he said with a wince.
Charlotte set down twenty euros as a tip and stood. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning—and for helping me get Sabrina’s things tomorrow.”
“Prego, signorina. I am happy to help,” he said and seemed sincere.
They thanked Mario, who wished them well while continuing to manage his small restaurant almost single-handedly, and moved out to the street, where Charlotte thanked Luca again.
“I am going to miss Lilly,” he told her just before she walked away. “But I cannot become her father. I hope you understand this. Having a teenager is difficult even without all the anger, insecurity and resentment Lilly feels. I am not prepared to deal with that.”
Somebodyhad to care enough to deal with it.
More and more, Charlotte realized that somebody would most likely be her. “I understand,” she said and meant it. Luca really wasn’t the right person to be raising Lilly. She knew that much.
chapter 15
“How’d it go?” The late-morning sun shimmered off the water and the scent of salt and sunscreen hung in the air as Sloane bent the brim of her beach hat to shield her face in case Lilly happened to look up from where she and Julian were wading in the surf about fifty yards away. She didn’t want Charlotte’s half sister to know she was talking about her or her situation.
Charlotte had just arrived by taxi at Spiaggia Grande, the world-famous beach in Positano. She was also wearing a wide-brimmed hat, as well as a black knitted cover-up over her white swimsuit. After dropping her bag on the large towels Sloane, Julian and Lilly had spread out when they claimed their spot two hours earlier, she’d suggested they go get a drink. So Sloane had gotten up to join her, and they were now walking to the closest bar, which was among a cluster of shops and cafés at the edge of the beach.
“My meeting with Luca was fine,” Charlotte replied. “I like him a lot. He’s actually a pretty decent guy, but he couldn’t tell me much.”
Disappointed for her friend, Sloane frowned. “Why not?”
“Because Sabrina wasn’t with him very long. She didn’t talka great deal about the past, either. And even though he speaks good English, there’s still a bit of a language barrier, not to mention a culture barrier. He’s never been to the States and has a romantic view of Americans, something he must’ve picked up from the movies.”
“Not only from the movies.” Sloane gestured at the crowded beach, shops and restaurants. “Lord knows he sees enough Americans around here.”
“You think most of these people are from the US?”
“Judging by the English I’ve heard, I do. And since he owns a rental shop for Vespas, he’d interact with a lot of tourists. What does he know about Lilly’s father?”
“Nothing. Not even his name. But Luca’s willing to stay in touch, so I can speak to him again once I’ve been able to wrap my head around everything I’ve learned so far. Maybe he knows more than he realizes and I just didn’t ask the right questions.”
“I think it’s good that we’ll be here for a while.”
“So do I.”
They’d reached the bar, so Sloane ordered three limoncello spritzes and alimonatafor Lilly.
“He’s bringing Sabrina’s belongings to the villa tomorrow—including her phone—so that might tell me more,” Charlotte said as they waited.
Sloane thought of everything her own phone could reveal about her and had to agree. “That should tell youa lot—if you can get into it. Isn’t it password protected like everybody else’s these days?”
“He knows the password. He’s already been through it, trying to find someone to take Lilly.”
“If he resorted to hiring an attorney, he must not have come up with anyone.”
“True. Still, I want to go through it myself. Read words that actually came from her, see her pictures and check her contacts.”
“Of course you do,” Sloane said. “That could reveal so much about who she was, what she thought of and dreamed about, maybe even why her life took the path it did.”
“I hope so.”
