Silence fell over the table as Kim moved away, and Charlie continued to savour his pizza as if it was his last meal.
Annie was smiling tipsily at the waiter, and indeed any other handsome male in the restaurant who happened to catch her eye. Some things never changed.
Did she ever want to settle down, Colette wondered, or was she still content to play the field all the time? It didn’t make sense in her mind. Surely it was better to have someone you were sure about, than a trail of random guys you could never commit to – especially with a young child in tow.
But then again, she and Annie were so different. She always marched to her own tune.
Colette only hoped that along the way her friend would find the happiness she deserved and that Charlie would eventually have a more stable family unit than his mother did growing up.
‘I need to stretch my legs,’ she said, getting to her feet. ‘I think I’ll take a little walk along the pier before ordering dessert.’
‘Suit yourself,’ Annie replied. ‘I think I’ll stay here and have another glass of vino – if that’s OK with you,’ she asked pointedly, and Colette noticed that while her mouth was smiling her eyes weren’t.
Why was she so cool with her? Was it still because of what she’d said earlier at the pool? Colette didn’t think her remark was that out of order, but clearly it was for Annie. She’d better mind her own business in future.
‘Can I get dessert, Mum?’ Charlie asked through a mouthful of pizza.
‘’Course you can, pet. We’re on holiday.’
‘OK, well, I’ll be back in a bit. Kim’s still preoccupied with her call. Whatever it is must be important. Tell her I’ll be back shortly.’
‘Grand.’
There was something so wonderfully eternal about this place, Colette mused as she strolled along the promenade on her way down to the steps.
As much as it had changed, it had remained the same. Large grey stone bricks marked the walk from the edge of the promenade all the way up to the coastline. The restaurant’s façade was of similar stone and understated compared to the other more colourful buildings that lined the street, but it didn’t detract from its character.
Tonight the little bay at Spiaggia Grande was filled with boats, mostly small local fishing craft, interspersed with a few bigger yachts.
She soon found herself on the jetty that extended into the bay. The area was even more crowded with evening diners, but the sea breeze was stronger too, keeping everyone cool.
Colette strolled at a leisurely pace. The last time she’d been here she hadn’t been alone. There Luca was again, finding his way into her thoughts as he had so many times over the years, and even more so since Kim had sent the invite.
It wasn’t right, she kept telling herself. She was married. And chances were he was too, so why was he in her head like this?
Why was she actively seeking out the paths they had walked together and thinking of those times: the way he held her hand, the smell of his aftershave as he pulled her close to shield her from the chill of the wind. The way his strong arms encircled her and the feeling of his skin against her cheek as they stared at the stars and talked about their dreams.
Colette wrapped her arms around herself as she leaned against the rail and looked out over the water.
She couldn’t help the smile that crept across her face as she remembered the night Luca had taken her out on his boat. She could still see it like it was yesterday, the town lit up as if it were on fire, soft light illuminating every building etched into the mountainside, the archways and doorways clearly visible, the colours creating an artistic impression.
It had been such a magical night. Being with him then had done something for Colette that nothing else before ever had – given her confidence.
He’d listened to her – really listened, not to correct her or tell her that her views were naïve, but because he actually cared about what she thought and how she felt. It had been such a novelty. Up until then she’d spent her life blending in. Which of course was why it was at first so difficult to understand why someone like him would notice her. Why she, out of everyone, had gotten his attention.
Because you were a tourist, you idiot. Another easy fly-bynight target. You were nothing special.
But that wasn’t strictly true either, Colette assured herself now.Ed, too, had considered her special back then – and still did. Yes, at first he’d merely been her knight in shining armour, offering her a shoulder to cry on after Luca had let her down, but he had turned out to be so much more than that, and he’d especially been a tremendous comfort to her after her mother died.
Things happened for a reason.
Still, despite the circumstances of her last visit to the Amalfi Coast, and the entirely new direction her life had taken since, Colette was struck by the notion that being back here truly felt like coming home.
Chapter 52
Now
While Colette was off wandering, and Kim was waylaid on the phone, Annie was left to silently drown her sorrows in dessert and wine.
