It didn’t matter. She’d bought it for a memorable romantic last night with Luca and he wasn’t coming.
She didn’t matter.
It was all a lie. Her and Luca’s time together, his romantic words, his adoring glances, gentle hands – all a ploy to make her fall into bed with him. He’d probably done the same thing to other gullible tourist girls a million times before.
She was such an idiot, falling for his honeyed words and his Italian charm. The ultimate cliché. And when she’d pushed him the other day, asked him outright about his feelings, instead of being honest there and then, he’d told her he’dshowher.
And he had.
‘You arse!’ she spat now, wiping tears from her eyes. She’d fallen for him. Despite Annie’s words of caution.
Her first time away on a foreign holiday in the land of her dreams and she’d been taken in – made a complete fool of – by the dashing local.
OfcourseLuca had made her feel like she was the only one – that was how they did it, wasn’t it? Years of experience with idiot tourists just like her had taught these guys everything they needed to know. He’d doled out exactly what Colette needed to hear. He’d identified and zoomed in on her weak spots, her vulnerabilities, making her feel like he was the only one who’d ever really understood her, while all the while just trying to get into her pants.
She should never have gone out with him on the boat that night. It was after that, when he did succeed in his efforts, that everything changed.
And then, when she’d tried to pin down his feelings, he’d run for the hills.
God, she was so stupid. And pathetic, too.
Even with the benefit of hindsight, the realisation was still devastating. She’d fallen – so hard – for Luca, and along with her heart, her pride had also taken one hell of a hit.
As her anger grew, she continued to try his number.
Let him tell her himself instead of hiding behind cowardly, pathetic text messages. How dare he? She didn’t want to believe that he’d be so callous towards her. She’d been so ready to give someone her heart for the first time in her life, and he was just playing with her.
How could anyone do that?Whywould they?
‘Colette?’ a male voice called out suddenly from behind her.
She looked up as a bright, familiar grin greeted her, and she instinctively wiped her face.
‘Ed,’ she said in surprise, plastering a smile on her face. ‘What’re you doing here?’
‘I thought it was you. I just spotted you from the promenade so I said I’d come down and say hello. I’m just on my way to a restaurant. L’Incanto – do you know it?’
Despite herself, Colette burst into tears.
‘Colette, what on earth … ?’ he asked, concern lacing every word. ‘What happened?’
She was too upset to speak. The more he questioned, the harder she cried, until finally Ed hunkered down on the sand beside her.
He put a comforting arm around her shoulders and she moved into his embrace.
‘Whatever’s the matter, you can tell me,’ he soothed, pulling her into his chest. ‘Is it the Italian guy?’ he questioned, and Colette now wished she hadn’t told him about Luca. But since he’d become more insistent about meeting up before she left for home, she’d had little choice but to let him know the details in the hope of letting him down more easily. ‘Where is he?’ Then his tone changed. Concern still lingered but there was something else in his voice now – suspicion. ‘Did he do something?’ He turned her face up towards his, willing her to meet his gaze. ‘Has he hurt you?’
Colette sniffled. ‘No, nothing like that. He’s not here.’
‘So why are you here on the beach all by yourself?’
She shook her head sadly, embarrassed afresh to have to admit it out loud.
‘He didn’t … he didn’t show.’
‘Didn’t show? You mean he was supposed to meet you here and he stood you up? On your last night?’
Colette nodded, hurt and shame consuming her all over again.
