Margherita’s eyes widened and she practically lifted from her chair with excitement. ‘Sì! Yes. Petunia!’
‘Petunia? Who’s Petunia?’ Matthew asked.
Sarah smiled. ‘That’s her name? Petunia? Gorgeous! So feminine. Like the flower?’
‘Many of the women in Fiorellino are named after flowers and plants. It’s a long-standing tradition. Dafne. Rosa. Dalia. Fiorella. Ginestra. We have many men named Pino, too. After the pines.’ Margherita pointed a finger across the table. ‘Petunia . . . Her name is feminine, yes. Butsheis not.’
Matthew’s eyebrows gathered and Riccardo read the question in his eyes. ‘You will understand when you meet her,’ he reassured. ‘I’m going to call her now. Ok?’
Matthew and Sarah shared a look of enthusiasm. ‘Great,’ Matthew said. ‘We need someone to start as soon as possible.’
Riccardo scrolled through the contact list on his phone, dialled and waited. As soon as the call connected, he stepped away from the table, returning a few moments later. ‘Done. Organised.’
‘What? Just like that?’ Sarah was incredulous.
Riccardo winked at them and tapped his chest with his thumb. ‘Iam the trustworthy Manfredi. Is tomorrow too soon?’
Matthew was flabbergasted. ‘No! That’s perfect! Thank you so much.’
‘She will be here at eight o’clock. With her team.’
‘Team?’ Sarah echoed.
Margherita and Riccardo both nodded.
‘Some of the best you will find. Anywhere!’ Margherita beamed at Riccardo, giving his chin a playful shake. ‘Bravo, amore.’
‘Now, this furniture,’ Sarah started. ‘Is it easily accessible?’
‘Yes. Absolutely. The barn is a ten-minute drive from here. Did you want to go this afternoon?’
She leaned forward and clasped her hands together. ‘How about as soon as lunch is cleared?’
‘You were on fire today, you know?’ Matthew sat on the end of their inflatable mattress, doing his best not to sink to the tiles.
‘You weren’t half-bad yourself.’ Towel-drying her hair, Sarah emerged from the en suite. ‘I think we have this marriage thing down pat.’ She wrung out her hair, catching the water droplets with the towel as best she could. ‘I really like them. Both of them.’
‘Me too. I think they’re going to be our saving grace.’
‘They’re just so down-to-earth. It was so easy to chat with them, as if we’d known each other for years.’
‘As ifwe’dknown each other for years, you mean. They’ve got no idea.’ His right eyebrow hooked.
‘Oh, completely none. I agree.’ She ducked back to the en suite to collect her hair clip, and returned finger brushing her damp hair into place. ‘I hope I didn’t catch you too off-guard with that kiss. Sorry. It just kind of happened.’
Matthew had wanted to mention the kiss, but thought it best not to. Now that she’d brought it up, he couldn’t help but ask, ‘Are you comfortable with that level of PDA? I don’t want you to think you have to . . . kiss me, in public.’
Sarah made her way to the side of the mattress and sat down beside him. She held up her left hand for him to examine. ‘See this bad boy?’ She rolled her wedding ring around her finger. ‘Technically, we’reentitledto kisses. And more.’
‘But, I jus—’
She covered his mouth with her hand. ‘You’re averyattractive man, Matthew. The kiss was on me. You can get the next one.’ Her eyes reflected the warm yellow light of the en suite, reigniting the tingle of her lips against his.
You’re a very attractive man, Matthew. Her comment manoeuvred around his mind a second time before taking up residence in a small quiet corner of his memory.
She finally removed her hand from his mouth and he said, ‘It was a well-played move, in any case. And lunch was delicious. And impromptu. And I . . . you . . . Thank God you’re here.’ He dropped back onto the mattress, sending the air inside hurtling to the corner upon which Sarah was contently sat. She bounced and laughed, joining him. ‘Give me contracts. Give me mediations. I’ll even take a hostile corporate takeover. But for the love of God, please don’t ask me to do anything remotely domestic.’ He rubbed his eyes in frustration.
‘That’s what I’m here for.’ She rolled over. ‘Now, I’m no fifties housewife, but I can work instinctively, aesthetically and I’m resourceful under pressure. I have to be for work.’
