‘Vincent, Marco and I are just friends. Nothing more. I get to be creative and express myself doing a job he gave me. It’s going to be great exposure. I’m a watercolourist, not a mural artist. I may very well cock this up. I amwayout of my league here. I bought plaster filler, for God’s sake. I had to watch a YouTube video over and over again to learn how to do it correctly, and I’m still not convinced I did it right.’
This was true. Secretly, Stella had been having serious doubts about her ability to do Bar Luna e Lupa’s mural justice. Would it look so completely hideous that Giuseppe and Marco would hang cheaply framed prints of Michelangelo’s works over the top? Or worse still, if she did fail, would they leave the mural there, signed with her name for all to see?
‘You need to acknowledge the fact that he might have a thing for you. Spending all that time at the bar might just be feeding the problem.’
‘That doesn’t mean I have the hots for him. You and I are . . . are . . . I can’t even define this. What isthis?’ She gestured to the space between them.
‘Calm down, Stella.’ He patted the couch, coaxing her to return to his side, an invitation she ignored.
‘Answer my question.’
‘This?’
‘Yes! You’re acting as if I’ve done something wrong here. But the truth is, there’s nothing concrete betweenus. I don’t know if I’m your roommate with benefits, your girlfriend, your possession—’
‘Calm down. Possession makes me sound like a monster. And the others, well . . .’
‘Answer the question, Vincent.’
‘Stella, I want to continue with this arrangement and see where it goes. Of course, I do. It’s only been a very short time. But this living situation is also very convenient.’
‘Excuse me?’ Her jaw dropped. ‘I’mconvenient? So this is about geography?’
‘Stella, from the first moment I saw you, sitting there eating pasta, I knew I had to have you. You had to be mine.’
‘Again, a possession.’
‘Not like that.’ He grunted, pulling at his hair. ‘I amterriblewith words! Fuck. Why do you think I write you the silly notes? I can’t be witty and suave on cue. I am not articulate or smooth like half the men out there. Or Marco, I’d guess. But I’ve found something here with you that I want to pursue. And I’m sorry if this . . . this conversation . . . has come across otherwise.’
Stella immediately softened. She returned to her previous position on the couch. ‘Then drop the bravado andbewith me. Don’t be defensive and protective. And jealous!’
‘I’m not being jealous.’
‘You’re coming across that way.’ She dropped her head to the right to better assess the look of defeat which filled his face. ‘Just let this happen, ok? Relationships are built on trust,notmachismo.’
He leaned over and gently caressed the inside of her thigh with his hand. ‘I’ll do better in future. I just don’t want anything coming between us.’
‘You’ve only been in Rome three weeks. Are you even sure you want to start something so soon? You haven’t found your feet yet. Perhaps we should just step away for a while. Give you time to be yourself. Take a look around.’
‘I’m so sure I want this.’ He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips to silence her. ‘Please Stella. Let’s just see wherewego.’
‘Well, relax andenjoythis then,’ she said. ‘I’ve been broken before, and I can’t head down that path again. I’m held together by the flimsiest tape. Honestly, it won’t take much to make me unravel.’
Scooping her in his arms, Vincent held her tight. ‘I don’t want that to happen. I’m sorry. I’m not doubting that the mural is a great opportunity. It clearly is. And, yes, I understand that you’re stepping out of your comfort zone. But please, Stella, just be wary of Marco. If you’re as fragile as you say, he could simply be playing you. An intelligent person would be able to see that. How well do you actually know him? Or Giuseppe, for that matter?’
An intelligent person would be able to see that.
It sounded vaguely similar to what Andrew used to play on repeat. Her mind hooked itself to this for a moment.No. Vincent was different. Andrew would never have admitted his weaknesses as Vincent just had. He said he was bad with words and struggled to express himself clearly. It must have simply been a poor word choice.
But there was one truth Stella couldn’t deny – she didn’t really know either Marco or Giuseppe all that well. Suddenly, and despite herself, she could see reason with Vincent’s case, no matter how poorly expressed it had been.
Quietly, she pulled away and collected her novel from the floor. As her fingers traced the hardback cover, the comment Giuseppe had made about Marco thinking she was beautiful returned to her mind. ‘Perhaps I don’t know Marco and Giuseppe very well yet. But Iwillget to know them the longer I work there.’
‘Proceed with caution.’
‘If it means setting your mind at ease, then yes, I will.’
‘You’ll be out of there soon anyway. How long could it possibly take?’
