‘I didn’t hear it until we got back to Bryce’s house.’ He rested his forehead against hers. ‘But I flew straight home as soon as I did, to talk to you face to face, to leave no room for mistakes or misunderstandings. It’s our whole future I’m interested in now.’
Her voice locked itself away in her throat so she showed her approval with kisses, enjoying the brush of his stubble and his arms hard and tight around her. ‘Your mum must be stoked that you’re staying at Villa Panorama,’ she managed to croak, when she finally came up for air.
‘Ah,’ he said wickedly. ‘I haven’t told her and Papà my final decision yet. I needed to know that this –’ he kissed her long and deep once more ‘– was going to be OK. We should go and tell them together.’
She gave a low laugh and took his hand to lead him further into Villetta Nascosta, and his bed. ‘When they hear the news, they won’t mind having had to wait.’
Epilogue
The view from the terrace of Sheenagh and Ferdinando’s comfy, contemporary apartment was stunning. The green domes of the duomo stood out against the September-blue sky and the cream, peach and pink buildings of the city sat in rows before it, like guests at a wedding.
Jade sat beside Leo under an awning, sippingtè freddo.
Opposite them, Sheenagh and Ferdinando occupied woven chairs bookended by potted lemon trees. Sheenagh’s eyes were anticipatory. ‘Lovely to see you.’ She glanced at Jade and back to Leo.
‘And you.’ Jade contemplated adding something to end the uncharacteristicfroideurbetween them, then decided Leo’s upcoming announcements would do it for her.
‘The heat eases a little, now August is over.’ Ferdinando sounded compelled to offer small talk.
Leo grinned at his parents. ‘You’re being very patient. Shall I tell you what I’ve decided?’
‘Yes!’ Sheenagh sat forward.
‘Sì.’ Ferdinando reached for his wife’s hand, as if whatever was coming they’d face it together.
‘I’m so grateful that you offered me the opportunity to return to Villa Panorama.’ Leo paused, his tone giving nothing away. Then he flashed a grin. ‘Can I start tomorrow?’
‘YES!’ Sheenagh bounded up, dragging him from his chair and into her arms, her face wreathed in smiles.
Ferdinando, eyes unexpectedly glassy with tears, rose too, and made it a group hug, apparently too choked to speak.
Leo, laughing, let himself be squeezed and squashed and his cheeks resoundingly kissed. When he finally freed himself, he extended his hand to Jade, turning to her with a molten gaze. ‘Also...’
‘You’ve made up?’ Sheenagh didn’t wait for confirmation, but yanked Jade up into an embrace too. ‘I’m so happy. Mairead would have been ecstatic! Oh, Jade.’ She squeezed Jade still harder. ‘Just don’t dare dump him so that he leaves Como again.’
Relaxing as the rift between them seemed to magically heal, Jade giggled. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’
‘Hey!’ Leo faux-glowered at her. ‘The correct answer is “of course not”.’
She slipped her arm about his waist. ‘Of course not.’ Then she was swallowed up in a hug from Ferdinando, while Sheenagh telephoned Massimo and demanded that he arrange a celebration dinner for them all in Lounge Panorama that evening.
‘With champagne,’ she cried. ‘And mocktails for Sofi.’
It was an hour of joy and excited chatter before Jade could extricate herself, pleading work. She looped her arm through Leo’s as they crossed the railway lines and entered the city walls. Underneath the Broletto, the old town hall that stood on stilts beside the cathedral, rows of children sat in rapt attention as a puppeteer group gave a show from within a blood-red velvet booth. The children burst into delighted laughter as one of the puppet-voices rose.
Leo’s arm tightened on hers, warm and heavy. ‘Embarrassing that Dad nearly cried.’
She stroked his forearm. ‘They love you.’
He tilted his head so he could whisper in her ear, his breath hot on her skin. ‘And I love you.Ti amo, tesoro.’
Tears stung her eyes. ‘Ti amo anch’io.Love you back.’ She’d never completely stopped. ‘Your parents can’t wait to see you working at Villa Panorama again. Good job I have Luigi and Nina now, with you, Geneva, Rosalie and Erin all deserting me.’ Though her tone was light, her mood dipped. ‘I’m still uneasy about Geneva, even if she has a job now. I think it’s the man who lives with her. He didn’t sound friendly. All she’s told me is that he’s called Ubaldo. I am glad I can meet my mother sometimes, though.’ The words ‘my mother’ still felt awkward on her tongue.
‘Your relationship may grow. Perhaps she’ll open up to you in time.’ His voice was gentle. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve spoken to Joey again?’ She’d confessed about barging into her father’s life with a phone call.
She shook her head as they cut the corner of Piazza Duomo, past the row of busy cafés. ‘I expect that will remain a one-off. But if you’d told me at the start of summer that I’d know my mother and have spoken to my father by now...’ She shook her head in wonder. ‘And it’s taken ages for me to accept my sisters, but now that they’re leaving tomorrow, I’m hoping they’ll soon come back. They’re beginning to mean a lot to me, despite me being so horrified when I learnt they existed.’ Jade sighed. ‘I’d been so busy thinking that I couldn’t have Gran back that I didn’t realise that having Erin and Rosalieishaving her back. They’re one-quarter Gran, as I am, and I can tell them things, just like I told her. I’ve changed our WhatsApp group fromJoey’s kidstoSisters, but I wish I could think of something more meaningful to let them know that... Oh!’ She halted so suddenly that herarm slipped from Leo’s. ‘I’ve thought of something. I wonder if they’re in the apartment?’
Impatiently, as if he’d been the one to halt, she took his hand and bustled him to the corner where Three Sisters waited under its blue tarpaulin hat, dragging him through the black gate and the apartment’s back door. Despite hearing laughter from thesalotto, she swerved into her bedroom.
