‘LA? He hasn’t gone to LA? No, no, he’s in Verona! He was only supposed to be gone for a day but there was an extra meeting he had to attend.’
‘In Verona? So, he didn’t fly anywhere?’ Then he must have blocked me. He hadn’t even been on a plane – he was still in Italy!
‘The train, I think. Unless he was on one of his private jets – who knows with him. He is always surprising me.’ Paolo chuckled and sat down to rest his leg. ‘There is one last paper we need to sign together. With the accident we didn’t get to do it, so they posted it on to us and we’ll sign it on Friday. Then I think he’ll fly home after that. Maybe at the weekend, I’m not sure.’
Holly:I didn’t think you had Tony’s number? Why would he block you? Don’t leave meeeee!! Yes, to dinner.
Me:Viola gave it to me, but my messages aren’t going through. Dinner at yours or San Gimignano?
Holly: SG so I don’t get distracted. I’ll book us in atLe Vecchie Mura. It’s amazing there.
Mia came wandering out with some bottled water.
‘Morning, Abi! Paolo tells me you are leaving us?’ she said, sadly. ‘I’ll miss you – we all will – Nero especially.’ He looked up at his name. The puppies were taking a collective drink from a metal bowl and were the epitome of cute, getting prettier and fluffier each day. So much more confident than when I’d first arrived, when they were an inseparable trio – constantly chasing each other around the pool.
‘Are you keeping them all?’ I asked, watching them.
‘I wish we could. No – once they get to ten weeks, they will go to new homes.’
‘All of them?’ I said, surprised.
‘We will probably keep Toppa,’ Mia said, smiling fondly at the three of them. ‘He’s the runt of the litter and not as strong as the other two.’
‘Do you have homes for Bianco and Nero?’ I couldn’t imagine them living anywhere other than here.
‘Not yet, but we’ll find good people for them, don’t worry.’ Mia poured me out a glass of water and left the bottle on the table. ‘What time is your flight tomorrow? I can drive you to Poggibonsi to get the train to the airport, if you need a lift?’
I looked at Mia and at Nero, my little love, running himself ragged in circles, and thought of Tony back in a couple of days. I couldn’t cope with the thought of leaving if there was a chance to speak to him before I went back. Maybe I should move my flight. I’d ask Holly over dinner – she’d know what to do.
‘Thank you, Mia That’s so kind. I fly from Florence at 6 p.m., so I’ll need to leave after lunch if that’s OK?’ I said, pulling out my phone to check alternative flight times, as Mia went inside, three puppies in her wake. How could she bear to let them go?
*
My tan was coming on a treat, although I’d always tanned easily. A month of sun-kissed summer days and I was starting to look and live like a local. I couldn’t decide if I needed a swim, a sleep, or more sunbathing time. Decisions, decisions. My phone started ringing, distracting me momentarily, and I moved into the shade. Phoebe.
‘Is that my September wake-up call?’ I answered.
‘It sure is,’ she replied. ‘Your fairy godmother calling to grant your wish as promised. Although why your wish is to work, I’ll never know.’
‘Have you got me a job, then?’ I asked, unsettled at the thought of getting back to it. I’d finally relaxed into the swing of things – was it really all over already?
‘Oh,hi, Phoebe, how are you?How was your weekend?’ she said, sarcastically.
‘Sorry, Phoebs. Hi. How was your weekend?’
‘I’d rather not talk about it,’ she quipped, and I laughed. ‘But – guess what? I’ve got you a job!’
I rolled my eyes into the phone. ‘Have you?! Well, thank God for that!’ I suppose it was a relief to know there was some work on the horizon. That I hadn’t been forgotten.
‘And it’s a good one.’
‘Tell me, tell me, tell me!!’ No TV ads here then.
‘I’m gonna level with you, Abs, I was worried you’d been blacklisted. I didn’t want to worry you with it, but I was getting a lot of ghosting and closed doors. Something very strange went on with thatMoonmenjob and I don’t think we got to the bottom of it.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. I found out from another agent that Lucy Rowan is still working there. She didn’t get the boot as we were told.’
