Page 11 of The Fall Affair

“Okay!” I got in and turned the ignition. To my utter delight, the engine rumbled to life. Well, it was a Fiat, so maybe it coughed back to life. I climbed out smiling. “Thank you so much!”

He nodded. “No problem.”

I reached back into the car for my purse and took out my wallet. “How much do I owe you for the gas? And for your time?”

He waved me off. “Nothing.”

“Oh no. I need to at least reimburse you for the gas.”

“Just drop de container back to Enzo when you get the petrol at the next exit.” He wagged a finger at me. “And don’t water no more of the olive trees, yes?”

“All right.” I smiled. “Thank you so much.”

He caught my eyes, and for a few seconds I thought he was going to say something else. Maybe it was the romantic feel of Tuscany all around me, or maybe I was delirious after a long day of traveling, but I thought that something might be, “Have a glass of wine or a caffé with me.” But then he simply waved. “Ciao.”

It was ridiculous, I know, but I felt a bit deflated. Yet I waved back and smiled again as he got back on his scooter. “Grazie. Ciao!”

The odd feeling didn’t go away as the stranger drove off, and I stood beside the car, watching the Vespa go down the road until it was no longer in sight. After, I folded into my car, buckled up, and shifted the engine into drive. As I drove off, I couldn’t stop wondering why it felt like something important had just happened.

Chapter 5

Matteo

REEE-REEE-REE-VROOM!

The tiny Fiat revved high before lurching forward with a sharp jerk and stalling. The beautiful woman inside muttered something, probably a curse, then started the car again. Reee-reee-ree-VROOM! The clutch caught, the tires chirped again, and the poor car hopped forward a couple of meters before stalling in front of the door to the antique shop.

Dust was still hanging in the air as she got out and slammed the door. She walked over to the front tire and kicked it, then hopped on one foot like she might’ve broken a toe. It was comical to watch. But I had no idea what she was doing here. American tourists flooded the area in the summer, with their oversized sunglasses and big floppy hats, just like the one she had on now.

It seemed odd we’d meet again, especially since I hadn’t had a chance to stop thinking about her. Maybe she’d seen the wooden signs for Sophia’s antique shop? I hadn’t gotten around to taking those down yet, so tourists still showed up a few times a week, though the majority of Sophia’s business had been locals.

I’d been repairing the mesh fencing on the outer perimeter of the orchard about fifteen meters away, so I could’ve yelled over and told her the place was closed. But instead, I lifted my hand to my brow and shielded my eyes from the sun for a better look.

Even with half of her face now hidden by sunglasses and a hat, there was something striking about the American. Full lips, an elegant, straight nose, and long wavy brown hair. She was dressed like a tourist about to go on a gondola, with a navy blazer, white tailored slacks, and a phone in her hand. She held the cell up to the sky and moved it around like she was trying to find service.

Eventually she frowned. I expected her to try the shop’s door handle, then climb back into her car and hit the gas when she realized it was closed, probably leaving a wake of dirt kicked up behind her. But instead, she tucked the phone into her back pocket, opened the trunk, and pulled out a suitcase.

Clearly, she was at the wrong place. So I lifted my hand. “Scusa me. The shop, it is not open.”

The woman’s head whipped to the left and she squinted. “You? How? Did you follow me?”

I shook my head. “Considering I’m here for two hours working and you just arrived, I think that you followed me.”

“I did not follow you.”

I pointed to the antique store. “The shop. It is closed. Permanently.”

“Oh, I know.” She looked around at Sophia’s property. “Who cuts the lawn?”

Strange question. But whatever… “Me.”

“Are you the landscaper?”

“No.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Then…why do you cut it?”

“Because it needs cutting, and it’s da right thing to do.”