Page 76 of Italy and Forever

‘I’m driving, so I can only have one,’ she protested. She accepted the glass doubtfully, giving it a sniff. The powerful smell of alcohol was unmistakable, but it had a pleasant tang in the aroma.

‘Auf Andreas und Sophie! Prost!’

Ginny followed the example of the others and lifted her glass to her lips, hoping she’d get away with a sip rather than tossing the whole thing down. It was fresh and sweet with a strong scent of greenery, like the forest at the climbing rock on Thursday.

A woman came forward, looking at her phone. ‘The first question: what is Andreas’s middle name?’

Sophie was visibly relieved. ‘He doesn’t have one.’

‘What is his favourite colour?’

Rhys came up beside Ginny, camera in hand. ‘Do you think they’ve been watching too much Monty Python?’ he asked in her ear. ‘I hear it’s popular in German.’

‘What about Monty Python?’

He eyed her. ‘Never mind.’

‘He doesn’t have a favourite colour either,’ Sophie answered drily.

‘Wrong!’ Lucas declared. ‘He told us his favourite was the colour of your eyes.’

The others tut-tutted between knowing smiles.

‘What is Andreas’s favourite food?’

‘That’s easy,’ Sophie replied. ‘Speckknödel – made by his mother.’

‘And can you cook it?’ Lucas asked, but one of the women whacked him soundly on the arm. ‘Sorry, that’s not one of the questions. Andreas isn’t quite a whole person any more. Which parts are missing?’

Ginny looked to Sophie in confusion, but her friend’s expression was serene.

‘He’s missing two toes on his right foot. Are you trying to make me late for my own wedding?’

Lucas shrugged. ‘If Andreas sweats a little, that’s a nice bonus. Now come, we have prepared the heaven and hell game for you. Maybe your friend will help.’

Ginny groaned when she saw what they meant. In chalk on the road ahead was a game of hopscotch. They handed her another little glass of schnapps and she did not like where this was going at all.

Twenty minutes later, Ginny was ready to raise a sword and make a charge if it meant she could finally deliver Sophie to the church.

‘What is the animal on the coat of arms of Südtirol?’ someone called out.

‘What is the largest high-altitude alpine pasture in Europe?’

‘Where is the best place to get pizza in Bozen?’

‘What is the highest mountain in Südtirol?’

‘Oh, that one I know,’ Sophie called out. ‘The Ortler.’

‘Ach, Gott sei Dank.’ The last one was spoken on a groan, by a familiar voice. Andreas barrelled into the crowd, out of breath and scowling fiercely.

His outfit of snug embroidered leather shorts, knee-length woolly socks, a crisp long-sleeved shirt and a fine grey waistcoat would have looked comical on anyone else, especially with the silver hoop winking in one ear, but it was perfect for Andreas. The shorts were more practical than Ginny had ever imagined, since she had never imagined a groom needing to run before the ceremony. Gesticulating wildly, he took his friends to task in their dialect.

‘Ahem,’ Ginny interrupted, hands on hips. When Andreas glanced at her in annoyance, she tipped her head urgently in Sophie’s direction and it was clear the instant understanding dawned on him.

He paused, straightened his waistcoat and turned to Sophie. Ginny’s knees went weak to witness him crumble as his gaze finally soaked in the vision of his fiancée in her white dress. He swallowed loudly and raked a hand through his hair.

‘Sophie.’ The way he said her name was more like an endearment. ‘For a minute there…’