Page 92 of Italy and Forever

‘Huh?’

‘I’m a self-centred fool.’

‘I don’t always disagree with that.’

She didn’t have the space to even scowl at Kira. ‘He didn’t recognise me!’

‘That’s… possible.’

‘I’d been crying, so I was wearing sunglasses and I had awful hair, so I put a scarf over it. The scarf is really colourful, kind of overwhelming, and maybe it was covering my ears too, and I was wearing my little clear plastic stud that you can’t see from a ways back. Plus, it was unexpectedly mild, so I left my jacket in the car.’

‘He didn’t recognise you with awful hair?’ Kira said with a snort. ‘That tracks.’

‘No, it was the scarf! Oh fuck. I took it personally and that’s exactly what he was afraid of the whole time and⁠—’

The shrill tone of a phone call interrupted her panic. Swallowing more curses, she ripped open the pocket of her training bag and retrieved her phone, unsurprised to see her dad’s picture on the screen.

‘Sorry, Dad, I can’t really talk right now,’ she said instead of a greeting when she connected the call. ‘I’ve just realised I got something important really wrong and I don’t know what to do about it.’

‘All right, love, but does it have anything to do with a tall, quiet type called Rhys?’

38

Confusion tussled with hope, although there was always a clear winner with Ginny: hope.

‘How do you know about Rhys?’

‘He was just here. We had a very strange conversation.’

That sounded like Rhys. ‘What was he doing at your house?’

‘He seemed to think you didn’t want to see him and he had something to give you.’

‘What?’ Kira asked.

‘Rhys was at my parents’ house,’ she whispered back. She’d enjoy accusing Kira of being just as much of a gossip as Mattia when the call was over.

‘How about you come for dinner tonight?’ her dad suggested. ‘He said something about chestnuts to roast? Mum is very disappointed she missed him, so you might have to fill us in.’

‘Seems like you have to fill me in,’ Ginny muttered. ‘But all right. Tell Mum no third degree, though, otherwise I’m going home.’

Saying ‘Mum’ reminded her of another conversation with Rhys. She hadn’t told anyone that stuff before – she had barely allowed herself to think it.

‘You’ll want to see what he left for you, anyway.’

‘Dad, you can’t dangle that in front of me and not tell me what it is!’

‘I’m sorry, but it will only deliver its full impact when you see it – and you’ve been moody, so I want to make sure you actually come and let us feed you.’

‘I have not been moody,’ she protested despite the stab of guilt at the lie. ‘Are you going to see if Elspeth is around? Or Harry?’

‘No, sweetheart. We just want to see you tonight. Plus, inviting those two means their partners and then suddenly we have a house full and I’m not sure we can feed everyone.’

‘Lucky I’m single,’ Ginny said drily. ‘See you then.’

‘He’s grand gesturing you!’ Kira blurted out as soon as Ginny ended the call.

‘That’s not a thing,’ Ginny grumbled to cover the leap in her chest. ‘Or if it is, then Rhys wouldn’t do it.’ He didn’t do gifts, although apparently he’d made an exception just before his departure. ‘He thought I didn’t want to see him, so he went through my parents.’