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Alex put down the phone to the scooter rental agency. He’d promised to cover the costs of the repairs, plus extra. Good will, he called it. The man on the other end of the phone had calmed down only once it had become clear to him he wouldn’t be losing out. That, if anything, he stood to gain.
The money Alex could forget about. That didn’t matter. But what rankled him was the circumstances behind the payment. Had he not just paid the price for some stranger’s midnight run? For some tourist’s wild escape? And from her fiancé, no less?
He ran a hand across his stubbled jaw, thinking. And his sister ... his sister! He’d never seen her behave quite like that. Why was she so keen to have Lana stay with them?
Pacing the villa’s grand foyer, he ran a hand through his hair. Soon, the whole family would arrive. His father and mother. His grandparents on both sides. His other sister, Luna. What would they think? How would he explain Lana’s presence to them? What would they think she was? A girlfriend? A rescue? And how would it influence how his father looked at him? At this most critical of times? He rolled his shoulders, brought a hand up to a stiff muscle in his neck.
And yet, he acknowledged, looking out onto the beautiful piazza, there was something about the woman. Something he’d felt instantly, instinctively, the night before, as he’d watched her swooping around the cobbled streets of Capri ahead of him. There was something reckless about her. No, not reckless. Brave. Brave was a far better word. And that wasn’t all. It turned out she was a creative soul too. Like him. Like the rest of them. She wrote novels, after all. He’d never met anyone who did that in their spare time.
And added to that, he thought to himself, as he began taking the stairs to his bedroom-studio, she was beautiful. Undeniably so. Her long dark hair reminded him of an illustration he’d seen as a young man: of a beautiful woman, some figure of myth, draped in white and gazing out to sea. It was an image that had stayed with him for many years. An image that she’d brought back to him, now, after all this time.
Yes, he was attracted to her. Certainly. Who would not be? But the fiancé issue complicated things far too much for him to see himself getting involved.
And yet ... could he not simply enjoy her presence around the villa, then? Or perhaps, if everything fell into place, have her become something a little more ... mystical to him? Something like what his sister had hinted at? Something like ... his muse?
He sat down at his work desk almost without thinking, lifted a pencil. In his mind, he saw her, the strange woman who had literally fallen into his life, as well as the illustration of the woman that had so held him in his youth. Blended with them was the feeling of the ocean, of lostness, dreaming, longing. It was hard to explain. And in truth, he didn’t want to. Not even to himself. The mind was not meant to fully grasp the nature of creative inspiration. No, that was the domain of the heart, the soul. The domain of dreaming. He allowed his hand to begin to move across the blank foolscap sheet, not restraining it, not judging its movements. Just allowing whatever needed to come forth to be revealed to him, slowly, bit by bit.
His mind drifted. Thoughts ebbed and flowed like the tide. It all felt so natural that, for a time, he wasn’t quite sure what he was drawing. The sleek lines of a beautiful, powerful machine, or the rich curves of a woman’s body? He didn’t judge it. Didn’t decide. Didn’t force form on feeling. Didn’t want to.
That was when he heard two knocks at the door. “Come in,” he said, unthinkingly. He supposed it was his sister, there to find out something about the family’s arrangements for that evening.
But it wasn’t. Instead, it was her, Lana, wearing a self-conscious smile. “Am I interrupting?” she asked.
He looked down at the image before him, then folded an upper sheet down over it. The drawing wasn’t yet finished, far from it, but what was there had the glimmers of something that could become, well, something truly beautiful. Something utterly unique.
“It’s alright,” he said, smiling. “Come in.”
She hesitated a little in the doorway, then stepped into the room. As she did so, her eyes grew wide, unable to hide her amazement at the beautiful, grand space.
Split in two, half the bedroom was a studio, filled with some of his best drawings, doodles, ideas, all pinned to the wall. That was where Alex now sat, at a massive oak desk with an inclined front, perfect for sketching. The other half of the space was an intimate bedroom. An immaculate, four-poster bed with white drapery dominated the center. Two gorgeous Italian lamps sat on bedside tables to either side of the bed. Above the head, a marble wall loomed grandly ... The entire room was engulfed in the same gorgeous island light that filled the villa as a whole: a white-blue hue that brought the color of the sky into the rooms, and made every space feel warm, ethereal, dreamlike. He could see her taking it in, lingering over the details.
“Alex ... I wanted to thank you again ... for everything you did last night,” she began, dreamily, looking around. Then she shook her head a little, focusing her thoughts. “For the rescue, I guess you’d call it. For giving me somewhere to sleep.”
“Anyone in my position would have done the same,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Besides, you didn’t give me much choice about where to put you. The hospital was out. As was your real vacation rental, wherever that may be.”
She looked away for a moment, embarrassed. Maybe even a little hurt. Instantly, he felt a twinge of remorse. He hadn’t meant to sound harsh, only joking, but he realized how she must have felt, given her position.
Nonetheless, she took a breath, steadying herself. “Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for allowing me to stay here for a few days with you and your family. I realize it’s an inconvenience. But ... I promise I won’t be any trouble. Or, as little trouble as any unannounced houseguest can be.” She gave a small smile, then asked, “Are those ... your drawings?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
She took a step towards them. “They’re ... remarkable,” she said, her eyes traveling across the paper. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like them ... It’s almost as if ...” she reached out a hand, then caught herself. “Anyway, like I say, I’ll try not to be any trouble. And it shouldn’t be more than a few days.”
It was strange. He wanted to walk over and take her by the shoulders just then. Straighten her chin, look into her eyes, give her the confidence to say: “I’m here, and I’m staying. For as long as I’d like.” It was a totally bizarre thought. Where did it come from? He wondered. And more: whose sake did he wish it for: his, or hers?
“It’s no trouble having you here, Lana,” he said, meaning it. “And I hope you enjoy it. Truly. There are a lot of beautiful things to see here in Capri. And please, feel comfortable to come and go from the villa as you please. I’ll set you up with a set of house keys. I’ll also give you the keys to one of our cars ... or help you rent a new scooter, if you prefer? Just ...promise to look after it, whatever you decide to take.” He raised an eyebrow, smiling.
“That’s ... more than I could ask for, Alex,” she said.
“It’s no trouble,” he said. “Ah, of course. I just remembered. I’ll also send someone to collect the rest of your things. He’s a very good man. Works in town but also helps my family with some errands now and then. All you need to tell me is where he should collect your things from and you should have them shortly.”
She gave him a long look, seemed on the cusp of saying something, but then didn’t. He knew what it was going to be: something about her fiancé, the circumstances of her leaving, her circumstances with him now. Truth was, he didn’t want to know, and was grateful she didn’t go on. He rose from the desk. “Tonight, of course, you will be expected to have dinner with the family. So don’t go off galivanting anywhere after six. My parents will be delighted to meet you. So will everyone else.”
She looked at him with both amusement and wonder. “What will you tell everyone ... about me?” she asked. She wasn’t stupid. She knew the position it put him in, having her around.
He smiled, ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll tell them ... the truth,” he said. And as he said it, he realized he would do just that, and proudly. “That you’re a girl whose adventure on Capri wasn’t going quite as grandly as you’d hoped. But that, fortunately, we can all be there to make sure it goes better from now on.”
Lana returned to her bedroom, her heart beating loudly in her chest. Her bedroom, she marveled. Just how many bedrooms did the villa have? she wondered. Eight? Nine? More? She sat down on the edge of the bed. Took a breath.
Alex, she thought. The name played over and over in her mind. For all his reservations about having her there, he was being a gentleman, pure and simple. She was grateful to him. Immensely so. But more than that, she now realized ... she wanted to get to know him. Get to know him and his world. She couldn’t help it. The drawings in his bedroom had been unlike anything she’d ever seen. He was exceptionally talented. A true artist.
In fact, the whole family interested her. Just what was their business? She had only a faint idea. It most certainly had to do with cars, design. And whatever it was had made them exceptionally wealthy.
She pulled her phone from her handbag, ignoring the two further missed calls from Tom, and began to search on the internet. She had just a few keywords to go on. The surname Marino. Alex’s name. Something about cars.
It was just a moment or two later that her eyes began to grow wide.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Bella’s voice chimed merrily from outside. “Lana? Hello? You in there?”
“Oh, Bella. Yes, of course, come in.”
The doors burst open and Bella strode into the room, a big smile on her face. “Jake, my husband, will soon be here,” she said. “And he’s promised to take little Mario down to the waterfront today. Which leaves me blissfully free and in the mood for a little shopping. And maybe a little pampering on the side. Care to accompany me into town in a little while?”
“I, uh ...” the idea sounded wonderful to Lana. But she was on a careful vacation budget. Copywriting paid the bills, but it didn’t pay for much else besides. She imagined Bella pulling her into some of the island’s most expensive stores – places she simply couldn’t afford. She’d be so embarrassed, not to be able to buy anything.
“Oh,” added Bella, as if sensing the reason for her hesitation, “and it’ll be my treat. It’s been a while since I’ve had a girlfriend to roam around the island with. Consider it a favor to me.”
“I ...”
“Oh honey, I know, I know ... you couldn’t possibly accept, it’s too generous,” said Bella, faking a broad Brooklyn accent. “Well, while the Italian in me allows for a little shyness, the New Yorker in me doesn’t. I’m asking you out on an all-expenses-paid girl date and I suggest you accept. Besides, you’ll need something to wear to dinner this evening. Just in case your things don’t arrive quite in time.” She winked. “Been in touch with the fiance this morning?”
“No,” said Lana, shaking her head. “In fact, I was just about to tell him not to expect me back ... for a while.”
Bella smiled. “Good. You do that. And on the way into town, you can tell me all about it. A bit of girl talk will do you a world of good. Meet me on the piazza at ... 10? We’ll take the roadster.”
And with that, she floated from the room.
Lana gazed after Bella as she walked from the room, then focused her thoughts on Tom. Well, she thought, gathering herself together, it was now or never. She had to tell Tom what was happening. Okay, she reasoned, not, perhaps, everything that was happening ... but at least what she’d decided about the next couple of days. About what she needed. What she’d realized their relationship needed. He deserved at least that.
She lifted her mobile phone and began to dial.
As they whizzed through the gorgeous streets of Capri, Lana couldn’t help but smile. Bella had lowered the top of the convertible and the feeling of the wind on her face was delectable. They’d descended through the leafy hills and into the town center, which buzzed with life. Tourists thronged the avenues. The smell of coffee, chocolate, limoncello and seafood set off the floral island air.
“So tell me about this Tom,” said Bella. “What’s he like? How long have you been together? How’d you meet? What do you think he’s thinking right now? I want everything.”
Lana took a deep breath. It would take a while, giving the whole story. Usually, she’d give a simple, abstract answer to questions about her love life. It was fine, it was okay. There were certain problems, but who didn’t have problems? But Bella felt so much like a sister that she didn’t hesitate to go into detail. Lana talked easily as they wound through the streets. Told Bella all about who Tom was. About his family, his job. How they’d met. About how the last couple of years of their relationship had gone. It felt so good to confide in someone. Particularly someone who seemed to have her head screwed on so straight and who seemed genuinely interested.
Over the phone an hour before, Tom had sounded a little ticked off. He’d said he understood that she wanted her space, and that he would give it to her, but had reminded her that they’d come on holiday together. He’d pushed her for an answer about where she was staying now, but she hadn’t let on. Realizing she wouldn’t tell him much more, he’d simply implied that she should hurry up, get whatever she needed to out of her system, and return. Come back to him so they could continue things, as they’d planned.
“No ‘I’m sorry’ in any of this?” asked Bella, her eyes on the road ahead.
“No. No apologies. Not his style. Not at times like these anyway.”
“And you argue often, you said.”
“Yeah, pretty often.”
“Always about the same things?”
“Hmm. More or less.” Lana paused, thinking. “See, there are certain things about me that Tom doesn’t ... like. Things he’s made it his mission to work on. And his way of working on them is by being subtly critical a lot of the time. And not so subtly so at others.”
“What kinds of things doesn’t he like about you?”
“Oh, lots of things,” said Lana. “My hair. How I dress. What I do for a living. I could go on.”
Bella shook her head as if she didn’t understand. “I don’t know what this Tom could possibly have to complain about,” she said. “I for one have found you perfectly beautiful and perfectly charming. You said you were writing a novel?”
“Yes.”
“And ...? Tell me about it.”
“Well, it’s a romance. But not a traditional one. It’s about a man and a woman who have to find out who they both are ... really are, I mean, before they can find each other. I’m almost done. But I don’t seem to quite have the ending right just yet.”
“Sounds interesting,” said Bella, nodding. “Do you think ... maybe there are still some things you still need to find out about yourself, before you can find out what the ending to your story is?” She smiled. “Ah. Here’s our first stop.”
The boutique was on Capri’s high street. A designer label store wedged in between dozens of other top brands. A softly lit, opulently furnished boutique in pink, marble and gold tones. And stocked with only the most chic, most beautiful women’s clothes.
Lana wandered the store while Bella chatted pleasantly to the store assistant. It was all so gorgeous, Lana thought, running her fingers over the fabrics. So gorgeous ... and so expensive. She took a pale gold knee-length cocktail dress off the rack, let her fingers linger on the smooth satin.
“Love it,” said Bella, suddenly at her side. “And absolutely perfect, with your dark hair. Try it on immediately. And while you’re at it ...” she began combing the racks, thrusting blouses, pants, jackets and more into Lana’s arms. When she saw Lana’s expression, she laughed. “You’re just trying them on,” she said with a giggle. “Not marrying them.” She held the curtain of the dressing room aside and ordered Lana inside. “Come and show me when you’re ready. I’ll be out here, looking at the silk scarves.”
It was an afternoon unlike anything Lana had ever experienced. After the first boutique, they visited another and another. By the time several hours were up, Bella had insisted on buying her not only the satin dress, but a beautiful black halter top and an evening jacket. At the same time, she’d bought plenty of lovely things for herself too. A pair of gold hoop earrings. A pink summer dress. A bottle of perfume. The back of the car was filled with bags.
“Our final stop is the salon. Nothing like a wash and blow dry to make a girl feel like everything is alright in the world. And maybe a manicure and pedicure to go with it?”
“I ... Bella ... this is all—”
“I agree, it’s a wonderful idea, if that’s what you’re trying to say.” She winked.
The salon was a dream in white, glass and cream. Wood panels made the space feel warm, while the rest of the minimalist furnishings freshened it totally. Beautiful orchids perched on the coffee tables, beside which wealthy ladies waited for their highlights to develop, sipping cafe lattes in fine china cups. Around them, stylists flitted from head to head like exotic birds.
“My favorite client from the mainland! Back again?” one of the stylists embraced Bella as they walked in, then lapsed into Italian. Lana didn’t understand a word of what the pair was saying. But when they were done, Bella smiled and said: “Aria here thinks we could bring some lightness to your hair. Nothing dramatic. Just subtle. Sun-kissed caramel highlights?”
Lana blushed. She’d reluctantly agreed to a wash and blow dry. Even the mani-pedi. But this? It was all too much.
“It will be perfect for you,” said the stylist, reaching out and touching a lock of her thick hair. “Perfect. Make you look like you live beside the ocean. Like the sun never leaves your life.”
A few hours later, Lana was running her hands through her hair as she and Bella drove back up to the villa. Her hair had never felt so soft, smelled so divine, or looked so good.
“Gorgeous,” said Bella, looking at her. “See?”
Lana smiled widely at her reflection in the mirror. It had been a wonderful afternoon. Exciting. Opulent. Dreamlike. Something the likes of which she’d never experienced. Never dreamed she could experience ...
Suddenly, she needed to know. “Why all this, Bella?” she asked. “Why do all of this ... for me?”
“A direct question from someone who, I suspect, doesn’t usually do direct,” said Bella, smiling at her frankness. But it was a different kind of smile than Lana had seen on her face before. Something softer, wiser, more reflective. “Well ... for one, there aren’t many times I get the opportunity to enjoy the island with a girlfriend,” Bella said. “And since I felt you and I clicked right off, I knew instantly that I wanted to do this with you today.” She nodded, thinking. “Plus, Lana, I really admire what you did, making the choice you did, for yourself, when you decided to leave a situation that was obviously wrong. I admire your sense of freedom. Of adventure. Less, perhaps, the falling off the scooter part ... but everything that led up to it.” She gave a kind, warm smile. “Maybe I just wanted to make sure you had a good day today. No matter what else happens for you out here on the island, I mean. And this was the kind of gift I could give.”
Lana felt a well of emotion in her heart. Behind the confident, bold exterior, Bella was a thoughtful, considered, kind and deep-feeling person. She wasn’t quite sure what to say in return. But she also knew that, perhaps, she didn’t need to say anything.
“But ... there’s also the other part,” Bella confessed, a moment later. “You see, no one knows my brother quite like I do. No one knows him as well as I do, as deeply as I do, no matter what my Mama or Papa or Nana will tell you later on. And believe me, they’ll surely tell you plenty.” She laughed. “And, well, anyway, when I saw you, and spoke to you, I got this immediate, strange sense that you could be someone who really makes a difference in my brother’s life, in some important way, if he doesn’t know it yet himself, or even know that he needs it at all. So I wanted you to feel welcome at the villa, and at ease with our family, so that you’d feel comfortable sticking around a little. It sounds a little calculated, I know. Maybe even a little devious. But my brother will be thirty-eight this year, and he needs to start thinking about finding the right woman. When I met you, I knew, instantly, you might be the right kind of woman for him.”
Lana blushed. “I ... see.”
Bella nodded. “Well, now you know. And I’m glad I told you. I certainly hope I haven’t scared you off. But then again ... if I’m not mistaken, you do find him attractive, don’t you?”
Lana felt her heart beat a little faster. “Yes. I do. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn't.”
Bella nodded, satisfied. “Of course, he obviously finds you attractive too. Very. He hasn’t been able to keep his eyes off you for a moment, if you hadn’t noticed.”
“I ... I hadn’t really—”
“Haha. Well, start noticing now.”
The roadster had been winding its way back up into the tree-filled hills for some time. Now, Bella took the sharp turn into the villa’s driveway. “Anyway,” she said, “looks are one thing of course. The soul is another. You may not find this out for a while, but my brother is very, very choosy about who he reveals his soul to. If he chooses to show you even a little of it, please treat it with care. Creative people take themselves and their emotions seriously. But then again, I suppose you know that already, Lana the writer from New York.”