waiting for the right time to drop the sex scene. I can’t torture my characters for too long.
Especially when I’m being tortured myself. Every so often, I feel Claudio’s foot under the table, sliding up my calves, reminding me that I can’t have him at the moment.
“So is that why you’re here?” she asks after a moment.
I nod. “Aye. I thought Italy would give me some inspiration.”
“And has it?” asks his father. He eyes his son briefly.
I swallow, trying to keep my cheeks from going hot. Perhaps I can blame the flush on the wine. “It has. It’s, erm, very romantic here.”
“You know,” his mother says, a look of disdain on her face. “Claudio’s ex-wife is an agent. Perhaps you’ve heard of her. Jana Lee? She represents many famous authors. I would suggest she represent you, but that wouldn’t be a good idea.”
Oh fuck. Here it is. Here is the moment.
I look at Claudio, fully expecting him to lie in order to sidestep a landmine, even though I think lying would be a bad idea in itself. What if word comes out down the line that Jana is my agent? All his mother needs to do is look me up on my long-neglected Twitter account and see that she’s proudly listed there.
Claudio lifts his wine glass to his lips. “Actually, that’s how we met. Jana is Grace’s agent.”
I try to keep my face from reacting, even though both of his parents look completely shocked.
“What?” his mother says, looking at the both of us. “She’s your agent?”
I nod. “She’s very good at what she does.”
She makes a face. “I have no doubt. But you must understand, she hasn’t been the best mother to Vanni.”
“Which has nothing to do with Grace,” Claudio says emphatically, pressing his fingers into the table. “And also, I’m his father. I am the judge. If I felt Jana wasn’t being a good mother, or being enough, I would call her on it. Talk it out like adults. We may be exes, but we communicate … well, usually.” I can tell he’s thinking of when Jana neglected to tell him I was using his house. “As it is, I think we’ve worked things out quite well.”
His father shrugs, obviously not caring too much about any of this.
His mother sighs. “Well, then I trust you to know what is right.”
After that, the Jana talk tapers off. I think we’ve escaped the worst of it, and telling the truth wasn’t so bad after all. Topics go back to more neutral affairs.
Then the food comes. Squid ink risotto. Stuffed sardines. Wild boar pasta. Pappardelle with wild mushrooms. I have guguglione, which is a stew of peppers and aubergine, a local dish and the restaurant’s most popular. I am in heaven.
By the end, all of us are in food comas, and we finish with glasses of Amaro, the sunset twinkling through the olive groves just outside our window, a fresh breeze coming in. Claudio’s father is paying the bill, and I’m just about to tell him I’ll be happy to pay my part (knowing he’ll dismiss that), when Claudio’s mother gasps. I look at her. Her eyes are wide and she’s looking over Claudio’s shoulder.
Claudio and I both turn at the same time.
There is a stunning woman in a very expensive looking black dress walking over to us, smiling with supermodel white teeth, and waving.
“Ciao, ciao!” she cries out.
There is a flurry of activity as Claudio and Claudio’s mother get up from their chairs and embrace and kiss this gorgeous woman on the cheek.
I exchange a look with his father but he just shrugs and finishes signing the bill.
A flurry of Italian erupts from all three of them, and then Claudio sits back down.
He leans in close to me. “Old friend,” he whispers.
I give him a pointed look. “Do all your old friends look like supermodels?”
He manages a smile and finishes the rest of his Amaro.
Then his mother sits down.
“Oh, that is Angelina,” she says to me. “Isn’t she gorgeous? Beautiful. Beautiful. You know, they grew up in Cavoli Beach. See, she is with her parents now. She was good friends with Claudio as a child.” She throws her napkin down. “Oh, I wish we could stay and join their table.”
“We are going home,” his father grumbles.
“Angelina and Claudio would make such a good couple, don’t you think?” she asks me.
Oh dear.
I give her a stiff smile, trying to hide my jealousy.