Under a Siena Sun (Escape to Tuscany #1) - T.A. Williams Page 0,5
get a transfer over here?’
Lucy’s mother had been friends with Daniela’s mother since university and over the years when their daughters had been growing up, the two families had often holidayed together here in Tuscany. As a result, Lucy spoke fairly reasonable Italian, although her years in Africa had tended to favour her French to the detriment of her Italian, but now that she was here again for the first real holiday in over ten years, it was quickly coming back. She nodded.
‘I was wondering about that. There’s been a big MSF operation in Sicily for quite a few years now, looking after the flood of migrants coming over from North Africa. Now that Italy’s got a much more right-wing government, they’re clamping down on immigration, but I imagine there’ll still be a need for medics for some years to come.’
‘Pietro and I’d happily come and visit you in Sicily if that’s where you end up. It’s a gorgeous part of the world and we’re going there for our honeymoon. For now, the important thing is for you forget about Africa and just relax.’ Daniela reached over and squeezed her hand. ‘And don’t worry, the bad dreams will stop, I’m sure. Just give it time.’ She pulled out her phone and consulted it. ‘Anyway, listen, I’m meeting Pietro in Siena in an hour. He sent me a message ten minutes ago. Here, let me read it to you.’ She scrolled through to the message. ‘Here it is. Ciao Danni. See you at six. Bruno’s going to be there. He remembers Lucy from years ago and wants to catch up with her again. Why don’t you come to Siena with me? What do you say? You haven’t seen Bruno for a long time, have you? You’ll be surprised by him now. He’s moved on a lot since you last saw him.’
Lucy sat up – or rather, she tried to sit up in the hammock but failed. Instead, she had to lift her legs out and slide somewhat inelegantly to the ground beside her friend. She straightened her crumpled clothes, stretched and smiled.
‘Bruno? I’d love to see him again. He was always great fun when we were playing together as kids. He was forever telling jokes and getting into trouble. Do you remember when he stuck an egg up the priest’s exhaust pipe and spray-painted half a dozen nuns?’
‘How could I forget? But, like I say, he’s moved on a lot since then.’
‘I suppose he must have done. A lot can happen in, what, fifteen or twenty years since I last saw him?’
Chapter 2
And a lot had happened in the intervening years.
Bruno had indeed moved on and had morphed into a good-looking grown-up. Lucy could hardly believe it when she and Daniela got to the café in Piazza del Campo to meet the two men. This was right in the heart of Siena’s centro storico and she spotted them sitting outside at a table in the shade directly opposite the iconic Palazzo Pubblico on the far side of the piazza. This stunning medieval building, built partly of stone and partly of brick, dominated the square. Rows of arches made up the front and jagged crenellations on the top attested to Siena’s often troubled history. Although Lucy had been here numerous times, she never tired of the views all around this fan-shaped, sloping square with its herringbone pattern of red bricks paving all but the edges. But this evening her attention was drawn by the tall, dark-haired man who jumped up to greet her. Daniela was right. Bruno certainly had moved on from his days as a spotty teenager – but then, of course, so had she.
‘Lucy, ciao. Wow, you look amazing!’
He just stood there and gawped at her and, for a moment, she had a flashback to the teenage Bruno who hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off her but, to her chagrin at the time, had lacked the courage to do anything more than stare. Somehow, she had a feeling he might no longer be so reticent. She went over to greet him with a broad smile on her face.
‘Ciao, Bruno, how great to see you again after so long.’
She leant towards him and kissed him on his stubbly cheeks. Then she felt his hands catch hold of her shoulders and he stepped back, his eyes studying her. To her surprise he was a good bit taller now. Clearly he had had a late growth spurt. Finally he managed to