Under a Siena Sun (Escape to Tuscany #1) - T.A. Williams Page 0,61

rolled her eyes and wondered what it was about rich men and fast cars. Not that she cared to know the answer.

She knew she was going to feel really uncomfortable being seen in such an obvious status symbol, whose worth was probably more than all the houses and all the belongings of the people around Mabenta put together. David was free to spend his money any way he wanted, but this gleaming car was making it impossible to avoid comparisons with some of the more unsavoury patients at the clinic. Somehow it felt improper, if not just plain wrong. Nevertheless, she gritted her teeth and mustered a smile and was immediately presented with another, more practical, problem.

As she wasn’t working, she had chosen not to tie her hair back today and had let it hang around her shoulders, feeling pretty confident it looked good, not least as the sun had done a great job of bleaching it lighter, turning it from its usual mousy colour to blonde. The roof of the car was down so she had no doubt she would look like a haystack by the time they got to Siena, let alone Florence, after being buffeted by the wind at high speed. She gave David an apologetic wave and ducked back into the house to take remedial action.

She hunted around for a hair tie but couldn’t find a single one. In desperation she located her only silk scarf and tied it around her head, although she felt sure it would make her look like her grandmother. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed her fears, but it was too late to change now. She locked the house and as she came round to the car door, another problem presented itself. She was wearing her new summer frock. The car was very close to the ground and, somehow, she had the feeling David was going to see a lot of her as she climbed in. In fact, it wasn’t so much going to be a case of climbing in as falling in. She opened the door and put one foot tentatively inside. To her relief, he came to her rescue.

‘Unless you have a crane, the best way to get into this thing is backwards. My wife had a system so trust me – ass first.’

She took his advice and turned her back on him, grabbed the door pillars and lowered herself into the seat, finally swivelling round, knees together, and tugging the hem of her dress down, relieved it hadn’t ridden up any more than it had. She glanced across at him and there was an embarrassing moment when she wondered if she should kiss him on the cheeks or shake hands or do nothing, before he resolved things by pressing a button and starting the engine. There was a high-pitched roar and he set off, fortunately at a reasonable pace. The prancing horse on the steering wheel made it clear this was a car designed for raw speed and she hoped he wouldn’t turn out to be a mad driver.

As he manoeuvred the surprisingly wide vehicle through the narrow streets of the village, she glimpsed Donatello, the shopkeeper, sweeping the pavement outside his shop, and she almost died of shame. The bright red Ferrari immediately drew his attention and he must have recognised her as he waved and, hesitantly, she waved back. She turned towards David.

‘I’m afraid your anonymity isn’t going to last long – especially in a red Ferrari.’

He shot her a quick smile. ‘I’m sure you’re right, but I reckon it’s the only way. Would you believe this car hasn’t been out of the garage for over two years? In fact I wondered if it would start this morning. But I thought, what the hell? Just like tearing off a Band-Aid, I reckon it’s best to just go for it.’

‘So you’re happy to emerge from hiding, or should I say burst out of hiding in this beast?’

He nodded. ‘It’s time. I’ve been closeted away for too long. I need to get out. In a funny way, I’m almost grateful to your friend for giving me the kick I needed.’

‘My ex-friend. And so you’re choosing the nuclear option? A bright red Ferrari with the roof down will definitely draw a few eyes.’

‘And don’t forget the beautiful blonde in the passenger seat. That should definitely help in making sure I get noticed.’

Doing her best not to blush, she corrected him and saw him smile. ‘The little old lady