Under a Siena Sun (Escape to Tuscany #1) - T.A. Williams Page 0,76
on his shirt, which looked decidedly pricey. She really did like him a lot, in spite of her reservations about the mega-rich. After all, it wasn’t his fault he fell into that category and, unlike many others, he had at least got there by his own legitimate efforts and, from what he had just said in the car, maybe he would really do something good with his wealth rather than just sit on it.
The fritto misto was excellent, no doubt due in no small part to the freshness of the little fish, prawns, squid and tiny octopus which the chef had dusted in flour and quick-fried. They shared a half-bottle of white wine and a big bottle of mineral water with the meal while they carried on chatting. Lucy would have loved to ask him for details of what he had described as the ‘long, sad story’ of his separation, but she decided to let him take his time about telling her. Instead, as they sat back at the end of the meal, she brought the subject round to tennis.
‘I’m delighted to see you walking quite normally again. What happens next? What did Doctor Saeed say? Will you be able to play again?’ She already knew the answer to this, but she didn’t want it to look as though she had been too nosey.
‘Play, yes – at least a bit. Compete, no.’ He took a little sip of wine. ‘It was pretty much what everybody’s been telling me for almost three years now, but I’ve finally come to terms with it. Let’s face it, irrespective of my injuries, I’m an old man as far as tennis is concerned. You probably know I’m thirty-seven.’ Lucy did, but she gave no sign. ‘After three years out, there’s no way I could have gone back to the top of the rankings even with a perfect knee and, when all’s said and done, I love winning. A return to top level competition now would mean a lot of losing, I’m sure.’
Lucy was delighted to hear him talking about this so rationally and calmly. If it was true that he had really had a breakdown two or three years ago, this marked a major improvement. Once again, she spared a thought for Franz who had helped her so much in combating her own demons. It sounded as though he had done the same for David.
‘So what happens now? Are you going to settle down and become a wine producer? I can think of worse ways of making a living.’
He smiled and shook his head. ‘No, well, yes to the wine part, but that won’t be enough in itself. Apart from the past three tough years, I’ve spent almost all my life involved with something that occupied me body and soul. The worst thing about my injury has been the massive hole it left in my life. I’m too young to retire. I need something to focus on.’
‘So what might that be? Coaching? TV commentating, maybe?’
He smiled again. ‘You wouldn’t believe the offers I’ve been getting via my agent. The latest is a range of leisurewear for “men who want clothing that performs”.’ Seeing Lucy grin, he went on. ‘That’s nothing. Last year there was a big Italian lingerie company who wanted me to endorse their new line of sports bras. Now, I may have put on a few pounds since I gave up competitive tennis, but my boobs don’t need support that badly yet.’
‘Having seen you with your shirt off, I can confirm that. Apart from sponsorship deals which, I’m sure, can be very lucrative, is there something you’d really like to do with your life?’
He nodded. ‘Definitely one… well two, no three really. First – don’t laugh at me please – I’d like to go back to college and maybe do a doctorate in medieval history. What do you think of that as an idea? I notice you didn’t immediately burst out laughing, and I thank you for that.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of laughing at something like that. If for some reason I had to give up my medical career, I’d jump at the chance to do the same. Where would you do it? In the States?’
As she asked the question she found herself wondering if this might take him away from her and she felt a cold stab in her stomach as she realised how much she would miss him.
‘There are some great universities in the USA, but the Middle Ages happened before the