Flirting in Italian (27 page)

I have a powerful, almost overwhelming wave of nostalgia for my own bedroom back in London, a room I don’t share with anyone, my safe, lovely, cozy, pink nest. My mum, fussing around me, making me my favorite comfort food.
I wanted adventure
, I think wryly,
and I got it. In spades. And now all I want to do is run back home to my mum
. But then I wonder,
Is she my birth mom?
and even more quickly,
Does it matter?

It is eerie and uncanny how Luca has the ability to read my mind.

“Will you go back now to London, Violetta?” he asks, his black brows lifting, his expression concerned. “
Italia
has not been good to you. Maybe you think you should go home, where these bad things do not happen.”

“Do you want me to go?” I ask, feeling very insecure.
I
couldn’t blame him
, I realize with huge sadness.
We’re in a real mess. Perhaps the best thing would be for me to go away and never come back
.

Luca’s lips tighten into a hard line. Slowly, he shakes his head. “It’s hard to know what’s best,” he says. “But I do not want you to go.”

“I don’t want to go either,” I say in a whisper.

He takes in a deep breath and lets it out again. We stand there silent, because we don’t know what more to say. I realize that shadows are stretching across the terrace. The air is milder, an evening breeze blowing softly. There’s a rustling sound from the cypress trees in the garden below, and we look over to see the first few bats emerging from the branches, circling slowly in the darkening sky. I think we’re both grateful to have something else to concentrate on. We walk across the terrace and lean on the stone balustrade, elbows almost but not quite touching. And we watch the black shapes rise and fall, the red streaks of sunset fading from the sky, and a clear white curve of moon rising slowly behind the dark silhouettes of the trees.

I know, in that moment, that I’ll stay on. I can’t just run away—not now, not when I feel as I do about Luca. All we have is speculation: nothing’s definite. We can’t possibly be
sure
that I’m Luca’s half sister! Everything’s up in the air—how can I leave and never know the truth?

Because in my heart, what I want, more than anything else, is for Luca and me to be together.

There’s so much uncertainty, so much confusion. I want to reach out and touch him so badly, but I know I can’t. The
space between us is tiny, but right now it feels as wide as the ocean.

And as darkness falls, I make a resolution. That whatever the truth is about who I am, whether Luca and I really are related, I’ll stay in Italy until I’ve found it out.

I learned another Italian word recently, painstakingly working on the translation of Jovanotti’s lyrics:
storia
. It means “history,” but it can also mean a relationship. If you say
nostra storia
, “our story,” that’s like saying “our relationship,” or “our love affair.”

I cast a fleeting glance sideways at Luca and realize he’s looking at me, his eyes the dark blue of the night sky.

Our story isn’t over. It’s not possible. Not so soon, when it’s barely even begun
 …

Follow Violet and Luca’s story in the upcoming
kissing
IN ITALIAN

Many thanks to Beverly Horowitz, my brilliant editor, who shepherded this book along with great care and attention; to Kenny Holcomb, who continues to give me covers that make everyone ooh and aah in amazement and wonder at their gorgeousness; and to Krista and Rebecca, whose efficiency and help is hugely appreciated.

Equally huge thanks, as always, to my wonderful agent, Deborah Schneider; to Cathy and Victoria, who do the best job of looking after me I could possibly imagine; and to Random Burns, the number one fan, plotter, and title suggestor for my YA books.

And to all the fans who’ve followed me to this new series: I hope you enjoy it just as much as you did the Scarlett Wakefield books. I miss Scarlett, but it’s been so much fun starting a new series. I hope you love my new characters as much as I do!

Lauren Henderson is the author of the Scarlett Wakefield mystery series:
Kiss Me Kill Me, Kisses and Lies, Kiss in the Dark
, and
Kiss of Death
. She is also the author of several acclaimed “tart noir” mystery novels for adults, as well as the witty romance handbook
Jane Austen’s Guide to Dating
, which has been optioned for film development. She was born and raised in London, where she lives with her husband. Visit her online at
laurenhenderson.net
or on Facebook as Lauren Milne Henderson.