Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

J ackson

I haven't been back up to the house since Anna left. Luca finds me and brings me a sandwich at lunchtime.

"You okay?" I ask him, unsure what effect Anna's visit had on him—but more to gauge how we are.

"I'm good." I get a flash of his brilliant smile. "Now eat that up, and tonight I'll make something nice for us."

He doesn't have to. I'm happy to make something. But it's like he's made me into a project to be looked after—I kind of like it.

He suddenly looks nervous, biting his lip again.

"What is it?"

He looks away for a minute as if he's summoning the courage for something, and seems to make up his mind as he turns back to me.

"Will you stay again? I mean, move in here, with me?"

I'm not totally surprised, after he wanted me to stay last night, but I'm pleased he asked.

"I would love to, thanks." I receive another of his wonderful smiles. "I'll fetch my things from the pub tomorrow, if that's okay."

"Of course, but you will stay tonight, won't you?"

"Yes, of course."

I'm excited to move in. Keen to explore us—well him—further. There are definitely things I want to do to him.

After a hard day in the garden, I'm eager for a shower to clean up. It's been a warm day for the season. I've finished tidying the rose garden and am looking forward to seeing the blooms that will arrive soon. There's still so much to do, but we're on track for the opening day. I haven't seen Luca since lunchtime, he has his own list of jobs to complete.

After tidying the tools away, I walk up to the house. I call for Luca as I enter, but there's no answer. He'll be somewhere about—I'll find him later. First, I want to be clean. I spend a little longer than normal in the shower, my thoughts ever turning to Luca. After towelling dry and dressing in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, I call for Luca again.

"Up here." A voice from the second floor. I haven't been up there before. As far as I know, there are just a few bedrooms, mostly used for storage—I track him down in one of them. He's kneeling on the floor, looking under one of the beds.

"Hi." I bend down and plant a kiss on his lips, before sinking down to sit on the bed

"Hi. You smell nice." He smiles at me.

"I certainly needed a shower, it's a scorcher out there."

"I know, I'm trying to find a hammock that Aunt Frances had. We used to string it up between the oaks on the front lawn."

"That sounds like a great way to spend a summer evening."

He grins at me. I'm sure his thoughts are heading in the same direction as mine—to being in the hammock together.

"Can I help look?"

"Sure, it's blue-striped. Can you look in the next room, on the right?"

I leave the room. I don't know why—maybe I was eager and didn't hear properly—but I went to the left not the right. The door I open is clearly a bedroom, with a narrow bed on one side, a wardrobe and desk along one wall, and a large window looking out over the garden and up to the folly. But it isn't the view that has caught my attention—it's the pictures.

Sketches and paintings cover all the walls. I suspect these are Luca's from his childhood. They're mostly of the garden, and of his aunt, from what I can tell from photos I've seen of her. There are several of another lady, as well as a few abstract ones which seem to have a darker theme.

I'm roused from my staring by a noise behind me. Luca is standing in the doorway. He looks so different from the man I left a few minutes ago. Gone is the easy smile. The mask I haven't seen for days is back and his eyes look wary.

"What is it?" I ask tentatively. He doesn't say anything, he just crumples down onto the bed, tears streaming down his face.