“I’ll just leave the key in the drop,” I said as Ben went out to put my things in the car. When I followed a couple of minutes later, someone caught my eye from across the courtyard. A man ducked around the corner before I could get a good look at him, but from behind, I swear it could’ve been Brand.
I felt Ben’s hand on my arm. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, fine,” I said, turning to face him.
“You sure?”
When I nodded, he opened the car door, and I got in. Before he drove away, I took one more glance across the courtyard, but no one was there.
“You must be Ben and Catarina,” a woman said when we approached La Terrazza Del Chiostro.
“We are,” Ben answered. “Might you be Alejandra?”
“Sì,” she said, giggling when Ben kissed the back of her hand. “Pia asked me to tell you she’s been delayed, but she will be here very soon.”
My eyes met Ben’s.
“Come,” said Alejandra. “I have your table ready. Right this way.”
I looked over my shoulder and smiled at Ben, who seemed to notice at the same time I did that the table was set for two people, not three.
“Pia is delayed. That is what you said?”
“Sì, she is only delayed.”
“Delayed until tomorrow, I think,” said Ben when Alejandra walked away. “I have to admit, I don’t mind having you all to myself.” He cleared his throat. “And probably better that we’re in a public place.”
He poured two glasses of wine from the bottle on the table and looked around for menus. I doubted we would need them. Like Pia the night before, Alejandra would probably continue bringing food until we couldn’t eat another bite.
“So what brought you to Italy?” Ben asked.
I’d given the question a lot of thought, expecting it would come eventually. “The road less traveled,” I murmured.
“What’s that?”
“I needed a change. A big change. My life wasn’t working the way it was.”
He put his head in his hand and studied me.
“There have been times in my life when I thought a particular day was the worst ever. Maybe even that life as I knew it was over. In hindsight, I wonder if, instead, it was when my life really began.” I had no idea why I was telling him all this. Why I decided this was the time to pour my heart out. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “More than you wanted to know.”
He shook his head. “Not true. In fact, I could listen to you talk all night.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed, but he didn’t even crack a smile.
“I mean it, Catarina.”
“What about you? You said you’re a journalist?”
11
Halo
Tara had been as honest with me as she could be under the circumstances. She’d shared so much that I found myself wishing I didn’t have to lie to her.
“The work I’m doing is investigative.”
“Something to do with the Knight