FERN

The birthday celebrations fizzled out not long after Fern had confronted Paul. While he disappeared into his room with a couple of beers – no doubt to wallow in self-pity – Fern returned to the terrace. Stella and Rhod were lounging by the pool chatting. The girls were still at the table playing cards with Jacob and drinking prosecco. Jacob was swigging Coke and demolishing his third slice of birthday cake.

Instead of feeling buoyed by standing up to Paul, Fern was at a loss. The anger that had made her confront him had deflated and she was left feeling emotionally vulnerable and at a crossroads.

She only told Ruby and Amber where she was going. She didn’t want to wait until they were about to leave to go and say goodbye to Matteo, so she’d messaged him to ask if she could pop by that evening. His reply had been swift.

Yes, of course x

Fern didn’t care that it was dark, she felt safe walking the winding road edged by the stone walls of villa gardens to the piazzetta. The taxi journey didn’t take long, through the honey-lit streets and up the steep mountain road with its hairpin bends to Anacapri. The walk to Il Ritiro d’Arte was familiar, the peace soothing and needed after the evening she’d had. She slipped inside the retreat’s grounds and made her way up the grand stone steps to the entrance.

Matteo was waiting and greeted her with a welcoming smile as he ushered her into the villa.

‘I’m sorry it’s so late,’ she said, stepping inside the entrance hall. ‘I just couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to you. Edith too.’

‘That’s okay; a few of us are still outside finishing off a bottle of wine.’

There was a distance between them. Fern was uncertain whether to greet him with a kiss on each cheek. She sensed his reservation too.

‘Edith’s already gone upstairs to bed,’ he continued, ‘but if you go up now you should catch her before she sleeps. Come and find me afterwards.’

Fern took the stairs two at a time. The villa was grand but homely, particularly at night with lamps pooling warm light. She reached Edith’s room, knocked gently and waited.

The door swung open. Edith was wearing oversized striped pyjamas, her white curly hair loose without the usual scarf keeping it off her face.

‘Fern!’

‘I know it’s late, but I had to come and say goodbye; I didn’t think there’d be time otherwise.’

‘Come in, come in,’ Edith said, stepping back.

‘I won’t stay; Matteo said you were going to bed. I just wanted to say goodbye and thank you for being such good company and a true friend. It feels like we’ve known each other a lot longer than two weeks.’

Edith grasped her hands. ‘Oh Fern, I feel the same. What for me started as a holiday full of sadness has turned into a blessing. If Maya hadn’t refused to come with me, I would probably never have met you and you certainly wouldn’t have stayed here. It seems to me it was written in our stars that we’d meet each other, and’ – she squeezed Fern’s hands tighter – ‘that you’d meet Matteo.’

Tears welled in Fern’s eyes as she nodded.

‘We have each other’s numbers. We’ll keep in touch.’ Edith leaned in and kissed Fern on each cheek. ‘Now, go and say a proper goodbye to that gorgeous man downstairs.’

There was so much more Fern wanted to tell Edith, but it would have to wait. She knew that however much she would miss Edith’s company, it was Matteo who had drawn her back. She went downstairs and headed through the villa to find him.

Voices drifted in from outside. Candlelight flickered through the living-room windows from the terrace where she’d enjoyed that first meal with everyone. It was only a few days ago, yet so much had changed in that time.

Matteo met her by the French doors. He had obviously been looking out for her.

‘It’s a gorgeous night,’ he said, leading her away from the villa and into the shadowed garden.

It really was, clear and starlit, with the moonlight outlining the leaves against the dark sky. He took her hand and clasped her fingers. The gesture reminded her of that night in Tuscany.

Kept company by the fluttering moths, they followed the winding path lit by solar lamps. They reached the edge of the garden, where a gap between two cypress trees framed the view past another villa to the opposite hillside, which was twinkling in the darkness. Somewhere over there was Villa Giardino and her family. A fractured family, but one that would begin to heal through separation. Instead of feeling sad about her marriage ending, she felt hopeful and was looking forward to the future. Whatever the challenges, it would be her future.

She turned to Matteo. ‘I think I just changed my life.’

‘You did?’ He stood back and looked at her, a glimmer of a smile lighting his handsome face.

‘I told my soon-to-be ex-husband what I thought about him. He doesn’t deserve me; I realise that now.’

‘No, he doesn’t.’ He swept a strand of hair from her face, his touch light but sensual.

She gazed up into his eyes.

‘I don’t know what this is,’ she said, motioning between them, ‘but I’d like to stay in touch, if you’d like to as well?’

He took both of her hands in his. ‘I would love that. And maybe you can come out here again. Or to Tuscany.’

Choked for words, Fern nodded.

Matteo put his arms around her and held her close. She slid her arms around his waist and rested her head against the top of his chest, soothed by the beat of his heart, the warmth of him and the strength of his embrace. Whatever happened next, at least she’d made lifelong friends in Edith and Matteo. But right then, apart from being there with him, nothing else mattered.

Tags: Kate Frost Romance
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