Page 68 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘I was talking about Marie.’

‘Oh.’

‘But you clearly have skills as well.’

‘Thank you – Ithink,’ he teases, his blue eyes twinkling.

Oh god, here comes another heart flutter. I’ll need to see a cardiologist if this keeps up.

‘Look, we’ve been on our feet for hours,’ I say, trying to ignore my telltale heart. ‘What do you say we find somewhere to have lunch and figure out what to do next?’

‘Okay. But Iwouldlike to go to her house. Just to be sure.’

I stare at him a moment. The chances that Lucia is having a staycation and lied on her sign to throw people off her scent are almost nil. But we did come all this way. We might as well check her other known address.

‘All right, let’s go.’

He takes his phone out of his pocket and a moment later, looks up and says, ‘This way.’

* * *

‘Is it terrible that I’m relieved?’ I ask after we give our order to the waiter – a gruff man with a salt-and-pepper moustache and an obvious disdain for tourists.

‘That Lucia’s not in Verona?’ asks Willem.

I nod. ‘Although, it’s just kicking it into the long grass, isn’t it? I’ll have to come back at some point.’

‘Wewill have to come back.’

I regard him closely, at war with myself. Do I want to spend more time with Willem? Absolutely. Should I be sorting out my disastrous love life before I evenentertainthoughts about another man? Absolutely times two.

Was it therefore ridiculous of me to pack lacy knickers and condoms for this trip? Absolutely times a million.

‘Look, Willem, I really appreciate all your help, but you’ve already done so much. And that’s not counting showing me around Verona,’ I add with a smile, hoping to soften my words.

He studies me intently, his incredible blue eyes boring into mine. I almost lose my nerve and call for the bill. Right now, I’d like nothing more than to drag him back to our accommodation and use every square inch of that super king bed.

I clear my throat. ‘What I’m saying is?—’

‘Kate, I’m not going to abandon you.’

‘Abandon me? Letting me handle this myself isn’t abandoning me, Willem. I’m perfectly capable of breaking the news to Lucia by myself,’ I retort crossly.

His lifts both palms to placate me and I clamp my mouth shut before I give him a right bollocking.

‘I know you can do this by yourself, Kate. You’re intelligent and capable?—’

I scoff, cutting him off with a grunt.

‘What?’ he asks. ‘Is something funny?’

‘No, not funny – just you calling me “intelligent”.’

‘You are. You’re other things too, but your intelligence isn’t in dispute.’

‘He says to the woman who was duped by a con man.’

‘That’s not…’ He sighs. ‘I would like to go back.’

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