Page 69 of The Unraveling of Julia

“I know enough.” Gianluca paused in the darkness. “I realize it’s soon, but I know it happened. I know myself, and I think that you might have feelings for me, too, if you allow them to come.”

“They can’t, they shouldn’t.”

“They can and they will. The thing about a broken heart is that it’s open.”

Julia felt his words reach her. Shedidfeel both brokenhearted and openhearted at the same time, and she loved that he brought her to that insight.

“Ever since I met you, I find myself thinking about you, remembering things you said, or how you looked at Forlì, or how you laughed at the racetrack. How it feels to have your arms around my waist on the bike.” Gianluca’s voice sounded tender as a wound in the darkness. “I’ve never felt this way before, loved so intensely so quickly, with such certainty, knowing it’s absolutelyrightin mysoul.”

My God.Julia felt moved, but still. “What if I can’t love you back? I mean, I’m wearing myweddingring.”

“You can wear it forever if you want to, I understand. I’ll wait to see if you can have feelings for me, and until then, let my love heal you,” Gianluca said tenderly, holding her closer, and Julia found herself turning in his arms, facing him, and in the next moment, he was kissing her face and pulling her close to his bare chest. Her mouth found his, warm and soft and giving, and she felt herself lost in his kiss, the warmth of his skin, the strength in his body, this living, breathing man, who loved her.

And somewhere in this medieval city, out of time and place, Julia opened her broken heart.

38

Good morning,” Gianluca whispered, kissing her behind the ear, and Julia turned over, waking up drowsily. He was sitting on the bed, his hair damp from a shower and fully dressed in another cool scarf, a thin black sweater, and jeans. The bedroom was light, and she could hear traffic noise outside.

“Good morning.” Julia pulled up the coverlet. She realized she felt awkward, facing him the next morning. Or maybe facing herself. She couldn’t believe she’d slept with him. She could smell the spice of his aftershave, and she liked it, which made her feel worse.

“I’m sorry, I have to get to work. You can stay here today, if you want.” Gianluca smiled, moving a strand of hair from her face. “I can come home for lunch or sneak out early.”

“No, I’ve got to get home. I should call the police.”

“Okay, stay as long as you like, then. The key is under the mat. Slip it under the door on your way out. Call me when you get home, will you?” Gianluca rose and headed for the door. “I’ll come out tonight, okay?”

“Okay,” Julia answered, though she wasn’t sure.

“Great!Ciao, ciao!” Gianluca blew her a kiss, then closed the bedroom door.

Half an hour later, Julia was back in the Ferrari heading home, her thoughts bollixed up. She kept thinking of Gianluca, the way he touched her, his whispered Italian, even their laughter and tears. But regret and guilt seeped between her thoughts like cracks that admitted darkness, not light.

She reached the highway, going against rush-hour traffic heading into Florence. She’d called Marshal Torti, leaving a message. She was beginning to feel edgy and paranoid again, the aftershocks of blue hoodies coming out of the darkness.

Fears that she was being followed crept back, and Julia took a mental picture of the cars around her, her fingers clenching the wheel. Finally, she reached the single-lane road that wound past Croce and headed home.

Julia pulled into the driveway, dismayed to see Franco’s car in front of the villa. She didn’t relish him witnessing her walk of shame, but whatever. She cut the ignition and got out of the car.

“Julia, good morning!” Franco emerged, grinning, from his car, in his trim dark suit. “Wait, is that aFerrari?”

“It was Rossi’s.”

“My God! How does it drive?”

“Great.” Julia walked over. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m bursting with news and I thought it would be best in person.”

Arg.“How long have you been waiting?”

“About fifteen minutes. I knocked but no one answered.” Franco shrugged, and Julia wondered if Anna Mattia was in the vineyard with Piero.

“What’s your news?”

“Well, there’s beensomuch interest in your property, and an amazing offer came in last night.” Franco spread his palms. “I feel as ifthisis the one, and it’snota teardown.”

“Franco, I told you, please don’t solicit any more offers.”

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