Page 62 of My Lemon Grove Summer
‘What if you discovered that there was a missing ingredient in your relationship? No one can say what it is. It’s just . . . chemistry. Like the sun and the soil here in Etna, making the fruit more special than other places. No one can create it . . . it just happens. What if you found that chemistry with someone and realised therewassuch a thing as love at first sight?’
My mouth is dry, my head so light it feels like it might float off.
‘I would say . . .’ I think quickly, ‘I would say that it’s an illusion. It doesn’t exist. There’s no such thing as love at first sight. I know, I’ve looked!’
He nods and looks away. The atmosphere is so highly charged, it feels like an electric storm waiting to break, or Etna about to blow her top again.
‘Maybe it was waiting until you weren’t looking before it turned up,’ he says. ‘Now, bust.’
‘Sorry?’
‘I need to measure your bust.’ He laughs, and then so do I. And I think it’s fair to say that in just those few words, the molten lava has finally bubbled up and exploded in my stomach.
‘Hello! Luca! Oh, hello,scusi. Sorry.’
The highly charged atmosphere bursts like a balloon and vanishes off into thin air.
‘Hey.’ Luca turns and smiles. ‘Buongiorno, Emily, come on in.’
The newcomer steps out from the cool of the apartment onto the sunny balcony.
‘Not interrupting anything, am I?’ She is slim, dark-haired, in a neat slip dress with a large smart leather bag over her shoulder.
‘Not at all,’ Luca says, his tone friendly, putting down his pen and tape measure.
He kisses her on both cheeks, and my feelings of just moments ago evaporate. Now, if I’m not very much mistaken, I’m feeling . . . could it be jealousy?
Oh get a grip, Zelda! I tell myself crossly. You’re marrying Lennie. Lovely, loyal Lennie. Your life partner. I love Lennie, I do! I love that he knows I like my tea with half a teaspoon of sugar. I love that he lets me choose which side of the bed to sleep in. I love knowing he’s there at night, making me feel safe. I love the fact that he’s as happy as me that we’ve decided to make a go of this. I love the effort he put into the street party. I love being a team with him. We just fit together. Always have done. So it might not be fireworks and chemistry, but it’s solid and real.
‘What’s going on here?’ says Emily, looking at the tape measure and sketch pad.
‘We are measuring Zelda for her wedding dress; the one I’m making for her.’
‘Ah yes, of course,’ Emily says, and I wonder how this stranger knows so much about me. ‘The wedding that will stop Etna from being unhappy and erupting.’ She smiles, a beautiful wide smile.
‘Yes, we are very lucky. Very lucky indeed to have Lennie and Zelda here,’ says Luca.
‘May I?’ Emily points to the sketch pad and looks at me.
‘Of course,’ I say politely.
She studies the drawings. ‘Oh, these are just beautiful! Did you really design this, Luca?’
‘I did. My work is mostly as a tailor, but at college we had to try other forms of design.’
‘You’re really talented. Gosh! Not just a fabulous lemon farmer, but an amazing designer. You should do more. I bet I’ve got some contacts.’
Luca glances at me.
‘Emily is my agent, my UK agent,’ he explains. ‘She finds buyers for my lemons. She is very well connected.’
‘Hi.’ She finally looks up from the sketch pad and holds out a perfectly manicured hand for me to shake. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you.’
‘Have you?’ I say, and wish I hadn’t.
‘It’s brilliant you moving here like that, on a whim.’
‘Well, not actually a whim . . .’ Or maybe it was, I think.
