Page 72 of The Dolce Vita Divas
‘It’s early days. I have been speaking to Stephanie, who works for an international firm of estate agents who deal with this sort of thing. Without any sort of commitment.’
‘But what would your family say?’ I whispered.
Paulo shook his head. ‘Leo made it quite clear he never wanted to run this place. I did ask him a few years ago but his life and his family are in America. One of the reasons he left was because he could see Ellen was expecting him to take over from her one day, and that’s not what he wanted either. She always believed he would return, but then he married Raleigh, and he told us that he would never live here again. Of course she was devastated but I’ll be honest, I was relieved. He had the determination to do what I never did and I admired him for that. Since Ellen died, the same team have been running the hotel as she ordered. Ellen put all that in place. It’s as efficient as it can be. But what will happen when I am gone? That is what I have been thinking for a while now. My grandparents started the hotel. I went to university for a few years, but then my grandmother died, I came back with Ellen and she gradually took over and we carried on when my grandfather died. Ellen was the perfect partner. She made her life here, she had ideas and vision and as you know, she was very determined. But then, nothing stays the same. Time moves on, and we must move with it.’
‘I suppose so. It seems a shame,’ I said, ‘but what about Ceci? What will she do?’
‘You don’t need to worry about her, but how kind of you to think like that. My mother and Freddy have a beautiful house in the country outside Florence. She has friends there, a good social life and all the help she needs.’
‘But you haven’t told her your plans?’
‘Not yet, but I will. I don’t think she will be terribly surprised. Who knows, I might go and stay with her for a change. It will be just like your son coming to live with you,’ he said, grinning.
‘I’m sure you would know how to work the washing machine, and not to spill red wine on the carpet.’
He leaned back and linked his hands behind his head.
‘I hope I would. Today I just have this wonderful, restless feeling inside me, which is growing. And what you said was true. It’s not too late to do something different, is it? Something for me.’
‘No, it’s not,’ I said. ‘So, Stephanie – the person you mentioned – is an estate agent?’
‘Yes, and she is well past the point of retiring too. I am one of her last clients, so perhaps it would be a good time to change things, for both of us.’
So, Stephanie was probably not a glamour puss with flowing auburn hair and sleek, designer suits.
‘Genero said he thought you were meeting her. I thought perhaps she was a girlfriend.’
He burst out laughing. ‘No, nothing of the sort. She wanted to see me to bring me up to date. She has had some interest from buyers of a hotel chain in Rome.’
‘Wow, that would be quite a change for you,’ I said at last.
‘You won’t mention this to anyone?’
‘Of course not.’
He gave a little smile. ‘No, I know you won’t.’
His mobile buzzed on the table in front of him and he picked it up.
‘Another problem I need to deal with.’ He threw me an apologetic look. ‘I won’t miss it nearly as much as you think. I must go.’
He hesitated for a moment and then bent and kissed me very gently.
‘Don’t let me lose you for a second time,’ he said.
‘That works both ways,’ I said.
I watched him as he walked away, my heart singing with an emotion I didn’t properly understand. Joy and love and an unbelievable excitement. I wondered if he was feeling the same way.
What would I do next? What would he do?
He wanted to travel and explore the world away from this tiny island. To realise some of his long-held dreams. So why shouldn’t he? And for that matter, why shouldn’t I?
I felt proud for a moment that he had confided in me. That he would trust me. And we were friends. We were a great deal more than that. Time would tell. I needed to take things slowly, wait and see what happened next. Not trying to do the right thing, always doing what people expected of me, making decisions in my life which, as I now realised, had so often been wrong.
The terrace was busier then, perhaps some new guests coming outside to admire the setting, or for a cocktail before dinner. I should go back to my room and perhaps start packing my case. Depressing as it might be, I was due to fly home the day after tomorrow. My adventure was coming to an end, and all of a sudden it felt strangely unsatisfying. To know that Paulo was beginning to plan a new adventure of his own. One which might this time, despite what he had said, take him further away from me. Somewhere I couldn’t follow. And suddenly I didn’t like the idea of that one bit.
I stood up and walked towards the hotel, where the golden lights from the windows were beginning to gleam in the dusk. I had no right to even think that Paulo and I, having reconnected after so many years apart, would have any future connection. But if we did…
