Good Girl

‘Sure. I can entertain myself when you’re busy,’ I say, trying not to think about how bored I’ll be sloping around the city on my own. I guess I should consider it karmic payback for losing my cool and punching that guy in the face.

‘My father’s mistress’s apartment, where we’ll be staying, is right in the centre of Florence and it has a study where you can work in the daytime without being distracted,’ I reassure her.

She blinks at me, her eyes wide with astonishment. ‘You know about your father’s mistress? And you’re prepared to stay in her flat?’

I shrug. ‘Of course. She’s a lovely woman. I get on really well with her. They’ve been together for years.’

She shakes her head, looking utterly scandalised now.

‘Doesn’t your mother mind?’

Again, I shrug. ‘I don’t think so. Their marriage was arranged for convenience so I don’t think they’ve ever really loved each other. They’re very fond of each other, though, and they work well together as a team, so I don’t think they’ll ever split up. Not when the family’s reputation is at stake. Reputation is everything to my father.’

Her expression tells me she’s still completely baffled by the idea of that but I guess you have to live it to understand it.

‘So are you up for it, Juno?’ I press, wanting it absolutely confirmed.

She nods, confidently this time. ‘Yes. I accept your conditions.’ She leaves a small pause before adding, ‘I’ve not had a holiday in ages because I’ve been so focussed on my work—which isn’t particularly healthy, I know—so I suppose it’ll be good for me to take a break away from London.’

‘Great. Then we’ll fly out tomorrow.’

‘Okay. Tomorrow.’

I raise my glass, and when she does too I clink mine against it. ‘A nuove esperienze.’

‘To new experiences,’ she repeats.

‘You speak Italian?’ I ask, impressed.

‘Yes, some. Enough to avoid any embarrassing misunderstandings, I hope,’ she replies, grinning shyly for the first time since she arrived. She has a killer smile and the sight of it warms my chest.

I don’t quite know how it’s happened, but I seem to have landed on my feet here. I now get to spend the next week in bed with this enigmatic woman and all in the name of doing the right thing.

Yeah. This could actually turn out to be a lot of fun.

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