He had made and broken enough promises in his life.
This time he would do whatever it took to keep one.
* * *
It was dark when Ciro and Claudia finally left.
‘He will take care of her, won’t he?’
Vicè was standing next to Imma at the edge of the marquee. Having waved off the happy couple, most of the guests had already gone back inside, but she had wanted to
wait until the car had disappeared.
He felt a rush of anticipation—like that moment on a rollercoaster ride just before the track dropped down. Now that it was close, he just wanted to make it happen.
‘Yes, of course,’ he lied.
She nodded. ‘You don’t have to wait with me,’ she said, glancing back at the distant car, her green eyes tracking its progress. ‘I know it’s silly, but it’s the first time she’s gone away without me.’
‘I want to wait.’ He hesitated. ‘And there’s nowhere I’d rather be than here.’ Taking her hand, he gently pulled her closer. ‘With you.’
Her eyes lifted to his face, and there was a faint frown on her brow as she tugged her pashmina closer to her body. He felt his blood start to hum. He’d bet his last sugared almond that she was trying to hide how aroused she was by his words.
‘I don’t think we know each other well enough for you to say that,’ she said quietly.
‘So let’s get to know each other better.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Let’s go somewhere more private.’
She looked up at him, her green eyes wide with confusion and a curiosity that made his groin turn to stone.
He nodded. ‘I know it’s sudden, and I’m guessing you think I do this kind of thing all the time. But I don’t. Usually I’m just looking for fun—but not today. Not with you.’
She bit her lip, and for a moment he thought he’d gone too far, too fast.
‘Look, forget it,’ he said quickly. ‘I must be crazy, suggesting something like that—’
She nodded slowly. ‘Yes, you are.’
He felt her fingers tighten around his.
‘But maybe it’s about time I did something crazy too.’
His heart gave a leap, and he felt shock mingling with confusion. He couldn’t believe she was agreeing with him.
‘I should say goodbye to Papà first—’
‘No.’ He squeezed her hand. ‘Don’t go back in—please.’ There was no way he was going to let her talk to Buscetta before she left. ‘My driver’s out front. We can call your father on our way to the airport.’
She stared at him for a moment, and then she smiled. ‘Or we could go completely crazy and take my father’s helicopter...’
* * *
Leaning back into the cream leather upholstery, Vicè breathed out slowly. The Buscetta helicopter was rising up into the dark sky, its rotor blades whipping up the discarded coriandoli so that for a moment he felt as if he were in a snow globe—a sensation exacerbated by the feeling of his world being turned upside down and shaken vigorously.
He could hardly believe it.
That Imma had agreed to his impulsive suggestion that they get to know one another seemed fantastical enough, but for her to more or less commandeer her father’s helicopter in order to make their escape seemed too preposterous to be true.
And yet that was exactly what was happening.