‘So you’re still here, I see,’ she said.
‘Last I looked, it was still my house.’
‘Your parents’ house.’
‘Same difference.’ Why did she manage to bring out the worst in him? He felt like a petulant child having a playground argument. ‘And anyway, where else would I go? I came here to keep my head down and have some quiet time without always being followed by the paparazzi. I’m not exactly going to parade through Varenna, am I?’
‘I thought you might have gone home.’
‘This is home. At least for the next couple of months. I’m not going anywhere.’
‘Nor am I.’
Sam sighed. It was last night all over again. She really was as stubborn as a mule.
‘Look, you don’t like me. I get it. And right now I’m not exactly fond of you. So the way I see it we have two choices: either you leave and find somewhere else to live, or we both stay here and be miserable.’
Her mouth was set in a straight line. He’d already seen enough of her to realise this meant she was settling in for a fight. He huffed again, feeling the frustration rise inside him.
‘There’s no way I’m leaving. I was given this job and I intend to do it to the best of my ability. And anyway, even if I could leave, I can’t afford to go anywhere else. Not without a job.’
‘I could pay—’
‘Don’t you dare offer to help me out,’ she shouted. ‘I don’t want any of your money. I just want you to go away and leave me to my job, so I can start pretending you never existed.’
So there it was. Last night’s impasse hadn’t disappeared at all, in fact it looked like it had pulled up a chair, made itself cosy and was settling in. Some escape this was turning out to be.
/>
He shook his head, a sense of doom pulling at his guts. He couldn’t help but feel this was all going to end in tears. Almost certainly his.
‘Then I guess we’re both staying.’
‘I guess we are.’ She folded her arms across her chest. ‘And if we’re going to be living together we need some ground rules.’
This was going to be good. ‘Such as?’
‘Such as no coming near me unless invited first. And there will be no invitations.’
‘Done.’
She glanced at the mess he’d left on the countertop. ‘And you tidy up after yourself, and do your fair share of chores.’ She eyed the empty juice carton meaningfully. ‘And if you use something up, you go out and purchase a replacement.’
‘I can’t do that.’
‘You can’t do what? Tidy up after yourself? Figures, someone like you must have so many minions to do that for him.’
‘Don’t be stupid, I’m perfectly capable of clearing up. I meant I can’t go out and buy replacements.’
‘Why not?’ Cesca frowned.
‘Because I’m famous. Everybody will know me, and I’d like to keep my presence here quiet, you know? I’ve come to get away from all the tabloids and the gossip and the bloody paparazzi, not to invite them to come and stay with me. I won’t be leaving the villa, and I certainly don’t want anybody to know I’m here.’
Cesca bit her lip. ‘Nobody knows you’re here at all?’
‘Why, are you planning to commit murder and hide my body in the cellar?’ Sam laughed uneasily. ‘My friend Will knows, but he’s the only one. So I’m afraid you’ll have to call off your dastardly plan.’
‘I was thinking more that I’ve got some leverage,’ she told him, flashing him a gloating smile. ‘If you step out of line, I’ll let everybody know you’re here.’