Second Chances in Chianti (Escape to Tuscany Book 2) by T.A. Williams (online e reader .TXT) 📕

weeks alone with him here in Tuscany. She felt an upsurge of anger, coupled with the bleak realisation that, after two years, it was all over between them. Her eyes started stinging, but she stubbornly refused to let the tears flow. She reminded herself that she had been having her doubts already before leaving Bristol. And, ever since setting eyes on Matt, the realisation had been taking shape in her head that what she had with David maybe wasn’t the real thing after all. The letter proved that point beyond doubt.

At that moment her phone bleeped and she saw she had a message from none other than Layla.

Hi Alice. I’m just getting on the flight to LA and I’m sure I saw your David in the queue. Does this mean you’ve changed your mind about Pals Forever? L xx

Alice stared blankly at the screen for a few moments. On the one hand, she was pleased and relieved that apparently there was nothing going on between David and Layla, but on the other it was final confirmation that he was doing what he had said in his letter. It wasn’t a bluff or a cry for help. He really was going through with it. The lure of Hollywood had totally transformed him from the man she had thought she knew. She stood there for a good few minutes but then, as the initial shock diminished, she began to feel almost a sense of relief. She wasn’t happy with the callous way he had done it, but his departure from her life was for the best, and it had been achieved without any long drawn-out arguments or unpleasantness.

Long-term, this actually made things much less complicated for her. She was now free to take a job anywhere she wanted, without having to worry about the impact it might have upon his life. And in the short term, David’s departure didn’t need to change anything either. She would leave here and go to the Mona Lisa hotel tomorrow night – on her own, but so what? – and she would move into the little house in the village on Saturday. She had her rental car and she was self-sufficient, so she could have a long, leisurely holiday in Tuscany on her own terms.

She reached for her phone and tapped out a reply to Layla.

Hi Layla. No, it’s just David. I’m staying here and I’m definitely out of Pals Forever. Have a good flight and hope to see you again before too long. Alice xx

After an hour or so, as it was still relatively early, Alice went downstairs and out onto the terrace for some fresh air and a drink. She helped herself to some of Conrad Chesterfield’s champagne from an open bottle in an ice bucket and took a big mouthful, barely tasting it. There was nobody else out there so she took a seat, leant back and did her best to relax, watching the bats twisting and turning acrobatically in the purple of the evening sky. In the distance, she heard a dog bark and immediately thought of Guinness the Labrador – and his master. At least, she told herself, she could now think about Matt without feeling she was being unfaithful to David.

After a few moments she got up, walked to the end of the terrace and leant on the balustrade, looking out over the gardens and the vines towards the dark outline of the tower on the hill, silhouetted against the last remnants of the sunset. As she did so, a little light came on, right up near the top of the tower, and she imagined Matt sitting there, with his faithful hound at his feet, maybe with a drink in his hand just like her. Of course, she reminded herself, for all she knew there was every chance that beside his dog there would also be a wife or partner.

‘Hi, Alice, how was your trip to Florence?’

She spun round to find Richie standing there. Without Carrie. She pasted on a smile.

‘Oh hi, Richie – it was great, thanks. How about you guys? Everything settled for the new series now?’

‘Sort of. It’s all been handed over to the money men to fight it out, but it looks as though it’s going ahead.’ He moved a step closer to her. ‘It won’t be the same without you.’

‘It’ll work out. I’m sure it’ll be a great hit.’ She affected an air of confidence that she didn’t really feel. ‘You’ll be picking up awards on stage at the Emmys next year, you’ll see.’

‘I wish… but it won’t be with you.’

She took another mouthful of champagne and let it slip slowly down her throat. Now that David had removed himself from the scene, had the way she felt about Richie after five years of separation changed? It only took her a few short moments to realise that the answer was no. Whether the thoughts of Matt she could now admit to harbouring in the back of her mind contributed to the decision or not, she was able to reply to him with absolute assurance.

‘No, it won’t, Richie – and you and I won’t be hooking up again. I’ve thought about it like I promised, but that’s just the way it is. I want us to stay friends, but that’s all.’

‘Are you really sure?’ He sounded deflated.

‘I’m sure. Besides, you’re on your way back to Hollywood and I’m staying in the UK. It would never work.’

Light spilled out onto the terrace behind him and Carrie appeared. Alice gave her a wave.

‘Hi, Carrie, come and have a glass of champagne.’ As she walked towards them, Alice lowered her voice and glanced across at him. ‘Just let it go, Richie.’

Chapter 12

Alice didn’t sleep well and she woke up feeling drained. Last night she hadn’t mentioned David’s departure to Richie or Carrie and she got the impression they were unaware he had left. She knew she wanted to talk to Millie about it, but first she wanted to get