The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop (28 page)

Matteo said, softly, ‘It hasn’t been easy this summer, has it?’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘Not quite the holiday we both imagined.’

‘And yet it’s been amazing too,’ he said.

She nodded. She followed his gaze over to the ice cream shop, but saw that it was fixed higher, at the small room their young daughter was asleep in.

‘Every moment,’ she agreed.

‘It’s taught me a lot,’ he said.

‘Like what?’

‘That, whatever we go through in life, I want you by my side,’ he said. ‘I already knew it, of course. But I feel it now, so deeply.’ He reached over and took her hand. ‘I’ve made you cry,’ he said, brushing away a tear on her cheek.

‘They’re happy tears,’ she said.

‘Promise?’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘And how could I not be happy when I’m eating the best ice cream in the world?’ she added, taking the final lick of chocolate.

‘I love you, Anna,’ he said, kissing her.

She pulled away, looking deeply into his brown eyes and running a hand over the stubble on his jaw. ‘I love you, too.’

She returned to her ice cream, taking a bite of the waffle cone.

‘You know you might not want to eat that right down to the bottom,’ he said.

She glanced down into the waffle cone in her hand. Something inside caught the light.

‘You didn’t!’ she said, laughing. She turned the cone upside down onto her hand. A platinum ring with a solitaire diamond twinkled in the light of the moon. Her breath caught. ‘Matteo!’ she whispered.

‘Shall we make it official?’ he asked. ‘Say you’ll make me the happiest man in Italy.’

‘This isn’t . . .’ Anna said, hesitantly.

‘It’s nothing to do with my mother, if that’s what you’re thinking.’ He laughed, gently. ‘It’s about you and me, our family. No one else. Nothing else.’

Flashes of the previous two years came to Anna – the days spent in Florence, their emails, the moment Matteo arrived in Vivien’s Heavenly Ice Cream Shop, filling her life with happiness. Yes, they’d had their rocky times, too, but all she could see now was that he was the man for her and she wanted to be with him for ever.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Sí,
sí
and
sí
.’

He laughed. ‘You’re sure?’

‘Absolutely,’ she said.

He put the ring on her finger and kissed her. ‘Thank you,’ he said.

The next day, Anna and Matteo called through to her family on her laptop.

‘Have you got any plans for October?’ Anna asked them coyly.

Imogen wrinkled her nose. ‘I haven’t got any plans beyond next week,’ she said, sounding glum.

Jan and Tom shrugged. ‘Nothing we can’t rearrange,’ Jan said. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘I think you’ll all need to book some plane tickets,’ Anna said cheerily.

‘Anna’s agreed to marry me,’ Matteo said, a warm smile on his face. ‘And we very much want you all to be there with us.’

‘Wow!’ Imogen said, brightening immediately. ‘That’s amazing! Congratulations!’

‘Thanks. I nearly ate the ring,’ Anna said, laughing and holding it up to the camera. ‘He’d stashed it in my ice cream cone.’

‘Very romantic,’ Jan said, laughing. ‘We’re thrilled for you both. Will Bella be a bridesmaid?’

‘Yes,’ Anna said. ‘And Imogen . . .’ She hesitated. This moment was one she’d often imagined, and she wanted to savour it. ‘I’m hoping you will be one too?’

‘Just you try and stop me,’ Imogen said.

‘I promise I’ll go easy on the peach taffet,’ Anna promised her.

‘It’s all happening rather quickly, isn’t it?’ Jan said. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to give yourselves a bit longer to plan everything?’

Anna shook her head, and turned towards Matteo. ‘We’re pretty sure it’s what we want,’ he said, smiling. ‘And we want to get on with being married as soon as possible.’

‘I think it’s great,’ Tom said. ‘Never understood these long engagements. And you’ve made the commitment already, haven’t you, with Bella?’

‘That’s the way we see it, yes,’ Anna said.

‘Well, count us all in,’ Tom said.

‘And you don’t mind,’ Anna said, cautiously, ‘that we’re having it out here rather that at home?’

‘Of course not,’ Jan said. ‘We’d come to the moon to see you two get married if we had to.’

‘We’ll set you up in a beautiful hotel,’ Matteo explained. ‘We’ve booked out one just a few minutes from the venue. Swimming pool, spa . . . the works. I’ll send you the details.’

‘You too, Imogen,’ Anna said. ‘Just let us know . . .’ she started.

‘A single will do me,’ she said flatly. ‘And thank you – the place sounds great.’

‘They still haven’t made it up,’ Jan whispered into the screen.

‘Mum!’ Imogen snapped.

‘Well, she needs to know,’ Jan said, defensively. ‘They’ll have things to plan.’

‘It’s all flexible,’ Anna said, embarrassed on her sister’s behalf for her mother’s reaction. ‘Don’t worry.’

‘We’d better get booking our tickets,’ Jan said.

‘Congratulations again,’ Tom said. ‘Hope you’ll be having some bubbly tonight.’

‘Absolutely,’ Matteo said.

‘Bye,’ Imogen said, waving.

Anna and Matteo shut the laptop and looked at one another. ‘That went well,’ Matteo said. They kissed excitedly.

‘It feels even more real now,’ Anna said.

‘One family down, one to go,’ Matteo replied.

Chapter 45

Imogen was at her parents’ cottage in Lewes, sitting with her mum and dad in the kitchen. Three weeks had passed since Anna and Matteo had announced their engagement – and thinking about the wedding was just the distraction that Imogen needed. Yes, she was still photographing babies, but with the steady income, she was on track to save enough for her plane ticket out to Italy.

‘Me and your dad have been thinking about it, and we’re going to take the bike.’

Imogen’s mother’s face was bright with excitement.

‘You’re kidding,’ Imogen said. ‘Mum, you’ve barely even been on that thing before.’

‘Well, I thought it was about time,’ Jan said, proudly. ‘It’s not often we have such a good excuse to get out to Italy. Your dad’s motorbike’s been sitting idle in that shed for far too long. And, given those trips he did out in Asia in the sixties, I reckon Europe should be a breeze. Dad’s going to take me to get kitted out with some leathers this weekend.’

‘She wants a silver helmet,’ Tom said. ‘So we’ll have to go shopping for that.’

‘My God! I never thought I’d see the day,’ Imogen said, laughing.

‘We’ll be making quite a few stop-offs as we travel down through France,’ Jan said. ‘Make a proper holiday of it. We’ve been waiting a long time to be retired, after all.’

‘Brilliant idea,’ Imogen said.

‘It’s going to be fun, isn’t it, Tom?’ Jan said, squeezing her husband’s hand. He nodded happily.

Imogen was happy for them. She also couldn’t help feeling a pang of nostalgia laced with regret. She remembered how it had felt to leave the country with Finn, setting out on the adventure in Thailand that cemented their relationship and the time from which she had dozens of gilded memories. They may have had youth, but what they were missing was what her parents had proved time and time again: that their relationship was rich in staying power.

‘Be careful,’ Imogen said to her mum.

Their eyes met and Jan smiled. ‘Feels funny this way round, doesn’t it? You worrying about me for once.’

‘It does. Something tells me I might have to start getting used to it.’

Imogen was sitting in the living room in Lauren’s flat when her mobile rang. She answered it, smiling when she saw Anna’s name. ‘Hello!’

‘You sound cheery,’ Anna said.

‘Don’t I always? It’s nice to hear from you, that’s all. How are the wedding plans coming along?’

‘Really well, actually. I’ve found a couple of options for bridesmaids’ dresses and I’m going to email them over to you now . . . Right, done. Yes, it was funny trying to find something that would suit both you and Bella, but hopefully you’ll like them.’

‘Colour?’

‘Pistachio.’

‘Summery
and
one of my top ice cream flavours. I’m sure it will be perfect. You’ve heard what Mum and Dad are up to, right?’

‘Yes, Mum called me. She seems really excited about it. We think it’s a great idea.’

‘I guess after all these years she’s finally curious enough to see what Dad’s been going on about.’

Anna laughed, then the line was silent for a moment. ‘Listen, Imo, there’s another reason I’m calling.’

‘Sure. What?’

‘Look, you’re my priority and if this isn’t cool with you then we can just forget it.’ Imogen detected a certain nervousness in her sister’s voice. ‘But Matteo was wondering if we could invite Finn to the wedding. If it’s awkward, then, like I say, forget I ever mentioned it. But he is one of Matteo’s best friends from the UK, and we’d like to have him there.’

Imogen’s chest tightened. She pictured Finn – his broad shoulders, the smile that she’d once seen every day. And now? Well, she didn’t deserve to see it directed at her again. It was right that she had to make this decision: today was the day she moved on, properly.

‘Of course,’ she said, as breezily as she could. ‘As long as he doesn’t mind seeing me, that’s fine.’

‘You’re sure?’

‘Absolutely,’ Imogen said, nonchalantly, trying to dismiss the tug at her heart.

Chapter 46

Anna ran a hand over the pale-green satin of Bella’s bridesmaid’s dress. Bella was twirling from side to side, looking in the mirror. ‘It’s beautiful, Elisa. You’ve done a wonderful job. Thank you.’

‘It’s a pleasure,’ Elisa said. ‘It fits her well, doesn’t it? She’s growing so quickly at the moment that I wasn’t sure.’

‘It’s a perfect fit.’

Autumn leaves drifted down from trees in the cobbled square outside, and the change in seasons, coupled with the way her daughter had grown and changed, reminded Anna that she’d been in Italy almost a half a year. And, in just a couple of weeks, she’d be getting married.

‘How is your wedding dress?’ Elisa asked.

‘I think it’ll be fine,’ Anna said. ‘The dressmaker that Carolina recommended is doing a final fitting this week.’

Elisa clasped her hands together in front of her in excitement. ‘My Matteo – and you. Getting married at last. It’s going to be a fantastic day.’

Anna allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Elisa’s enthusiasm was contagious, and, as much as she must have been tempted to during the wedding preparations, she hadn’t interfered at all.

Bella was scrabbling around now trying to pull the dress off, so Anna bent down and carefully unzipped it. ‘We’ll keep this nice now until next week.’

Carolina put her head around the door. ‘Anyone for cake?’ she said. ‘I’ve got a lemon-drizzle fresh from the oven.’

‘Perfect,’ Anna said.

They went into the kitchen, and Bella sat up in her high chair at the table with them.

The three women murmured appreciatively as they tried the cake, and Bella banged her spoon on the table in delight.

‘If there’s one thing to be said for being a pregnant invalid,’ Carolina said, ‘it’s certainly improved my baking skills.’

Carolina leaned back in her chair, one hand resting on the small bump. In a black flowery dress, it was barely visible, but there was a distinct glow in her cheeks. ‘One more week and then the doctors will hopefully give me the all-clear to start exercising again. I cannot wait.’

‘Go slowly, Caro,’ Elisa urged her. ‘We’re lucky to have you two safe and sound, and I want to keep you that way.’

‘We’ll be fine, Mamma. I just want to at least have a swim before the wedding, something to make me feel like a normal human being again. I’ve been cooped up here being a burden on this young couple for far too long.’

‘Not for a minute,’ Anna said. ‘We’ve loved having you, and you’ve both helped us so much – with this little one and to get the shop going.’

‘And now you are doing so well,’ Elisa said. ‘Even I have to admit that the peppermint-and-orange sorbet is quite delicious. One of my favourites, in fact. You’ll have a job convincing Matteo’s father, of course. But let’s see: he’ll be here at the weekend so he can sample some of the ice creams for himself.’

‘The wedding’s come around so quickly,’ Anna said. ‘But I can’t wait to have everyone together again. Imogen’s coming out tomorrow, and we’ll be having drinks here at the shop the night before the wedding so that everyone has a chance to catch up with each other.’

‘Is she coming out with her boyfriend?’ Elisa asked. ‘That handsome young man who we met at Christmas?’

‘No, sadly not, although he’ll be here too. They broke up.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Elisa said.

‘I’ll dance with her,’ Carolina said brightly. ‘Life without men can be a whole lot better than being stuck with the wrong person,’ she said. ‘I feel like leaving Filippo was the smartest thing I ever did.’

‘That’s good. Well, I bet he’s kicking himself,’ Anna said.

‘Not really – he’s wasted no time filing for divorce, so he can marry the other woman.’ She shrugged.

‘Good riddance,’ Elisa said. ‘He should be ashamed of himself for the way he’s behaved.’

‘He’s done me a favour, Mamma. And anyway, I’m ready. We both need to move on, and I’ve got a busy year ahead of me. Starting with watching my beloved brother marry this brilliant woman.’

‘Don’t make me blush,’ Anna said, laughing.

‘I mean it, Anna,’ Carolina said. ‘You’ve been with us all through thick and thin – and cared for both Matteo and Bella so well. He’s a lucky man.’

Chapter 47

Imogen strode out onto the runway in Naples. The Italian sun warmed her bare shoulders. Here she was again, for the second time in a matter of months. But this holiday would be different – she wasn’t here looking for answers, that part of her life was over now. This trip was all about her sister’s wedding, and she couldn’t wait to be part of it. As she waited for her baggage to come out onto the conveyer belt, she checked her parents’ blog.