Not Juliet by Ella Medler Page A

she remembered more now. She remembered Luca helping
her put her t-shirt back on, in Orazio’s private quarters. What
must he have thought of her? She remember throwing up on him in the
bathroom, and she remembered Luca cleaning her up and putting her
to bed.
    A pained
grimace twisted her features and a low yet insistent pounding began
to pick up pace in her head. If only she could turn back time! What
was she thinking, letting Luca make love to her in a stranger’s
house? What if someone had opened the door to catch them in the
act? She never would have acted like that, mere hours after having
met someone. What had gotten into her?
    “By the way,
how’s your head?” Luca’s voice said. “I’ve left a glass of water
and a couple of headache pills on the bedside table, in case you
need them.” Riella turned to check. Yes, he had. “But the champagne
was the good stuff; you shouldn’t feel more than a slight thickness
to your brain – cobwebs that will blow away as soon as you get some
fresh air.”
    She could hear
the smile in his voice, even when he wasn’t laughing outright.
    “So, anyway…”
he continued. “Help yourself to a cup of coffee. Those are Orazio’s
pastries, on the platter. He insisted you should get the chance to
appreciate the finer Italian cuisine, no matter how thick your head
feels today. In fact, you see the one shaped like a windmill, with
the golden centre?”
    Riella searched
for the right pastry and picked it up to examine it better.
    “Orazio swears
any aftereffects of alcohol overindulgence would be nullified by
eating that one. It’s lemon flavored. I hope you’ll like it.”
    Riella took a
bite. Mmmm. “Nice,” she said aloud, nodding at the phone. Then she
caught herself and sighed, shaking her head. The alcohol
overindulgence certainly had strange effects on her. She put the
pastry down for a minute, just long enough to pour herself a
coffee, then picked it up again. Orazio had been right. Her
incipient headache had almost disappeared.
    Smiling, she
blew a kiss to the phone and walked toward the balcony. It was
going to be a gorgeous sunny day. All of a sudden, Riella was
filled with a new zest for life – today was going to be a wonderful
day; she knew it.
    “I’ll let you
get ready now, beautiful,” Luca said, through his recording. “I’ll
come and pick you up about ten. Is that giving you enough time?
Wear something light, and sensible shoes. It’s gonna be a hot day.
And keep this phone on you so I can find you easier.”
    Riella turned
and gave a mock salute to Luca’s face on the phone’s screen, then
turned to watch Rome awake as she sipped her coffee.
    Two more of
Orazio’s pastries and another cup of coffee later, Riella had
formulated a plan. It was still early, so, instead of sitting
pretty, waiting for her Romeo to come to her, she would get ready
and go out to explore for an hour. Maybe she could fit in a quick
visit to the gypsy camp, and ask a few more questions.
    Vaguely, she
wondered whether Luca would help her find Anziano, if she explained
her predicament. She was almost certain he would understand. After
all, if he hadn’t given up on her after her awkward striptease and
then throwing up on him – and it seemed he hadn’t, or he wouldn’t
have gone through all the trouble of organizing breakfast for her,
and the recorded message – then… she still had hope.
    Yes, she would
talk to him as soon as he showed up.
    Smiling, Riella
sauntered to the bathroom to get ready.
     

Chapter 10
     
    The wind caught her
rolled-down window and fluttered the folds of her flower-print
sundress, bringing goosebumps to her skin and cheer to her mood.
Riella felt happy and alive, and much more hopeful than she had
only twenty-four hours ago. Her tennis shoe-clad feet couldn’t stop
bouncing.
    The cab turned
another street corner, and now they travelled down a less
salubrious neighborhood. It didn’t dent Riella’s good humor. She
felt certain today would