climb a hill, chatting all the way. Jamie was keen to know what my favourite parts of the day had been,
and I was torn between the cathedral and the gelato.
‘It’s just that I’ve never tasted anything like
fior di latte
– it was just like frozen double cream, which is a big plus. But on the other hand, the basilica was kind of impressive too
…’
‘The gelato has won, hasn’t it?’
‘I believe it has. Am I horrible tourist?’
‘My whole business is based on taste, and people enjoying a taste so much that they want to stay in that place. The fact you’ve
chosen a flavour as your favourite thing about our day trip just makes me think more highly of you. We’re nearly there.’
We reached the top and turned, and only then did I look up to see what we’d been aiming for. We stood looking down across
the whole of Florence, a sea of sparkling red roofs with the majestic Duomo di Firenze rising above them all, shimmering in
the late afternoon sun. ‘Wow. Look at that. Where are we?’
‘Piazzale Michelangelo,’ Jamie said, taking my hand and leading me to the walled edge, where we perched and admired the view.
‘This is Florence. This is Tuscany. Do you like my home, Elle?’
‘I like it so much I don’t want to go back to
my
home,’ I sighed. We were still holding hands, and though I was gazing ahead I was aware of Jamie looking at me. ‘Are you
looking at me?’
‘A little bit.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know. Nice views all around, I guess.’
I leant my head on his shoulder and we sat for a long time watching the sun sinking, looking like a happy couple, feeling
like it was a first date.
The minibus rolled back into the vineyard some time after eight. Laurie and her three men had boarded with stacks of pizza
boxes for everyone, so there was no need to scavenge for food when we returned. Jamie helped me off the bus.
‘Can I show you something? If you can bear to be around me for a bit longer?’
‘Sure.’
Of course
. He took my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world now and began leading me toward one of the outhouses. I
looked back at Laurie who was stood giving me a dramatic lunge and two thumbs up, and I widened my eyes back at her. Where
was he taking me? Were we going to make out again? I licked my lips in anticipation, hoping they wouldn’t taste of pizza.
Inside the cool building, which was all stone walls and wooden beams, there was a thick aroma from the oak barrels that were
stacked high.
‘Are these all full?’
‘Every one of them – this is the 2008 Merlot, which was a great year for us.’
‘That’s a lot of wine. Don’t let Laurie in here alone.’
‘Come on, this way.’ As he walked me to the far end of the room I ran my hand over barrel after barrel. At the end a wooden
staircase led downwards, and when Jamie flicked a switch a line of dangling light bulbs lit the way to the cellar below. ‘After
you. I promise I’m not going to murder you.’
‘If you’re a murderer, I can’t exactly trust that you aren’t a liar as well.’
‘This is true. What if I tell you there’s some open wine down there.’
I shrugged.
‘And some chocolate.’
‘You better not be messing with me or so help me God …’
‘I would never joke about chocolate with you, trust me.’
Down I went, and the stairs opened out to a perfectly curved cellar, lined with more barrels, but these ones upright. There
also seemed to be some cooking utensils at the end that appeared to have been stolen from the Bella Notte kitchen.
‘Take a seat.’ He gestured to one of the barrels and I hopped up. He handed me a glass and poured from a black bottle an inch
of thick, blood-red liquid. ‘Try this and tell me what you think.’
‘Is it blood? Are you a vampire?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, it smells like wine, that’s good enough for me.’ I took a sip, and it was like a hundred raspberries bursting in my
mouth – both sweet and
and I was torn between the cathedral and the gelato.
‘It’s just that I’ve never tasted anything like
fior di latte
– it was just like frozen double cream, which is a big plus. But on the other hand, the basilica was kind of impressive too
…’
‘The gelato has won, hasn’t it?’
‘I believe it has. Am I horrible tourist?’
‘My whole business is based on taste, and people enjoying a taste so much that they want to stay in that place. The fact you’ve
chosen a flavour as your favourite thing about our day trip just makes me think more highly of you. We’re nearly there.’
We reached the top and turned, and only then did I look up to see what we’d been aiming for. We stood looking down across
the whole of Florence, a sea of sparkling red roofs with the majestic Duomo di Firenze rising above them all, shimmering in
the late afternoon sun. ‘Wow. Look at that. Where are we?’
‘Piazzale Michelangelo,’ Jamie said, taking my hand and leading me to the walled edge, where we perched and admired the view.
‘This is Florence. This is Tuscany. Do you like my home, Elle?’
‘I like it so much I don’t want to go back to
my
home,’ I sighed. We were still holding hands, and though I was gazing ahead I was aware of Jamie looking at me. ‘Are you
looking at me?’
‘A little bit.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know. Nice views all around, I guess.’
I leant my head on his shoulder and we sat for a long time watching the sun sinking, looking like a happy couple, feeling
like it was a first date.
The minibus rolled back into the vineyard some time after eight. Laurie and her three men had boarded with stacks of pizza
boxes for everyone, so there was no need to scavenge for food when we returned. Jamie helped me off the bus.
‘Can I show you something? If you can bear to be around me for a bit longer?’
‘Sure.’
Of course
. He took my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world now and began leading me toward one of the outhouses. I
looked back at Laurie who was stood giving me a dramatic lunge and two thumbs up, and I widened my eyes back at her. Where
was he taking me? Were we going to make out again? I licked my lips in anticipation, hoping they wouldn’t taste of pizza.
Inside the cool building, which was all stone walls and wooden beams, there was a thick aroma from the oak barrels that were
stacked high.
‘Are these all full?’
‘Every one of them – this is the 2008 Merlot, which was a great year for us.’
‘That’s a lot of wine. Don’t let Laurie in here alone.’
‘Come on, this way.’ As he walked me to the far end of the room I ran my hand over barrel after barrel. At the end a wooden
staircase led downwards, and when Jamie flicked a switch a line of dangling light bulbs lit the way to the cellar below. ‘After
you. I promise I’m not going to murder you.’
‘If you’re a murderer, I can’t exactly trust that you aren’t a liar as well.’
‘This is true. What if I tell you there’s some open wine down there.’
I shrugged.
‘And some chocolate.’
‘You better not be messing with me or so help me God …’
‘I would never joke about chocolate with you, trust me.’
Down I went, and the stairs opened out to a perfectly curved cellar, lined with more barrels, but these ones upright. There
also seemed to be some cooking utensils at the end that appeared to have been stolen from the Bella Notte kitchen.
‘Take a seat.’ He gestured to one of the barrels and I hopped up. He handed me a glass and poured from a black bottle an inch
of thick, blood-red liquid. ‘Try this and tell me what you think.’
‘Is it blood? Are you a vampire?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, it smells like wine, that’s good enough for me.’ I took a sip, and it was like a hundred raspberries bursting in my
mouth – both sweet and
Similar Books
