The Italians: Alessandro, Luca & Dizo: Alessandro's Prize / In a Storm of Scandal / Italian Groom, Princess Bride

Lily found it easy to smile as she poured coffee into her cup, added sugar, and savoured the aromatic liquid. ‘Thank you. I’m pleased it worked out OK.’

‘You will need to be settled by the weekend,’ Sophia offered with a degree of concern. ‘Today Carlo will take us to my friend’s agency and we will look at apartments, sì?’

‘Please,’ she accepted gratefully. ‘That would be great.’

‘Bene. Now tell me about yesterday while you eat, then we will leave.’

Sophia and her friend, Julia, proved a knowledgeable pair as they selected suitable locations, rental availability and together they set out with an intent to view.

There were a few provisos. Sophia insisted the apartment must be in a good locale, comfortably furnished with excellent security and parking facilities.

Julia proved to be very thorough, her recommendations valid as she took them through no less than five apartments, any one of which Lily would have been happy to lease.

‘We shall have lunch,’ Sophia declared as they exited the fifth apartment. ‘Then we continue our viewing.’

‘Excellent idea,’ Julia agreed. ‘I think you will be pleased with a particular one I have in mind.’

‘Saving the best for last?’ Lily quizzed, and earned a light laugh in return.

‘It is business, sì? Besides, today provides me the opportunity to spend time with a dear friend, and enjoy the pleasure of meeting her beloved god-daughter.’

It was Julia who chose the restaurant and insisted on playing hostess, while Lily listened to their light-hearted banter with the maître d', deferring to each other over what to order and whether they would indulge in wine.

Two apartments were on the afternoon’s agenda to view, and it was the second of the two that clinched the deal for Lily.

Situated in a lovely street, the building itself had been restored and renovated while adhering to a classic style. Comfortable, extremely functional, with a medium-size lounge, an en suite adjoining the main bedroom as well as a separate bathroom for the guest bedroom. Utilities were modern, and the kitchen and dining room were warm and inviting. Fully furnished, the apartment had security and off-street parking. Added to which the lease provided flexibility and the rental was reasonable.

‘This is the one,’ Lily declared with a delighted smile. ‘I’ll take it.’

Sophia and Julia clapped their hands with pleasure.

‘Good. You do not require time to consider?’

She shook her head in immediate negation. ‘No.’ Her smile said it all as she turned towards Julia. ‘You have the relevant paperwork available?’

‘At my office,’ Julia enlightened. ‘We will head there now.’

There was a sense of satisfaction in signing the lease, for to achieve employment and an apartment within a few short days seemed incredible.

The next acquisition would be the purchase of her own transport. And sheets, towels, a few items to personalize the apartment.

‘You are deep in thought,’ Sophia observed as Carlo returned them to her villa in Como, and Lily reached across the rear passenger seat to link her fingers within Sophia’s own.

‘Thank you.’

‘Cara, whatever for?’

‘Everything,’ she said with warm simplicity, and felt the slight pressure as Sophia curled Lily’s fingers within her own.

‘My dear, I have a vested interest in your happiness, as well as a personal desire to have you with me for as long as possible.’

The warmth of familial love struck a sensitive chord, and Lily swallowed the sudden lump that rose in her throat. Tears were close to the surface, and she quickly blinked to dispel them—she didn’t do the crying thing.

The insistent burr of her cell-phone had her reaching into her bag to extract it and she felt her stomach tighten as she recognized the number displayed, despite deleting James’s name from her caller ID register.

Without a qualm she simply closed the phone, thereby cutting the connection only to have the call repeated.

This time she let it ring out, which incurred Sophia’s questioning look, and Lily shook her head.

‘I’ll deal with the call later.’

Hopefully James would get the message she had no intention of having contact with him ever again.

Apparently not so, for Carlo had just drawn the car to a halt adjacent the entrance to Sophia’s villa when the phone rang again.

Lily stepped out from the car, extracted the phone, and felt the anger build as she viewed the familiar number.

OK, so he was being deliberately obtuse.

‘Do not email or attempt to call me,’ she voiced with chilling resolve. ‘It’s over. Finished.’

‘Lily, darling, please listen to me—’

Not in this millennium. ‘There is no point.’ She cut the connection and closed the phone.

‘Problems, cara?’ Sophia queried with concern, and Lily shook her head.

‘Nothing I can’t handle.’

Hopefully now her ex-fiancé would had finally got the

message.

A leisurely shower helped take her mind off it, so too did a light evening meal, after which she shared a glass of wine with Sophia as they discussed plans for the next day, firmed them, before mutually choosing to retire.

It was surprising what could be achieved within a short space of time, Lily reflected as Carlo stored the second, no, third assortment of packages into the trunk of Sophia’s car.

Almost every item on her list was accounted for, and there was an enormous degree of pleasure in knowing only one item remained … a car.

By far the most expensive, and fortified by a leisurely lunch Carlo despatched them to a car dealership where, after some skillful haggling of her own, she purchased a funky silver model, perfectly suitable for her needs.

‘Well done,’ Carlo accorded quietly as Sophia enfolded her in a congratulatory hug.

‘Thank you.’ Payment was organized, her international driving licence scrutinized, insurance arranged and the car was ready to be driven away.

‘Let’s get this babe on the road,’ Lily said, and laughed as she offered Carlo a high-five gesture, then she slid behind the wheel and followed his car to her apartment.

Home, for however long she chose to make it her own, Lily decided with pleasure as they transferred the day’s purchases into the second bedroom.