One Summer in Rome: a deliciously uplifting summer romance!

‘You know our friendship means the world to me. These last few months …’ Jill’s voice broke. ‘You’ve been so supportive, listening to me talk through all my worries about Dave. I don’t know how I’d have managed without you …’ her eyes glistened as she smiled ‘… or your particularly uplifting triple chocolate cookies. But I’ve seen such a change in you, these last couple of weeks – until you started having reservations as departure day loomed. Your whole face has upturned as if gravity is having the opposite effect. And you’ve never been so animated as last Tuesday night when you came around to show off that Italy guide book.’ Jill straightened up. ‘So I’m not going to be selfish and persuade you to stay. Now pull yourself together this instant. You can always come back if it doesn’t work out.’

‘But I’ve got no flat. No job,’ she whispered.

‘You’ve got the sofa in my lounge,’ Jill whispered back. ‘I’ll miss you heaps …’ Her voice wavered. ‘But it’s not as much as you’ll be missing if you turn down this chance. Dave is right.’

And with that, Jill delivered the sucker punch. Mary nodded as the words of her friend’s ill husband came to mind. He had acute lymphocytic leukaemia. The prognosis wasn’t good. Go for it, Mary. Step out of your comfort zone because there is nothing comfortable about regrets when you’re facing your own personal journey of no return.

Mary stared at her friend and allowed herself to be wrapped in those squidgy arms. Jill always wore the same sandalwood body spray. Mary breathed it in and hoped to retain the memory of that fragrance. It might be months before she smelt it again.

So, Mary Smith was really going to jack in her London life. Toby and Tilly, the little twins she babysat next door to her flat, in the tower block, had both burst into tears. They called her Mary Berry. With a wry smile Mary wondered who they’d miss more – her or her biscuits.

This was it. Mary Smith was on the move. Heading across the Channel to work in the exotic-sounding Pizzeria Dolce Vita.

‘Okay, okay, this is the right decision,’ said Mary.

‘It absolutely is,’ said Jill, ‘as long as … just bear in mind …’ She shuffled from foot to foot.

Mary raised an eyebrow.

‘As long as you aren’t doing a geographical.’

‘What do you mean?’

Jill bit her lip. ‘Much as I’m going to miss you, there was another reason I was cautious about this move, at first. Just don’t expect to escape all your inner … your inner …’

‘Issues?’ said Mary and she smiled. ‘Just you wait and see – I’m leaving all of that particular baggage well behind.’ The baggage of being the little girl nobody wanted. Oh, Mary had understood once she got older – prospective adoptive parents wanted a baby, not a shy five-year-old who soon became eight, eleven, fourteen … but those feelings of rejection never left and they made it all the harder when Jake had dumped her.

Mary stood taller. One thing was for sure: she wouldn’t be looking for romance in Rome.

‘That’s what Sarah thought,’ said Jill, softly. Her niece had just got back from Rome. Mary was replacing her as a waitress, at Pizzeria Dolce Vita. ‘She took the job to escape the baggage of her stressful career in the city but the problem wasn’t the job, it was her perfectionist streak – Sarah believing she was never good enough. And it caught up with her big time. Whilst working for Alfonso, she also did evening courses in Italian culture and wine-tasting …’

‘That’s why she had another breakdown and had to come back?’

Jill nodded.

‘Well, you know what? That’s helped me realise leaving is so the right decision because my problems are nothing like Sarah’s.’ She kissed Jill on the cheek and fingered the black haematite bead bracelet around her slim wrist. One of the heavier crystals from her collection, it bore the power to boost self-confidence.

She pictured a dusky pink sunset behind the Vatican. Comforting bowls of spaghetti. Laughing street entertainers in one of the many piazzas. ‘You don’t need to worry, Jill. This is my fresh start and I’m more than capable of leaving my demons well and truly behind.’ She gave a broad smile. ‘It’s going to be the answer to all my troubles.’

Chapter Two (#ulink_db98cb8d-06cb-534c-bd2e-1f38100c7532)

The aeroplane revved its engines, turned onto the runway, and took off. Heart pounding, Mary looked out of the window and watched a nearby city shrink into a Lego village. The pilot could be drunk. What if a terrorist was aboard? Perhaps they’d hit a storm?

Okay. Deep breaths. Mary needed to think baking – that always calmed her down. ‘There isn’t anything a good biscuit can’t cure,’ one of her foster mums would declare. At the time Mary agreed as, instead of receiving sorely craved hugs, she’d been given comforting sweet treats in abundance. It was hard when the following foster couple had introduced a strict, calorie-controlled diet. Kale instead of cake? That plan was never going to encourage a close relationship between fourteen-year-old Mary and her new carers.

Knuckles white, she clenched a smooth, coffee-coloured crystal in her hand. The plane was bound to crash. It was so heavy. Massive in length, with nothing underneath to support it. As the engines eased, Mary tore her glance away from the windows. Watching light, fluffy cloud only served to reinforce her sense of fragility. Instead, she gazed around at the June holidaymakers who had smugly beaten the July schools-off tourist crush. Happy faces filled the length of the plane and the female flight attendants, especially, were just as smart as she’d expected, with their pencil skirts and full make-up.

Mary was the only person travelling on her own – or so it had seemed, until a businessman had sat down next to her. He was middle-aged with eyelashes so thick they made up for the receding hairline.

Hands shaking a little, she flicked through the in-flight magazine.

‘Nervous flier?’ asked a deep voice.

Mary smiled shyly.

‘Nothing to be ashamed of. I’m always glad to land safely on the other side. I’m John. John Jones.’

Her shoulders relaxed. It was nice to meet someone with a name as boring as hers. ‘Mary Smith. And I don’t really know about being nervous. I’ve never flown before.’

His eyes crinkled. ‘It’s one of the safest forms of travel. The worst bit is over now. So, this will be your first trip abroad? Rome is an excellent choice.’

Why couldn’t she have made her first big journey a girls’ break in Ibiza or day trip with school? Oh no, Mary’s had to be on the back of ditching her old life – lock, stock, and barrel. She slipped the in-flight magazine back into the pouch on the seat in front and gazed at the crystal in her hand. Beautiful it was, with its cappuccino shades.

John nudged her elbow. ‘That your lucky charm?’ He delved into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small, pink teddy on a key ring. Its fur was worn and it was missing one eye. ‘My young daughter insists that I carry this. Says that Little Ted will keep an eye on me. One eye, literally.’

Pulse slowing, Mary grinned. ‘That’s really sweet.’

He returned the teddy to his pocket and nodded at the stone. ‘My sister’s into healing crystals. They helped her through a rough patch last year. Never goes anywhere without her rose quartz bracelet. As you probably know it’s—’

‘The crystal of love.’ Mary smiled. ‘Yes. It can help you move on from heartbreak or a broken friendship.’

John’s face turned purple for a second. ‘Treated like dirt, she was, by her ex-husband. But one year on and she’s met a decent bloke.’

Mary loved her crystals. Believed wholly that they worked, but she had stashed her rose quartz away after Jake left. She was convinced nothing or no one could ever unbreak her heart.

‘Which crystal is that?’ he asked. ‘What’s it supposed to—’

Mary squirmed.

John groaned. ‘Jeez. Listen to me, getting carried away. Ignore me. The missus is always telling me to curb my chat. But it goes with the job, you see. I’m an international recruitment consultant. I ask people questions for a living.’ He smiled. ‘It’s too easy to get stuck in business mode and be a right nosy parker.’

She was being precious. John’s sister had crystals, so he wouldn’t judge. ‘It’s okay. This is quartz too – smoky quartz, a protective crystal, great for travelling. I’ve got some yellow citrine in my handbag, as well – that’s the crystal of good fortune. It should help me take my life in a new direction and bring prosperity and success.’ She shrugged. ‘Not that it’s money I’m after. Just a new chapter.’ Her voice wavered. ‘A better life, I guess.’

John eyed her curiously and then reached down and pulled a dog-eared book out of his briefcase. ‘I don’t know much about crystals. My sister tried to explain how they work. Something to do with atomic vibrations …’

Mary nodded.

‘Talking of chapters, I’m more of a self-help book man. Found them really useful, over the years. You know the sort – Become a Millionaire in One Year.’

‘That clearly worked, seeing as you’re stuck in Economy,’ she said and gave a shy grin.

John chuckled. ‘No. But it gave me some ideas on how to push my career forwards. Anyway …’ He passed Mary the book. She didn’t grip tight enough and it almost slipped to the floor. She swallowed. Jake always used to playfully tease her for being clumsy. ‘This is my current favourite.’

‘Hook, Line, and Sinker,’ said Mary. Her brow knitted. ‘No offence, but I’m not interested in learning about fishing.’

John chuckled again. A warm sound it was, and comforting, like hearty soup simmering on a stove. ‘Me neither. No, this book is about setting goals and achieving them. It’s helped me get fit and draw up a savings plan so that the missus and me can eventually move house.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘Have you got a job lined up?’ John pretended to bite his fist. ‘Aarghh, Mr Parker is doing it again …’

Mary slipped the crystal into her shorts’ pocket and smiled. ‘In a pizzeria. With lodgings. It was too good an opportunity to miss.’