The Love Box Experiment

Chapter Twenty-Six

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX  

Paul was wet through when he got off the fishing boat. They had hit a rain storm at sea as they were pulling in a catch of fish. He had no time to put on his wet weather gear. Back on dry land, Paul went back to his hotel to have a hot bath. As he came down stairs from his room, he found a note from Arianna inviting Paul over for lunch today. It was too late to decline the invitation.

He walked along the quay front past the taverna and onto the bread shop where Arianna worked. Finding she wasn't there, Paul went round to the side street, a meandering alleyway, to the small family house. 

He pressed the bell and Arianna's mother guided him past the internal courtyard to the kitchen behind. Paul had expected to see the two brothers but the only person was Arianna. 

Her mother disappeared somewhere into another part of the house.

A perfumed kiss on both Paul's cheeks and soon they sat at the wooden table to eat lunch. Towards the end of the meal Arianna spoke.

'My brothers, they speak of you with respect. They like you and so do I.' She smiled, but her eyes assessed him, judged him, searched, it seemed to Paul.

'Thank you. I also like you and your brothers. But . . .'

She cut in, 'we want you to stay in the town. There is more work we can arrange for you, if you want. And I would be very happy if you were to stay here. My mother would be delighted.'

There was a pause while Paul took in the rapid change of tense, from ''we'' to ''I'' in her conversation. The advice from the American LC rang loud and clear in his head. 'I am honoured, Arianna, but I can't possibly accept.'

'Why, my friend?'

He felt trapped. To anger Arianna would not be a sensible move. 'Can I be honest with you? I am in love with a woman in London and . . .'

'But you ran away from this girl, did you not?'

'It's a temporary thing. I'm giving her some space.'

This seemed to satisfy Arianna for the time being. Paul had a feeling that she wasn't going to give up so easily.

In the afternoon he ambled into the taverna to seek out LC, to ask his advice.

In spite of it being November, the sun was a pleasant temperature, as they sat together outside and took their time over coffee. The view over the small harbour was like a photo from a postcard with the moored boats, their masts and the blue sea beyond.