The Indecent Proposal (Short Story)

  Chapter Three

  When I awoke it was early morning and the villa was finally silent. The sunlight reflected off the pool outside, creating pretty little rippling patterns all over the ceiling, and I lay in bed and watched them for a few moments before remembering the events of the previous evening.

  Of course there were no available flights back to the UK. I was an idiot for not trying to book something last night. What could I do now? Avoid Ryan for the entire weekend? It wasn’t possible.

  I dressed and went downstairs for breakfast, hoping I wouldn’t meet anyone else this early, only to find both Gina and her father Stefano in the breakfast room.

  “Megan!” cried Stefano, jumping out of his seat and sweeping me into his usual bear hug. “Why do you not come and visit us anymore?”

  “I’ve been very busy with my new book – ”

  “And you have a new boyfriend? Where is he?”

  “There’s been a misunderstanding,” I said. “I came on my own.”

  “Poor Megan!” Stefano took one of my hands in his and squeezed hard. I tried not to wince. “I’ll find another one for you.”

  What was wrong with this family? “I’m not looking for a man, I’m only here to have a holiday!”

  “Sì,” he agreed. “You have a lovely holiday and find a nice boyfriend too.” Before I could argue further, he strode over to the sideboard and began forking up bacon, eggs and mushrooms from the hot plates, piling them onto a plate for me. “English breakfast,” he beamed. “Especially for you.”

  I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I took the plate and murmured my thanks, only to turn around and find Gina glaring at me.

  “Where did you get to last night?” she said.

  “Why, was there someone you wanted me to meet?”

  She ignored that and said instead, “What would you like to do today? I thought we could take it easy; perhaps do some shopping before it gets too hot, and then laze around the pool?”

  In other words, hang around the villa until Ryan deigned to wake up.

  “Not a chance,” I said.

  “Megan doesn’t want to sleep by a pool all day,” Stefano agreed. “She must see the sights.”

  “Megan doesn’t need to see the sights, Papà,” Gina said. “She’s been here before, many times. Amalfi, Vesuvius, Pompeii – she’s done them all.”

  “You can visit Pompeii a hundred times and still not see it all!” he protested. “Why not wait for the boys to wake up and you can all visit Pompeii together?”

  “Oh … ” said Gina, apparently catching on. “What a good – ”

  “I’d much rather go to Capri,” I said quickly. “They have shops there too.” I knew how much Gina loved shopping – and there was the added bonus of Capri being a good twenty minute boat trip away from Sorrento.

  Gina slowly nodded her acquiescence, but I could see she wasn’t happy about it. Presumably she thought Ryan would be long gone by the time we returned, which was certainly what I was hoping for.

  Wasn’t it?