(2012) Evie Undercover by Liz Harris Page A

man could see that – so is it that you don’t like Gabriela?’
    ‘Of course I like her. There’s nothing not to like. She seems very nice.’
    ‘Well, t hat’s what I thought.’
    ‘Which would be equally obvious to that same blind man. It must have been brilliant for you to be able to talk to an Italian without having to get me to translate for you,’ she hastily added.
    ‘I suppose you’re right, although I did rather miss you being stuck there in the middle of my conversation.’
    ‘How come? What would I have added to it?’
    ‘Tut, tut, Evie. Could it be that you’re fishing for compliments? You’re not prepared to indulge my masochistic tendencies, yet you expect me to fulfil your inner need for praise.’
    ‘Of course, I don’t.’ He raised his eyebrows to her, and she giggled. ‘That came out all wrong. Obviously I don’t mean that I expect you to fulfil my need for praise – I mean, I don’t need to be praised by anyone. Although now that you come to mention it, it’s not a totally bad idea. Go ahead , I’ll have that compliment after all.’
    ‘Well, then, here goes. W hile I enjoyed talking to Gabriela, who’s a clever woman, she can be quite intense, and to be honest, I rather missed the light-hearted touch that you would have brought in to the conversation.’
    ‘Is that a lawyer-like way of calling me an airhead?’ she laughed. ‘If it is, you can try your hand at a second compliment. See if you can improve upon calling me thick.’
    ‘What I meant is, as you well know, that you’re quite good fun to be with. I think you’d accept that, wouldn’t you? In fact, you have to accept it – I’m the boss.’
    ‘Didn’t I read somewhere that the word “ boss ” has a second meaning? Doesn’t it also mean “ stud ” ? Are you bragging?’
    He leaned back against his chair. ‘I rest my case.’ They smiled at each other across the table , and their eyes met. Both instantly looked away.
    ‘What are we doing tomorrow, Tom?’ she asked after a short pause.
    ‘The beds are being delivered in the morning. We need to be there in good time to tell the deliverymen where to put them , and then I thought we could go and see something of the area. Perhaps we’ll drive up to Montefalco, which is about forty minutes from the house. It’s a really pretty little place, and it’s got some wonderful murals in the church there. Well, i t’s not actually a church any more . I t’s a cross between a museum and an art gallery.’
    She p ointed her finger to her head. ‘Airhead. Remember?’
    ‘And then we can get some lunch , accompanied by the thing that Montefalco’s famous for.’
    ‘Which is?’
    ‘Red wine. While we’re there, we’ll get a few bottles to take with us when we go up to the house in the evening to see the tower and pool lit up. We’ll play it by ear as to whether we go to the house tomorrow night or on Friday.’
    ‘I can’t believe how quickly the week’s gone by. It’ll soon be Saturday , and that means England . What about Friday? Is there anything else we have to get for the house before we leave?’
    ‘Nothing that can’t wait.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Friday’s rather been taken out of my hands, I’m afraid.’ His words came out on a rush. ‘Gabriela’s going to show us Perugia on Friday, and Eduardo’s coming, too. Believe me, I’d have liked to have got out of it if I could have done, but they mean well and I don’t want to upset them.’
    Oh, hell! Yet another lost opportunity for her and Tom to do somet hing on their own.
    ‘I expect we’ll have a nice time,’ she said flatly.
    ‘I’m sure you’re right , but that’s not how I would have chosen to spend our last full day. However, Gabriela was very insistent. I’ve promised to help her with any problems in London and she wants to say thank you by showing us Perugia, which she loves. She went to university there. ’ He paused a moment. ‘ Are you sure that’s al l right with