Summer Wine (Callie & Rebecca Book 4) by Winkes Barbara

Author:Winkes, Barbara [Winkes, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-03-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Toni lived in a house a couple of streets from the small marketplace where Callie had left Rebecca and the girls in a café. There were two cars in the front. If Toni had had any children, they had probably long left the home. A husband, her mother had said. Callie felt a surge of irrational resentment. She knew nothing about the woman, but she didn’t know much more about Valerie, her own family. She of all people shouldn’t judge her.

The woman who opened the door to her wore a friendly, if somewhat reserved smile. That was understandable, considering how Callie had practically ambushed her.

“Good morning, Callie. Come on in. Can I offer you something? Coffee?”

“Yes, please. Thank you.”

Toni led her into a spacious kitchen where she busied herself preparing two cups, putting milk and sugar on the table.

“So,” she said, sitting across from Callie. “You found me. I assume you have questions.”

“You speak English very well,” Callie blurted out, unsure the next moment if her words came across as the compliment they were meant to be. Almost everyone they’d met here in Italy spoke a little English.

“Valerie and I met when I was studying in the States.”

Callie was taken aback for a moment. Of course, she couldn’t have told this from a few letters or the rushed conversation with Fiona. This fact led to more questions though. Toni would have had to go back home once her student visa ran out, and she supposed that was exactly what happened. She imagined there was little chance for either woman to stay in the other one’s home country.

“What brings you to Rome though?”

“It’s a long story. We’re going to Siena tomorrow, to visit a friend of Rebecca’s daughter. I didn’t want us to come all the way to Italy without seeing Rome. It’s very beautiful.”

Toni acknowledged her words with a smile. “Valerie loved it here…” She avoided Callie’s gaze for a moment, and when she looked back at her, her eyes were bright with unshed tears. “Excuse me. I didn’t think—”

“That’s okay. I’m sorry for springing all this on you. I thought—”

“I knew? How would I? Valerie broke off the contact a long time ago. She stopped coming to see me, even though she’d still travel in Europe.”

“Because you got married.” There was an edge to her tone. Toni had noticed it too. Callie knew she had to carefully distinguish Valerie’s situation from her own, and the insecurities she’d harbored regarding David.

“Yes, I did. What did you expect? You know, you actually remind me of her a lot. Valerie was the brave one. I wasn’t. That’s pretty much all there is to the story.”

“It takes more than being brave.” Callie hesitated. The next question was basically why she’d come here, but put an end to all guesswork once and for all, but Toni might see it as serious overreach. Scratch that, it was serious overreach.

“Did you love her?”

“I have always loved her,” Toni said without a moment of hesitation. “Like you say, courage isn’t enough, but even love isn’t always enough.

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