It Began In Italy | ✔️

Chapter Eighteen

The first week was over. It felt like time was slipping through my fingers.

"A few friends of mine are taking out a boat to an island not far offshore, you should come," Nico says. We hadn't spoken for a couple days as he had been busy at the restaurant. When I'd told him about what happened with Ambrose, he was more than jealous that he wasn't there to see it.

"Yeah of course," I say, moving towards my wardrobe. Grabbing out a purple bikini, a cover up and some shorts, I move back towards Nico where he lay spread across my bed. "How are your parents?" I ask and he smiles up at me.

"They're good. They were asking about you after the festival," he laughs, and I run a hand over my face in embarrassment. "I told them that Maria was there and she soon understood," he reaches out, his hand touching the side of my leg.

"It wasn't just Maria's fault," I point out and he nods his head.

"I know but she's just very influential and you find that you've said yes to her before you even know what she's asking," Nico explains and I get what he means. "We're meeting them down there for ten," Nico says and I check my phone for the time, 9:17.

"Nico!" I huff. I would've appreciated it if he had told me sooner.

After the big rush of showering, getting changed, fixing my hair into a braid and layering sun cream on, we were very late indeed. "How long can it possibly take you to get ready?" he says, leaned up against the wall outside the bathroom.

"It would have helped if you had told me the timings much sooner, then I could have prepared," I stress as he rakes his eyes up and down my outfit.

"This dress," he points to the cover up. "Is staying on."

Heading towards the stairs, I give him a small laugh. "Of course," I say, sarcastic as ever.

We head down to the docks where all of the boats sit bobbing along. Nico leads me to the boat at the very end. My god it was much bigger than I had anticipated. A catamaran sits before us and Nico lifts me up onto the boat, his hands tight on my hips, before he takes my hand in his and walks us to the centre where everyone seems to have gathered.

I immediately notice Maria and I'm relieved to see a familiar face. "Everyone this is, Heidi," I give each face a smile. "Heidi, this is Matteo, Luca and Sofia... of course you have already met Maria," Nico explains and we all exchange pleasantries.

Luca hands both Nico and I drinks, his eyes lingering on mine for far longer than I felt comfortable. Brushing it aside, I move to sit down beside Nico until he pulls me across and situates me on his lap.

"What are you doing?" I mutter turning to look at him. He gives me a lopsided smile and I refrain from smiling back at him. That goddamn smile.

"Letting them know that you're not up for grabs," he shrugs, and I roll my eyes, figuring that arguing will not get me anywhere with Nico.

The sun beams down on us, and I find myself getting too hot. Peeling off the cover up, I find relief in the small breeze that washes over me. I'll admit that this bikini was a bit riskier, as one could say, but the colour was too cute to pass up.

When I notice the scowl coming from Nico, I brush his hair away from his forehead and give him a smile. "It's too hot," I simply say, and his eyes rake up and down me.

"You're too hot," he huffs, and I swat his chest.

"So, Heidi, how long are you visiting Vernazza for?" Luca sits down beside Nico and me. The engine on the boat whirs and I hold onto Nico tighter. Would it be a bad time to say that I'm deathly afraid of boats? It definitely doesn't stem from watching the Titanic as a child... okay it does.