She yawned, peered through the open hotel doors. ‘I think I’ll pop out for a bit of fresh air. It seems to have stopped raining at last.’ She unfolded the caramel pashmina she’d brought downstairs and pulled it round her shoulders. ‘See you later.’

The night was beautiful, the hot summer dustiness cleansed by the recent rain. Connie breathed deeply as she crossed the road and walked past the line of café tables, still occupied with a few chatting diners. Ranks of small blue and white boats bobbed silently on the water, people strolling the cobbled promenade beside the lake. She knew the main squares would be heaving with the young at this time of night – she could hear the beat of disco music in the distance.

She leaned against the cold iron railing and looked out onto the lake. Lights lacing the peninsula of Sirmione twinkled to the east, dominated by the illuminated elegance of the Rocca Scaligera, the expanse of dark water stretching away from it like the ocean.

Turning to walk back the way she’d come, tiredness sweeping over her, she heard the ping of a text on her work phone. Hoping it wasn’t something serious, she opened the screen.

I’m outside the hotel, if you fancy a nightcap? Jared x

She read the message and heard herself give a small gasp. For a moment she just stared at the words, glowing bright in the darkness. He’s here? She felt panicky.

Worrying that he might go into the hotel and ask for her, Connie hurried the two minutes around the corner. She saw him before he saw her. He was waiting quietly, hands in his jeans’ pockets, staring out over the water, the street lamp under which he was standing lighting up the blond streaks in his hair.

Reaching him, Connie said, ‘What are you doing here?’ She was angry. ‘You can’t keep turning up like this, Jared. It’s really weird.’

Jared turned at the sound of her voice, but he didn’t seem offended by her words. ‘Hey, Connie. Sorry … You said you were staying here and I thought a glass of something might be fun. It’s such a beautiful night.’ He was smiling, and her heart seized in her chest.

She frowned. ‘Did I say I was staying here?’

‘Yeah, don’t you remember? You told me all about Bianca and her sons.’ When she didn’t speak, unable to remember telling him, but knowing she must have done, he went on: ‘I was on my way to Milan for a meeting and had some spare time. I realized I’ve never seen Desenzano.’ He lifted his arms outwards, palms up. ‘So I thought, What the heck?’

Connie was calming down. ‘It’s just a bit unsettling, you popping up out of the blue like this, twice in one week.’