My Italian Heart

Chapter Twelve

I sneaked out the front door, keys in hand. Not bothering to tell anyone I was leaving. They didn't need to know. If they did, they would judge me for it. It made it even worse that I was hijacking Rylie's car to go. Her keys were the first set my hand had landed on and I had no time to waste. As I turned the Audi on, I turned off the automatic headlights. I didn't need anyone knowing what I was doing or even that I was out there.

I waited for Aurora to get down a fair way down the dirt track before setting off after her. It was difficult with not having the headlights on, but if I dared to turn them on before the main road, she would know I was there following her. I went up the grass at the side of the dirt track with a bump and tried to correct my steering to keep me in the groove between the two slightly raised sections of grass. I watched on as she turned left onto the road out of the vineyard. As soon as she was safely behind the hedge, I fiddled with the car to get the headlights back on. Just praying she didn't spot me pulling out the dirt track behind her.

I was starting to feel so guilty for following her, for not trusting her. I had been sure she was lying to me, but she was heading into Verona. She could have been seeing someone in the city, but I was pretty sure it was someone from the vineyard, and none of the lads lived in the city. I had been so certain she was going to see whoever it was and I could catch her in the act. It wasn't just about getting revenge on her for her nosey ways. I was seriously concerned about the way she was behaving. It reminded me of the way my mother was with Bradford. I couldn't stand the idea of her being under the control of a man in that way. It was bad enough to see my mother going through it.

I just wanted to make sure she was safe. To find out who it was and why she was so intent on hiding it from everyone. I would have expected for her to tell at least me or Rylie about who he was, but she had said nothing. She was being combative about it and constantly keeping secrets. The amount of time I had seen her looking like she had been getting hot and heavy at the vineyard. I had been tempted to ask Dad about it and see if he knew anything. They worked closely together, and he was observant. I just didn't want to get him involved. Especially after the telling off, I got about interfering after our argument in the office.

If he knew I was following her in the dead of night, he would kill me. Even my dad was more protective of Aurora than whatever asshole she was seeing. I couldn't believe Aurora of all people would go so gushy over a man that she would lose all commonsense. It was exactly what had happened. Suddenly, she seemed unable to think for herself. Even the fact that she was so secretive about him told me that he was manipulating her. Either he didn't want anyone knowing who he was, which was a massive red flag. Or she was ashamed of him, which wasn't much less of a warning sign.

I hoped when I knew who it was, I would be able to understand why she was trying so hard to keep it from Rylie and me. Aurora was pigheaded and if she thought she was in love with someone, she wouldn't listen to me easily. I just hoped I was wrong, and I was just being overprotective. Seeing things that weren't really there because of my mother.

The road was quiet, but there were still a few cars about, despite the late hour. It was funny because it wasn't even that late, but up there on the side of a mountain, people seemed to stop moving around once the sun set. Due to the winter season, the sun had set many hours before and the mainly farming community was getting ready to go to bed. It made it more like that Aurora would realise I was following her, but I had no choice but to keep going. Trying to keep my distance as much as I could, but without letting her get too far in front that I wouldn't know if she turned off.

I was starting to become certain that she must be heading into Verona and I was being ridiculous playing at being a cheap rate PI when she turned her indicator on. Turning left off the main road and abandoning her descent down the mountain. I didn't know the roads up there well, but I did know she was heading back up rather than down. There was no way she was going to Verona, and I had been right the whole time. I sat up in the driver's seat a little higher, feeling vindicated for my ridiculous behaviour.

We were heading into a village, but it wasn't one I was familiar with. I tried to resist the urge to look around me and instead focused on Aurora. I had been forced to get closer to her, but nothing she did suggested she knew I was there. She pulled into a small driveway and I pulled up to the side of the road. Waiting for her to exit the car and start walking to the front door before I started moving forward again. She wasted no time in getting from point A to point B, that was for sure.

Pulling up on the dirt opposite and turning the lights off straight away. Aurora didn't go to the front door, but rounded the corner instead. I opened the car door and eased myself out carefully, trying to keep as low as I could. I must have looked as ridiculous as the pink panther as I practically skipped across the road, trying to stay in the shadows. It was like I was trying to emulate James Bond, but actually ended up looking more like Johnny English. I rolled my eyes at myself as the door came into view. It was still open, but there was no sign of Aurora at all. Just the light streaming out into the night.

I edged closed, hoping to get a glimpse inside. It looked like a flat. It didn't look huge and was on the ground floor. It looked like it was attached to the garage. As my back hit the edge of the building, I rolled my eyes again. I really needed to stop watching so many movies. It was too easy to get carried away. I could see him through the door. It was just a slither. I couldn't see Aurora, but I presumed he must have been looking at her and not watching the paint dry on the wall he was facing.

I was willing for him to move his head backwards so I could identify him because his legs told me nothing at all. I watched as his leg came up and kicked the door shut and I swore a little too loudly for being positioned so close to the house. Scurrying towards the window in the hope of getting a peek at the pair of them. I managed to duck down below the windowsill, but it was a tight squeeze because the windows were quite low. Lifting myself just enough to see inside. All I saw was his back disappearing into the darkness as he carried Aurora rather too caveman style for my liking.

I sunk onto the ground and leant against the wall. I might not have managed to confirm who Aurora was dating, but I did know he existed and she was lying to us about him. Pulling the biro out that was poking out of my back pocket. I was a sod for leaving them in there during the course of the day. Quickly scribbling the house number down on the back of my hand, before heading back to the car. I needed to find a street sign. As soon as I got to work in the morning, I planned to check the records and see whose address it was. I was still certain it was someone from the vineyard.

It had to be. Aurora never left the vineyard to meet anyone. As soon as I checked the personnel files, I would know who it was once and for all. Then I would give Aurora one last chance to tell me the truth. I wanted to believe that she would be honest with us. As I slammed the car door shut beside me, I wondered what she would say when I told her I had followed her out to his house. I already knew the answer. She would say I was doing it to take my mind off George and Amiee. That I was seeing things that weren't there because I had too much time on my hands and too much sorrow in my heart. It didn't make it true, though.