Free Treasured Secrets by Kendall Talbot Page A

and walked to the train station. The train ride into Florence was just fifteen minutes and then Archer fell in amongst the crowds to follow Rosalina’s hand-drawn lines on the map through the bustling streets of the ancient city. A few minutes before three o’clock, he chose a wrought-iron chair at the front of Café Acquacotta, and within seconds Rosalina served him a basket of bread and a beer. Her hair was up in a high ponytail that swung as she walked away. She looked gorgeous without even trying.
    The crowds passing by were a crazy mix of tourists and locals who were worlds apart. Locals took strides of purpose, apparently no longer seeing their historical surroundings. Tourists, laden with cameras and packs, strolled along taking photos of the most random things and checking out the stalls lining the narrow paved street.
    Archer spied Alessandro walking towards the café and readied to say hello. But the Italian bypassed him without a glance and went straight inside. Archer’s eyes burned a hole in Alessandro’s back as he watched him kiss and hug Rosalina as a girlfriend and boyfriend would. Rosalina blushed and cast a quick glance in his direction. She offered Alessandro a basket of bread and pointed out Archer.
    Alessandro turned and actually looked pleased to see him. He came out and shook Archer’s hand. ‘Ah, Archer. Va bene? ’ He seemed oblivious to the awkward situation he was in. It was strange that a man would be comfortable with an ex-boyfriend being back on the scene. Either Alessandro was very confident in his relationship with Rosalina, or he had no idea how serious they’d been.
    â€˜How was your day?’ Alessandro raised one dark, bushy eyebrow. ‘Where’d you go?’
    Archer took a gulp of his beer and shrugged. ‘I took a drive. Ended up in one of those — what do you call them — fortified towns.’
    â€˜Oh, lovely. Which one, Monteriggioni? San Gimignano? Siena?’
    Archer clicked his fingers. ‘Siena.’
    Alessandro gaped at him with a how-the-hell-do-you-not-know look. ‘So what did you do there? Sightseeing?’
    â€˜Not much.’ He shrugged. ‘Sat at a table in the city centre, ordered a meal, watched tourists walk by.’
    Alessandro’s mouth fell open. ‘You mean the piazza. It’s one of Tuscany’s tourism highlights. Did you visit the Duomo?’
    Archer was beginning to feel like a student being grilled by a frustrated teacher. ‘The what?’
    â€˜The Duomo. It’s considered to be one of Italy’s most impressive cathedrals.’
    Archer glanced about for Rosalina. He needed saving. ‘No, I didn’t do any sightseeing.’
    â€˜You would have passed it to get to the piazza. The entire façade looks like it’s decorated with marble icing?’ Alessandro raised both his eyebrows this time, and Archer thought if he raised them any higher his eyes might pop right out of his head.
    Archer shrugged. ‘I didn’t really look around much. I was just killing time.’
    â€˜You should look around.’ Alessandro shook his head. ‘Some of the most beautiful things in the world are often right in front of you.’
    With perfect timing, Rosalina slipped into the chair between them. The coincidence of her arrival was obviously not lost on Alessandro as he locked eyes with Archer. A silent battle brewed between them, but it was Alessandro who was the ultimate winner when he placed his palm over Rosalina’s hand. Archer kept his seething at bay.
    â€˜So what have you boys been talking about?’ Rosalina shared her gaze evenly between the two men, and Archer thought if she kept it up, she might keel over with dizziness.
    â€˜Archer was telling me about his little visit to Siena.’
    â€˜Oh, lovely,’ she said.
    â€˜Well, it would have been lovely, except he failed to partake in any sightseeing.’
    â€˜Don’t