Read Online Summer in Sorrento by Melissa Hill - Free Book Online Page B

day? To do something out of the ordinary? I t’ s called a‘ holida y’ because it is, i t’ s a break from your normal life.  On a holiday you do n’ t worry about the air conditioning going on the blin k— because you are too busy looking for your next adventure to care . ”
                  Hal grimaced.  “ I was only trying to help with that . ”
                  “ An d I appreciate it.  But no w’ s the time to not worry about the mechanical function of this plac e— and it is time to worry about your wife and wha t’ s happening out there . ”   She pointed out the window.  “ Apparently, the two of you fell in love with this place and each other, before.  Why do n’ t you do it again ? ”
                  Offering another shrug, Hal stayed silent and pondered this.
                  Maia took her mug of coffee and sat down.  “ You know when Jim, my husband and I, lived in Ireland, before we came here, all we did was work, work, work.  I was a graphic designer, I worked in a busy company in Dublin.  Jim worked in finance. He had always talked about wanting to move here when he retired .” She laughed at the memory.  “ I remember at first thinking he was just spouting off big dreams.  It was only after I saw the brochures laid out all over this exact same table ,” she motioned to the wood under their coffee cups ,“ did I realise he was serious.  Buying an old farmhouse, in Italy of all place s— well, I thought he was quite craz y— the spontaneity of that!  Can you imagine?  But, the supporting wife that I was, well, I finally agreed.  When we got here, we worked harder than we ever worked in our corporate jobs I think.  In fact, I know we did.  But something else happened in the midst of all that.  Jim started doing things that I would have never pictured him doing when we lived in Dublin.  Like one day, I walked into the kitchen, and the place was just a mess.  We were in the process of ripping out the floors, and I kind of cringed because I knew it was just going to be a very long day, but then Jim said ,‘ No, we are doing something different today ,’ and he held up this picnic basket.  A picnic? I thought, really?  But tha t’ s just what we did, after he convinced me that the work could wait until another day, that there would always be more work to do on a place like this, but that ultimately, we had come here for a reason . ”
                  “ So what did you do ?” Hal asked.
                  “ We went on a picnic ,” Maia laughed.  “ We walked down the hillside and spent the entire day basking in the sunshine eating bread and cheese, and drinking wine.  It was a perfect day . ”   Maia paused recalling the day, reliving the memory.  “ And Jim was right.  I ca n’ t believe it took us leaving Dublin and the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives to realise that sometimes you need to just stop and connect with the person you love.  Jim said one time, it was after we finished renovating one room in this place ,‘ Well this looks great, but I’ ve had enough for one day ,’ and I was so intent on just admiring our work, looking at the new paint, and walking around on the floors we had put down and all thi s stuf f , that Jim finally had to pull me from the room.  He said ,‘ I love what we did, but it wo n’ t keep me warm at nigh t— you will .’ I guess my point is, this place allowed him and I, even for a short time, to find balance in our lives. I realise you and Lori are n’ t moving in ,” she smiled ,“ but maybe it can work its magic on you two while you are here. If you let it . ”
                  Hal smiled.  “ So how do I get started on some of thi s‘ magi c’? ”
                  Laughing, Maia got up from where she sat and reached for a vase of flowers.  “ I thought you would never as k— okay, her e’ s what you do