Out of the Past

Granny here,
Out of the Past by Billie Smith

                                                   Chapter 4 Part 2

     Leslie was having no problems getting attention of her own, the guys were gathering around her like sharks on their prey, but she knew how to handle herself, she had been in situations like this before, and she enjoyed it. She had been swimming many times at this beach and she always had a group of admirers and she always did some admiring of her own. The guys in Calabria were very handsome and she always enjoyed the attention that they gave her . What girl wouldn't?
     Daisy was a good swimmer, she had worked as a life guard at the local pool in her hometown during the summers. She was just about to dive under the water when she felt a hand on her back; she turned around suddenly to face Tory's big brown eyes again, which always threw her off guard. Before she had time to think out her strategy, Tory had taken her in his arms and dissed her, she pulled away and dove into the water to hide for fear of her response to what was a wonderful experience but she didn't want him to know she thought so. When she came up out of the water, Tory was still to close for comfort, "Hope you didn't mind me taking such liberty, Daisy, but you looked so beautiful, I just couldn't resist," explained Tory. "Let's just forget it, said Daisy swimming back to shore.
     Leslie was already relaxing on the blanket, enjoying the stars in the night sky. Daisy stretched out beside her, "Something wrong, Daisy," she asked. "No, just trying to figure things out, that's all. This is such a beautiful place," said Daisy trying to change the subject. About that time Tory cae kicking sand like a school boy and Daisy was glad for the interruption, it brought an end to Leslie's questioning. "We need to get going, the fireworks will be starting soon" said Tory as he gave the san a final kick and ran to the beach house to change clothes. The girls raced to change back into their street clothes, Daisy still tasting Tory's kiss n her lips. She couldn't deny that she wanted more but would keep her desires to herself for the time being. It was too early to be getting involved.
     The evening was a dream come true for Daisy, the fireworks were out of this world, she had never seen such a display except for Disney World back home. They lasted for quite some time and it was the wee hours of the morning when Tory pulled up in front of the hotel. He told Leslie he would be right back as he opened the door for Daisy and offered his hand. He always walked Daisy to her door but tonight daisy felt a little different than she had in the past, he told her goodnight and kissed her on the forehead, He wanted to stay longer and give her a real kiss but the hour told him this was not the time and besides he had Leslie waiting. Daisy told him goodnight and dreamed of the day she would give her a real kiss but right now it was only a dream for both of them.
     Daisy would have to settle for dreams right now and hope they would come true in the future. She was afraid her heart had been won by this dark eyed stranger, she had not planned for it and she certainly had been caught off guard. This was happening way to fast but what's girl to do with a run away heart? Daisy had to find out or she was going to be in big trouble.
      She could hardly go to sleep that night, she could not empty her mind of those big brown eyes of Tory's. She couldn't forget the kiss in the water; she couldn't forget that she wanted more. Her mind was racing; she couldn't forget his face as she drifted off to Daisy's dreamland, a place that only she could go but she knew she couldn't stay there, tomorrow reality would be waiting.
     Daisy had an appointment with a local realtor the next day to take a tour of more rentals; they were picking her up at ten a.m. She knew the sooner she found a place of her own, the sooner she could get on with her life. It was not going to be easy to find a place on her budget with all the things she wanted, she would make concessions if it became necessary, but she was willing to give it a try , maybe she would be lucky and find something this time out.
     Angelina Bello was Daisy's realtor for the day, a very friendly lady who seemed more than willing to help Daisy find a home. She was right on time and daisy met her in the lobby, she introduced herself and said, "I have several places lined up for you to see today, Daisy, maybe one of them will be just what your are looking for. Two are apartments and the other is a small villa that I think will meet with your approval." Daisy was so looking forward to finding her own place, she loved to entertain and wanted something that would be suitable for that but had heard stories  of how small the living quarters were in some of the foreign countries, she could only hope, maybe this was her lucky day.
      Angelina was a better driver than the last chauffeur that had taken Daisy house hunting, at least this helped Daisy to relax and keep her mind on the business at hand, finding a place of her own.
     The realtor was a good conversationalist and kept Daisy's attention as they made their way to the first apartment. It was located in a cute neighborhood, the streets were of cobblestone, but there was no parking if Daisy bought a car which she intended to do, so that was a downer. It was very small, about five hundred square feet which in Daisy's estimation was a good sized closet. It was so small that daisy wasn't concerned about furnishings because there would be no where to put them. It was sixteen hundred American dollars a month plus utilities which Daisy thought was extremely high for what she would be getting. The tiny apartment was not what Daisy was looking for and within a few minutes she was ready to move on.
     The second place located in the Reggio region was a small stone villa; it had two bedrooms, kitchen and living room but only one bath. There was a lovely veranda that overlooked the valley that ran between the mountains. Daisy too a deep breath as Angelina parked the car, "This rents for eighteen hundred American dollars a month but utilities are included. I think it is a good bargain for the money and I'm sure you are going to love it." She opened the door and as Daisy walked in she knew she was home, she loved it. It had stone floors that instantly gave away its age, "This villa is over two hundred years old, Daisy, isn't it enchanting? Said Angelina, you will love the outdoor living on the veranda overlooking the valley, it's a beautiful place."
     Daisy liked what she saw, the kitchen and living room combined to form a lovely area for entertaining, it had a beautiful stone fireplace with gorgeous windows on either side which let in lots of natural light. The kitchen cabinets were distressed honey maple that fit perfectly in with the rest of the homes décor. The bedrooms were adequate, the yard was just the right size and wouldn't require too much maintenance , and it had lovely landscaping and there was also a lovely garden with beautiful flowers and large stones that were used for seating. Yes, this was Daisy's dream home; she was sure this was the one but decided to look at the third place just to be sure.
     Number three was a four room apartment in a high rise in the center of the city. It was on the sixth floor, the kitchen was not furnished with cabinets and Daisy would have t furnish that herself, which would be expensive. The rooms were very small, one would say they were tiny and the bathroom had no tub and Daisy did love her soaking time. Although it didn't have much to offer, it did have a lovely view off the balcony that Daisy did like but that wasn't enough to keep it on her list.
     Angelina quizzed Daisy on the way back to the hotel hoping she had found something that would fit Daisy's must have list. Daisy definitely thought all the places were too expensive, to small or had too much work that needed to be done except the villa. By the time they arrived back at the hotel Daisy had made up her mind to take the small stone villa that felt like home when she entered. It was so quaint, so full of history and it was just what she was looking for. "Angelina, I will be in the office tomorrow to sign a lease on the villa, I think it's the one for me," said Daisy  as she unbuckled her seat belt. "That will be great; I'll see you around ten." "I'll see you then" and Daisy shut the door and began dreaming of her new home and all the decorating she had to do.

     Daisy plopped down in the big easy chair and dialed her mom t tell her all the good news; she was so excited that she had found such a dreamy place to call her own. She just loved the idea of living in a house that was so old, that had so much to tell, she was sure it must have volumes of history stored within it's walls. She was already making plans in her mind to become the next Sherlock Holmes of her new dwelling. she was going to dig up all the history she could on the place while living there, it would give her something to do with her spare time if her dream of a real relationship with Tory didn't develop.
      Daisy's mom answered the telephone with her usual hardy hello and was amazed that Daisy had found a place so soon. She knew Daisy had high standards and thought it would be difficult for her to meet her must have list so fast, so this did come as a surprise. "Mom, I've found the perfect place, it is a small villa on the outskirts of town, it is two hundred years old and so quaint and lovely. It overlooks a beautiful valley, it has a great veranda for all those summer evenings, I know I'm going to love living there. It has a garden that is in full bloom, mom, I love it." "Slow down, dear, it certainly seems you have found your dream house, I hope it proves to be just that, it will make settling in so much easier. The house sounds adorable, Daisy, just the right size for a beginning. What plans do you have in mind, knowing you , your wheels are already turning," kidded her mom. "Oh, mom, I'm not that bad, just take after my mother, I guess. I can't wait for you and dad to visit, it's the most adorable place, with a stone façade, a veranda with a gorgeous view, and a beautiful kitchen, and you know how I love to cook or at leas try. Maybe I'll get better with all the Italian cooks around." "I can tell you're excited dear, we are so happy for you; we will be visiting as soon as dad gets some time off at the office. Keep us up to date on your progress and if we can help from this distance let us know, ok? Love you, have a great day." And Daisy heard the click; long distance was expensive so her mother always tried to keep the conversations short and to the point.
     Daisy felt that she mucst call her new friend Leslie and fill her in on all the details fo  her new home and all the exciting things she had planned for it. She dialed the number and was surprised when a male voice answered, It was Tory, "Hello, Tory, is Leslie available? " Asked Daisy trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Not at this moment, Aunt Maria has taken her out or the day, can I be of assistance?" "I don't think so, I just called to tell her the good news about my new place, and could you have her give me a call when she returns?" "You can tell me about it, you certainly sound excited. I'll be glad to give Leslie your message, and since I have you on the phone, how about me picking you up for lunch? We could go to the Cafe' Calabria in Crotone', it's a great outdoor café overlooking some beautiful vineyards." Daisy was breathing hard, she knew she would be a nervous wreck alone with Tory but she also knew she wanted this very much and how could a girl graciously say no to such an invitation. She took a deep breath and said "I'd love that Tory, what time will you be picking me up?"
"I'll be there within the hour, meet me in the lobby." And he hung up before she had time to answer.
     Daisy quickly changed from the tired clothes she had worn house hunting that morning into a cute white, eyelet dress with a square neckline and puffed sleeves that accentuated her tan, white was always a good choice when you wanted to look darker than you  really were. She clipped her hair up to expose her neck so she could display the gold choker that made her eyes sparkle. Her sandals were set off by the French pedicure she had just gotten. She grabbed a lace shawl just in case the afternoon turned chilly before she returned.
      She grabbed her purse and out the door she went, going down in the elevator the butterflies were dancing in her stomach. The doors opened and Tory met her face to face, "Are you sure I'm the guy you're meeting? You look gorgeous, Daisy," and he took her by the hand. "Do you say that to all the girls?" asked Daisy in a joking way. "no, just those that fit the bill." He opened the car door and Daisy slid in, she could smell his masculine aroma that made her head swim, but she had come to love that feeling especially when Tory had brought it about.
     The ride to Crotone' was very scenic, the day was o lovely that Daisy felt as if she were in a dream and she very well could have been with this good looking guy by her side. she had many dreams in her life of moments such as this but now they were coming true, did she dare believe it, did she dare let herself become involved as her heart wanted her to? Would she take the chance or play it safe? Was she a gambler? Only time would tell and right now Daisy didn't have the answers to any of these questions. She may not now herself as well as she thought.
      Café Calabria was everything Tory had described, a quaint outdoor café, overlooking acres of vineyards, row after row of vines loaded with the most beautiful grapes stretched before them as the waiter seated them at their table. It was in the perfect spot to take advantage of the views and away from the crowd that gave them the privacy they both wanted so they could enjoy each other. The veranda was a picture like something out of a Greek novel with the pillars and ornate railings. The stone architectures age was evident from all the wear and tear that gave the region an identity all its own, it was just another thing to take daisy's breath away, Tor was good at that all by himself.
      Tory ordered wine for them and they had decided to have pizza, since they were in Italy after all. Daisy's butterflies were still fluttering as she tried to make conversation but she wasn't hearing much o what he had to say, she was zoned out in her own world. "Hey, there, you with the stars in your eyes", Daisy came back at that moment to hear Tory speaking to her and was embarrassed that she had been carried away, what's wrong with me? She thought. "I'm sorry, Tory, I was carried away by the beauty of this place, she said lying to him and to herself, now what were you saying?"
     The afternoon was lovely, the pizza was delicious and the wine added that special touch to their time together. Daisy reached for her glass, as she raised it to take a sip she felt Tory's hand brush over hers and bring it to the table, he removed the glass from her hand and enclosed them into his. Looking into his eyes she suddenly became lost in that dark chocolate color, if any eyes cold take her away it was those looking at her at this moment. "Daisy, I'm so glad you chose Calabria as your new home, you know I'm smitten with you?" "No, I didn't know that Tory, we've only known each other a short while," said Daisy and she removed her hands form his. "I know we've only known each other a short time but you are different Daisy, I want to get to know you better, will that be possible?" "We'll see no need to rush into anything," answered Daisy trying to keep her heart from beating out of her chest, knowing that was exactly what she wanted too. At least she now had some idea of how he felt about her and maybe she did have a chance with him after all.
     Let's change the subject, tell me all about this fabulous place you're going to call home, said Tory. Daisy did as he ask and gave him all the details of her new home. "I think it's going to be a great place to live, Tory, it's just perfect for me. I'll have two weeks to get moved in before starting my new job with the immigration department." "Well, you can count on me, as he got up to assist Daisy with her chair, we need to get going."
     The ride back to the hotel was somewhat quiet, Tory was minding the road and Daisy was minding her own business. She was thinking of what Tory meant by being smittten.
     Tory parked the car and went around to open the door for Daisy, "Thanks for a wonderful afternoon, Daisy, I would love to do it again, if you would be interested," he said as he lifted her by the hand to help her out. As she came close to him she could feel the heat from from his body which caused her to take a deep breath, she had to put a hold on her emotions, why did he affect her this way? He walked her to the door and gave her a small kiss on the cheek; Daisy could hardly restrain herself as his intoxicating cologne filled the air. Tory was feeling the same desire as Daisy as he started to let go of her hand he suddenly had a change of heart, he pulled her to him , pressed his lips on hers and the passion was unleashed between them. Daisy quickly pulled away, but the look in her eyes told Tory this was not the end but only the beginning.
     Daisy shut the door and fell against it, what had just happened? She had only met Tory and already her emotions had been paralyzed by him. What was going on here? She had never met anyone before that had such an affect on her. she had to get control, this was happening way to fast, it was not in her plans for something like this to happen, and certainly not this soon. For the rest of the evening, thought of Tory went around in Daisy's head, she couldn't seem to get rid of him , was he there to stay? coould it be possible that she had met Mr. Right so soon?
     Daisy would have to stay at the hotel for a few more days until she had signed the lease and got her new home cleaned, her furniture bought and delivered. She would call Leslie and find out if she had the time to take her furniture shopping, she was sure that she would want to help her out. They made plans to go shopping Saturday morning, they would have breakfast in the hotel dining room and leave from there. Leslie told Daisy that Tory really wanted to go but had a load fo things to do before going back to work Monday, to please give him a rain check. Daisy was glad in a way that he was unable to go with them, she really didn't want to face him again so soon and she wouldn't be able to keep her mind on the business at hand if he came along. She had a long shopping list, she needed absolutely everything and it was going to be a very tiring day but she was up to it and couldn't wait to choose her new furnishings.