Page 55 of Once Upon a Time in Venice

They had chosen the perfect day to visit. On Murano, no one was wearing a Carnival costume, and the island was an ocean of peace compared to the city throng, just the sound of church bells ringing out on a Sunday morning.

‘This is awesome,’ Brad grinned, staring in delight from behind his dark glasses, as Issy looked around anxiously. Once again, Brad had insisted on going out without a bodyguard, donning an inconspicuous outfit along with a baseball cap, but Issy was still nervous that he might be recognized and cause a stampede.

‘Hey, Daniela,’ Brad smiled at her. ‘Do you like hot chocolate?’ The group were walking past a picturesque café, advertising its wares on a chalkboard outside, its front open for passers-by wanting to grab a takeaway. It was mid-morning – not long since breakfast, and too early for lunch – but the enticing smell of rich coffee and freshly baked sugary pastries drifted out from inside.

‘Yum,’ Daniela beamed. ‘It’s one of my favourite things in the world.’

‘Leave it to me,’ Brad grinned, as he strolled up to the counter and said with a flourish, ‘Cinque cioccolate calde, per favore.’

The woman behind the counter stared at him for a long moment. Despite his attempts to go incognito, his muscular figure, deep gravelly voice and American-accented Italian all made him stand out.

‘Sì, subito,’ she said eventually with a blush, turning to get his order.

‘You’re not supposed to be drawing attention to yourself,’ Issy warned him.

Brad shrugged, looking genuinely confused. ‘I thought I was blending right in. Wouldn’t I pass for an Italian?’

Gina caught Marco’s eye and the two of them burst into laughter.

‘Sorry, Brad, you won’t be winning an Oscar for this role,’ Marco grinned, as Brad pretended to look offended.

They got their creamy hot chocolate in takeaway cups so they could stroll along the canal. Dozens of brightly coloured boats were moored on either side, bobbing gently on the undulating water, while a sleek tabby cat lazed in a doorway, luxuriating in a patch of sunlight.

Brad and Issy walked on ahead, as Marco, Gina and Daniela made slower progress. Daniela wanted to look in every shop window, and Marco was happy to indulge her.

‘That was very sweet,’ Issy commented, as she and Brad strolled across a stone bridge, admiring a pair of white swans drifting underneath. At Brad’s quizzical look, she explained, ‘With Daniela, and the hot chocolate.’

‘She’s a sweet kid. I can’t believe it’s six years since I first met her. Time flies real fast. She’s been through a lot, what with losing her mom and everything … But she’s great.’ Brad spoke about her with real affection, and Issy saw a side to him that she’d never seen before.

She wanted to ask him about children – whether he wanted them, and regretted not having them with Lexi – but she knew it wasn’t her place. There’d been rumours for years in the tabloid press about why they hadn’t started a family, and Issy felt it would be insensitive to ask. But then Brad surprised her by saying, ‘Do you have brothers and sisters? I feel like I don’t know much about you. You’ve worked for me for, what? Three years now?’

‘Exactly three years on the twentieth of March,’ Issy confirmed.

‘Our anniversary,’ Brad grinned, with a movie-star grin that lit up his face. ‘I’ll make sure my PA puts it in my diary, so I remember to send flowers.’

Issy knew he was teasing, but there was something in the way he was looking at her that made her unsure.

‘Three years, and yet I know so little about you,’ Brad mused. ‘I guess that makes me an asshole boss.’

‘No, it doesn’t. It just makes you a very busy guy. I’ve seen your schedule, remember?’

Brad smiled. ‘So, tell me all about yourself. I want to know everything – where you’re from, if you have siblings, what you want out of life …’

Issy hesitated. In truth, she felt uncomfortable speaking about her family, especially given the situation with her mom. She didn’t want to give Brad any reason to be suspicious of her, but she was happy to give him the sanitized version of her life.

‘I grew up in Reno, and I have a younger sister, Kirsten. I was … almost like a mom to her. Our own mom … wasn’t around much,’ Issy said carefully. She and Brad were in the most beautiful location, sharing a moment of connection, and her mom wasn’t going to ruin this for her. ‘My dad left when I was just a kid, so I had to make sure that Kirsten got to school on time, that she did her homework. I used to cook dinner for her, and make her packed lunch. Even when I went away to college, I was working as many hours as I could in the local diner to support myself and to send money home to Kirsten too …’ Issy trailed off, wondering if she’d said too much. She hadn’t meant to overshare like that, but there was something about Brad that had made her want to be truthful.

‘Wow,’ he said quietly. ‘I can’t believe I never knew that about you. You’ve worked so hard … I think that we’re alike, you and me. Some people in this business don’t get it – they come from privileged backgrounds, with money or connections, and don’t appreciate what it takes to work your way up from the bottom. I think that fear of having it all taken away never leaves you. It gives you that sense of drive.’

‘Totally,’ Issy nodded, trying to hide her surprise. She’d never imagined that Brad Redford, of all people, could feel insecure.

‘What does your sister do now?’ he asked.

‘She’s at college, studying law.’

‘Iz, that’s incredible.’

‘Yeah, I’m really proud of her,’ Issy said with feeling. ‘It was all worth the effort.’