Haley With the Hazel Eyes

Chapter 14: Just Talking

"What are you working on?" Luc asked. "Every time you have a spare moment, you're tapping away on your laptop."

It was a few days later, and Luc had just returned to their hotel from a rehearsal. His shows started tomorrow night, and he was rehearsing a lot.

"Oh, not much, just a possible article for the magazine," Haley answered. "I'm thinking of doing a piece on the European leg of your tour, a behind the scenes sort of thing?" Haley had decided that sticking as close to the truth as she could would be the safest course, with the least chance of getting tangled in a lie.

Luc smiled at her, pleased. "That's a marvelous idea," he declared. "I could even give you some quotes, if you like. Would this help you?"

"That would be great," Haley answered, mustering a smile. "But let's see if there's actually a story before you commit yourself, okay?"

"Whatever you say." Luc sat down next to her, and Haley closed her laptop.

"I don't like to share my work before I've finished a rough draft," she explained.

"I understand completely. Sometimes I like to share a work in progress with someone, but sometimes I don't want anyone to hear or see my work until I've completed it," Luc responded with a nod. "So," he continued, "what did you do all day? While I was at the venue?"

Haley shrugged, causing Luc to notice her lovely shoulders, newly tanned from their time out exploring the city. "I walked around for a bit, wrote some letters and post cards, ate the most marvelous salad for lunch, then came back here to work."

"You wrote letters?" Luc repeated, raising his eyebrows. "Like actual letters? On paper?"

"Yeah, there's a beautiful old post office right down the street," Haley responded, nodding.

"Well, first of all, the concierge here at the hotel could mail anything for you that you wanted," Luc said, shaking his head. "No need to go to a post office. Secondly, I don't think I know anyone who actually writes letters anymore."

"Are you making fun of me again?" Haley asked, sitting up. "I love going to the post office, it's gorgeous, like I said. And the old woman who works there, Gilberta? She's so interesting and nice."

"Interesting and nice? How do you know how nice or interesting she is?" Luc countered, sitting up himself. This was fun. "You don't speak the language?"

"Well, it's a funny thing with Italian," Haley said, warming to her topic, eyes shining. "If communication is the ultimate goal, then her minimal English, along with my minimal Italian, are enough, as long as we throw the hand gestures in. Gilberta wants to communicate with me, she wants to talk to me, and that makes all the difference."

"So what's so interesting and nice about her?" Luc asked.

"Her son is in medical school at Columbia," Haley responded. "He's studying cardiology. And she has four cats, all named after a member of the Beatles."

"Cardiology?" Luc was astounded. "How did you communicate that word? I don't think I even know that word."

"Don't be an idiot," Haley answered with a laugh. "It's just 'cardiologia', nearly the same as the English. Plus, she said cuore, while pointing at her heart." Haley sat back, complacent. "See what I mean about communication? She liked my dress, too, the one with the sunflowers? She said I was una bellissima ragazza, isn't that nice?"

"Very, very nice," Luc agreed, smiling at her.

Today she was wearing a tank top and shorts, and her feet were starting to get tan marks from the straps of her favorite sandals, a fact which seemed very dear to Luc. He thought Haley had enchanting feet, with her little toes with the pink nail polish.