S MAGAZINE ★ 28 JULY 2019 55
FICTION
limoncino liqueur in the lemon-tree
scented courtyard. But still, neither
was ready to give in.
On Day Five, Jack surprised
himself by not trailing at the back
of the hiking group as they trekked
to Monterosso. He noticed how the
church bells broke the exquisite
silence, tolling one after the other
and echoing across the valley;
how the leaves of the olive trees
became almost translucent in the
morning light and how the sunlight
glistened on the sea far below.
At the market, Ellie was so busy
checking the fat tomatoes and
glossy aubergines for ripeness
that she didn’t even think about
the hike she could have been
enjoying on the coastal trail.
By the end of the week, Ellie was
operating a pasta machine with
ease and Jack felt fitter than he
had done for years.
“How did you enjoy our holiday?”
he asked on the way home.
“It was the holiday of a lifetime,”
she answered, surprised that she
meant every word. She’d acquired
a new skill, and a sense of
achievement when others enjoyed
her cooking. As for Jack, he looked
like a new man.
They had both fallen in love with
The Lemon Tree Hotel.
“And the bet?” he asked.
“Let’s call it quits,” she replied.
After the holiday ended, they
agreed to share the cooking and
Jack put his name down for the
next half-marathon. Ellie felt closer
to Jack than ever. They had
stepped out of their comfort
zones... and survived. As a couple
they were stronger for it.
Still, she vowed to herself, things
would be very different on their
next holiday – there wouldn’t be a
pasta machine in sight.Rosanna Ley’s new novel
The Lemon Tree Hotel (Quercus,
£7.99) is out now. See Express
Bookshop on page 77.convinced he’d sprained his ankle.
Ellie bathed his grazes and allowed
herself a secret smile. Today’s
Italian pastry had been spoiled by
a soggy bottom but now, she was
confident she’d win the bet.
“Do you think you’ll still be able
to walk tomorrow?” she cooed.
“If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl,” he
growled back at her.
On Day Four, they had the
afternoon off. Ellie hiked up to the
Sanctuary, drank in the air scented
with mountain thyme and later, took
a well-earned dip in the sea. But
she hadn’t been idle: the walnut
sauce she’d made that morning
was quite the hit at dinner. Jack in
the meantime had sneaked into
the kitchen while she was out to
create a panna cotta with the
requisite wobble for dessert.
After dinner, they rewarded
themselves with coffee andOn Day One, Jack covered
himself in sunscreen and set off
with the group for Corniglia. Ellie
learnt how to prepare trofie al
pesto. He trudged up the hillside,
sweating and weary. She kneaded
her pasta dough and gazed
longingly out of the window.
By Day Two, Jack sported several
blisters and his face was red and
blotchy from the sun. Ellie was in a
bad mood. Her tomato sauce was
too thin and she was desperate to
escape the heat of the kitchen.
“Are you ready to give up yet?”
Jack asked hopefully.
“No way.” Ellie’s mouth was set.
“I can’t wait to make melanzane
alla parmigiana tomorrow.”
“Really?”
She stared him out. “Really.”
On Day Three, Jack slipped on
the gravelly path and took a tumble
into a prickly pear. He was●SThe Comfor t Zone
J
ack and Ellie had always
liked different things.
Jack was a creative –
especially in the kitchen.
Ellie was a PE teacher
who ran half-marathons for charity
in her spare time. She loved
the outdoors; he preferred to
stay out of the sun.
They’d lived together for five
years now. But every year it was
the same story – they always
argued about where to go on
holiday. Every year, it was a
compromise. But this year, Ellie
had found the perfect place.
The Lemon Tree Hotel was in the
Cinque Terre on the glamorous
Italian Riviera. There was group
trekking while the chef ran a
cookery course. “Something for
both of us,” Ellie told Jack. What
could possibly go wrong?
Two days before they left for Italy,
they had dinner to celebrate the
holiday ahead. Jack cooked his
signature rack of lamb.
“Mum always said I should learn
to cook in case I ended up with a
girl who couldn’t find her way
around a kitchen,” he quipped.
“I can cook though,” she said,
giving him one of her looks.
“Well, how do you think you’d do
in this cookery course in Italy?”
Something that Jack and Ellie did
share, was a competitive instinct.
She stood up.
“What about you?” Ellie asked.
“Would you be fit enough to hike
the craggy trails between these
villages? I don’t think so.”
Their eyes locked in battle.
So it was that by the time they
arrived at the hotel, nestled amidst
an olive grove, overlooking the
colourful village of Vernazza and
the Mediterranean sea, it was Jack
who tackled the hiking trails and
Ellie who joined the cookery
course. They’d had a bet and
swapped places. Whoever gave up
first also gave up the right to pick
their next holiday destination.Simply swapping places can rekindle your relationship’s spark Short story by Rosanna Ley
© ROSANNA LEY 2019 / ILLUSTRATION: ALAMY