Honeymoon For Three Page 8

  Too much champagne had given her the courage and the audacity to say things she might otherwise have thought twice about. Now she had gone and messed it all up.

  Leaving Nico and returning home were the right things to do.

  She had not returned to the Casa Adriana, nor had she ventured out to Montova again. Most of her work there was now done. She had talked about returning to Natale’s factory for one last time, but that had been when she’d been dragging out her stay here, lengthening her time in Verona, so that she had more time with Nico.

  Now she could not wait to get the hell out.

  There was one slight problem in her hasty plan though. There was still the huge boatload of products to be shipped out. Nico had promised that he would help her. She knew nothing about navigating the muddy waters of freight and international shipments. She needed his help, but she didn’t want to ask him for it. But with her return flight now unchanged and in a couple of days time, she had to be the bigger person and ask for his help.

  She had to face him at some time. There was no other way around it. She would go to the Casa Adriana and ask Nico. She would salvage what was left of their friendship. He had always helped her and looked out for her. If he avoided her now, she knew it was because she had hurt him.

  She made her way to the hotel. Remembering other such trips in previous days, pangs of sadness gnarled their way around her heart. She could never repay the kindness Nico had shown her and she would feel better about things if they parted as friends. She had started taking this place for granted and now that her time here was almost over, she was feeling the sadness more and more each day.

  Ava approached the hotel’s reception desk to find Gina rushing around, busy as always, but this morning a little more agitated than she had ever seen her. She prayed that Nico would be in his office.

  “Hi, Gina.” Ava flicked a glance at the office door, just behind Gina, hoping that Nico would appear. It would be easier for her to speak to him here, with others, than the two of them alone in his office.

  Gina looked at her, then glanced away quickly. Her usual warm self not much in evidence today. Ava didn’t think too much about it, although she found it odd. The thought of facing Nico gnawed away at her.

  “Is Nico in?”

  “Er, no. He had a meeting in town. I think he’s due back soon.” Gina opened her mouth to say something but instead, the voice that Ava heard was Rona’s.

  Rona?

  Ava dismissed the thought as soon as it appeared, casting doubt on her ears. Her anxiety about Nico was getting to her.

  “Car-los!”

  Ava stepped back and shook her head.

  “Don’t just stand there looking at her. Get me a change of clothes, Carlos.”

  Ava’s stomach heaved; she stared in the direction of the conservatory, knowing that that voice did not belong here.

  “Car-los!”

  Gina swallowed. “I meant to tell you that your family arrived last night—”

  Before she could finish her sentence Ava charged toward the conservatory. There was no mistaking it. That was Rona’s voice. It had that edge that could only come from a high-strung woman who had not slept well in days. Ava could hear the tiredness in it.

  A long flight with a young baby could not have been easy. Not if she knew her niece. Tori could not sit still for more than a couple of minutes. Carlos being with them would have helped, but Tori would always want her mother over her father, no matter how much Carlos did—and he did a lot.

  “Ava.” A gentle hand on her shoulder from behind startled her. Without even turning around, she knew that touch and instinctively she knew straightaway who it was.

  She came along, too?

  “Mom?” Ava spun around and threw her arms automatically around her mother’s small shoulders. The more she held her, the more Ava realized she needed her mother’s hug. “What are you doing here, Mom?” She pulled away, a dozen questions sat on her lips waiting for escape.

  “We were worried about you. We wanted to surprise you.”

  But the words were lost on Ava, whose jaw dropped at the realization that her entire family was now at the Casa Adriana.

  Not in Denver. But here.

  “Worried? Why? I’m flying home in a few days, Mom.”

  “You are?”

  “I am.”

  Now it was her mother’s turn to be shocked. “Well, if I’d have known that we wouldn’t have come out here looking for you.”

  “I thought I told you.”

  “No, dear,” Elsa said, “You were always very vague about your return date.”

  Ava’s decision to extend her stay even further had fallen through after that dinner at the Casa di Giulietta and she hadn’t gotten around to changing her return flight anyway. But it didn’t matter anymore, because her whole family were now here.

  She linked arms with her mother and they walked into the eating area.

  Carlos’s huge frame was the first thing Ava saw as they stepped into the conservatory. He was busy rummaging through the baby bag and as he pulled out a change of clothes for Tori, his face brightened at seeing Ava.

  “Hey, Carlos.” She stepped forward and hugged him warmly. Ava got on well with her brother-in-law. Her affinity for him came more from feeling sorry for him having to deal with Rona most of the time, than for anything else. Though he was funny and unpretentious, too.

  “Good to see you, Ava. They were worried about you. Don’t know why; you’re looking swell.” He gestured toward Rona, who sat with Tori on her lap near the side of the table.

  Tori’s face and hands were covered with slime. Rona’s eyes met Ava’s gaze.

  “Ava,” she croaked. Rona handed Tori over to Carlos, then got up with a look of trepidation on her face. The two sisters hugged each other stiffly. Rona scrutinized Ava’s face, obviously looking for clues. “You look well enough,” she concluded. “Do you mind? I’m starving.” She fell back into her seat and started eating. Beside her Carlos struggled with an excitable Tori who had made a game out of getting changed. Beads of sweat laced his forehead, and the table setting for him showed a barely touched bowl of soup and bread rolls.

  Ava watched her sister stuffing her face. Elsa sat down opposite Rona. It was surreal having her whole family appear out of thin air here in Verona.

  Connor coming here had been bad enough. She had just about recovered from his following her to Verona. But the unannounced arrival of her entire family en masse had trumped all as far as shock went.

  She expected to wake up anytime soon.

  “Tell me again why you were all worried about me?” She tried to word it as politely as she could and directed her question to nobody in particular.

  “Mom said you met someone. That was enough to give me the heebie jeebies.” Rona mopped up her soup with her ciabatta. “Umm-hmm. This is good!” She smacked her lips in appreciation.

  Ava looked at her mom in disbelief. Yup, definitely should have left that little morsel of gossip out of the equation. Too late now.

  “Why don’t you let Carlos eat now, honey? He’s hungry, too,” her mother added quietly.

  Carlos had finally finished changing little Tori’s clothes. “They were really worried about you,” he confirmed, giving Ava a knowing wink.

  “Let me take her, Carlos. You eat.” Ava grabbed little Tori from Carlos, scooping her niece up in her arms, and giving her another huge kiss. Tori looked at her dubiously, but as soon as Ava opened her mouth and gushed, “Hey, you!” the little girl knew for sure this was definitely the aunt she had not seen in a while.

  “I have missed you.” Ava peppered the little girl with kisses all over her face.

  “I wish they’d told me you were coming back. Had a hard enough time getting my dad to let me have a couple of weeks off.” Carlos dug into his food and completely ignored Rona in all of this.

  “A couple of weeks?” said Ava in amazement. Tori ran her soft little fingers all across her aunt’s face. “Did i
t ever occur to any of you to call and ask me?” She wasn’t a teenager anymore that her entire family had to fly around the world looking for her.

  “Mom?” Ava said, wanting further explanation.

  “Don’t get all mad at Mom. Tell us who you’ve met. I thought you came out here to get your life back in order.” Rona had almost licked the plate clean. The waiters discreetly cleared the table.

  Ava ignored her sister. “You’re staying here for two weeks?” The Casa Adriana wasn’t cheap. Ava wondered how they were going to afford it all.

  “I need a break, anyway. I don’t see why you should have all the fun,” Rona replied insolently.

  “We don’t intend to stay here for more than a few days,” her mother said. “We were going to ask you if there were cheaper places that you know about? Where is it you’re staying?”

  Carlos muttered something under his breath.

  “Ava?” Nico strode in just then, causing Ava’s heart to melt. He stood tall and elegant in his dark blue striped suit. Ava watched her sister give him a quick once over before she glared at him, giving him a hard, piercing stare.

  Dark, dangerous, tall and sexy, he always stopped hearts wherever he went. She liked that he had the same effect on her sister.

  But this was not the way she had intended to meet him, not after that awkward night. He held her gaze as he walked over to her, smiling. His movements confused her. He stopped about a foot short of her, which looked odd, especially when he would have normally grasped her waist and kissed her on sight. This time he stood awkwardly, not quite knowing what to do with his hands.

  It was an awkward moment for her, too, made more so by the fact that her entire family was witnessing this event and scrutinizing every movement he made.

  She knew the eagle-eyed Rona would not miss anything, and just as she started to panic at how things would play out between her and the love interest that had made them all so curious, Nico stepped forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

  “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he murmured, loud enough for everyone else to hear, but low enough, with just that hint of seduction in his voice that she knew so well and loved so much.

  In a voice she didn’t recognize as her own, she said, “My family are here.”

  “I know. Gina told me.” It sounded so silly, the two of them having this stilted, unnatural conversation, both knowing all the while that it was solely for the benefit for her family.

  Despite what she thought about him, Nico understood her better than she knew. He turned to Elsa, his face all lit up with a smile as he bent down and took Elsa’s hand and kissed it.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ramirez.” Ava was impressed that he had remembered. And she could see that this brief introduction from Nico was all it took for her mother to fall in love with him. Rona, on the other hand, was another matter.

  Nico moved toward her. “You must be Rona?” he asked, but didn’t venture to take a step closer to her. He could sense, as could Ava, Rona’s don’t-you-dare-touch-me look.

  “And you’re the reason my sister extended her stay?” Rona gave him a dangerous smile.

  “Actually, no. I don’t think you have it quite right. But why don’t you ask your sister yourself?” Nico smiled at her good-naturedly and seemed to know he had to keep his distance.

  He shook hands with Carlos quickly and Nico flashed a smile at Tori who was now sitting on Grandma’s lap.

  “I guess this means I won’t be going back in two days time,” said Ava, when the silence became unbearable. She was going to have to have words with her sister about that fat face of hers. Ava glanced at Nico and saw his features visibly relax.

  It had been decided for her. There was no point in going back yet. Not now when her family had just arrived on her doorstep. She could use the extra time to ensure that she and Nico parted as friends at least. This charade of theirs only needed to be maintained in front of her family, and Nico had already demonstrated that he was more than ready for the game.

  “You’re welcome to use the driver to take you around; we have the bigger car, too, if that would help,” Nico offered graciously. Now he was going too far. Was he trying to paint the picture of a saint to her family? It was none of his business what she did. Or her family, for that matter.

  Rona had other ideas though. “That’s a great idea. Why don’t you show us around, Ava? You’ve been here long enough; you must know this place like the back of your hand.” She had already started gathering up the bags she had for Tori’s clothes and food, while Carlos carried Tori.

  Elsa remained seated. “But if you have other plans, we wouldn’t want to get in the way.”

  But you already did, Mom. Ava steeled herself and instead she said, “No, it’s fine, Mom. I can show you around.” She glared at Nico before adding, “I didn’t have any plans for the day anyway.”

  Nico excused himself and disappeared out of sight, leaving Ava feeling a little empty now that he was gone. She had needed to speak to him and his sudden departure left her with an annoying sense of unfinished business.

  Her mother was saying something to her, but Ava didn’t hear her. She had no idea what to do with her family or where to take them. She knew only that she needed to seize this moment to seek out Nico.

  “Sorry, Mom. I’ll be back. Why don’t you all get your things together? I’ll see if the driver is ready and then I can show you around Verona.”

  “Cool dude,” voiced Carlos, when Nico had left. “He’s a big improvement on Connor, that’s for sure.”

  “He’s a charming young man,” started Elsa, but Ava was already heading out of the door.

  “I’ll be back,” she said weakly.

  She would have to change her flight now anyway, and for reasons completely different to any that she would ever have imagined.

  Chapter 14

  Ava disappeared into the rest room just off the main lobby. She needed a moment alone to compose herself. It was all getting to be too much.

  She snorted at herself, at the thought of a grown woman hiding in the bathroom, hiding from her family and her lover with whom she had just had a spat.

  What a fine mess she had made of everything in her life.

  She didn’t know who or what to face first. She didn’t have the stomach for any more drama.

  Now she had to deal with being around Nico for another couple of weeks. And her family. And most likely Connor and Silvia, too.

  She sat on the toilet seat, clutching her purse, numb. Her heart skipped a beat when the tingle of her cell phone commanded her attention. She quickly retrieved it from her purse and nearly dropped it on the hard floor when she saw Nico’s name flash up.

  Her hand shook and she was torn between ending the call or letting it ring to voicemail. She didn’t want to hear his voice now. Not when she was sitting on a toilet seat, albeit with the seat down. She didn’t breathe until it stopped ringing. A few seconds later a voicemail icon appeared. She listened to the message he had left her.

  He needed her address so that he could arrange for shipment of her products. Her heart sank with disappointment, but anger buoyed it back up again. What was she expecting from him? Another romantic dinner date?

  Furious, she darted out of the toilet and dove straight into Nico’s office without knocking on his door. He didn’t move a muscle as she stampeded in.

  Without uttering a single word she grabbed a notepad and scribbled down her address.

  He watched her, completely unruffled by her performance.

  “Here.” She flung the notepad at him. “My address. For shipment.” He looked at her with sadness.

  When her eyes rested on his beautiful face, her anger melted away. “Thank you, for organizing it.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” she lied.

  “Your family seem pleasant enough. I hope they will enjoy their stay here.”

  Goddamn it. Can’t you say how you feel?

  “W
hy the big show—pretending we’re a couple?” She needed to know.

  Nico leaned forward at his desk, and in a diplomatic manner, replied, “I didn’t want to embarrass you. Isn’t that what your family was expecting?”

  “You don’t have to look out for me, Nico. I’m a grown woman. I can handle the stark truth of the situation.”

  He acknowledged her request with a nod of his head and waited for her to continue. But she wasn’t falling for his tactic, which was that she would carry on blubbering if he remained quiet. She stood her ground and stared back at him.

  “What exactly is the situation?” he asked, still so calm, still so collected. His hands rested easily on the table. He was a man at ease while she stood before him, barely holding back her fury. The calmer he was, the more he riled her.

  “I’m going back.” Eventually, when her family left. There was no need to tell him that she would be staying on longer now, just because of them.

  “You already told me. You decided for us.”

  “There is no us.”

  His face hardened, yet he forced a smile. “As you wish. Could you please shut the door on your way out?” Brown eyes, hardened and glittering with anger, locked onto hers. The electricity in the room cackled. Ava cocked her head slightly, then pulled her broken ego together quickly and lifted her chin high. Nico’s gaze dropped from her face to a point on the table. He busied himself with his paperwork and started signing some forms.

  “You just carry on; don’t let me keep you.” Ava stalked off to get some air. Either that or she would explode if she remained a second longer in his office. His cursory dismissal of her frustrated the heck out of her.

  Just as she got to the door, Nico said, “I’ve arranged for the car to be at your disposal. Just let Gina know when you need it.”

  She said nothing, and left. Time to sightsee around Verona.

  ***

  The Casa di Giulietta was the last place Ava wanted to visit. But her mother, having done her due diligence before she arrived here, asked to see it. So Ava was obliged to traipse there again.