“I think you’ll actually end up surprising yourself.”
His gaze narrowed in on her. “You really want to walk all through the village?”
She nodded. “If you want to come up with a winning pitch to make all of the citizens, not to mention your brother and sister very happy, you’re going to have to see it differently.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible. But if you insist on it, I will give you the grand tour.”
“I would like that.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I promised to swing by my brother’s villa. He wants to show me the latest improvements at the winery.” He got to his feet. “Of course, if you’d like to accompany me, you’re welcome.”
Kayla glanced down at her rather sparse list of notes. “I think my time would be better spent here doing some research.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded. “I am. But thank you for the invite.”
The truth was, she and Angelo were getting along a lot better than they had in the office. She’d been working for him for weeks now and they’d only ever addressed each other with mister and miss, but now they were on a first-name basis. And then there was that kiss...er...no she wasn’t going to think about it. No matter how good it was or how much she wished that he’d kiss her again—
Her thoughts screeched to a halt. Did she want him to kiss her again? She turned to watch his retreating form. His broad shoulders were evident in the linen suit jacket. His long, powerful legs moved at a swift pace, covering the patio area quickly.
Yes, she did want to be kissed again. Only this time she wanted him to kiss her because he wanted her and not because he was exhausted and stressed after a run-in with his siblings. But that couldn’t happen. She needed this job.
A quick fling with her boss in the warm sunshine of Tuscany wasn’t worth throwing away her dreams—the rest of her life. No matter how tempting Angelo might be, she just couldn’t ruin this opportunity.
And she couldn’t return to Paradise as a failure.
WHY EXACTLY HAD he agreed to this?
The last thing Angelo wanted to do was take a stroll through Monte Calanetti. It was like taking a walk back through history—a history that he preferred not to dwell on. Still, he had to admit that having Kayla along would make the journey back in time a little more tolerable, but he still didn’t see how it was going to help him create a winning pitch.
He paced back and forth in the hotel lobby, waiting for Kayla to finish getting ready for their outing. He’d also wanted to check with the front desk to make sure that extending their stay wouldn’t be an issue.
“Mr. Amatucci, you’re in luck.” The concierge strode up to him. “We’ve just had a cancellation. And with a bit of juggling we’ve been able to keep you and your assistant in your suite of rooms.” The young man, who was polished from the top of his short cut hair down to his spiffed-up dress shoes, looked quite pleased with himself. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Actually there is.” Angelo wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but he decided that Kayla deserved a night out for being such a good sport. “I’ve heard that Mancini’s is quite a popular restaurant.”
“Yes, it is. We’re so lucky to have had Raffaele Mancini return to the village. Mancini’s is so popular that they only take reservations.”
That’s what Angelo suspected. “Would you mind making a reservation for myself and my assistant for tomorrow evening?”
The concierge’s face creased with worry lines.
“Is there a problem?”
“Well, sir. They’re usually booked well in advance.”
Angelo wasn’t used to being put off. Even in New York he didn’t have a problem getting into the most popular restaurants. How in the world was it that he was being turned down in little old Monte Calanetti? Impossible.
“Do you know who I am?”
The young man’s eyes opened wide, and then he nodded.
Angelo got the distinct impression that the young man didn’t have a clue who he was or what power he wielded outside of the Tuscany countryside. He felt as though he’d stepped back in time, becoming a nobody who faded into the crowd. With his pride pricked, he gave the young man a pointed look. But he knew that he was letting his past get the best of him. He swallowed down the unwarranted agitation. Of course the young man didn’t know him. The concierge wasn’t much more than a kid.
Angelo decided upon a new approach. “Forgive me. My tone was uncalled-for just now. When you call for the reservations, tell them that the owner of Amatucci & Associates is requesting a table as we are considering including them in the pitch for the royal wedding.”
Maybe he had put it on a little thick just now, but he wanted—no, he needed to prove to everyone including himself that he had far surpassed everyone’s expectations of him—especially his father’s. Angelo’s gut churned at the memory of his father turning to him in anger and saying, You’ll never amount to anything.
“Yes, sir.” The concierge attempted a nervous smile. “I’ll do that right away. I had no idea, sir—”
“It’s okay.” Angelo tipped the young man handsomely to make up for his brusqueness. “I just need you to know that this dinner is very important.” But suddenly Angelo was no longer talking about business or proving himself to the villagers or even the royal wedding. His mind was on Kayla. He liked making her happy, and he was hoping this dinner would earn him another smile or two.
“I’ll get right on it, sir.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Angelo moved over to the small sitting area in the lobby to wait for Kayla. Just about to reach for the newspaper to find out what was going on around the world, Angelo caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Curious to see if it was Kayla, he turned.
His gaze settled on her slender form. He stood transfixed as he took in her beauty. Kayla’s auburn wavy hair hung loose and flowed down over her shoulders. A pair of sunglasses sat atop her head like a hair band. Her face was lightly made up and her reading glasses were nowhere in sight. A sheer tan cardigan covered her arms while beneath was a lacy white tank top. She looked so stunning that all of the villagers would be too busy trying to figure out if she was a movie star to take any notice of him.
“Is everything all right with the suite?” She stopped next to him.
He swallowed hard and glanced away, telling himself to relax. This was still the same Kayla that he’d been working closely with for weeks. He gazed at her again, trying to see her as the levelheaded assistant that he’d come to rely on. Spending the day with her, leisurely strolling about was going to be a struggle. He just had to keep in mind that they had a mission to accomplish—a royal wedding to brainstorm.
“Angelo?” She sent him a concerned look.
“Um...sorry. Yes, the suite is ours for the duration.”
She pressed a hand to her chest. “That’s good. You had me worried for a moment there.”
“Nothing at all to worry about. Are you ready for your grand tour?”
She smiled and nodded. “Yes, I am. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Without thinking, he extended his arm to her. Surprise lit up her eyes but in a blink it was gone. She slipped her arm in his. He didn’t know