He seems to be putting out some kind of fire with her, one that I don’t even know about.
I think back to the conditions he laid out for us to get back together and I vaguely remember something about being Catholic.
I begin to perspire.
“Francesca, portala dentro,” Translation: take her inside. Enrico says with his eyes locked on his mother’s. I get the feeling that if I wasn’t here it would be all guns blazing.
“Do you want to come and see my bedroom Olivia?” Francesca asks softly.
I look over at her in surprise, I forgot she was even here. “Yes.” Anything to get me out of here. “That would be lovely.”
She stands, holds her hand out for me and I take it gratefully.
She leads me into the house with my heart pumping fast. Once through the doors I peer through the window to see the two of them still glaring at each other.
“Oh no,” I whisper. “What’s going on?” I ask Francesca.
“It’s okay.” Francesca smiles. “Mamma is about to freak out and Enrico didn’t want you to see.”
“What about?” I stammer with wide eyes.
“You.” She takes my hand and leads me through the house.
“Me?” I gasp. “Did I do something wrong?”
“She’ll be okay,” she says as we start walking up the stairs.
“But what did I do?”
“It’s not you.”
“Then what?”
“Enrico.”
“Oh.” I exhale feeling a little mollified. I don’t care if she hates him, just not me.
We walk down the luxurious corridor and she takes me into her room. It’s cream and pinks with a chandelier and fireplace. It’s huge. “Wow.” I smile as I look around in wonder. “This is beautiful.”
“Thanks.” She hunches her shoulders as if excited. “We just had it redone.”
There is artwork on the walls and the carpet is lush underfoot. The color pallet is so unusual but somehow it all works perfectly. The king bed is white and four posted with a white netting. “Did you pick the furnishings?”
She nods. “Everything.”
“Wow.” It really is incredible, in fact, the most beautiful room I have seen since I’ve been in Italy. “You have impeccable taste.”
“I’m hoping to major in interior design.” She shrugs bashfully. “That’s if I get in.”
“Incredible?” I smile. “Wow, this is amazing.” Finally, a Ferrara who wants to be something other than the mob. “Do you think you would be able to help me with the interior of the Lake Como house?”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Yes, it’s so stuffy and boring.” I shrug, embarrassed that I just said that out loud. “Not that I’m ungrateful or anything.”
“I would love to. I could come over tomorrow if that suits,” she asks hopefully.
“That would be fantastic.”
Francesca smiles and I feel hope bloom in my chest, I don’t have a sister. It will be so great getting to know her.
“Do you want to see the rest of the house?”
“Sure.” For half an hour Francesca shows me through her home and I’m utterly impressed. This place is something else. Grand like the Lake Como house but in a stuffier way.
It feels more like a museum than a house.
“Olivia,” Enrico’s deep voice calls from downstairs. “Are you ready, my love?”
I frown to Francesca. “Are we going already?”
She shrugs as if puzzled. “Maybe.”
We walk down the stairs to find Bianca and Enrico standing at the bottom in the foyer.
Enrico holds his hand out for me. “Come, we have to go.”
“Oh.” I smile as my eyes flick to Bianca. “It was lovely meeting you.”
“Likewise,” she replies politely.
“Francesca is going to come to visit us tomorrow if that’s okay?” I ask.
“Of course, it’s okay.” Enrico smiles to his sister seemingly happy that we have made arrangements to see each other.
“I will send a car in the morning to pick you up.”
“Okay.”
He takes my hand. “Goodbye, mother.” He kisses her on both cheeks and I shake her hand and we walk out and he opens my door.
He gets in and without a word we drive down the driveway. “Well?” I ask.
He smiles and puts his hand on my thigh. “She loves you.” He turns his attention back to the road.
God…something tells me that’s a lie.
Francesca
“Can I get you anything?” Olivia asks as we stand in the kitchen. “Drink? Dinner will be a couple of hours away.”
I twist my fingers in front of me nervously as I stand in the kitchen. “No, thank you, I’m fine.”
Enrico smiles lovingly over at me and rubs my arm. “Thank you for coming and spending some time with us, Chesca. It means a lot.”
I’ve been here at Lake Como all day. Olivia and I were supposed to be looking at their house, but we’ve mostly been chatting. Enrico took us out for lunch and we laid by the pool. I really want to get to know Olivia, it’s important that I make an effort with her. I don’t want to be cut out of his life and I know that once he sets his mind on someone, she will be it for him.
“Thanks for inviting me.” I smile awkwardly.
“Spend as much time here as you want, Chesca.” He smiles.
I watch him then lean down and kiss Olivia lovingly on the cheek as she cooks. I’ve never seen him like this before, he’s different with her. Softer, like he is with me.
I’m nervous and I have to steel myself to make conversation. “Rico said you work for Valentino.”
“Yes.” She smiles broadly.
“What do you do there?” I ask.
Rico smiles, proud that I’m making such an effort. He knows how shy I am and how big of a deal this is for me.
“I’m a textiles consultant,” she tells me.
I stare at her, wondering what that means.
“Basically, I couldn’t get a position as a designer, so they gave me this job.” She shrugs. “I do love it, though. Fashion design is my ultimate goal eventually.”
“Oh.” I smile. “I see.”
“What year are you in at school?”
“Year Eleven.”
“So, you’re eighteen?” she asks.
“Seventeen.”
“You seem much older-so pretty.”
I really like her.
Rico smiles, happy that we’re both making the effort to get to know each other.
The doorbell sounds. “Who’s that?” Olivia asks.
“I’ll get it,” Rico says before he disappears. We hear him talking in the distance, and then he appears again with two people.
“Francesca and Olivia, this is Angelina and Giuliano.” Rico frowns as he looks between us. “They are friends of Lorenzo.”
Olivia’s eyes widen. “Hello.” She smiles, as if excited, and she shakes their hands. “Can I get you both a drink? Welcome, welcome.”
I smile awkwardly as I twist my fingers in front of me.
Angelina is a blonde woman, pretty and middle aged. Giuliano, the boy, is around my age. His eyes come to me and I feel a flutter in my stomach.
He has dark hair, huge brown eyes, and olive skin. He’s tall, lean, and he has big red lips.
Oh……
He frowns as his eyes hold mine.
My heart begins to beat faster-so fast, that I have to concentrate on breathing.
The adults talk for ten minutes and I sit nervously to the side. I can feel him staring at me. Every now and then I glance over, he doesn’t look away but gives me a soft smile instead.
I can hear my heartbeat in my ears.
Oh…he makes me nervous.
“Francesca, why don’t you show Giuliano around the property? I need to talk some business with his mother,” Enrico says.
Giuliano stands immediately. “That would be nice.”
Oh my God.