Reunited with Her Italian Billionaire
Page 10
“Actually, I was going to ask you if Cook could use a day off or two. There are some new recipes I wanted to experiment with. But I don’t want to take over her kitchen.”
“I’m sure she’ll be cooperative. You may even be able to get her to help you.”
Brianna shook her head. “No help. I need to work on these all by myself.”
“And why is that?”
“Because they’ll be my audition dishes. It was a fluke that Chef Angelo Ziyad offered me a job last week.”
Marco lifted an eyebrow just as Brianna realized what she’d let slip.
“You were offered a job before we left?”
She nodded.
“That quickly?”
She shrugged. “I told you, it was more of a fluke.”
“Chef Ziyad, you said. Sounds familiar.”
“He’s one of the best.”
Marco contemplated her for a moment.
“That’s quite impressive. I mean, in the sense that you’d just gotten started before you had to take an extended break. Then not long after your return to the business, a master chef is already aware of your talents.”
He sounded genuinely impressed. Why did that send a giddy pleasure through her heart?
“So what happened? How did you leave it with Chef Ziyad?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I wasn’t able to get hold of his assistant. And then it turned out we had to rush here to Italy.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“There was no point.”
“I see,” Marco said. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed deeply. “It sounds like quite an opportunity.”
Brianna looked down at her toes. “There will be other ones,” she stated, not entirely sure who she was trying to convince. “My son comes first.”
He shocked her by kissing her full on the lips.
“What was that for?”
“For being such a caring mother.” Marco rubbed the back of his hand down her cheek. “I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t give your career nearly enough consideration after Enzo was born.”
She shook her head. “I don’t blame you for that, Marco. I was only focused on one thing right after I gave birth. I was just so grateful that Enzo was born healthy and at full term after all the pregnancy complications. I wanted to concentrate on nothing but being the mother of a newborn.”
He nodded. “I know, cara. It’s why I hired the nannies. To give you a break now and then.”
He didn’t really understand. She could have never left her baby in the care of strangers for any extended length of time back then. Not when she herself had been abandoned at birth. And with Marco being gone all the time, most of the parenting had fallen to her.
“I wanted to be the one nurturing him when he was born,” she countered. “But now that he’s a bit older...” She let the sentence drag off.
“What is it?”
Brianna considered telling him what was foremost on her mind. After all, this was the perfect time given the conversation they were surprisingly having. She’d gotten an idea during the early hours of the morning when she couldn’t sleep. This had to be some kind of serendipity.
“There’s something else I wanted to discuss with you.”
He gave her a quizzical look in the mirror. “What would that be?”
“Nonna mentioned Dirici Foods is ready to launch a new line of herb-infused oils, some rather savory combinations.”
“We are. And?”
Brianna decided to just blurt it out. What did she have to lose at this point? She had to keep busy while here. And this idea would give her one more thing to do. In the past, she’d nearly been driven insane with Marco constantly gone and Enzo napping a lot of the time.
“I’d like to work on some recipes incorporating the new products.” She continued before she could change her mind. “Maybe you could even print them on labels as a marketing strategy.”
Marco’s eyebrows lifted. High. Brianna held her breath. He hated the idea. Now he had to try and come up with a way to turn her down.
Instead, he surprised her yet again. “Cara, that’s fantastic.”
She blinked. “It is?”
He leaned over and kissed her soundly on the cheek. “Absolutely. It’s actually better than anything that’s come out of the advertising agency. And it would serve to get you back in the kitchen.”
Brianna resisted the urge to pump her fist in the air like an excited teen.
“When can you get started?”
Brianna sucked in some air, nearly dizzy with all the possibilities. This would give her an opportunity to do what she loved most—creating and perfecting recipes in the kitchen.
“This very moment. That is, if Cook will allow it.”
“I’ll speak to her before starting my calls.”
For some reason or another, perhaps unfairly, she’d fully expected him to turn down her offer. That he’d accepted with such enthusiasm pleased her beyond any level she would have thought. “Marco. Thank you,” she said simply.
“You can thank me by starting with the rosemary blend. That would make the perfect start for a new marketing initiative.”
She would. Brianna could think of numerous ideas right off the cuff for ways to use rosemary olive oil.
But what exactly did this mean for the two of them?
Of that, she had no idea whatsoever.
* * *
Marco stared into Leo’s face and tried to focus on what the other man was saying. Something about a supply chain glitch that had been repaired easily enough but that Marco should be aware of. But his thoughts kept drifting back to Brianna and the developments of this morning.
He’d clearly underestimated Brianna’s talent and possibilities as a chef. She’d thrown herself wholeheartedly into motherhood after having Enzo. Marco had never realized how much of her identity and self she’d sacrificed in the process.
Shame on him for that.
“And then the project leader grew another head,” Leo said across the desk.
Marco nodded. “Well, make sure you tell—” Wait a minute. He threw his pen down and leaned back in his chair.
Leo sat grinning. “You haven’t been listening to a thing I said.”
“There’s a lot on my mind.”
“Are you thinking about the regatta? It’s still a while away.”
He was referring to the sailing boat race along the Amalfi coast that both men participated in every year. In fact, Marco had almost completely forgotten about it. No wonder, between the demands of Dirici Foods and with all that was happening in his personal life.
“No, that’s not it. Though I do look forward to beating you yet again.”
“As if,” Leo said, then looked at him expectantly. Marco really didn’t want to get into all this. No better time than the present though.
“Leo, are you still interested in doing more at Dirici Italy?” Marco hadn’t even realized he was ready to ask Leo such a question. But he thought about the days he’d spent in New York, away from Dirici headquarters. The time he’d been able to devote to just being with his son while there. And how gratifying it had been just to spend a few hours with him kicking around in the pond.
He thought of Brianna and all she had put aside without ever even dwelling on it or questioning it.
Leo sat gaping at him. “Of course I am. What did you have in mind?”
A rapid knock sounded on the door just before Brianna burst in. Marco knew what she was going to say, could tell by the flush on her cheeks and the excitement that shone in her eyes.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Brianna gushed then shifted her gaze completely to Marco. “Marco, can you come into the kitchen when you get a chance. I’d like you to do a little taste test.”
“I look forward to it.”
/> Leo lifted an eyebrow in question after Brianna shut the door. “What’s that all about?”
“Brianna’s coming up with some recipe ideas for our latest product.”
Leo gave an impressed nod. “Excellent. Now about what you were asking me...”
“Just stay tuned, my friend. Stay tuned.”
* * *
Marco worked hard to finalize some notes after Leo had left his office. This working from home thing wasn’t so bad, after all. He thought there would be many more outside interruptions. But the only interruption to his concentration right now was of his own making. He really ought to just finish up here but was too distracted by the thought of what Brianna might be cooking up in the kitchen.
Her offer this morning to work on recipes for Dirici Foods had pleased him in a way he couldn’t have imagined. How in the world had he not thought of such a thing himself?
Because he’d been thoughtless when it came to her from the very beginning. In all fairness, things were so hectic after they’d eloped and moved here that finding ways to keep his new bride occupied had been the last thing on his mind. Right or wrong, it was the truth. He’d had so much on his plate, right in the middle of a big global expansion, the prep it took to get ready for a new baby. And Brianna’s pregnancy hadn’t been the easiest.
All the more reason he should have thought to be more considerate of her. Even if they had been barely more than strangers.
He shook off the useless thoughts that would do him no good now and clicked open a spreadsheet. If he didn’t get these sales projections entered in right now, he may never get around to it. Then he would go and see what concoction Brianna had come up with. He could hardly wait. There was no good to come of wallowing in the mistakes he’d made in the past where his wife was concerned. All he could do was try to take things day by day and find ways to make up for it all. He made quick work of the entries and powered off his laptop. A good start would be to go and try this recipe she was working on.
He found her elbow-deep in pots and pans in the kitchen amidst a cloud of steam. A rich aroma of spices and herbs greeted him.
“Ah, there you are.” She gave him a wide smile. “Come here and try this. I feel like it needs something else.”
Dipping a large wooden spoon into a saucepan, she held it up to his mouth when he approached.
“Careful, it’s really hot.”
An explosion of taste erupted on his tongue when he took a bite of what she offered. Sure, she’d cooked for him before but never anything she was experimenting on. This was unlike anything he’d tasted. She’d incorporated the Dirici flavored oil and added some type of pepper. Not really spicy hot but it definitely held a zing.
“It’s good.”
“Well, don’t look so surprised.”
The truth was, he sort of was surprised. Not so much at her talent but that she’d come up with something so quickly.
“I’m simply enjoying it, cara.”
“Well, thank you. I’m glad you like it. I’ll have a detailed recipe for you at some point. It still needs some work.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Good. In the meantime, why don’t you go wash your hands?”
“What for?”
“If you’re in here, you may as well make yourself useful and help me.”
For a strange moment, neither one of them said anything, a baited silence hung in there. Then they both burst out laughing. Those were the very same words she’d said to him the first time they’d met, as soon as he’d wandered into the kitchen at the cocktail party he’d been attending and she was catering. It was like being catapulted back in time. And he was every bit as attracted to her now as he was then.
* * *
Finally, Brianna turned back to her pans and started to stir the contents as Marco walked over to the sink and washed his hands.
“Hand me the jar of pepper paste, would you?” she ordered as soon as he was done.
He gasped with mock outrage. “So comfortable ordering me around. Fine, at least I’ll have a front row seat to witness your sorcery.” He stepped closer to her and lifted her chin with his finger. “But just one thing first.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d like a taste of something else before we get started.”
His gaze fell to her lips and she couldn’t help but let out a soft moan. An eternity seemed to pass as she waited. And then his mouth found hers. Sighing with pleasure, she leaned into him, moved her hands up his shoulders. This was Marco; he tasted exotic and new yet oh, so familiar. It was like she’d known him forever and loved him just as long.
Exactly like the first time he’d kissed her.
CHAPTER TEN
BRIANNA SET ENZO down gently into his crib and pulled the soft terry cover over him. As exhausted as he was, it had still taken several bedtime stories to finally get him to fall asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief that he was finally down and stepped into the outer area of the nursery, shutting his bedroom door softly behind her.
What was Marco doing at the moment? He’d surprised her earlier by holding his meeting with Leo at the house. She’d fully expected him to run out and stay gone for at least the rest of the day. But by some miracle, he’d stayed home.
And he’d surprised her even further by helping her cook.
Maybe she’d find her husband now and ask him to join her on the veranda to share an evening drink. They could always discuss some more recipe ideas. Or other subjects for that matter.
But first she had some tidying to do. Enzo’s toys and books were strewn all over the floor. As tempting as it was, Brianna couldn’t leave this to deal with the next day. She got to work picking up and putting items away. Shelving the books, Brianna realized they weren’t all toddler hardcovers. A few photo albums lay on the floor next to the bedtime fairy tales. Nonna must have brought them in here to look over with Enzo. She remembered the first afternoon they’d come back, Enzo had sat on Nonna’s lap as they perused through photos.
She opened one of the albums and flipped through a couple of pages. The first thing that struck her was how much her little boy looked like a younger version of his father. Especially in one particular shot taken of Marco smiling on a small toddler bike. If the photo hadn’t looked worn, she’d be hard pressed to say whether it was her son or husband beaming back at her in the image.
After several moments of browsing, she finally got ready to close the album and put it away. But a wayward thought nagged at her. The Dirici home had several shelves of photo albums and there were framed pictures decorating various walls of the house. Yet she’d never seen any pictures of Marco’s mother. It was as if the woman had never existed.
How could she have never noticed it before?
She grabbed another photo album and flipped through the pages. Within a few short minutes, she’d gone through every book. None of them held any photos of her whatsoever. In fact, one book was dedicated completely to Marco’s birth, with no sign of the woman who’d borne him.
Her eyes started to sting with tears. When exactly had Marco tried to erase the memory of the mother who had abandoned him? As a child? How vulnerable that little boy must have felt, how truly betrayed and alone. Brianna rubbed her eyes and made her way out of the room. She wouldn’t say anything to Marco about any of it. Mentioning the curious lack of any images of Marco’s mother would no doubt only serve to open old wounds. But how deeply she yearned that he would trust her enough one day to willingly tell her on his own.
Nonna was coming up the stairs as she stepped out into the hall. Brianna managed to summon a smile.
“Are you all right, dear?”
“Yes, I’m fine, Nonna. Thank you.”
“It just took a while to get Enzo down,” she added when Marie looked less than convinced. “I may have dozed off in the rocking chair myself.”
“In fact, I think I’ll take a quick walk around the gardens to get myself awake.”
“I wish I could join you but I’m still feeling somewhat under the weather.”
“That’s okay.” Brianna smiled and started to make her way down the stairs. Then her feet seemed to stop of their own volition before Brianna made it down the first step. She knew it was oh, so stupid what she was about to do. But she couldn’t seem to help herself.
Nonna gave her an expectant look. “What is it, dear?”
“I wanted to ask you something. I hope you don’t think it sounds gossipy.”
The older woman gave her an indulgent smile. “This sounds serious. Ask away.”
Brianna sucked in a breath of air. Why was she doing this? “It’s just. I wondered if Marco had heard from his mother. I mean, recently.”
“What brought this on?” Nonna asked.
At the question, Brianna felt even more foolish for pursuing the matter. “Never mind, Nonna. Please forget I said anything.”
“Nevertheless, the answer is a sad one.”
“It is?”
“We received an official letter about three years ago. Notifying us that she had passed. A car accident, it said. A solicitor who was tasked with letting us know.”
A rock dropped into Brianna’s stomach. “Three years ago?”
Nonna nodded. “That’s right. Right before he was due to travel to the States, in fact.”
Right before they’d met. Had Marco simply been seeking solace in her arms then? Did he just need a gentle touch? Or worse, a mere distraction?
If true, look at the fundamental changes all of it had led to. For both of them.
“Anything else?” Nonna asked at Brianna’s continued silence.
Brianna gave her head a shake. “No. Thank you. I was just curious.”
Nonna waited a beat before replying. “I will see you at dinner then, my dear. Enjoy your walk.” With that, the older woman turned and made her way toward her own suite of rooms. “I rather feel the need for a quick nap myself.”