by Joy, Melita
Renato laughed and said something to the chauffeur in rapid Italian that had him also bursting out in laughter.
“I’ve apparently gotten it wrong,” she said sheepishly feeling embarrassed.
“You shouldn’t feel embarrassed. It was a good guess, and you are observant. Uscita means exit so if we were to continue driving you would see the word many more times and probably have figured it out for yourself,” he chuckled. “Do not worry. I have been laughed at many times over the years for my inadequacies with English,” he self-deprecated.
“Your English is flawless though and I hardly think many would dare to laugh at you.”
Renato enjoyed the rosy colour that so quickly appeared in her cheeks. He didn’t have to work hard to fluster her, and he felt more confident than ever at his ability to reel her into his plan. “My English has improved over the years, but that is not to say that I don’t get the odd saying mixed up. What makes you think that others wouldn’t dare to laugh at me?” he couldn’t resist putting her on the spot.
Her cheeks bloomed brightly once again, and she stumbled over an answer. “I don’t know. You just seem a bit serious I guess.”
She looked so uncomfortable he changed the topic and instead advised her that they were nearly there.
Leilani was eagerly glancing out the window taking in the city sites, and he was glad to see that she was taking an interest in what would be her new home. Pulling up to the building Renato stepped out of the car and headed straight to the main entrance. He turned back to ensure Leilani was keeping up and found her gawking up at the building with her mouth agape. His personal household attendant was looking on in amusement. She was certainly not the sort of date that he usually brought to the apartment.
None of his classy escorts would ever show that kind of open gaucheness. They all looked born to the finer life and were always bored with their surroundings. In fact, he rarely saw genuine emotion from any of them unless of course he was presenting them with beautiful jewels to adorn their lovely little necks or lobes. He never made the mistake of offering rings, not even in a sign of friendship in case they mistakenly took it as a sign of initial commitment. He preferred this variety of women, they knew the rules and on the first sign of them stepping into matrimonial bliss he would farewell them with an expensive final trinket.
However, here he was with a woman who was clearly and openly impressed with her surroundings, and he hadn’t even opened the front door yet. If she were the woman he’d imagined he’d have been more than happy to take her on a tour of the apartment followed by his generously sized bedroom. She was unfortunately nowhere near what he’d expected, and it appeared that he was going to be in for a torturously slow tour. He palmed her off to Aldo, who seemed happy enough with her reaction, and the older man would, of course, love to have someone new to boast about the apartment.
“Leilani, I’d like you to meet Aldo. He is my personal assistant and has been with our family for over thirty years. He will show you around and take you to your room,” and with those final words he turned on his heel and headed for the study. There would be time enough to charm her into submission after he did some work and showered.
She stood there gaping at his immaculately suited back. After twenty-four hours of travel, he still looked morning fresh. It appeared that he’d had enough of her company. Well, they had been forced together for over twenty-four hours, so it was only reasonable to expect him to have things of his own to do.
Aldo started the tour, “You will love it here Miss,” he told her with his beautiful accent. “This building is hundreds of years old and has many wonders,” he winked at her.
“Renato said it was an apartment, but it looks nothing like where I live. Mine is quite small with just one bedroom and an open living area.”
“This is an ancient historic building that was remodelled into residential apartments just a few years ago.”
“Are there many people living in the building?”
“Renato owns this floor and the floor below,” he stated. “Many people wish they could live in this area, but it is very exclusive with mostly politicians or very wealthy business people residing in this part of town. Even though we are in the main city, it is an area that feels a bit more peaceful. When you have settled in you should ask Renato to take you to the famous Villa Borghese Park, you will love it.”
“Oh, I am sure Renato will have plenty to do without playing tour guide to me. If you give me directions, I’ll take a wander there myself.”
He shook his head at her and started to have his say, so politely she cut him off with a change of topic. The last thing she needed was a matchmaker on her trip; things were more than complicated as they stood. “It’s lovely and cool in here.”
“We have no need for air conditioning,” he stated proudly. It seemed the topic dearest to his heart was this building. “The marble and stone of this building keep the temperature just perfect on a summer’s day and look at the detail in this place. It is magnificent. I hear no other country in the world has homes that rival ours.”
“I agree that I’ve never been in a home as grand as this,” Leilani ran her hand across the marble mosaics on the wall. The room was exquisite, a formal entrance with minimal furnishings yet heavily ornate compared to what she was used to. The floor was sandstone coloured marble and the walls were marbled white with a mosaic trim. Highly polished, intricately carved door frames and the sheerest of white silk curtains adorned the windows with gold drapes pinned opened.
“Come, let me show you some of the rooms and take you to your suite.”
Leilani followed him through a vast hall lined with bookshelves magnificently crafted and intricately carved decorated in finely embossed in gold. Separating the shelves were the doors to many rooms. A formal reception room preceded a dining room that could comfortably seat twenty people, a far cry from her rickety table for two in her apartment. There was an informal living room with comfortable plush sofas that looked very appealing particularly as she felt her jet lag starting to take control. On with the tour, they went with Aldo pointing out everything that he was proud of, which was pretty much everything.
He was such a dear man that she pushed herself to continue and not show any signs of fatigue. Finally after passing four bedrooms, a bathroom, an office and possibly her favourite room, a library, they came to her room. There was a young lady already in her room unpacking her bags. “Oh, it’s okay you don’t have to do that,” she protested.
The lady looked up confused and shrugged, “No inglese.”
“She doesn’t speak any English,” Aldo clarified.
“Oh, that’s okay. I um, don’t know any Italian either. Would you mind telling her that I don’t require her to unpack my bags?”
“Let her do her job. She will be worried otherwise that you don’t think her capable. You are here on holidays, so relax and enjoy. Follow me, in here you have your bathroom, and this is the wardrobe,” he briefly took her into a room that was nearly the size of her bedroom back home. “If you feel like some fresh air you may open the doors here and it also goes out onto a balcony. If you need anything, there is a phone next to your bed. You can press button one for the kitchen, button two for your maid or button three for Renato,” he winked and turned to leave the room. “Do you remember where the dining room is?”
“Yes.”
“Good, have a rest and meet Renato in there for dinner. Try not to be late. He is not a very patient man.”
Finally left on her own she ran a bath and slipped into the soothing water. There were fragrances, salts and oils on a ledge, and she poured in generous doses. The aromatherapy was incredibly relaxing, and she nearly fell asleep in the tub. She let out the water, rinsed and dried herself with an oversized plush towel. The enormous bed was too tempting, and she quickly dozed off into a deep sleep.
Renato was sitting at the table waiting for Leilani. “Aldo, did you tell her to be punctual?”
“Of course an
d I gave her the full tour, so she knows to come here. Would you like me to go see what is holding her up?”
He was already getting up out of his chair. “No need. I’ll go and see. Why don’t you serve dinner and then finish up? We will be okay for the night.”
“Grazie,” Aldo nodded his head and went about his duties.
Knocking, he waited for a response, nothing, so he knocked louder, still no answer. He pushed down on the door handle; opened the door and found her sound asleep on the bed. For a moment, he was tempted to let her sleep through the night. However, if she had already been asleep for a few hours, then she would end up waking up soon hungry and not adjusting to the time difference.
He decided on waking her and gave her a gentle shake. She sat up almost immediately with a disorientated look on her face followed by a more panicked look backing away on the bed. “Relax Leilani, I only came to tell you that you should get up for dinner.”
She blushed and apologised, “Ah, what time is it?”
“It’s past seven.”
“Oh, sorry, give me a minute and I’ll be right out. Please don’t feel you have to wait for me.”
“Of course I’ll wait. Just be quick. We don’t want the meal to spoil.”
He walked back to the dining room thinking whether there was any other option other than the path he was set on. Laying on the bed wrapped in a bulky robe he had no further clue to her body shape. Her hair looked slightly damp probably from a shower she must have had and did nothing to flatter her as it clung to her head. However, her face had cleared up somewhat, and she wasn’t as unattractive as he had first thought. Those eyes were her saving grace, beautiful blue eyes that he could lose himself in if only she were more appealing on the whole.
He sat with his back to the door and flicked through some emails on his phone while he waited. Finally, he heard her scurrying down the hall. “Good you’ve made it, take a seat and enjoy the food that my staff have pre…” he nearly choked on the final word. A floor length baggy dress covered her body, and a tea cosy was on her head. Well, that’s the only way he could describe it.
“Are you feeling cold?”
“No, I’m fine thanks.”
“You have a winter hat on?” he questioned.
“Oh that, I hope you don’t mind. My hair was still damp, and I didn’t want to keep you waiting, so I just put this on top. Otherwise, it would dry frizzy and be even more of a mess.”
“Hmm. Let’s eat,” he ended the topic. Renato watched her eat with enthusiasm, another novel experience. Most women he knew had the appetite of a bird, at least in front of him. He tried to determine her body shape, difficult under the shapeless garments that she insisted on wearing. Her arms were out, and they were not chubby at all. In fact, they were quite lean which made little sense to him. If she wasn’t overweight why would she dress the way that she did.
She was like a puzzle, and it was time he figured her out. Getting her here was one thing; he now needed to convince her to marry him. Undecided still as to whether she would receive a business proposal well he decided to try the old fashioned way first. He would romance her for a week, whirlwind style should do the trick. He would need to hurry before Vittorio got wind that she was here and started meddling.
“Tomorrow I will take you on a tour of the city,” he stated.
“Oh, thank you but no that is fine I don’t need you to play tour guide. You have helped me more than enough.”
“I insist. You are new to my country, and I would like to take you around and show you the local area. I have cleared my calendar to do this so no arguing,” he smiled at her.
“Oh, um, actually I have plans for tomorrow. I hope that is okay.”
Renato was dumbfounded. She had only landed and hadn’t even managed to organise accommodation. It seemed highly unlikely that she would have anything else booked. He wondered what she was up to.
“May I ask what you will be doing?”
“Oh,” she looked around avoiding eye contact, “It’s just that I had already booked some things in that I wouldn’t mind seeing on my own. You know at my pace,” she prevaricated.
Renato let her off the hook. “No problem at all. Maybe the next day we can do something?”
“Sure, that would be great,” she looked relieved to be off the hook.
After dinner he suggested a walk and they strolled around the local area. “It’s so beautiful here. I love this place,” she waved her arm at the lovely local gardens and trickling fountains.
“It’s a beautiful country one that you should enjoy with a companion.”
“Yes, but we are not all looking for companionship,” she bristled slightly.
He raised his brows at her and took on a look of mock hurt. “You do not wish for my company?” he laughed.
Leilani had not done much playful interacting of late, and it took her a moment to take in that he was just mucking around with her. The shock and hurt of the recent event had left her feeling emotionally wounded and not in touch with her usual joyful self. She had been trying to lift herself out of the funk and knew this trip was possibly the only way to accomplish her goal. Only at what cost she was still yet to discover.
“I’m sorry I guess I haven’t felt like a lot of companionship of late. To be honest on this trip, I was looking forward to some peace and quiet from everyday life. Hopefully, a relaxing holiday will help sort me out and please I do want to say that I am thankful for your hospitality.”
He gave her a quizzical look. Some things were simply not adding up, and he would get to the bottom of it. First she mentioned some business to attend to, and now it was a peaceful trip that she was here for, not to mention her complete discomfort of him ruining whatever plans she had set for tomorrow. He would lay odds on her meeting up with a reporter for a quick financial gain. He was an astute judge of character not to mention perceptive. The store bought clothing and old suitcases were an obvious indicator that she would benefit from the cash. “Rome is an odd destination for peace. You did not think of a regional area perhaps, the mountains or maybe the sea?”
“Yes, you are right. I wanted to see the main city first, and then I will most likely make plans to see Capri or something like that.”
She was not doing a good job of convincing him. Capri while peaceful to look at was a busy tourist destination and unless she had a decent wad of cash she would not be finding much peace out there. He’d have someone follow her tomorrow. It was looking more and more like a business transaction was going to be their only option. Romance was for the trustworthy, and he didn’t believe a word coming out of her mouth.
CHAPTER FIVE
Renato as always was up at the crack of dawn, coffee in hand, staring at his weekly business reports. He saw Leilani scurry past his doorway looking to make a stealthy escape. He was not going to stop her; he’d only end up hearing more of her lies. Instead, he let her leave knowing that his head of security would be following her every move. By the end of the day, he would know what she was up to and how to approach the proposal. Given her lack of sex appeal a straight out business transaction would be most logical. She didn’t turn him on, and he didn’t doubt that he would need a mistress. However, he would never publicly embarrass his wife. He would be discreet. As the mother of his children, she would need to be faithful. Having some semblance of a plan he felt himself relax and concentrated on his work while he waited for updates on Leilani’s whereabouts.
Leilani breathed a sigh of relief. While thankful for Renato’s hospitality she didn’t want to feel as though she needed to report her whereabouts to him. Her situation was complicated. She was feeling at an all-time low, and she needed to follow through on her plans and not be distracted or dissuaded by anyone, no matter what others thought. One of her friends emphatically believed that she was entering into homewrecker status. She’d mulled that over, but it took two to tango right and why was she the one being labelled a home-wrecker. Surely he had to have some accountability for his
actions.
She checked her paperwork and followed the maps she had with her to her first destination. With her mind filled with fleeting emotions all chasing one another from dread and fear to anticipation and hope she didn’t notice the sights around her. She must have been walking at a reasonable pace because before she knew it she was facing a large wooden door that she was to knock on. It was time to set the ball in motion, and it was too late to turn back now. She knocked on the door and entered.
An hour or so later Leilani came out of the building hoping that she had made the right decision. She decided that she would spend the rest of the day exploring the city. She didn’t have much spending money, but window shopping was free, and it would be a nice way to take her mind off things.
Wandering the streets of Rome, she finally started to relax and take in the culture, everything was so different to what she was used to. The streets were amazing filled with old stone buildings with tiny little balconies or windows, most had red, white or pink flowers in hanging baskets. Some windows had a few clothes out hanging to dry. The streets were narrow and very picturesque. She found a set of shops and walked in to see what was for sale. The first store she walked into had handmade writing books. Apparently the paper was of the finest quality and, in fact, some of it was made from material such as cotton. There were also lovely old fashioned ink calligraphy sets though a glance at the price indicated they were well outside of her affordability.
Handling the ink pot carefully, she gently put it back on the shelf, while the shopkeeper tried to push her into a sale. “Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m just window shopping at this stage.” The shopkeeper looked put out, so Leilani thought it best to take her leave. The next shop had local delicacies and the largest lemons she had ever seen. She couldn’t resist, she took a selfie with the lemon in front of her face to give perspective to its size. It was almost the size of her face. She was tempted to buy it but really what would she do with it. The shop attendant was giving her a look, and she buckled in and bought some red, white and green dried novelty pasta at a well and truly over inflated for tourists’ price.