Return of the Italian Tycoon

by Jennifer Faye

  She shook her head. “Thanks. This is fine.”

  He sat down beside her as she sipped at the water. “I’m sorry if I pushed you too hard in the village. I should have brought you back here sooner—”

  “No, that’s not it. The visit was perfect. I wouldn’t have changed anything about it.” She sent him a smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “I don’t believe you. There’s something bothering you.” He stopped and thought about it. “And it started when I mentioned the wedding pitch. Do you feel that I’m expecting too much of you?”

  “That’s not it.” She placed a hand on his knee. The warmth of her touch could be felt through his jeans. “I’m just a bit tired.”

  “Are you sure that’s all it is? It doesn’t have anything to do with your broken engagement?”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s been over for a long time. I’ve moved on.”

  Moved on? Surely she wasn’t thinking those kisses—that they’d somehow lead to something. He swallowed hard and decided it was best to change topics. “Have you made many friends since you moved to New York?”

  “I haven’t had much time. But I made a few at the after-school program.” She pressed her lips together and turned away.

  He was missing something, but he had no idea what that might be. “What do you do at this after-school program?”

  She shrugged. “It’s no big deal. So what can I do to help you with the wedding pitch?”

  “Wait. I’d like to hear more about this program. What do you do? And how do you have time?” It seemed as if she was always in the office working long hours without a complaint.

  “I do what is necessary. It all depends on the day and how many volunteers show up. Sometimes I help with homework and do a bit of tutoring. Other times I play kickball or a board game.”

  “You do all of that on top of the overtime you put in at the office?”

  “It’s not that big of a deal.” She toyed with the hem of her top. “I don’t have anything waiting for me at home, so why not put my spare time to good use?”

  “You shouldn’t dismiss what you do. There are very few people in this world who are willing to go out of their way for others. It’s impressive.”

  Her eyes widened. “You really think so?”

  “I do. Why do you seem so surprised?”

  “It’s just that at the office you’ve banned employees from taking on charitable accounts.”

  “It has to be that way.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “There are only so many hours in the workday. I write out enough checks each year to various organizations to make up for it.”

  Kayla nodded, but she certainly didn’t seem impressed. Uneasiness churned in his gut. Maybe she would be more understanding if she knew the amount of those checks.

  “I’m sure those organizations appreciate the donations.”

  Guilt settled over him. What was up with that? It wasn’t as if he didn’t do anything. He just couldn’t afford the time to take on more accounts—especially for free. He was still working on growing Amatucci & Associates into the biggest and the best advertising firm. Speaking of which, he needed to get moving on this pitch. Time was running out before his trip to Halencia.

  “I need to ask you something.”

  She reached for the glass of water. “Ask away. Then I need to go check my email. I’m waiting on some responses about the Van Holsen account.”

  He shook his head, thinking this was a bad idea. “Never mind. You have enough to deal with.”

  She arched a thin brow at him. “You can’t back out now. You have me curious.”

  He just couldn’t admit to her that he had absolutely no direction for the pitch. Three wasted days of jotting down ideas and then realizing that they were clichéd or just plain stupid—certainly nothing that he would present to the royal family.

  “If it doesn’t bother you—you know, because of your broken engagement—I wanted to ask you some wedding questions.”

  She reached out and squeezed his hand. “I appreciate you watching out for my feelings but talking about weddings won’t reduce me to tears. I promise. Let’s get started.”

  His gaze met hers and his breath caught in his throat. He was going to have to be really careful around her or he just might be tempted to start something that neither of them was ready for. And once he got something started with her, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to end it when reality crashed in around them.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  THIS IS IT!

  At last, it was her big break.

  Kayla grinned as she sat by the pool the next day. She could hardly believe that at last her plans were all coming together. If only she could keep her attraction to Angelo under wraps. Was that even possible at this point?

  Who’d have thought that the wish she’d made at the fountain would actually come true?

  Angelo had kissed her—again.

  Her eyelids drifted closed as her thoughts spiraled back to their amazing day beneath the Tuscany sun. The day couldn’t have gone any better. She’d always treasure it. And then there had been that mind-blowing, toe-curling kiss—

  “And what has you staring off into space with a smile on your face?”

  Kayla glanced up to find Angelo gazing at her. “Um...nothing. I...I mean I was thinking about the wedding.”

  “How about the Van Holsen account? We don’t want to forget about it.”

  “Of course not. I’ve sent out the new concepts to the art department.”

  “Good.” He took a seat next to her. “You know if you’re having problems you can talk to me?”

  Was he referring to personal problems? Or business ones? Since they’d arrived in Italy the lines had blurred so much that she wasn’t sure. But she decided that it was best for her career to take his comment as a purely professional one.

  “I understand.” She smoothed her hands down over her white capris. “And so far the accounts are all moving along. I should have some drafts back from the art department this afternoon to run by you.”

  “Sounds good. Can I see what you’ve come up with so far for the royal wedding?”

  She pushed her notebook over to him. “Go ahead.”

  The seconds slowly passed as his gaze moved down over the first page. “But this is all about Monte Calanetti.” He shoved aside the pages. “There’s nothing here about the wedding itself. Nothing sentimental or romantic.”

  Oh, boy.

  This was not the start she’d imagined. She swallowed a lump in her throat. To be honest, she wasn’t ready to present her ideas to him. They were only partial thoughts—snippets of this and that.

  She’d have to think fast on her feet if she wanted him to keep her on this account, because she wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip through her fingers. She leveled her shoulders and tilted her chin up, meeting his frown. “I think the main focus should be all about the location.”

  “You do?”

  She nodded. “The royal couple have already been taken by the village’s charm.” Kayla lowered her voice and added, “I was taken by it, too. It’d be the perfect backdrop for a wedding. And that’s the part I think we should exploit.”

  Angelo’s eyes widened and he was quiet for a moment as though considering her words. “What issues do you have with basing the pitch on the wedding itself? You know with all of the pomp and circumstance. We could even throw in a horse-drawn carriage for good measure.”

  Kayla smiled, loving the idea of six white horses leading a shiny white carriage with gold trim. And then her imagination took a wild turn and there was Angelo next to her in the carriage. Her insides quivered at the thought. Then, realizing that she was getting off point, she gave herself a mental jerk.

  “We don’t know anythin
g about what the bride wants for the actual ceremony. But we need to show them that no matter whether it is a big, splashy affair, which seems most reasonable considering it’s a royal wedding, or whether they want something smaller and more intimate, that Monte Calanetti can be quite accommodating.”

  Angelo leaned back and crossed his arms as he quietly stared at her. He was taking her suggestions seriously. She inwardly cheered. Not about to lose her momentum, she continued. “No matter what the size of the ceremony, we need to show them that we are willing to work with the bride. We need to show them that the whole community will come together to make it a day that neither of them will ever forget.”

  “So you think our approach should be two-pronged, showing the village both as intimate and accommodating.”

  Kayla nodded. “The tour you gave me was a great start. But if we are going to sell the royals on the virtues of this village, I think we need to dig deeper.”

  Angelo nodded. “Sounds reasonable. What do you have in mind?”

  Before she could continue, her phone vibrated on the table. She’d turned off the ringer, not wanting to bother anyone else who was around the pool.

  “Do you need to get that?” Angelo’s gaze moved from her to the phone.

  “Um...no.”

  Angelo cocked a brow. “It could be the office.”

  “I already checked my voice mail and sorted everything that needs attention.” She wanted to get back to their conversation, but he kept glancing at her phone. Knowing he wasn’t going to let up on this subject until he found out why she was so hesitant to answer, she grabbed her phone and checked the ID. Just as she’d suspected, the call was from the States but it wasn’t the office—it was Pam, the woman handling the fund-raiser while Kayla was in Italy.

  “It’s nothing urgent.” Kayla would deal with it later.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I am.” This wasn’t Pam’s first call of the day nor would it likely be her last.

  Why was Angelo looking at her that way? It was as though he could see that she was holding something back. And the last thing Kayla needed was for him not to trust her. Because this royal wedding was the opportunity of a lifetime. She planned to grasp it with both hands and hold on tight. Having Angelo make her an official part of this pitch would be the validation she needed to show her parents that she’d made the right decision with her life. At last, they’d be proud of her and her choices.

  “Okay.” He waved away the phone and grabbed for her notebook again. “You need to add more detail to these notes.”

  “I will, but I was thinking we need to visit each of the establishments in the village again. I could write up very specific notes about their specialties—things that will be hard to find elsewhere—items that the village is especially proud of.”

  His eyes lit up. “And I know exactly where we’ll start.”

  “You do?” She smiled, knowing he liked her ideas. “Where?”

  “Mancini’s. You did bring something pretty, formal— Oh, you know what I mean.”

  “A little black dress?”

  “Yes, that will do nicely. We have reservations at seven. Consider it a research expedition during which I want to hear more of your thoughts.”

  Her mounting excitement skidded to a halt upon his assurance that this evening would be all about business. She didn’t know why she should let it bother her. This is what she wanted—for things to return to a business relationship. Wasn’t it?

  * * *

  Time flew by far too fast.

  A week had passed since their dinner at Mancini’s. Angelo had been quite impressed with the service and most especially the food. What Raffaele was doing spending his time here in the countryside was beyond Angelo. The man was a magician in the kitchen. He could head up any restaurant that he set his sights on from Rome to New York. Although, it was lucky for Angelo, because Mancini’s award-winning menu was going to be the centerpiece of the pitch.

  Angelo stood in the middle of the hotel suite. He really liked what he saw. His gaze zeroed in on Kayla. They’d had a couple of tables brought in. The room had been rearranged so that the area loosely resembled an office more than a relaxing, posh hotel room. And it seemed to be helping them to stay on track.

  Feeling the pressure to get this right, Angelo had relented and had Kayla pass along some of their other accounts to his top ad executive. Their attention needed to be centered on the wedding, especially since he’d already lost time spinning his wheels. One of the accounts they had retained was Victoria Van Holsen’s account. The woman simply wouldn’t deal with anyone but himself or Kayla. Victoria, who was quite particular about who she dealt with, had surprisingly taken to Kayla’s sunny disposition. It seemed no one was immune to Kayla’s charms—him included.

  There was so much more to Kayla than he’d given her credit for when he’d hired her as his temporary assistant. Sure, her résumé had been excellent and her supervisors had nothing but glowing reports about her. Still, he was so busy rushing from meeting to meeting, cutting a new deal and approving the latest cutting-edge promotion that he never had time to notice the girl behind the black-rimmed glasses and the nondescript business suits.

  While in Italy, he’d witnessed firsthand her passion for her work. She invigorated him to work harder and dig deeper for fresh ideas to top her own, which was nearly impossible as she came up with ideas for the wedding that never would have crossed his mind. To say she was a hard worker was an understatement. She was amazing and it wasn’t just her work ethic that fascinated him.

  Her smile lit up his world like the golden rays of the morning sun. And when he would lean over her shoulder, he’d get a whiff of her sweet, intoxicating scent. It conjured up the image of a field of wildflowers in his mind and always tempted him to lean in closer for a deeper whiff.

  Then there were times like now, when she was concentrating so hard that her green eyes grew darker. She lifted her hand and twirled a long red curl around her finger. He noticed that she did this when she was unsure of something. He wondered what was troubling her now.

  He moved closer. “Need some help?”

  She glanced up with a wide-eyed stare as though she’d been totally lost in her thoughts. “Um...what?”

  This wasn’t the first time she’d been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard him. “I said, would you like some help?”

  “Sure. I was contemplating the piazza. I’m thinking it should play a prominent part in the wedding processional.”

  Her words sparked his own imagination. They made a great couple...um, team. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this invigorated. “How about having a horse-drawn carriage circle the fountain, giving the villagers a chance to cheer on the future queen?”

  “I don’t know. The bride will be a bundle of nerves. I don’t know if she’ll want to spend the time waving at people—”

  “Sure she will.”

  Kayla sent him a doubtful look. “What would you know about weddings?”

  “Nothing.” His jaw tightened. And he planned to keep it that way. “You’re forgetting one important thing.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “The villagers are the part that makes the village special.”

  A smile eased the worry lines on her face. “I’m glad you were paying attention while on our tour. And if the bride is willing, I think the villagers should play a prominent role in the festivities.”

  “And along the route there could be large royal flags waving in the breeze—”

  “No. That’s too impersonal.” Her eyes sparkled. “What if we hand out small complimentary flags to the onlookers to welcome the newest member of the royal family?”

  Angelo paused as he considered the idea. “I like it. It’ll be a sea of color.”

  “I also thi
nk the chapel should be included in the pitch.” Before he could utter a word, she rushed on. “The place is so beautiful. Sure it needs some work, but it has such a romantic feel to it. Just imagine it filled with roses— No, make that lilies. And the glow of the candles would add to the magic. Can’t you just imagine it all?”

  “No.” He didn’t believe in magic or romance. They were just fanciful thoughts. “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to get married in such a dump—”

  “It’s not a dump!”

  He ignored her outburst. “Besides, you’re forgetting that I talked to the new owner and she wants nothing to do with the wedding.”

  “And that’s it...you’re just giving up? She could change her mind.”

  What was Kayla getting so worked up for? He wasn’t making up these problems. “The chapel is crumbling. We are not putting it in the pitch. The royal couple would laugh us out of the room if we presented it—”

  “They would not.” Her words were rushed and loud. “They’d love its charm.”

  His muscles tensed. He hated conflict. “We’re not using it!”

  Her fine brows drew together as she crossed her arms. “You’re making a mistake!”

  He wasn’t used to people challenging his decisions and they certainly didn’t raise their voice to him. This argument was ending now. “This is my company—my decision! We’re not including the chapel.” When she went to speak, he added, “End of story.”

  She huffed but said nothing more.

  For a while, they worked in an uncomfortable silence. He kept waiting for Kayla to rehash their disagreement, but she surprised him and let it go. He didn’t know how much time had passed when they started to communicate like normal again.

  Angelo rubbed his jaw. “Perhaps our best option is to take all of these photos and do a workup of each setting. We can have sketches made up of how each wedding scenario would work. Nothing sells better than letting the client see it with their own eyes. I’ll have the art department start on it right away. They’ll be on solid overtime until our meeting with the happy couple.”