by Lily Zante
Ava stopped in her tracks and glared at him. “It seems that the customer isn’t always right over here.”
“Not if they’re wrong. No.”
She laughed at the absurdity of his remark. But the icy look on his face told her that he didn’t think he was being absurd about anything. He walked out the short distance to the car that was parked just to the side of the small airport and held the backseat passenger door open for her.
Ava was so annoyed now that she could only shake her head in anger as she clambered into the car. She felt lousy, tired and sleep deprived and now the thought of having no clothes to change into had just about tipped the balance of her sanity. Yet here she was with an arrogant pig of a man who, despite being just a driver for the hotel, had the haughty air and manners of a man well above his station.
Along the way, Ava was too wrapped up in her thoughts to pay much attention to the driver. He was on the loudspeaker and babbling very quickly in Italian to a woman at the other end. What he said, she had no idea, though she heard her name being mentioned on more than a few occasions. She thought she heard the name Beachcroft mentioned too, but then determined that she was so tired, she was starting to hear things.
Chapter 5
They travelled in silence for the thirty minute journey to the Casa Adriana, a small, discreet yet elegant five star luxury hotel set on the outskirts of Verona.
Ava checked her cell phone and texted her mom and sister to let them know she had arrived safe and well. She didn’t feel like speaking to anyone at this moment. The mere act of landing in Verona and making her way to the hotel on what would have been a trip with Connor, felt strange.
For the first time since she had left home, the image of Connor flashed into her mind. She wasn’t sure if what she felt right now was a touch of sadness or relief. But she knew she felt strange.
She looked up into the rearview mirror and saw that the driver was watching her. Embarrassed that he had been caught watching her, he quickly asked “Are you alright madam? It’s just that you seem a little sad to me.”
He was extremely upfront for a hotel driver.
“I’ve been delayed, I’ve lost my luggage, I’ve met you and-” but he cut her off before she could finish her sentence.
“Of course, sorry Madam, I forgot, it’s all my fault.”
“I never said it was your fault,” retorted Ava, closing her eyes and trying to shut out everything. This man was an absolute boor. She had never come across a hotel assistant who was as rude as this man. Even the cab drivers in downtown Denver were never this rude.
“I’m sorry madam.” There it was again, an apology straight after a rude comment. He really was a Jekyll and Hyde character. She would make sure to steer clear of him at the hotel.
“What brings you to our beautiful part of the country Ms. Ramirez?”
With her eyes still closed and her head thrown back into the headrest, “Business,” she replied shortly.
There was silence and she felt that he was waiting for her to elaborate.
Could the man not see that she was tired and that he should leave her alone?
She lifted her head and opened her eyes. “More like a working holiday,” she said before looking away, out of the window.
The driver remained silent and made no further attempts at small talk, much to Ava’s relief.
By the time they arrived at the hotel it was dark outside and the evening had a touch of chill about it. Ava walked past the huge terracotta pot plants, through the two quaint glass doors and into the checked black and white marbled floor of the small reception.
It was a small yet decadent hotel with a very classic look about it. Ava looked up at the glimmering glass chandelier in the center of the huge lobby area. To one side was the reception desk. And behind the desk, the warm and inviting smile of a petite sized female receptionist welcomed her.
Ava walked up to the main desk.
“Ms Ramirez – welcome to Casa Adriana,” said the woman.
“Thank you. I’m relieved to have made it here at all. It’s been a terrible and long journey.”
The woman smiled at her sympathetically. Ava noted the name on her badge. Gina.
“I’m sorry madam. I hope we can make it up to you.” She handed Ava the keycard, the warm smile never once leaving her lips. “Your key madam. You have room number eighteen on the first floor. We took the liberty of ordering you some clothes since your luggage won’t be here until tomorrow evening.”
Surprised by this, Ava looked over at the driver only to find him talking to another hotel assistant in the far corner.
He must have arranged all of this when he had made that call enroute.
“Thank you. That’s very kind of you.” Already, she was amazed and surprised by the speed and efficiency with which everything had been taken care of. Perhaps she wouldn’t complain to the hotel owner just yet.
“Will you be dining here tonight, Madam?” asked Gina.
Dinner had been the last thing on Ava’s mind and the receptionist noted her hesitancy.
“Or perhaps madam, you would prefer room service?” The driver had suddenly reappeared by her side. His presence rattled her and took her by surprise. As grateful as she was for his sudden thoughtfulness, she wished he would go away. Ava felt overcome with tiredness and longed to get to her room.
“I don’t know. I’m rather tired now. Can I decide later?”
“As you wish Madam.”
“We will let you know as soon as your luggage arrives madam. Have a good evening,” said Gina.
Ava nodded at both of them and walked up the stairs to her room.
The first thing she noticed as she entered was a stack of plain black boxes piled up high on the table at the centre of the room. She slipped off her pumps and padded across the richly carpeted floor, her toes sinking into the rich pile with each footstep. Puzzled and with a racing heart, she walked across and eagerly opened the first box. Inside were a pair of pajamas; silk, cream colored and very reminiscent of the 50s. The second box contained toiletries, toothpaste, toothbrush and a line of organic body wash, face cream and eye cream. The third box had a pair of jeans and a few shirts in white, navy blue and black. They were so casual and so……her.
She presumed this was all done by the driver, which amazed her even more. The man had only seen her for less than twenty minutes before he had, she guessed, made that call, probably to Gina. Connor would barely be able to gauge her body size let alone work out her style, even after three years together.
She put down the shirt and picked up the plain white card that lay by the side. It was bordered by a thin embossed gold line and inside it, scribbled handwriting that simply said:
With compliments of the Casa Adriana. We hope you enjoy your stay.
At a loss for words, Ava sunk into the large leather seat behind her. Her impressions of the hotel had quickly shot up a thousand fold. They had, it seemed, thought of everything. And the driver. This man called Nico. What was he? Jekyll and Hyde indeed but his actions seemed to speak louder than his words. She couldn’t dispute it, the man had clearly outdone himself.
She immediately dialed down to reception.
“Hi this is room eighteen.”
“Good evening Ms. Ramirez. How can I help you?” Ava immediately recognized Gina’s voice.
“Everything is perfect, thank you. In fact, it’s amazing. Really. I just wanted to thank you for the boxes of clothes which were in my room.”
“You’re welcome Ms Ramirez.”
Ava smiled. “Please can you pass on my sincere thanks to Nico?”
“Nico?”
“Nico, the man who drove me here.”
“Ah. Yes, Nico. Certainly madam.”
Ava hung up. The obstacles she had faced getting here were all forgotten.
She held the silk top of the pajamas against her skin. They were cool, yet soft and she couldn’t wait to slip into them. First she would have a nice long bath, then perhaps
she would order room service and sit in the huge super king sized bed.
Her holiday in Italy had definitely begun and she intended to make the most of it. She laughed out loud and sank her back further into the chair. She was here now, in Verona, for a glorious seven days before heading off to Venice for four more.
Getting here might have been frustrating but she suddenly felt optimistic again about her trip. She was looking forward to a few weeks of fun.
Chapter 6
Nico’s eyes fixed on Ava as she went up the stairs, oblivious to the fact that he was watching her. He shook his head. There it was again. His heart was beating faster than usual and it bothered him. It bothered his sensibility that a woman, any woman, could captivate his attention the way that Ava just had. He snorted to himself, a half-grunt that quickly changed to a cough when he turned around to see Gina looking at him curiously.
He walked towards her, just as the Fonterelli’s were approaching from the opposite direction. The tall and elegant Maria Fonterelli, her slender arms linked in her husband’s walked past, making sure to catch Nico’s eye. She gave him a lingering gaze and Mr. Fonterelli nodded to him as their paths crossed under the glass chandelier.
“Good evening Sir, Madam.” Nico said graciously, waiting for them to pass.
He strode over to Gina. “Thank you for organizing Ms Ramirez’s shopping so quickly Gina. Good choice.”
“You were very exact and correct with your sizing and style, Mr. Cazale.” Gina replied slowly.
“Of course.” Nico didn’t know what else to say. He knew women. He knew their tastes, their styles and their choices. He was an expert at guessing a woman’s size as well as her age and he prided himself on the matter.
Though he had to admit, this Ava Ramirez was unlike the other women. For one, she hadn’t automatically fallen for his charm or his looks. In fact, he had been so caught off guard at her response to him, at her rudeness and arrogance that he had found himself more on the defensive than being the normal charmer that he was.
Women automatically gushed at him. Just as Mrs. Fonterelli had done so, even though she had been walking with her husband. Nico had been used to such attention from women all his life. It had started way back in his teens. But in recent years, he found the attention he attracted becoming increasingly intrusive, as well as predictable. There was something else that bothered him now but it never had before. He never knew if women were interested in him as a person or whether it was his money they were after. It didn’t help that women thought he was good looking. His mother had always told him he was handsome. But didn’t all mothers say that to their sons?
How he missed his mother. Even now, though it had been five years. He still thought of her. His mother had been the only woman who had loved him for being him. Now he trusted no other women in his life because he was convinced they saw his family name first and that was what they wanted above all else.
But Ava Ramirez had been different; even though their encounter had been brief, it was something he had never encountered. She had treated him like a hotel driver and he liked that. It wasn’t just her looks. She was tall and beautiful, no doubting that, with her eyes, so light and gray yet sometimes blue. She had him mesmerized. No woman had ever spoken to him in that way, or dared to.
Yet Ava Ramirez not only had no idea who he was, she hadn’t been the slightest bit attracted to him either. His initial meeting with her had left him speechless. At first he thought she was someone that he knew, her tone had been so familiar, so condescending. It was only later that he realised she had mistaken him to be a driver from the hotel. He had decided to play along. For now he was content to let her think that he was just what she thought him to be. A hotel driver and nothing more.
“Remember Gina. I’m just Nico for now.” He had been at the airport to drop his father off. His father would be away on business for a few days which meant it would be even easier to pull this off. For the first time ever, Nico was going to see how it felt to be in the presence of a woman who he found to be very attractive and yet she knew nothing about his background.
The fact that the admiration wasn’t two way didn’t seem to bother him right now.
“Mr. Cazale. There’s something you need to know,” said Gina in a hushed voice, moving closer towards him.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“Ava Ramirez is meant to be on her honeymoon.”
Nico flinched and turned his head sharply, “Honeymoon?” he asked. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. Didn’t you see her wedding ring?” asked Gina, sifting through sheets of paper in her hands.
“On honeymoon.” said Nico to himself, cupping his chin and resting his other arm across his chest. “Where is her husband?”
“I think he died, Mr. Cazale. She’s been widowed,” Gina said in a somber voice, “I even called the travel agency to confirm and they said there had been a terrible incident and that Ava Ramirez had cancelled her husband’s seat but would definitely be travelling alone.”
“Widowed?” asked Nico, resting both his hands on the table. He was still trying to get a grip on this turn of events. In two sentences Gina had completely changed the way he now thought of Ava Ramirez.
“No wonder she looked so tired and sad. She said it had been a terrible journey just to get here,” said Gina with an air of sadness.
“Poor woman,” agreed Nico distractedly. He straightened himself up. It made sense now why she hadn’t fallen for his charms. This woman was making a terribly sad trip on what should have been one of the happiest times of her life. He understood now why she had been so temperamental when he met her at the airport. And why she had bumped into him. The poor woman was suffering from stress. She had even been on the verge of tears.
Obviously, he would keep his distance from her but at the same time ensure that this would be as pleasant a trip for her as he could make it.
“Gina, I don’t want to make an issue of this. But see to it as far as you can that Ms. Ramirez still believes that I am the hotel driver.”
Without batting a beautifully made up eyelid, Gina responded, “Of course Mr. Cazale.”
“Gina, this also means that you will need to refer to me as Nico for now.”
“Of course Mr. Cazale.”
“And that means starting from now,” he chided her gently as he flicked through the paperwork. There it was:
Mr. & Mrs. Connor Beachroft.
Honeymoon suite 7 nights 15th – 21st Feb inclusive.
“I took the liberty of removing the complimentary flowers, champagne and chocolates.”
“How thoughtful of you. Thank you Gina.”
Gina nodded. She didn’t want this poor woman’s honeymoon to be any worse than it already was.
Chapter 7
Ava awoke the next morning in Verona feeling brighter and happier than she had in weeks.
She was on vacation and therefore free to do what she wanted every day. There was no work, no commitments and nothing to worry about. She had not taken on any more copywriting assignments for the past couple of months and had been relying solely on the income from her online children’s store.
Her brilliant virtual assistant, Kim, would keep an eye on the site and take care of customer queries and problems as they came up. This was the beauty of running an online store. She could work from anywhere in the world.
A short while later, Ava sat alone in a corner of the small yet light and airy conservatory where breakfast was served. It was almost ten o’clock and she hadn’t realised that she had slept like a baby. She had been amazed to find that the jeans and white shirt that the driver had ordered fit her perfectly all over.
She hoped she remembered to thank him.
Munching away at her bowl of fruit, Ava flicked through her itinerary. The dining room was all but deserted. A few guests had been leaving as she entered and an elderly couple sat in the far corner.
She glowed with that aura that only a first day on h
oliday can evoke; indeed she felt a tinge of excitement coloring her every move. As she flicked through her guidebook and glanced at her itinerary she realised that she had already missed the first of the guided tours, which started at ten in the morning. It was already past ten now. She would never make it to the city centre, where the tour started, in time.
Her fork slipped from her fingers and the metal clang of it against the bone china bowl reverberated around the small conservatory. It was quiet here and the elderly couple both looked over at her and smiled before turning back and carrying on with their conversation.
Damn Connor and his love of guided tours.
Then it suddenly struck her: Why was she still following the old itinerary?
Before she could answer her own question, Nico, tall and charismatic, appeared before her.
“Good Morning Ms. Ramirez.” Her eyes glanced over his pristine white shirt and smart dark gray trousers and she noted that he seemed gentler this morning. Or perhaps he seemed to be in a better mood because she herself felt rested and more happier, and therefore saw him in a different light.
“Good morning Nico.” Ava looked up and pushed her bowl away. She cast her eyes towards him, noting his chiseled features and at the same time noticing that his dark brown eyes had flecks of amber in them.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, clasping his hands behind his back and standing up straight, almost like a butler.
“I slept wonderfully well. I slept so well in fact that I’ve missed the guided tour to Casa di Giulietta.”
“You want to go there?” he asked, in a tone which suggested against it.
“I would have gone there. But we-I-uh. I had a guided tour organized for it. Actually, there were quite a few guided trips organized.” She trailed off abruptly, remembering all the trips that Connor had insisted they go on, when all along, she hadn’t wanted any guided tours at all. She had always preferred to explore new places by herself.