Creak.
It was the door. Gia inwardly groaned, realizing she’d forgotten to turn the lock.
“Gia?” It was her brother’s voice. “What have you done?”
There was astonishment, surprise and disapproval in his voice. Like he had room to judge her. He had his life just as he’d always known it. He knew who his mother and father were. No one had lied about his birth. He knew that he’d gained his passion for growing grapes from his father.
But what did she have? A bunch of questions? An unknown—unnamed—father? No. Enzo didn’t get to judge what she said and did now.
She straightened, leveled her shoulders and turned to her brother. “I’m looking for answers.”
He stepped farther into the room. “But this?”
So she’d made a little mess. She’d clean it up. She turned to see what he was complaining about. And then she realized it was more than a little mess.
She’d removed every drawer from the dresser and flipped it over to see if there were any pages, documents or scraps of paper taped to the bottom that might point her in the right direction. She’d moved furniture, looking beneath each piece with the flashlight app on her phone as well as searching for loose floorboards where things might be stashed.
So far all she’d succeeded in doing was making a mess. But it wouldn’t stop her. If it took pulling up each and every floorboard or chipping away at any uneven surface on the wall or ceiling, she’d do that too. She wasn’t leaving here without something to point her in the direction of her biological father.
“If you’ve come here to stop me,” she said, “you can just turn around and leave.”
Enzo didn’t say a word at first. “I didn’t come to stop you. I came to help you.”
Disbelief quickly followed by a rush of love flooded her system. “You did?”
He nodded. “I’d be doing the exact same thing if I were you. Just tell me where to start.”
She turned all around, looking for a clean space for him to start in. And then she pointed to the vanity—the place where her mother would powder her nose and apply her eye shadow each morning. “Try searching there.”
Enzo nodded and set to work.
Together they worked side by side just like they always had. But did Enzo still consider her as much his sister as he did before the test results? She didn’t know. And she didn’t have the courage to ask. Some things were better left unsaid.
“I’ve got something!” Enzo held up a black leather-bound journal.
“Where was it?”
“There was a secret compartment in the back of one of the drawers. I’m afraid that since I didn’t have the key, I had to break the drawer.”
“Who cares?” She rushed forward and took the journal from him.
She flipped opened the book to a random page, immediately recognizing her mother’s handwriting. At last she would learn the truth.
But would she like what she’d learn?
CHAPTER THREE
IN HIS OFFICE on the small Italian island of Lapri, Riccardo Moretti pressed enter on the computer keyboard. Then he typed the last lines of coding for a cutting-edge predictive algorithm. It would streamline transportation, pointing out inefficiencies as well as suggesting alternatives.
He smiled. If this worked out the way he’d planned, not only would he make a nice tidy profit, but more importantly it would also help reroute food and supplies to those in need. Shipping costs would be minimized and absorbed by transportation companies instead of charitable organizations and private donors. This program could make a fundamental difference in people’s lives.
Buzz. Buzz.
He pressed the intercom button to speak with his assistant. “Yes, Marta.”
“Sir, there’s a woman on the other line. She’s calling about your uncle’s house.”
“My uncle?” Uncle Giuseppe had passed close to a year ago, leaving his entire estate to Ric.
“Yes, sir. It sounds serious.”
Alarm shot through him. He knew possessing a now vacant house might cause some security issues, but he wasn’t ready to part with it. For some reason he wasn’t willing to examine too closely, he had an attachment to the place.
Ric checked his cell phone. There hadn’t been any alerts from the alarm system. How could that be?
Still, he didn’t have time for problems. There were only a couple of hours before his very important business dinner—a meeting that had taken months to arrange. But he couldn’t just ignore this call. “Put her through.”
He’d speak to the woman. Surely it was nothing important. And then he’d be back on track. Everything would work out.
In no time, an older woman came on the phone. “Ric, is that you?”
He smiled, remembering his uncle’s neighbor, the kindly woman who’d offered him cookies still warm from the oven when he was young. “Mrs. Russo?”
“Yes. It’s me. Pardon me for bothering you at the office, but I thought you’d want to know there’s a young woman snooping around your uncle’s house.”
“Is she trying to break in?”
“I don’t think so. But I can’t be sure. She’s moved to the back, and I can’t see her now.”
His office wasn’t far away. “I’ll be right there.”
And with that he ended the call. He rushed to his car, anxious to catch this intruder. He wanted to stop them from doing any damage to his uncle’s estate.
He went to call the police but then hesitated. Calling them would draw media attention, and he’d had more than his share in recent weeks. He’d check out the situation and then decide if the authorities needed to be called in.
In no time, his midnight blue sporty coupe rolled to a stop in front of the house. From the front, nothing looked disturbed.
However, Mrs. Russo had indicated the person was making her way around the house. Being that it was quite a large place, he would need to make the rounds in order to surmise if the intruder was still there.
He stepped out of his car. Immediately, Mrs. Russo came rushing out of her house. He waved her off, signaling for her to go back inside until he had the situation under control.
It could be as simple as a salesperson, but then why would they have ventured around the house? Ric moved carefully and quietly. He wasn’t about to engage the intruder if they were armed. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t witness what they were up to so he could report it to the police.
As he neared the back of the house, he noticed a young woman in a flowy white-and-aqua top. White capris clung to her curves and a coordinating purse completed the summer outfit. As his gaze lowered, he noticed she only wore one high heel. As she hopped around on one foot, he noticed the other aqua heel, which appeared to be stuck between two cobblestones.
Her face was turned away from him. She had short, dark, spiky hair. If she was a burglar, she was an awful one. First, that summer outfit was bright and eye-catching. And those shoes, wow, how could anyone walk in them? Well, obviously she couldn’t, or she wouldn’t be hopping around on one foot. Whoever this woman was, she certainly seemed quite harmless.
Ric stepped into the backyard. “What are you doing here?”
The woman’s head turned. Her eyes rounded. Her mouth opened, and for a moment nothing came out. “I...uh, heard something back here.”
“Heard what?” He crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for her to explain herself.
He’d been down this road before. Beautiful women made up every excuse possible to access his home or the office. One had even posed as his sister to get past his assistant. The problem was, he didn’t have a sister.
The movie release had been just the other week. His very brief movie debut had been the result of losing a bet to the star of the film—an old friend from school. The press coverage over his nonspeaking appearance hadn’t died down
at all. In fact, it appeared to be getting worse as time went on. If this kept up, he was going to have to hire a security detail. He didn’t relish the idea. He valued his freedom to come and go as he pleased without checking in with anyone.
The fact that his privacy had been invaded to such lengths infuriated him. So if this woman thought he was going to fall for some concocted story, she had another think coming.
Before either could speak, a sorrowful whine filled the air.
“Please help it.” Her big blue eyes begged him.
Regret for jumping to conclusions assailed him. Her dog had gotten loose, and she’d followed it into this overgrown garden. When Uncle Giuseppe had grown sick, he wasn’t able to continue working in his beloved garden. Ric had offered to hire a gardener, but his uncle wouldn’t hear of it. His uncle never lost hope that he would win his battle with cancer, and he would one day be back in the garden. That day had never come.
The woman balanced on one foot while hunched down, trying to free her other shoe. Seriously, how did he end up in these situations?
The whine sounded again.
He moved to help the woman first.
“No.” She shook her head. “I’ll get this. Go help him.”
Ric found a new appreciation for the woman, more worried about her pet than herself. He looked around but couldn’t see the animal. He wasn’t even sure about the size of the dog, but it couldn’t be very big or he would have spotted it by now.
Still, it would just take a moment for him to help the woman. He bent over and pulled on the heel. To his surprise, it was thoroughly wedged in there. She really was in a bit of a bind.
He pulled on one of the stones with one hand while working the shoe free with the other. And then it pulled loose. When he handed it over, he waited for her to have a meltdown about the mangled shoe, but she quietly slipped it back on her foot.
He felt compelled to say something. “Sorry about the shoe.”
“It’s okay. It’s kind of the way my life has been going lately.” When she put weight on her foot, her face scrunched up into a look of discomfort. She immediately raised her foot again.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“I twisted my ankle when my shoe got stuck. It’s not a big deal. Just help the puppy.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
He did as she asked. However, his light gray loafers weren’t the best shoes to venture through this overgrown jungle either. Limbs poked and prodded him.
There went the high-pitched whine again.
“Do you see it?” the woman asked.
He shushed her as he backtracked a bit. And then he followed the scratching sound to the back corner of the garden. There were shrubs and other overgrown vegetation blocking his view.
He worked his way through the vines, ignoring how the thorns dug at his arms. As the dog whimpered, Ric grew more determined to help it, even if he ruined his clothes during the rescue.
And then at last, he spotted a little puppy all caught up in some old wire. Its big brown eyes turned to him. They showed its panicked state.
“It’s okay.” Ric spoke in a calm, soothing tone. Every time the puppy got worked up and yanked to get loose, the wire dug farther into its flesh. Ric knelt in front of it. “I’m going to help you.”
The puppy stopped wiggling for a moment and studied Ric. The animal watched his every movement but didn’t react. It was either so relieved to finally have help or it was too exhausted to put up much of a fight. Either way, it took a bit but Ric was able to untangle the dog. He made a mental note to call a gardener ASAP. This place not only looked bad, but it was also dangerous to anything that meandered in here. He didn’t want any other creature getting hurt.
But the deepening red stain on the dog’s ginger fur had him concerned. Heedless of the blood and dirt, Ric scooped the pup up and held it against his chest.
“It’s okay,” he said in a gentle voice. “You’re safe now.”
He made his way back along the overgrown path to where the woman was standing. He stopped in front of her. “Here’s your dog.”
All her attention was focused on the animal. However, she made no motion to take it from him. That was strange.
“It’s not mine.” And then her eyes widened with concern. “It’s hurt.”
“I know. It got caught up in some wiring. Looked like some old fencing or something.” He glanced at the dog wiggling in his arms. It was still bleeding, and it was getting all over his shirt. “Could you hold him?”
“Sure.” They moved carefully, trying to avoid aggravating its injury.
Ric pulled off his ruined shirt. In any other context, the surprised look on the woman’s pretty face would make him laugh but not now—not under these circumstances. “It’s for the puppy, to help stop the bleeding. I have another shirt in my car.”
The woman’s glossy lips formed an O.
Once the shirt was securely tied around the dog’s midsection, it settled in her arms. “Does he belong to one of your neighbors?” she asked.
“I don’t know. It’s not my...” He was going to say it wasn’t his house, but that was no longer true. It was his house—his great big house. That he had absolutely no idea what to do with.
It was far too big for just him, but he didn’t have the heart to get rid of the place where he’d spent so much time with his aunt and uncle when he was little. It was the only real home he’d ever known. The short time he’d lived with his mother, they’d moved from one house to the next. His jaw tightened as he slammed the door on the unhappy memories.
Ric turned his attention back to the villa. He supposed he’d have to work up the nerve to cut the emotional ties and sell it sooner rather than later. There was no point of letting it turn to rubble because he couldn’t bear to part with it. After all, he was a businessman. He made tough decisions every day. Why was this one so much harder than the rest?
That he couldn’t answer. Maybe it’s what he was waiting for—the answer. And then he could move on.
“Your shirt will help for now,” she said, drawing him from his thoughts. “But we have to get him to a vet. The cut looks bad. It might need stitches.”
We? When had they become a we?
When Ric finished adjusting the makeshift bandage, his gaze met the woman’s. She was no longer frowning at him. “I take it you approve?”
Her gaze lowered to his chest before her eyes quickly rose to meet his. Color bloomed in her cheeks. “I... I do. Now, where’s the closest vet?”
“I have no idea. I don’t have a pet.” For a man used to having all the answers, he felt totally out of his depth here. And he didn’t like the feeling—not at all.
“If you hold him again, I can look on my phone.”
Noticing that the puppy looked content in her arms, Ric shook his head as he pulled out his own phone. “I’ll do it.”
In no time, he had the address of the first listed vet. It was across town. He thought of calling for an appointment, but that would just waste time, and by the way the blood was soaking the makeshift bandage, they didn’t have time to wait. The puppy needed help now.
He read off the address to her. “I would just show up. I’m sure they’ll help you.”
“Help me?” Her gaze searched his.
It was then that he really looked at her, taking in her spiky, short hairdo and those vivid blue eyes. He’d never seen eyes of that vibrant color. They were stunning, just like the rest of her.
She frowned at him. Oops. He’d missed something she’d said, but he refused to let on that he’d gotten utterly distracted.
“You want me to go with you?” he asked, hoping he was on the right track.
“Well, this is your home, is it not?”
He thought of his afternoon appointments. His calendar was full. Bu
t more importantly, he had that meeting with Giovanni Grosso. This was the man who held the keys to Ric’s company expanding into charitable work—a can’t-miss opportunity.
But then Ric’s gaze moved to the puppy. It needed help, and it did get hurt on his property.
With a resigned sigh, Ric nodded. “We better hurry.”
He would call his assistant on the way. Hopefully, his appointment with Mr. Grosso could be moved around. He knew the man was only in town for a short period.
The woman limped along beside him. He felt bad for her.
“Do you need some help?” When she sent him a puzzled look, he added, “You know, walking?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine. I just sprained it. It’ll be better in no time.”
They rounded the house, and he came to a stop next to his car. He reached in the open window for his gym bag. He withdrew a muscle tee and pulled it on.
Ric turned back to the woman. “Do you want to lead? Or follow?”
“I... I don’t have a car.”
Interesting. But there was no time for questions—even if he had a lot of them. He opened the passenger door. “Hop in.”
She did so without argument.
Once they were on the road, he realized he had absolutely no idea what this woman’s name was. They’d been thrust into saving the puppy and had dispensed with the pleasantries. But if they were going to help the puppy—together—they should at least exchange names.
“We didn’t introduce ourselves,” he said. “My name’s Riccardo Moretti. You can call me Ric.”
“My name’s Gia.”
No last name. Interesting. He supposed he didn’t blame her for being a bit reserved. After all, she didn’t know him at all.
When he glanced her way, he found her head turned to the side as she stared out the window. So much for making small talk. Besides, he preferred the silence. He wasn’t one to get close to people. After his mother dumped him on his aunt and uncle at the age of seven, he’d learned not to trust people. And the fact his mother never told him who his father was only added to his distrust—distrust that morphed into anger. Not knowing how to deal with such strong emotions at such a young age, it came out at all the wrong times.
The CEO, the Puppy and Me Page 2