He wanted to say that if this man wasn’t interested, he would just sell his technology to someone else, but there was no one else with pockets as deep as Grosso Global Transports. And he’d written the algorithm with that company and its needs in mind.
“What shall I do, sir?”
He wished he had a quick answer. He wanted to say to call them back—to insist on the meeting—but he knew that wouldn’t work. Mr. Grosso was a recluse. The fact he’d been granted the meeting in the first place had been a miracle. But Ric wasn’t giving up. He just needed a moment to regroup.
“I’ll let you know.” And with that they concluded their call.
He’d totally lost his appetite now. He headed out the door and straight to his car. He jumped in, fired up the engine and set off toward the office. Soon his fingers would be moving over the keyboard, and then the tense muscles in his neck and shoulders would loosen. His pounding headache would subside and he’d be able to think of a plan B.
He pulled to a stop at the next intersection. As he waited his turn to proceed, he glanced around, taking in the busy storefronts to his right. He’d moved back to the island of Lapri close to four years ago. In all that time, he’d not so much as strolled down the sidewalk. Even though most people walked or rode a moped, he always drove, no matter where he went.
Time was money. And money was power. He didn’t have time to waste. He had a life plan—to be the best of the best.
It was one thing he could thank his mother for. She’d shown him what it meant to do whatever it took to reach for your goals—even tossing aside your very young child or leaving him home alone while out on a date. The clincher had been when she’d told him that she was going on vacation while he stayed with his aunt and uncle and she’d be back for him. The truth was, she had no intention of coming back for him—ever. She’d sloughed off his seven-year-old self in order to marry a man who abhorred children. It still left a bitter taste in the back of Ric’s mouth.
And then there were other women who used children to get what they wanted—or at least they tried. One girlfriend had even faked a pregnancy, trying to get him to marry her. Until he’d demanded a paternity test.
He’d truly thought his last girlfriend was different. They’d dated for close to two years. Then he’d caught her cheating on him. When he’d confronted her, she claimed the new guy was open, trusting and wanting a family—everything Ric wasn’t.
His luck with women was bad—to say the least. It’s the reason he’d sworn off relationships. He was better off on his own.
His gaze moved to the driver’s side window, zeroing in on a small park. It was really no bigger than a few benches, a swing set and a fountain.
Today it seemed rather busy with people walking their dogs—another thing he didn’t have in his life. Sometimes he thought it might be nice to have a pet, a dog loyal to him that would never reject him or use him for its own greedy needs.
And then other days, he enjoyed his freedom to come and go as he pleased. Not to have to worry about anyone else but himself. He realized how selfish that sounded, but he wasn’t hurting anyone. It was simply his choice to live alone—
Wait.
A flash of bright aqua caught his attention.
Is that Gia?
He stared over at the park. The woman had her back to him, but it sure looked like her. And then his gaze lowered to the puppy with the plastic cone around his neck. It was definitely her.
Honk! Honk!
The angry horn blast reminded Ric that traffic was stacking up behind him. He proceeded through the intersection. He found a safe place to turn around, and then he backtracked to the park.
He told himself it was the luggage that had him seeking Gia. It couldn’t be anything else. After all, her problems were just that—her problems. And he had enough of his own problems at the moment.
Still, that didn’t keep him from pulling into a parking spot along the road. He told himself the sooner the luggage was gone, the sooner any thought of Gia would be gone and the sooner his life would return to normal.
He climbed out of his car and headed for Gia, who was talking to an older woman. He found that odd, considering she said she was from the mainland. And she’d acted as though she hadn’t been to Lapri before now. Perhaps she hadn’t been telling him the truth. It wouldn’t be the first time a woman had lied to him.
He cleared his throat. “Excuse me. Gia?”
Both women turned to him. The older woman with short, silver hair smiled at him. A big bright smile lit up her eyes. She adjusted her black-rimmed glasses as though to get a better look. “Aren’t you?” She snapped her fingers as though she couldn’t quite place the face with a name. “You know, the guy in the movie.” Color rushed to her cheeks. “The one who walks out of the ocean with all of that water rushing down over that muscular chest?”
The woman certainly didn’t shy away from matters. He could respect that. However, he didn’t return the woman’s smile. “That would be me.”
“Oh, my! Wait until the women in my apartment building hear about this. I’ll be the most popular person today.”
Hmm...so he was only good for one day’s worth of popularity. He stifled a laugh. If he’d have known the notoriety that clip would have given him, he never would have agreed to it. Still, this woman looked mighty pleased with herself—as though she’d discovered him.
Gia tilted her chin upward. There was no sign of a smile on her face. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to let you know your luggage has been delivered.”
“Oh.”
That was it? He stopped to let her know—to let her retrieve her things from his place. “I’m headed to the office, but I can let you in the apartment to get your stuff.”
The older woman lightly elbowed Gia. “If I was you, I’d definitely stay.” She glanced at Ric and waggled her brows before turning back to Gia. “You’ll be okay with this one?”
“I will.”
“Then I’ll be going. I can’t wait to tell Josephine about this. She’s always bragging about her nephew’s celebrity friends. This will get her.” Then a worried look came over the older woman’s face, and she turned to Ric. “You don’t know Josephine, do you?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know any Josephine.”
“Good. Good.” She turned back to Gia. “I’ll see you tomorrow, if you decide to stay.” Then she gave the leash in her hand a gentle tug. “Come on, Princess. It’s time to go home.”
And then they were alone, except for the dozen or so other people in the park. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, not sure what to say. Still, he couldn’t stand here all day. Even the dog agreed as he sat down in front of them and stared up as though asking what they were going to do now.
Ric told himself to make a clean break. He once again reminded himself that her problems weren’t his problems. But he knew what it was like to wonder about a missing parent. The only problem was he didn’t have a clue who his father might be. Unlike Gia, his mother didn’t have a clue. When he’d asked her, she’d told him that his father was a nobody and that she didn’t recall his name. Who didn’t recall the name of someone they procreated with? Every time he thought of her casual response, his blood pressure shot up at least twenty points.
When he glanced around, he noticed people were pointing in his direction. Oh, no. It appeared Gia’s new friend wasn’t the only one to recognize him. He inwardly groaned.
“We should go,” Ric said.
“Back to your uncle’s place?” Hope shone in her eyes.
“You really believe he’s your father, don’t you?”
She lifted her shoulder before letting it fall back in place. “If he isn’t, I have to believe there’s some sort of link in the house.”
“And if I refuse you access?”
Her pointed star
e met his. “I will find out the truth. With or without your help.”
He knew she meant it. And he respected her determination. He just hoped it’d be enough for her to find the answers she so desperately needed.
Ric checked the time. It was past lunch, and with his business dinner canceled, he had no pressing appointments. “Why don’t you come back to the apartment? Maybe tomorrow I could help you with your search.”
Why in the world had he gone and offered to help? To clear his uncle’s name, sure. But when she turned to him with excitement and appreciation gleaming in her eyes, he knew there was no way he could take it back.
And yet the smile that followed sent his heart racing. And then without thinking, he smiled back. Once he realized the affect she had over him, he glanced away.
He cleared his suddenly dry throat. “Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
As they walked to his car, he assured himself that her stay would be brief. He’d make sure of it—even if he had to spend every waking moment disproving her claim.
CHAPTER SIX
RIC TURNED OUT to be a surprisingly good host.
They’d even gone on a shopping spree at a pet store after leaving the park. Gia told herself accepting his invitation to stay at his apartment was the simplest solution as far as the puppy was concerned. And there was Ric’s sincerity when he’d said he would help her search for her father. How could she turn him down?
After all, she didn’t have any leads other than the address of his uncle’s island villa. There had to be a reason her mother held on to that address. And Gia had to hope it had something to do with her conception. Because if it didn’t, she might never find the answers she so desperately needed.
And so the next day, Gia stood behind Ric as he unlocked the massive door to the villa. The puppy continually barked, pulling on the leash to get away. What was up with that? Usually he was quiet—well, as quiet as a puppy could get.
Gia gently pulled on the leash. “Gin, enough.”
“Gin?”
She glanced at Ric wearing an amused look. “I couldn’t keep calling him puppy, could I? What kind of name is that? And he is a ginger. So I shortened it to Gin.” She glanced down at the puppy. “You like your name, huh?”
Gin looked up at her as though trying to tell her something.
“Do you need a little walk?” She turned to Ric. “We’ll be right back.”
She let Gin lead her to the patch of grass, but instead of stopping to do his business, he pulled hard on the leash trying to get to the backyard. Gia knew the dangerous mess that awaited them back there. Gin barked repeatedly.
“No. We’re not going back there.” Not in the mood to fight with the dog, she leaned down and picked him up.
Her action startled Gin into silence. As she headed back up the steps to where Ric was waiting for them, Gin licked her cheek. All was well in the world once more. Well, sort of. At least where the puppy was concerned.
But now she had bigger matters on her mind. Her heart raced as she thought how this moment might lead to answers about the past—about her conception. She couldn’t wait to track down her biological father.
“Please excuse the condition of the place.” Ric opened the door. “I’ve had it locked up since my uncle’s passing. I... I just needed time to deal with it.”
“I understand.” Not everyone was thrust into action by a contest written into a will, like she and her siblings had been after their parents’ unexpected deaths.
Gin wiggled in her arms. With the door shut, she put the little guy down to explore, but she didn’t let him off the leash.
Her thoughts turned to her family’s villa in the rolling hills of Tuscany. Guilt niggled her for just up and leaving the whole business with her two managers. But she just couldn’t stay there and continue to act like nothing had happened.
Finding out she wasn’t a Bartolini had been devastating. She’d lost her footing, and she didn’t know if she’d ever feel sure and confident again—not until she found out exactly who she was and who her ancestors were. And most of all, she had to learn why her parents had lied to her all her life. Who did something like that?
“Gia?” Ric turned to her from where he now stood across the spacious foyer. “Are you coming?”
The puppy pulled on the leash, anxious to follow Ric. In comparison to her childhood home, this place was colder and a lot more proper. She glanced around, finding what looked to be expensive works of art on the walls.
While the puppy sniffed his way around the room, Gia took in her surroundings. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting. It was as though the house was just waiting for someone to walk in the door and bring it back to life. There weren’t any dust covers, though the place could definitely use them.
“My uncle’s study is this way.” Ric headed toward the back of the house.
She followed him. All the while, she took in the high ceilings with their ornate plasterwork as well as the collection of artwork. It was like walking through a museum. She couldn’t believe Ric had closed up this place instead of moving in.
Though maybe it was the old-world style of the home that kept Ric away. After all, his apartment was state-of-the-art, and the style had a modern industrial flair to it. Very different from this villa that was from another century.
Gia entered the study, noticing all its dark wood and antiques. It was an organized room. Everything appeared to be in its spot, but coated with an inch of dust.
However in a matter of minutes, Ric had undone all the order as he opened drawers and piled papers on the desk and more on the coffee table that sat in front of the brown leather couch beneath the windows.
Gia sneezed.
Gin sneezed.
“Sorry,” Ric said. “I guess it’s been a while since this place was dusted.”
“Can I help you go through the papers?” She wasn’t quite sure what he was searching for other than proof she wasn’t his uncle’s daughter.
She couldn’t really blame him. She knew how devastating family secrets could be. They didn’t just change the past, but they also changed the here and now. And who knew about the future. Something told Gia that no matter who her biological father turned out to be, her family would never be the same. The thought weighed heavy on her heart.
“Give me a second.” He heaved another stack of file folders onto the already crowded desk. “On second thought, give me a few minutes to figure out where to start looking for clues.”
She wanted to ignore him and just dive into the files. She was so anxious to find the pieces of the puzzle to complete her life’s story, but she had to wait. She was here at Ric’s invitation. She didn’t doubt if she got pushy, he’d withdraw his help immediately. She just had to be patient. That was easier said than done.
But if Ric’s uncle was her father, that meant this villa was a piece of her past. And without anything better to do, why not explore the place? Maybe she would learn more about the man. The thought appealed to her.
“Do you mind if I look around?”
Ric glanced up from an open folder. He looked confused at first, as though he’d forgotten that she was still in the room. “Um, sure. Yeah. I’ll be here if you need me.”
And so she was off, Gin right at her heels. She hoped while she was gone that Ric would find the answers she so anxiously wanted. The home was quite spacious, with three floors of elaborately decorated rooms.
Gia noticed there were portraits of the same woman on each floor. They must be images of Ric’s aunt. She had been a beautiful woman. And as Gia passed through room after room, it was obvious Ric’s uncle loved and missed his wife after her passing, because her feminine touch was in each room as though he was just waiting for her to return.
Gia fell in love with the home. Its classic decor was tasteful but not overdone. And sure, it needed some upda
tes, but whoever lived in this house next would be fortunate. She could imagine many happy family moments spent here.
Ric’s image flashed in her mind. Would he someday give up his bachelor pad and settle down here? Something told her that he’d only do it once he had a family of his own. The thought dampened her mood.
She told herself the reason it bothered her was that she still had no idea about her other family. And she had no idea why her parents had strived to keep the secret from her. Why do that? It wasn’t like her parents were super secretive people. But when it came to her birth, there was a reason they didn’t ever let on. Did her very existence threaten their marriage? Did they fear she would bring her biological father into their lives and it would ruin the reconciliation they’d strived to achieve?
And without knowing about the circumstances of her conception, how could she move forward? What would people think when she said she didn’t know who her father was? How would anyone truly love her when she didn’t truly know herself?
“Gia!” Ric’s voice echoed through the wide hallways and up the grand staircase. “Gia, come here.”
She left her troubled thoughts behind as she rushed down the wide staircase to the main floor and to the study where Ric was rifling through a large stack of papers. He was certainly intent on finding the answer of her paternity.
* * *
What a mess!
And he was only making it worse. But it had to be done eventually.
Ric leaned back in the old leather office chair that his uncle used to spend most of his day in before his death. When Ric was young, he imagined himself one day sitting in it and working at this very desk.
It was amazing how things had changed. Now, Ric knew he’d never live in this house. And he would never spend his days working behind this desk. It just wasn’t in the cards for him.
This sprawling villa was for a family—something he’d never have. To live here, he’d be reminded every day that he was alone. But he also knew too well that people could tell you they loved you in one breath and leave you in the next. Family life was not for him. Gia may want to expand her family but not him. He was fine alone.
The CEO, the Puppy and Me Page 5