“Mr. Malone,” Cayo said congenially when Travis opened the door, “I was beginning to wonder if I’d gotten the wrong room.”
Surprised by Cayo’s friendly greeting, Travis offered a sincere apology and told him Vina would be along in a few minutes. He and Cayo exchanged idle small talk while they waited; which thankfully, wasn’t long. Vina appeared to have regained her composure by the time she returned. She’d reapplied lip gloss and brushed her hair to a shiny glean; the only evidence of the passionate kiss they’d shared was the remains of a soft blush.
“You look lovely, Miss Vina,” Cayo said appreciatively.
Vina rewarded him with a warm smile. “Thank you, Cayo.”
She looped her hand through the arm Cayo extended and allowed him to escort her from the room, leaving Travis to trail behind them. He didn’t really mind; the view Vina provided in her sexy-as-sin red high heels and the gentle sway of her hips made the short walk extremely pleasurable. He followed them down the path to the dock where the Andollina’s luxurious gondola was moored. Travis waited for Cayo to help Vina in, taking advantage of Cayo’s gesture to board next by taking the seat next to Vina.
Propriety probably dictated that Cayo refrain from sitting beside Vina, but Travis wasn’t taking any chances. He’d naturally assumed Cayo would take the role of captain and steer them to their destination, but it appeared he’d brought someone else to do the job. Which made Travis wonder if perhaps Cayo’s interest in Vina was on a more personal level.
It wouldn’t have bothered him under normal circumstances; the man was hardly Vina’s type, but she’d been carrying on an animated conversation with Cayo since leaving room and hadn’t so much as spared a glance for him. Even now, when he’d purposely positioned himself a little closer than necessary, Vina’s demeanor was rather cool and reserved. Once again engaged in conversation with Cayo, she ignored Travis completely and wouldn’t even look at him when Cayo threw an occasional question his way.
Travis wracked his brain but could find no logical explanation for her strange behavior. Even if she was upset because he’d mussed her hair and smeared her lipstick, that was no reason to give him the cold shoulder. He’d obviously done something wrong, at least in her eyes, but couldn’t fathom what that might be. Travis didn’t like the situation he was in, especially when there were three eligible bachelors at the end of the line who were eagerly awaiting Vina’s arrival.
***
I didn’t mean for this to happen. It was a mistake. A mistake! Vina had been crushed by those words. She still was, although she was doing a fairly decent job of acting as though it hadn’t affected her at all. Of course the only way she was able to maintain any sense of composure was to ignore Travis altogether. She couldn’t even look at him for fear she’d see the disgust reflected in his eyes, just as she had back in the suite. It was a mistake. I didn’t mean for this to happen.
Yes, it was a mistake, Vina realized. It was a mistake to purposely bait him with the sexy little number she was wearing, and it was a mistake to believe he’d kissed her for any other reason. What a fool she’d been to think Travis had miraculously been struck by an epiphany and discovered he was in love with her. Vina’s emotions were so raw right now it was all she could do to keep from bursting into tears and making an even bigger fool of herself.
If it wasn’t for the distraction Cayo provided by asking about her sisters and telling them about the Carnival and which places held the best masquerade balls, Vina would have succumbed to the dark depression that was settling over her. Don’t think about it, she told herself. The last thing she wanted to do was arrive at the Andollina’s looking as if her world was collapsing.
It wasn’t a long boat ride, which Vina was grateful for because in was unnerving sitting so close to Travis. Once they reached the dock and Cayo helped her out of the gondola, she was able to relax a little. She even managed a tight laugh when Travis spied the Andollina’s impressive Manor and let out a low whistle. There was nothing the Marchese loved more than surrounding himself and his family with the finest things money could buy. He was especially indulgent when it came to his wife, although Vina knew it had more to do with his generous nature than a desire to showcase his massive wealth.
They’d barely stepped inside the foyer before being ushered down the hall and into the elegant Grand Room by the Marchese and Marchesa’s only daughter, Stefana. For the next several minutes Vina was caught up in welcoming hugs and making introductions as the family gathered around them. Travis was as congenial as the three Andollina men, although she noted the exchange of assessing glances. Why Travis bothered sizing up the competition was beyond her, especially after making it clear he’d taken himself out of the running.
“We were just discussing the Carnival,” Stefana said as they all migrated towards the plush sofas and loveseats in the sitting area. “Normally we choose one ball to attend, but this year the boys and I are going to attend three balls. Now that we’re older with demanding careers it’s getting more difficult to take so much time off. This will probably be the last year we’re all together for the entire two weeks of Carnival so we want to make the most of it.”
“Stefana is dead set on taking in a little of everything,” Maximo, the oldest of the three Andollinas, said with a laugh. “She has extracted a promise from all of us to attend a music theatre at the Dandolo palace, an opera at the Pesaro Papafava, three masquerade balls, plus the Carnival itself.”
“Who knows,” Stefana quipped, “maybe you’ll all find the woman of your dreams and fall madly in love.” Vina couldn’t help smiling when Stefana suddenly found herself on the receiving end of three scowling faces. “Scoff all you want,” their sister continued, “but somewhere out there is a woman who will love you despite your insufferable arrogance and you won’t be able to guard your hearts against it.”
Alonso, who was called Lon by his family and close friends, shook his head. “You are in incurable romantic, little sister. Many women have captured my attention, but I assure you, none of them will ever capture my heart.”
“Until a few minutes ago, I would have agreed with you, Lon,” Emilio said as his gaze shifted to Vina. “You have blossomed over the years, bella donna.”
“And you are a shameless flirt, Emilio Andollina,” she attempted to laugh it off, although the furious blush scalding her cheeks probably gave the impression she was flattered.
The devil played in his eyes as he leaned towards her. “Tell me which ball you’re attending so I can claim every dance.”
Vina’s blush deepened. “I’m not sure. I mean…Travis mentioned more than one…”
“Il Ballo del Doge,” Travis said. His voice dipped an octave lower, “and Vina has already promised the first dance to me.”
Undaunted, Emilio grinned. “Is that so? Then I shall have to claim all but the first dance.”
“Forgive my son,” the Marchesa intervened. “The last time we saw Vina, she was merely a girl. Like the rest of us, he is delighted to see she has become such a beautiful young woman.” She addressed Vina with a warm smile. “How are your sisters, my dear?”
Grateful to the Marchesa for changing the subject, Vina proudly recounted her sister’s accomplishments. For awhile she was too engrossed in the conversation to think of anything else, but once they moved to the formal dining room to eat, the uneasiness returned. Emilio contrived to sit next to her and Lon took the chair on her left. Travis had been seated directly across from them with Stefana on one side and Maximo on the other. Outwardly, he appeared amenable to the sitting arrangements, but Vina knew him too well not to discern he was far from happy about it.
All throughout dinner his eyes kept straying to her, lingering for a few moments before growing cold as they flickered over Emilio. Vina wondered if he regretted the way things had turned out or whether it would have concerned him at all if it weren’t for the attention she was getting from another man. Travis hated losing at anything. But then, he didn’t really lose me, sh
e thought despondently. After turning her world upside down and making her fall in love with him, Travis decided she wasn’t what he wanted after all.
Vina’s breath hitched in her throat. It was too late to pretend she hadn’t done the unthinkable and fallen head over heels in love with Travis Malone. Admitting it to herself was simply confirmation of something her heart had known all along. There was no escaping it, but neither could she embrace it because her love would never be returned.
It didn’t help that Emilio was being so attentive. Oh, he was as charming as she remembered, both intelligent and witty, and there was no denying the man was sinfully handsome. Classic Italian features including dark hair and eyes, coupled with a perfect and heavily muscled physique undoubtedly earned Emilio the heart of nearly every female he crossed paths with. Vina almost wished she was one of them. But her heart, every shattered piece of it, belonged to Travis and always would.
After dinner they moved outside to the roof terrace to enjoy the cool evening breeze and breathtaking view. The Marchese and Marchesa stayed for one glass of wine then retired to their room, after which Maximo and Lon pulled their chairs closer. It was a little overwhelming because Vina seemed to have become the prize that all three Andollina brothers were vying for. It was entertaining to watch them try to outdo one another, but she was impervious to their charm and flirtatious banter.
What Vina wasn’t impervious to was the pain in her chest when Travis and Stefana strolled to the far end of the terrace. They stood close together, keeping their voices low so that Vina wasn’t able to catch even a snippet of their conversation. Every now and then, Stefana’s melodious laughter would float back to her, driving the shards of pain in even deeper. Vina tenaciously clung to the hope that Travis had no real interest in Stefana, but even that was torn away from her when they slipped inside the house without a word to anyone.
Hurt and angry that he could be so oblivious to her feelings, Vina retaliated in the only way she could. If Travis didn’t want her, there wasn’t anything she could do about it, but that didn’t mean she was going to let him watch her wallow in self-pity. Giving herself a mental shake, she gathered her pride and turned to Emilio with an inviting smile.
Chapter 12
Vina was lost. She felt like a piece of driftwood bobbing up and down in the open sea with no destination and no hope of rescue. She’d barely seen Travis for the past week and it was making her miserable, especially after spotting him with Stefana as he guided her through the crowd at the Piazza San Marco where the Carnival was centered. Lon had been escorting Vina around Venice on that particular day and she’d been enjoying herself. At least during those intervals when her mind hadn’t strayed to the man she really wanted to be with.
Travis had been silent on the boat ride back to the Palazzo the night of the dinner party and merely wished her good-night when they reached their suites. Still stinging from the realization that he’d tossed her aside like yesterday’s news, Vina accepted Emilio’s invitation to take her site-seeing when he called early the next morning. When Travis knocked on her door to see if she wanted to join him for breakfast, she’d informed him of her plans for the day and was met with indifference. Not the reaction she had hoped for, which only gouged out a deeper wound.
The following day, it was Maximo who’d called and offered to take her on a stroll to some of the costume boutiques. Vina accepted because Travis had been withdrawn during breakfast, and since he’d made no offer to spend the day with her, it seemed silly to mope around in her suite. Maximo took her to lunch and then to a few boutiques where he insisted she try on gowns even though she assured him she already had a costume.
“What did you buy?” she asked when he joined her after asking her to wait outside for him.
“The rose colored gown,” he replied. “You looked exquisite in it and the gown will be perfect for the place I am taking you to tonight.”
“Max, you shouldn’t have!”
“You see, that is exactly why I felt compelled to do it. You enjoyed playing dress up and did it purely for fun. Most of the women I know would have expected me to buy them something, or at the very least dropped atomic hints I was sure not to miss.”
“That’s horrible!”
Max shrugged. “I’ve gotten used to it.”
“But you shouldn’t have to. Honestly, Max, you need to find a woman who wants to be with you because of who you are, not for the material things you can give her.”
“Beauty, brains, and a heart…you’re one in a million, cara.”
Vina had blushed profusely, which seemed to delight Max even more. That evening as she was putting on the gown, she couldn’t help wishing Travis would knock on her door and demand that she cancel her date. It wasn’t that Max hadn’t shown her a good time or that she anticipated being bored on their night out, but she missed Travis something awful and hated how distant they’d become.
Max looked amazing in his costume and she’d felt like a princess when he offered his arm and escorted her to the dock. They’d taken a gondola ride through the narrow waterways and into the Grand Canal, arriving a short time later at a privately owned Venetian palace. Vina was awestruck to find herself inside a real palace, sipping wine and indulging in rich desserts while Max regaled her with stories of the mischief he and his brothers had gotten into in their youth.
She was fond of Max and liked the way he made her feel special. But then, all the Andollina brothers had treated her as if she was an extraordinary woman, showering her with endless compliments and playing the role of adoring suitor. By the end of her first week in Venice, she’d been out with each of them twice and couldn’t really say which of them she liked better. All of them possessed admiral qualities and they certainly outshined the men she’d dated in the past.
There was only one problem; none of them was Travis. She couldn’t get him out of her head. His image haunted her day and night, following her around no matter where she went or who she was with. All throughout her lovely evening with Max, thoughts of Travis continued to intrude. Even the sight of him with Stefana as they emerged from Dandolo palace where they must have taken in a music theatre show had done nothing to sever the love she felt for him.
As Max walked her back to her suite, Vina wondered if Travis had returned yet or if he was at the Andollina’s manor, kissing Stefana good-night. As they approached her door, Vina’s stomach knotted. What if he hadn’t taken Stefana home? What if they were in his suite now…in his bed making love? She could feel the color leach from her face as her wobbly legs threatened to buckle beneath her.
“You’ve grown very quiet,” Max observed as they reached her door.
“I…I’m sorry,” she managed a thin smile. “It must be all those rich desserts I ate.”
Max’s brows furrowed. “You do look awfully pale. Would you like me to come in and order a cup of tea to settle your stomach?”
“No, I just need a good night’s rest and I’ll be fine.”
Reaching up, he gently brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers. “We really have been running you ragged, haven’t we?”
“A little, I guess, but I don’t regret a moment of it. I’ve had a wonderful time, Max. Thank you.”
“I enjoy being with you, Vina. As a matter of fact, I was going to ask if I could see you again tomorrow. No site-seeing or parties,” he promised, “just a nice relaxing day lounging around the pool at the manor.”
Vina hated herself for asking, but couldn’t seem to keep from blurting out, “What about Stefana and all the events she has lined up for you and your brothers? Isn’t she going to be upset with me for monopolizing your time?”
“Actually, she thinks it’s working out beautifully. With the three of us dividing up the big brother time, there’s a lot less grumbling about being dragged all over the city. Stefana is thrilled she gets to take in every social event and theatre show Venice has to offer without all the complaining.”
“I wish one of you would have said
something, Max. If I’d known how much you and your brothers disliked going to all those places, I would have…” What? Gone out alone? Subjected herself to Travis’ sullen company?
“I don’t think you understand, bella,” Max said softly. “It’s not that we don’t enjoy the festivities of the Carnival, or the company of our little sister; it’s just that the pleasure of being with you has become so distracting. It’s lucky for us that your friend, Travis, has provided a distraction for Stefana as well.”
Vina’s face crumbled. “You…you think it’s getting serious?”
Max’s words opened a floodgate of unwanted images that she desperately attempted to block, but it was like trying to rope the wind. It didn’t help that the look he gave her was so intense Vina could almost feel those dark eyes probing her mind…seeing straight into her shattered heart. Tears blurred her vision as she wrenched her gaze away and turned towards the door.
VINA IN VENICE (THE 5 SISTERS) Page 16