“I think you look quite fetching, all sleepy and disheveled,” Luke complimented.
“And I think your vocabulary has gotten fancier now that we’re back on your home turf,” I teased back. “It’s a little confusing, but I also kind of like it. Especially when you throw in all the Italian.”
He lifted a saucy eyebrow at me. “Verimente?”
“Ooh, you’re trying to make sure we stay inside the hotel today, aren’t you?” I flirted.
A string of foreign words fell from his lips, and I couldn’t ignore the rise of attraction that distracted me. “Two can play that game. Listen.” I leaned forward and did my best Marilyn Monroe impression. If Marilyn was trying to speak a foreign language.
Attempting a few of the words I remembered, I tried to imitate my fiancé’s accent. The corners of his mouth twitched, but he managed not to laugh at my goofs.
“Very impressive,” he lied, an amused smile spreading on his lips. “I’ll have fun teaching you even more things to say on our drive up to Perdaggia.”
The barrier of happiness that wrapped around us popped like a thin soap bubble. Our true purpose of coming to Italy loomed on the horizon, and yet I still dreaded going.
Sensing my sudden mood change, Luke offered to sweeten my day. “I assume you don’t want to go digging around a dusty old garage with me.”
“Not really.”
“If you want, I can arrange for a personal guide to take you around to see more things,” he offered.
It sounded tempting, and I knew I hadn’t seen even half of the good stuff yet. But staring at my ragged fingernails that still held a little discoloration under the tips due to the hazards of the family business, I worried how his parents might interpret their pitiful state.
“Is there a place around here that might do manicures?” I asked.
“This hotel has excellent spa services if you want to take advantage while I’m gone.” Luke looked relieved that he could do something for me. “How about I arrange for someone to come up here? You could also get a massage if you want. Loosen you up before you meet my parents.”
I shuddered. “I don’t think there’s a massage in the world that will relax me that much.”
“They’re not that scary once you get to know them. Cassio was being a tad bit dramatic,” he said, dismissing his friend with a shrug.
Based on Luke’s reactions to his friend’s presence and the fact that the prodigal son was returning home after at least a century of being gone, I doubted his casual response.
“Still. I’d like to make as good an impression as I possibly can.” I paused, considering all the things I needed to do to get anywhere close to the level of acceptable I expected them to want. “I think getting some spa services would be a good idea. How long do you think you’ll be gone?”
“Once I leave, it should only take me an hour or so. Plus, time for negotiations and to set up transport back to my house.” Luke calculated his time. “I’d say maybe a couple of hours.”
“That would give me time to get somewhat presentable,” I muttered under my breath.
“I should be back in time to see you choose some of the clothing pieces, and then I can help you pack.” He pushed his chair back and stood. “We can get on the road during riposo, so the traffic will be a little lighter.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s the time of day where people go home to eat lunch and rest a little,” Luke explained. “Everything opens back up after four in the afternoon.”
“Like an enforced nap time,” I said in awe. “That actually sounds amazing.”
He waggled a finger at me. “No napping for you. You’ll want to take in the beauty of the countryside as we drive into Umbria. And if I time it right, you’ll get to see Castello di Rossi in all its glory.”
I called my cousin once I was alone and filled her in on everything. Hearing her voice gave me comfort I didn’t know I was craving. Once she found out about my discomfort with Luke and his money, she admonished me, reminding me that I was just as ready to share what I had with him. Why wouldn’t I want it to be a two-way street?
True to his word, Luke set up for the staff at the hotel spa to come up to his penthouse. The long massage did help rub away some of my stress. The nail technicians had set up a station outside on the balcony, and I sat in a comfy chair drinking bubbly prosecco and getting all my nails cut, shaped, and polished while still enjoying the ambience of Rome.
Against my protests, Luke arranged with Claudio to take all of my choices, and a few extra outfits that caused a rather visceral reaction from my fiancé, with him back to Perdaggia along with our luggage. I regretted leaving the hotel so soon, but seeing our mode of transportation for the rest of the day cheered me right up.
A little black car waited for us at the entrance. Its sleek lines earned a low whistle from me. “She’s a beauty,” I sighed.
“Then she’s the perfect match for you.” Luke dangled the keys. “Want to drive her?”
I shrieked in fear. “Are you kidding? With the way the crazies drive around here, we’d crash for sure.”
Luke opened the door for me, and I slid into the passenger seat with leather as soft as butter. When my fiancé joined me behind the wheel of the sweet car, he handed me a box tied with a bow.
“You’ve given me more than enough,” I chastised.
“Think of this as more of a gift of utility than of generosity then,” he said, wiggling it in front of me.
I thanked him as I accepted
