‘Ariana, you do not “create, design and implement the theme for the annual Romano Foundation Ball,”’ Gian said, and used his fingers to quote directly from her résumé. ‘My staff do.’
‘Well, I have major input.’
‘No, Ariana, you don’t. In fact, you barely show up for the meetings.’
‘I always attend.’
‘I can have Luna retrieve the minutes of them if you like. You rarely show up and you don’t even bother to send an apology. The fact is you consistently let people down.’
‘Excuse me!’ Ariana reared, unused to him speaking so harshly, for, though cold, Gian was always polite.
Except here, today, they had entered unknown territory.
Usually when they discussed the Romano Ball, given the fact she was Rafael’s daughter, Ariana’s suggestions were tolerated, lauded even. Now, though, Gian refused to play the usual game of applauding her inaction, or nodding as she reeled off one of her less-than-well-thought-out ideas. He picked last year’s ball as an example. ‘You said you were thinking “along the lines of silver” and no doubt went off to plan your gown.’
He watched her lips press tightly together. Even clamped shut, Ariana had a very pretty mouth, but he quickly dragged his attention away from that thought and back to the point he was trying to make. ‘Following your suggestion, my staff created a silver world, whereas you did nothing more than turn up on the night...’ he held her angry gaze ‘...in a silver gown.’
‘How nice that you remember what I was wearing,’ Ariana retorted.
‘Call it an educated guess.’
Ouch!
Suddenly, under his withering gaze, in this private meeting she had demanded, Ariana felt as gauche and naive as the virgin she was, rather than the temptress she portrayed. ‘Well, I was the one who came up with a forest theme for this year,’ Ariana reminded him.
‘Tell me,’ Gian pushed, ‘what have you done to help implement the forest theme, apart from choose the fabric for your gown?’
Ariana opened her mouth to answer and then closed it. He watched her shoulders briefly slump in defeat, but then she rallied. ‘I suggested ivy around the pillars in the ballroom.’
He looked as unimpressed with her suggestion as he had at the board meeting, Ariana thought. But, then, Gian considered decorations and themes and such somewhat vulgar.
‘And berries,’ Ariana hurriedly. ‘I suggested a berry dessert. Fruits of the forest...’
Gian did not so much as blink; he just stared at her pretty, empty head.
Only...that wasn’t right, and he knew it.
Ariana, when she so chose, was perceptive and clever, but he refused to relent. ‘What about last month, December, the hotel’s busiest time, and you reserved the Pianoforte Bar for yourself and your friends’ exclusive use, yet forgot to let Reservations know that it was no longer required.’
‘You were paid,’ Ariana interrupted. ‘My father—’
‘Precisely.’ It was Gian who now interrupted. ‘Your father took care of things. It is so very typical of you, Ariana. If something better comes along, then that is where your attention goes.’
‘No!’ Ariana shook her head, angrily at first but then in sudden bewilderment because he was usually so polite. ‘Why are you speaking to me like this, Gian?’
‘So that you understand completely why my answer to your request is no.’
It sounded as if he meant it, and Ariana wasn’t particularly used to that so she tried another tack. ‘I studied hospitality and—’
‘I know you did.’ Again, Gian cut her off. ‘You might remember that it was necessary for you to do three months’ work experience to pass your course and so I spoke to your father and offered for you to do your placement here.’ His eyes never left her face. ‘You failed to show up on your starting day.’
Ariana flushed. ‘Because I decided to do my placement at the family hotel in Luctano.’
‘And you didn’t even think to let me know?’
‘I thought my father’s staff had contacted you.’
But Gian shook his head. ‘The fact is, Ariana, you chose the easier option.’
‘I wanted to work here, Gian,’ Ariana insisted. ‘But my parents wanted me at the family hotel.’
‘No.’ Gian shook his head, refusing to accept her twisted truth. ‘You declined when I explained that your placement would consist of working in all areas of the hotel. You were to spend a week in the kitchen, a week as a chambermaid, a week—’
It was Ariana who interrupted now, her voice fighting not to rise as she cut in. ‘I felt I would get more experience in Luctano.’
‘Really?’ Gian checked. ‘You thought you would get more experience at a small boutique resort in the Tuscan hills than at an award-winning, five-star hotel in the heart of Rome?’
‘Yes,’ she attempted. ‘Well, perhaps not as extensive as I would have had here but...’ Her voice trailed off because her excuse was as pathetic as it sounded, but there was another reason entirely that his offer to work at La Fiordelise had been declined all those years ago. ‘That wasn’t the only reason I said no, Gian. The fact is, my mother didn’t want me working here.’
‘Why ever not?’
Even as she opened her mouth to speak, even as the words tumbled out, Ariana knew she should never be saying them. ‘Because of your reputation with women.’
CHAPTER TWO
‘PARDON?’
Gian was supremely polite as he asked her to repeat her accusation, but far from backtracking or apologising, Ariana clarified her words.
‘My mother didn’t want me working here because of your reputation with women.’ She didn’t even blush as she said it. If anything, she was defiant.
Still, such was the sudden tension that it was a relief when there was a knock on the door and soon Luna was placing down little white coasters decorated with La Fiordelise’s swirling rose gold insignia and two long, pale flutes of champagne, as well as a little silver dish of nibbles.
The dish in itself was beautiful, heavy silver with three little heart-shaped trays, individually filled with nuts, slivers of fruit and
