The CEO, the Puppy and Me

While Gia swiped away the tears, Bianca asked, “So what’s the deal with Ric? Did you leave early because you found out your biological father isn’t who you thought he’d be? Or did something happen with you and Ric?”

That was Gia’s cue to get out of bed. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“When she says that—” Bianca looked at Enzo “—it means she left the best part out.”

Enzo didn’t say anything, but he looked at her with those observant eyes of his.

Gia grabbed some fresh clothes from the closet and headed for the shower. “Just leave it be. Please.”

And then she shut the bathroom door. It was the shower that muffled her tears. She’d made such a mess of things. She’d risked her heart not once, but twice and been rejected both times. She was never going to trust a man again. Except Enzo. But he didn’t count. He was her big brother.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

TIME MARCHED ON.

And he was more miserable with each passing day.

Ric held the leashes of the pups as he walked them to the park where Gia used to take them. Even the dogs weren’t themselves since she left. They missed her too.

He’d been telling himself that he didn’t need Gia in his life—that he’d be fine on his own. It didn’t matter how many times he told himself that though; it didn’t make it any truer.

He’d gone back to working long hours. He’d put a hold on the remodel of his uncle’s villa. He’d picked up everything that reminded him of her in the apartment and placed it all in her room. He closed the door on it. Out of sight, out of mind. Ha! That just wasn’t the case.

He thought of her in the morning when he went to the kitchen and found that she hadn’t beat him to the coffee. He thought of her at lunchtime when he thought of sneaking out of the office to surprise her with a picnic lunch at his uncle’s villa, where she’d been turning it from a rough stone into the true polished gem it could be. He thought of her when the pups whined at him and he had no clue what they were trying to say, but Gia would know—she had that way with animals and humans alike.

And he thought of her when Vincent D’Angelo had given him a follow-up phone call, wanting to know more about Ric’s program. In fact, they’d already met to go over the details. They were even moving into negotiations for the rights to the program.

And though his program was at last going to be sold and open the door to help others, he didn’t have a feeling of accomplishment—of fulfillment.

He sat down on a park bench. The pups sat on each side of him. When they used to come to the park with Gia, they’d beg to go play with the other dogs, but not anymore. Nothing was the same for any of them.

They all missed Gia.

And it was his fault.

He’d let his ego get in the way. He was a foolish man. How could he think Gia was doing anything other than what she always did—lending a helping hand? He’d measured her by the standards of the other women who’d passed through his life, and that wasn’t fair to Gia.

There was only one thing to do.

Ric looked at the dogs, who sensed something was up and stared back at him. “Who wants to go find Gia?”

A round of barks ensued.

It was unanimous.

Ric pulled his phone from his pocket and called his pilot. They were leaving for Tuscany as fast as Ric could make the necessary arrangements. For the first time since Gia left, he smiled.

He stood. “Okay. Let’s go get Gia and beg her to forgive me.”

They barked in agreement before pulling on the leashes to go home.

They had packing to do.

* * *

Hours later, they’d arrived.

Ric and the two pups walked up to the door of the Bartolini Hotel. It was charming, just like the online photos had portrayed. He expected nothing less after getting to know Gia.