The Italian's Unexpected Heir

He gave them a moment to get past the initial shock. He cleared his throat. “When I was in Paris, I was made an offer I can’t turn down.”

“But you competed against us in order to win the estate,” Gia said.

“We thought you wanted it,” Bianca said. “What about the vineyard?”

“What about our family home?” Gia’s voice held disbelief.

He hadn’t been sure how they would take the news, but he didn’t think he’d have to defend himself. “Seeing as both of you have moved away—far away—I didn’t think you’d care what happened to the estate.”

“We care,” Gia said.

Another strained silence filled the line.

“But we care about you more,” Bianca said.

“Bianca?” Gia said. “You surely can’t want to part with our childhood home.”

“What I want and for that matter what you want, doesn’t matter. We picked our futures. It’s time to let our brother do what’s right for him.”

He should say something, anything, but he wasn’t sure what that should be. He loved his sisters and he didn’t want to do anything to upset them. Would they understand that he just couldn’t stay here? He couldn’t have a daily reminder of his failures in life.

“I’m sorry,” Gia said. “Bianca’s right. You were always there for us. We’ll support whatever decision you make. But are you really sure you want to do this?”

This time there was no hesitation. “I’m sure.”

“But where will you go?”

“What will you do?”

His sisters peppered him with questions and though he had work to do, he indulged them. After all, they were taking this news really well. And if answering all their questions—questions that di

dn’t pertain to Sylvie—made them feel better, he could do that for them.

By the time he hung up the phone, an entire hour had passed. Before he headed to the vineyard, he wanted to say something to Sylvie. He found her in the kitchen, finishing a glass of fresh-squeezed spremuta and a roll with butter and jam. He was relieved to see the color in her cheeks and that she had an appetite.

“Sorry about that,” he said. “It was my sisters.”

“No problem. I just wanted to give you some space.” She placed her plate and juice glass in the sink. “And now I have to finalize some details for a wedding this weekend.”

“Ah, sure. I need to get to work, too.”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

With that, she was gone and he was left alone with his thoughts. His sisters said they were okay with the sale, but he had to wonder if that was the truth. And Sylvie was being so nice to him—too nice. What was up with that?

CHAPTER FIVE

SO WHAT HAD his sisters said?

Sylvie was dying to know if he’d told them about the sale of the estate, but she resisted questioning him because it wasn’t her business. But that didn’t keep her from wondering if they thought it was as big a mistake as she did. Would they be her allies?

Well, obviously not. Because there was no way she was going to wedge herself between the siblings—even if Bianca was a friend, a good friend. No, this was a battle she was going to have to wage on her own.

And it didn’t help that Enzo kept doing one thing after another to surprise her—like at the party last night. In the beginning, he hadn’t been overly enthused by it. In fact, she wasn’t even sure if he’d stay for it. But as time went by, he started to eat the food, talk to the guests, and by the end of the evening he was laughing and smiling. Who’d have imagined?

So the first part of her plan was a success; now she just had to keep going. She had to keep finding ways to remind Enzo what was important about this place. And so far she had no plan of action for today. Worst of all, the day was almost over.

They’d just finished dinner, which they’d shared since they were the only two staying at the estate. They’d agreed that in order to make it fair, one would cook and the other would clean up—though they both always seemed to share cleanup duty.