Return of the Italian Tycoon
“I’m listening.”
She’d done a lot of thinking about this—probably too much, considering she hadn’t even been invited to help with the royal pitch until now. “I’m thinking that regardless of whether they go big or small, they’re going to want elements that play into an elegant yet traditional event.”
“That’s true. If they wanted a contemporary feel, they certainly wouldn’t come to Monte Calanetti.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“What’s bothering you?”
“I’m just trying to figure out why this village made the short list for the royal wedding. I mean, there’s nothing special here. I’ve gone round and round with this, but I still have no answer. It’s not like it has amazing history like Rome or the heartbeat of the nation like Milan or the stunning architecture of Venice. This is a little, old village.”
“And it’s tripping you up when you’re trying to come up with a unique pitch.”
Angelo hesitated as though he wasn’t sure whether or not to confide in her. Then he sighed. “Yes, it’s giving me a bit of a problem. No matter which way I go at it, I just can’t find that special quality that will put Monte Calanetti head and shoulders above the other locations.”
Kayla smiled and shook her head. “You just don’t see it because you take this place for granted. It’s your home, but to outsiders, it’s something special.”
His gaze met hers. “You think it’s special?”
She decided a neutral stance was best. “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
“Then how can you tell me that I’m blind to what’s in front of me when you haven’t even made up your mind?” His voice held a disgruntled tone.
She smiled, liking the fact that she could get past his polished persona and make him feel real genuine emotions. “I mean that I need to see the village.” When he opened his mouth to protest, she held up her hand, stopping him. “And driving straight through it to get to the hotel does not count. It was more of a blur than anything.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that tomorrow you and I will start exploring Monte Calanetti. You can tell me all about it. You know, the little things that a tourist wouldn’t know—the parts that make the village special.”
“Don’t be too disappointed when it doesn’t live up to your expectations.”
“I think you’ll actually end up surprising yourself.”
His gaze narrowed in on her. “You really want to walk all through the village?”
She nodded. “If you want to come up with a winning pitch to make all of the citizens, not to mention your brother and sister very happy, you’re going to have to see it differently.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible. But if you insist on it, I will give you the grand tour.”
“I would like that.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I promised to swing by my brother’s villa. He wants to show me the latest improvements at the winery.” He got to his feet. “Of course, if you’d like to accompany me, you’re welcome.”
Kayla glanced down at her rather sparse list of notes. “I think my time would be better spent here doing some research.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded. “I am. But thank you for the invite.”
The truth was, she and Angelo were getting along a lot better than they had in the office. She’d been working for him for weeks now and they’d only ever addressed each other with mister and miss, but now they were on a first-name basis. And then there was that kiss...er...no she wasn’t going to think about it. No matter how good it was or how much she wished that he’d kiss her again—
Her thoughts screeched to a halt. Did she want him to kiss her again? She turned to watch his retreating form. His broad shoulders were evident in the linen suit jacket. His long, powerful legs moved at a swift pace, covering the patio area quickly.
Yes, she did want to be kissed again. Only this time she wanted him to kiss her because he wanted her and not because he was exhausted and stressed after a run-in with his siblings. But that couldn’t happen. She needed this job.
A quick fling with her boss in the warm sunshine of Tuscany wasn’t worth throwing away her dreams—the rest of her life. No matter how tempting Angelo might be, she just couldn’t ruin this opportunity.
And she couldn’t return to Paradise as a failure.
CHAPTER TEN