Without thinking, he extended his arm to her. Surprise lit up her eyes but in a blink it was gone. She slipped her arm in his. He didn’t know why he’d made the gesture. It just felt right. So much for the promise he’d made himself to remain professional around her. They hadn’t even left the hotel and he was already treating her like...like... Oh, whatever.
Angelo led her out of the hotel into the sunshiny afternoon. He had to admit that it was nice to get away from the stress of the wedding pitch. The whole project had ground to a complete halt. He sure hoped this outing would refill his creative well. If nothing else, maybe it would help him relax so he could start brainstorming again.
He glanced over to find Kayla taking in their surroundings. “I thought we would walk since the village isn’t far from here.”
“Sounds fine by me. I’ve been cooped up in the hotel long enough. Back in New York, I’m used to doing a lot of walking.”
“Really. Where do you walk?” He didn’t know why but he was truly interested.
“I walk to the subway and then to the office. Sometimes, if the weather is right, I will duck out at lunch and stretch my legs.”
“So you truly like to walk.”
She nodded. “It sure beats eating like a bird. If you hadn’t noticed, I do enjoy food.” She rubbed her flat abs. “Especially pasta.”
“Would you like to try some of the best Italian food in the region?”
“Definitely.”
“Good. From what I’ve heard, you should be impressed with the restaurant I’ve chosen.”
“Is it far from here?”
“Not at all. In fact, it’s right here in Monte Calanetti. We have reservations for tomorrow night.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Good. Consider it a date.”
When her fine brows rose and her eyes glittered with unspoken questions, he realized he’d blundered. But he didn’t take back the words. He liked the thought of having a friendly date with her.
They walked a bit before Kayla spoke. “What’s it called?”
“Mancini’s. It’s an exclusive IGF-starred restaurant on the outskirts of the village. The chef is a friend of my brother’s.”
“This friend of your brother’s, is he from around here?”
“Yes, he grew up here. After Raffaele achieved international success with his cooking, he returned to open his own restaurant. I suspect he was anxious to try running his own place, but I’m surprised he didn’t start his business in one of the cities like Rome or Milan.”
“Perhaps he just wanted to be home again. Have you really never considered moving back here?”
Angelo gave a firm shake of head. “Not even once.”
“Don’t you like it here?”
“It...it has a lot of memories. Not all of them good ones.”
Angelo remembered how he’d been turned away from his home and told not to return. The buried memories came flooding back to him. The loud arguments between his parents. His brother and sister upset. And then there was the last time he came to his mother’s defense. He’d experienced many a row with his father before that life-altering one—the one where his father threw him out of the house, telling him that he was old enough to make it on his own.
When Angelo had turned a pleading stare to his mother, she’d told him that he was a smart, strong young man and that it was time to make his way in life. That was when he’d had no choice but to follow his dreams. With the aid of his inheritance from his grandfather combined with his meager savings, he’d set out for New York.
Though he hated to leave his brother and sister, he didn’t have a choice. His father was a stubborn man who wouldn’t back down from an argument. And Angelo wasn’t about to live any longer with his parents and their dysfunctional relationship. In fact, he hadn’t even come back to Monte Calanetti to visit until his mother and father had moved to Milan. He had no intention of seeing his father again.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Kayla’s voice drew him out of his thoughts. “What? Um...oh, you didn’t.”
She sent him an I-don’t-believe-you look but said nothing more. They continued toward the village in silence. It felt so strange to be back here—when he’d left all of those years ago, he’d sworn that he’d never return. And he hadn’t for a long time.