Page 48 of Lorenzo

“She smiled.”

“Surprised?”

“No.”

“Interested?”

He hesitates. “Not in my name specifically, but in me.”

“Did she give any indication that she recognized it?”

“No.”

Write a few notes down and then shift the conversation a little bit.

“When she asked about your work, what did you tell her specifically?”

He looks at his father for a moment and waits for a nod before speaking. “I told her I work security for my family's company. I figured she wouldn't ask too many questions.”

“Did she?” I ask.

“Not really.” His expression changes like he just remembered something. “She asked if I was working in the morning.”

“What did you say?”

“That I had to be up early.”

“Did you give any specifics?”

“No. I just told her I had work.”

“Did you tell her what time?”

He hesitates. “Yes. I told her I worked at 8:00.”

I jot it down. Alessio watches me do it.

“It came up,” he says, a bit defensively. “She was just asking if I could stay with her.”

“Was she?”

He leans forward. “You weren’t there.”

“No. Which is why I’m asking.”

Julian shifts behind his desk but says nothing.

Lorenzo’s gaze remains on his son.

“What else did she ask?” I say.

“Nothing unusual.”

“That question was unusual. You didn’t recognize it because you liked her.”

His face hardens. “I did like her.”

“I know.”