Page 73 of Valentino

“I’ll come.” He cuts me off.

“You will?”

“I mean…that’s if you want me to.”

“Oh.” I can’t hide my surprise. “Oh...okay. You really don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

“Alright.” I bite my bottom lip. “You don’t want to go and see your girlfriend while I’m away?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“But you said...”

“More no than yes.”

I nod as I try to work out what that means. “Does she know that?”

“If she was more yes than no, she would. I’ll pick you up from work?”

“Okay.” I sip my coffee to try and act normal; I already know that this is a bad idea.

But who am I to stand in the way of a neck-grabbing Adonis?

Stop.

“Anna, your four o’clock appointment is here,” a voice says through the intercom. “She’s waiting in the conference room.”

“Thank you.” I collect my notebook and pen and make my way in. “Hello.” I smile as I open the door.

A beautiful woman is sitting at the long table. “Hello.” She stands to shake my hand, she has long dark hair and a figure straight from heaven, she looks athletic and toned, wearing a fitted black dress and high-heeled boots. “It’s nice to meet you, Anna.”

Something about the way she says my name feels off.

“Mrs. Smithson.” I sit down.

“Chiara,” she replies as she sits down too.

I frown and open my notes, I thought she was much older. “I have you down as Kerry?” I scribble down her name.

“No.”

My eyes rise. “I’m sorry, I think there has been a mistake? Are you Kerry Smithson?”

“No.” She pulls her hand through her long curled dark hair. “I made the appointment in a fake name.”

“Why would you do that?” I frown.

“You see, I know you but you don’t know me.”

I blink, what?

“I’m sorry, you’ve lost me.”

“My name is Chiara Crivello, and I’m Carlo’s wife.”

Valentino