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Thomas looked instantly crestfallen.
“Sicily is the gem of the Ionian Sea,” Nicolo said, quickly shifting back into seller mode. “People from all over Europe and the rest of the world come here to see the beauty and wonder that this island and the Sicilian people have to offer.”
“Yes! They do!” Adeline chimed in enthusiastically. “They want to immerse themselves in the old-world charm of the island, the traditions passed down from one generation to the next. They come in order to experience new adventures… or reconnect with the heritage of their roots.”
Nicolo knew that Thomas’s vision for the land on which the Romano del Mare currently stood did not fit in with the tourist pitch that Adeline was selling. The doubt in Thomas’s eyes told him that Thomas had recognized the disparity, too.
“Thomas,” Nicolo said, putting a hand on Thomas’s shoulder. “Your company is known the world over within business circles for its accurate projection of earnings.”
Thomas nodded.
“And what did that projection say about building your resort, your way, right here?”
Thomas’s slow-growing smile soon filled his features with an arrogant satisfaction that came from having been right more times than wrong. “That projection said we would be turning a profit within three years.”
“Three years?” It was Nicolo’s turn to be stunned. “That fast?”
Thomas nodded, his smile growing ever bigger. “You are right, Nicolo. Sicily is the gem of the Ionian Sea, and it’s a gem we are eager to make our own.” Then he turned to Adeline. “That is, of course, if we can navigate the waters of the local government to get the approvals we’ll need. Money that is tied up in a non-functioning resort isn’t earning for us. We don’t want that.”
It was another half an hour before Nicolo stood once more on the crumbling dock with Adeline at his side. Together, they watched Thomas’s little red Porche disappear from view.
“I think he’s going to put in an offer,” Adeline said, concern in her voice.
“I’m not so sure he will,” Nicolo said with equal concern. Then, turning to face her, his voice deepened and his eyes narrowed. In all likelihood she had just cost his family millions. “Adeline Peluso, you are a worthy adversary.” His mouth quirked up at one corner as he took her hand, lifted and kissed it. His lips lingered against her soft flesh, and his intense gaze never wavered from her eyes. “I look forward to the day when we can fight on the same side.”
6
Adeline
“Are you sure that we’re going to need all of this?” Adeline asked as she staggered under the weight of a whole host of items picked out by her best friend, Elana.
“You want the rooms to turn out perfect, don’t you?” Elana goaded. Elana let her own armfuls fall into a heap on the floor. “Oh, Adeline. The pictures didn’t do this place justice. This is gorgeous!” She turned an assessing eye on Adeline and then smiled mischievously. “Tell me again why you chose this suite to do a design mockup. This is the honeymoon suite, right? It didn’t have anything to do with that hot Sicilian you were telling me about, did it?” she teased.
Adeline tried to ignore the heat that she knew flushed her cheeks pink. It wasn’t because of the march up the stairs under her heavy load—it was because of the insinuation that she might have an ulterior motive besides trying to save the Romano del Mare. Which, if she were being honest with herself, was true. She did have an ulterior motive. Her heart quickened and her mind raced every time Nicolo was near. Being around him made her feel alive, more alive than she had in years. One moment he’d make her so mad that she wanted to cuss at him and the next she’d want to throw herself into his arms. She hadn’t been so excited about anyone in years. But, there was no way she was going to admit any of that to Elana, not yet anyway. Her attraction to Nicolo was just fun… and temporary. Nothing more. He’d be gone next month or next week or she would be in Spain. They had no future, and that was for the best. They didn’t want the same things. He wanted to always be leaving wherever he was, and she wanted to have a home to come back to after her adventures. He wanted to throw away his heritage, and she wanted to preserve hers. They were too opposite.
“Elana, you are the best designer I know, and these are among the most beautiful rooms in the hotel. That they are also the honeymoon suite has no bearing at all.” She said the words, yet she couldn’t quite convince herself. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Elana was believing them, but Elana’s attention had become overwhelmed by the space itself.
“Adeline, this is going to look so good when we’re done. These ceilings,”—she traced the line of the cathedral ceiling by extending an arm and moving her finger through the air—“are twenty feet high!” She shook her head. “They can’t tear this place down. It’s too magnificent!”
“So, where do we start? Put me to work.” Adeline watched as Elana walked a circle around the room, opened a door that led to a veranda, and then moved through to examine a sitting room and the bathroom. Running water reached Adeline’s ears next. When Elana reappeared, she was nodding her head approvingly. “This I can work with.” She slapped her hands together. “First, we clean!”
The next hour was spent sweeping, wiping down walls, cleaning the bathroom and pruning the vining flowers on the veranda.
“We are going to need more things,” Elana declared and pulled out her cell phone. “Felice,” she spoke into it, “I need a favor.” She then proceeded to give him a list which included fresh flowers, an assortment of foods, a small round table, a tall ladder, fresh towels, and a variety of other items. She pulled the phone away from her face and covered the bottom half with her hand. “When do you plan to show your man the space?”
“He’s not my man. I wouldn’t have him,” she said with a wink before answering Elana’s question. “Tonight.”
“Twinkle lights,” Elana said, speaking into the phone again. “Bring,”—she paused as her eyes scanned the room—“eight strands. No, make that twelve.” Her attention shifted to the open door leading out to the veranda. She ended the call just as decisively as she’d started it, tapping the call’s end button.
“Thank you for doing this for me,” Adeline said as she gathered debris into a trash bag.
“Pfft!” Elana said, flipping the back of her hand through the air to dismiss Adeline’s thanks as she walked over to the bed. “This is what we do. We take care of each other.” She sat down on the mattress and then bounced up and down. Her long black hair was woven into a braid that fell over her shoulder, and it bounced up and down with her. “The mattress is good. The bed is stable.”
“Elana,” Adeline objected in a laughing, sing-song voice.
“We want the rooms to be as functional as possible, yes? Now we know the bed works.” Those were Elana’s words, but she gave Adeline a big slow wink as if to say something else.
Adeline laughed. “You’re terrible.”
