A small sign on the frosted glass door read Lozioni dal Cielo. Dani grinned because the nerve center for Lotions from Heaven, the all-natural, online skin care company, was actually an old high school science lab. She knew this because she had spent a year dissecting worms and frogs there as part of her coursework at the Convent of Our Holy Sisters of Rectitude, one of Verona’s more prestigious convent schools.
Dani knocked on the glass. Hearing no answer, she tried the door and it opened. She walked in to see Agnese, dressed in a lab coat, standing at a counter in front of several petri dishes backed by stoppered bottles, an eye dropper in her latex-gloved hand. Her dark hair was tied back with a ribbon and she was wearing glasses.
“Yes, what is it?” she asked, so focused on her work that she didn’t bother to look up.
“Just a voice from the past,” Dani said.
Agnese turned and paused for a second before hurriedly peeling off her gloves. “Dani? Dio mio, is it you?”
“One and the same.” Dani’s eyes immediately welled up; not until that moment did she realize how much she had missed her childhood friend. Agnese ran up and encased her in a heartfelt hug. She was teary-eyed, too.
“Now this reunion was way too long in coming,” Dani said, chuckling as she looked for a Kleenex to dab her eyes. “You stayed in touch for a while, but then you stopped writing. I missed you terribly.”
“And I missed you. I…suppose life got in the way. And such a sad reason for your visit. I’m so sorry to hear about your father. God bless him.”
“Thank you. I looked for you at the memorial service.”
Agnese squeezed her friend’s arm and stepped back. “I am sorry about that also. I…I was not able to make it.”
“Listen, I talked to your mother earlier today. She said you prefer ‘the quiet life,’ as she put it, and that you didn’t like to be disturbed. She seemed to be warning me to steer clear of you. What’s that all about?”
“My mother…well, you know Fausta. She wants to control everything and everybody. But she no longer controls me, and it rankles. I think she’s hoping I’ll be too lonely here and come running back to La Tana.”
“Is there a chance of that happening?”
Agnese shook her head. “Not a chance in hell I’ll ever go back there.”
Something was going on between Agnese and her mother, but Dani felt it was not her place to ask about it, at least not until they were able to rekindle their once-close relationship.
Instead she looked around the lab. It was obvious the room was no longer used for teaching. Except where Agnese stood, the long countertops were now bare of microscopes and Bunsen burners. Gone were the cases of mounted butterflies and spiders that had always given Dani the willies. But the huge periodic table of the elements was still hanging on one wall, and the desk that had once been the domain of Sister Mary Catarina, the science teacher, remained. Now it obviously belonged to Agnese. She kept it orderly, without a stray paper or pencil out of place. The shelves above the counters were equally tidy: sections filled with bottles were labeled alphabetically with what must have been ingredients for the skin care products. One row read Basil, Bay, and Bergamot. Another listed Camphor, Cardamom, Carrot seed, and Cassia bark. And so it went around the room.
“You always were organized,” Dani finally said. “I envied that, you know.”
Agnese laughed. “Come on. You hated that about me—I was always too regimented for you, remember?”
Dani wandered over to the counter where Agnese had been working. On the partition in front of her hung three cute little vases that looked like test tubes. They contained fragrant sprigs of herbs. She smelled lavender and mint.
“Maybe back then, but now, oh I could use a little tidiness in my life.” What an understatement. Dani thought about all the complications that had cropped up in just the past few weeks and wished for the kind of serenity she sensed Agnese was searching for as well. “You know, your mother put your products in our suite, and—”
“Then it’s true. I heard you are with my cousin. Are you two…that is—”
“No, no. Definitely not.” Dani waved her hand dismissively to make the point. “We’re just friends. That’s all. He’s a detective near where I live in northern California.”
“Really? What a coincidence.”
“Not such a coincidence. Uncle Santo hinted that it would be a good idea for Gabe to relocate there and he agreed.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “It’s a long, irritating story, believe me.”
Rather than ask her to elaborate, Agnese seemed to turn in on herself. She moved to stand next to Dani and busied herself by lining up the already straight petri dishes. She began to put on the latex gloves she’d worn earlier. “Now that you’ve had a chance to try our products, what do you think?”
Apparently Agnese was glad to change the subject, too. “I love them,” Dani said. “Especially that lavender-lemon body butter. It feels so sinfully good.”
Agnese smiled. “Yes. It’s one of our most popular items. But we’re expanding our line. I’m testing a new fragrance now.” She tipped her glasses down to mimic an erudite professor. “It’s all very scientific, you know. One drop of this, two drops of that. Once we’ve determined the new scent, we take the formula to a small manufacturer here in Verona who creates the product line to our specifications. We’re hoping to launch it in the fall.”
Dani nodded absently. Agnese was obviously committed to her career, but why was she living here at the convent? She was too beautiful and loving not to have a special someone in her life. Then again, maybe she did. Dani had noticed a picture of Dante on the corkboard behind Agnese’s desk. Actually it was a newspaper clipping from a recent society function. Everyone in Verona society knew that Dante Trevisan was illegitimate, but as the top gun for Stella d’Italia and a gorgeous man to boot, he was probably invited to many parties of the upper echelon just to glam up the event. Maybe he and Agnese were an item. Only one way to find out. “So how’s my cousin doing?”
“Your cousin?”
Dani grinned. “Yes. My cousin. Dante. You know. The gorgeous hunk you have a picture of hanging behind your desk? I saw him briefly at the funeral. That wavy blond hair and those hazel eyes? Wow. In fact, Gabe and I are going to see him this afternoon. Would you like to join us?”
Dani couldn’t have orchestrated a more awkward reaction if she had emptied a bottle of fire ants down Agnese’s blouse. Her friend’s face turned a bright pink and she actually stammered a series of excuses as to why she couldn’t go. It was painful to watch, and it was obvious that seeing him was the last thing she wanted to do.
“So, uh, you see, it wouldn’t be…that is, I couldn’t…I wouldn’t—”
Dani laid her hand on Agnese’s arm. “That’s all right. I didn’t realize there was or had been something between you.”
“Oh, there isn’t. There isn’t,” Agnese said forcefully. “And there never can be. He is…he is not someone I could ever be with.”
Dani tipped her head. “Are you saying that because his parents weren’t legally—”
“Married? No, of course not. He is one of the most honorable men I’ve ever known.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s me, Dani. I’m not good enough.”
Dani shook her head. “That’s not true. You’re a beautiful person.”
“No. It is true. And there isn’t anything to be done about it.”
Dani looked at her dear friend and saw the pain emanating from within. Something kept Agnese apart from a person she obviously cared a lot about. Dani recognized it all too well because she felt a similar pain regarding Gabe. She put her arms around Agnese. “We are a sorry pair, aren’t we?” she whispered.
“We are,” Agnese agreed. They smiled at one another, bridging a gap that had been too long in the making, rediscovering a friendship that thankfully had never truly died.
“I’ve got to go,” Dani finally said. “Promise me we’ll talk more before I leave? I can’t bear for us to part again like we did so long ago.”
“You can count on it,” Agnese said, giving her a final squeeze.
“I think Agnese has a tendre for Dante,” Dani said later as she and Gabe walked to the Piazza della Erbe. As instructed, she’d met him in the Stella d’Italia lobby. He’d picked up a couple of local cell phones and given one to her, programmed with his number and that of his friend Marco. Then, instead of having a late lunch in the hotel, he’d suggested they amble over to the popular marketplace held in the nearby square and grab a bite to eat while playing tourist. It sounded like a perfect break from all the unsettling news she’d been given over the past week.
“First of all, who uses the word ‘tendre’?” Gabe asked. “Isn’t that some sort of Jane Austeny kind of term?”
Dani playfully thumped him on his arm. “Gee, I’m shocked you even know who Jane Austen is. I’ll have you know it’s the perfect description for the kind of wistful attraction she seems to have for him. But for some reason, she doesn’t think she’s good enough.”
“Why? Has she gotten fat or grown a beard? Because I remember she was a very pretty little girl…and I was only nine at the time.”
“Well, she’s grown into a gorgeous woman, so that’s not the problem. I wonder if they had a relationship at some point, but had a falling out?”
“We can always take the direct approach and ask him,” Gabe said. “Now, speaking of gorgeous women, before I start to gnaw on your beautiful bones, let’s get something to eat.”
Dani nodded, unwilling to read too much into his flirtatious comments…or feel elated when he took her hand. He had warned her of his affectionate personality and she vowed to keep reminding herself that his actions didn’t, and couldn’t, go beyond that.
But still, his hand felt so warm in hers. So solid. She couldn’t deny she felt proud to be walking next to him and letting the world think they were a couple.
“What do you feel like?” he asked. “Antipasto? Pasta? Salad? Given what you whip up for Havenwood, you must have a pretty sophisticated palate.”
“Um, not really. I could go for just about anything.” She felt the tiniest twinge of conscience related to her cooking ability, but quickly set it aside.
“Okay then,” he said, pointing to a stall with a bright green awning. “This place looks respectable. It’s got a line and the customers look like locals. I think we’re good to go here.” Gabe proceeded to order a meat lasagna, salad, bread, and vino da tavola for himself; Dani stuck with a salad and a bottled water. “You’re eatin’ like a bird, bella,” he admonished as they found a bench to sit on. “Don’t be trying to steal my zagny, now.”
“Okay, here’s a factoid,” she pointed out. “Most birds eat around half their weight every day. So in my case, I’m good for…well, for…”
Gabe made a production of looking her over from top to bottom. “I’d say fifty-five pounds, give or take,” he said with a grin.
“Something like that,” she muttered. They ate their lunch in companionable silence, with Gabe, despite his earlier teasing, actually feeding Dani a large bite of lasagna from his own fork.
“What’s your expert opinion?” he asked, his eyes glued to her lips as she took the morsel off the fork. “Granted, it’s not as rich and satisfying as yours.” Distracted by him, Dani paused with her lips still around the fork and Gabe playfully tugged it away. “You must like it,” he said.
“It’s…it’s fine,” Dani stammered, completely undone by Gabe’s dark-as-sin eyes. “Really. I like it very much.”
“I’m glad,” Gabe murmured, and she didn’t think he was talking about the food. He did break off a hunk of bread, however, and offered it to her. Once again they ate in silence and she savored both the bread and the moment. Once they’d finished, Gabe gathered the remains of the meal, tossed it in a nearby trash can, and pulled Dani up from the bench. “And now for the best part,” he said. “As of right now we are officially in search of Italy’s most delicious gelato.”
“Oh,” Dani said, her eyes wistful. Gabe immediately saw the change in her expression. “What’s the matter, bella? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Sorry.” She attempted a smile. “It’s just that my babbo would take me to get gelato when I was a little girl…and he always said it was the best gelato in all of Italy.”
“Well, in honor of your babbo, then,” Gabe said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, “let’s find the place your dad called the best of the best.”
It was ridiculous, he realized, but strolling down the ancient streets of Verona with his arm around Daniela reminded Gabe of a sappy song from The Sound of Music, which he’d been forced to watch with a girlfriend—whose name he couldn’t even remember—one Friday night when he was still in high school. It was the scene where the Captain von Trapp dude finally makes his move on Maria and they sing a duet, something about “I must have done something good.” Because right then Gabe felt like he was the luckiest guy in the world. Dani, who’d gone through something so horrible she couldn’t even talk about it, hadn’t rejected him outright, even though he’d given her no good reason to trust him. She must know how much he wanted to touch her, and when he couldn’t stand it anymore, she’d put up with it. And those kisses last night—they had blown him away. So yeah, he must have done something good, at least once.
Finding the gelateria that Dani thought she’d gone to as a kid, they’d both gotten cones and wandered back toward the Arena, Verona’s most important monument. It was a Roman amphitheater that at one time had held thirty thousand spectators for God knew what kinds of horrific events. It had incredible acoustics and these days it was used for concerts and a world-famous summer opera festival. They walked by one of the side entrances, which was open. Men were bringing in what looked like portable sound equipment.
“Shall we go in?” he asked.
“Why not?” Dani said. “Lead the way.”
They scooted by the technicians and made their way to the back of the Arena, opposite the stage. Gabe began to climb the stone steps, stopping about halfway up and taking a seat. “I remember coming here once with my mother when I was about seven or eight,” he said. “My mother loved opera and my father hated it, so she brought me instead. We couldn’t afford those padded seats down there, so we sat up here. I remember when everyone began to light the candles at twilight. It was pretty awesome as I recall.”
“I came here once or twice myself,” Dani said. “We were stuck in those seats you were talking about. I would much rather have sat up here. And yes, when the candles began to flicker, it was magical.” They sat there, soaking up the atmosphere for several moments. Dani broke the silence. “Tell me, what was it like to have to leave your mother like that?”
Gabe took his time before answering. He gently took Dani’s hand and intertwined their fingers. He was willing to talk about it, but he wanted something to hold on to.
“I didn’t believe it was happening at first. My mom had always seemed healthy, but then she began to have problems with balance, and little things like tripping and problems getting dressed. Her speech began to slur and I remember my father, asshole that he was, actually screaming at her, accusing her of drinking. She went to the doctor but it took a while to diagnose her with ALS because she was so young.”
“I vaguely recall when your mother came to live at La Tana. She was in the room next to Fausta and Agnese. I think Fausta’s husband had died by then. Sometimes Agnese would take me to visit her. I remember she was beautiful. She had long black hair that Fausta made sure was always shiny and clean. And she had enormous eyes that smiled when we came into the room. She was happy to have us play near her bed. I didn’t think then how lonely she must have been. I’m so sorry, Gabriele.”
Gabe rubbed his thumb gently across the back of her hand. “What’s a young kid supposed to know about that sort of thing? I’m just glad you were able to bring her a little bit of happiness now and then.” He paused to look out across the Arena, a sharp pain slicing through his heart. “I wish I could have.”
“You said your dad and mom decided together that you and your dad should go to America. So that’s important to keep in mind. You mom wanted that to happen.”
“Yeah, well, that didn’t make it any less painful, for me at least. My old man and I had never gotten along. I think he figured I was a bit of a mama’s boy, because I wasn’t into contact sports—and I don’t mean soccer. He liked to fight, and looked for any excuse to do it.” Gabe laughed bitterly. “He would have been real proud of me later on, though. If only he hadn’t gotten himself snuffed.”
“How awful! What happened?”
“I never found out exactly, and the police never cracked the case either, although let’s face it, it wasn’t a high priority for them. We lived in a rough part of Staten Island and I’m pretty sure he decided he could make more money on the wrong side of the law. I didn’t see him much. My uncle—my dad’s brother—had sponsored us, so I spent a lot of time with him and my cousins. I was thirteen when my dad died.”
Dani’s eyes welled up and Gabe gently brushed her tears away. “You’re a regular crybaby, you know that?”
“Mi dispiace, signore,” she said. “So…thirteen’s got to be a tough age to lose your dad, much less be stuck in a foreign country.”
Gabe shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad. I’d picked up English quickly and by then I’d grown a bit physically. Soon I became the spittin’ image of my old man, at least when it came to fighting. So it didn’t take long for kids to stop calling me ‘Little Orphan Gabie.’”
“Oh my, your uncle must have wondered what he’d gotten himself into.”
Gabe grinned. “Nah, my Uncle Tony and Aunt Linda were used to hardscrabble kids like me. The neighborhood was also tight—lots of folks from the proverbial ‘old country.’ I used to hang out with them on the weekends to make sure I kept up with my Italian. But what really saved me, I think, was my uncle’s buddy Ronny Splain. He was a local police sergeant who sort of took me under his wing.”
Now it was Dani’s turn to grin. “Something tells me this was a case of ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’”
“You’ve got that right. Sergeant Splain used to let me help out at the precinct. It was probably against the rules or something, but he did it anyway. And it took. After I got out of the service I went back to school in law enforcement, and you know the rest of the story.”
Dani covered their clasped hands with her own. “And you never saw your mom again. Why?” she asked softly.
“I meant to,” he said. “I had picked up the odd job here and there after high school and saved just about enough to fly back here, but then my cousin Rico ran into some trouble with his car and needed a loan, so I told myself I’d put it off a year or so. Then I joined the Army and figured I’d take my first leave and visit her. But it didn’t happen.”
“She passed away?”
The feelings rushed over him in a wave: regret, longing, sadness, relief knowing his mom no longer suffered…so many feelings. He could only nod.
“Well, she adored you and knew you loved her. I can tell you that.”
Gabe looked at her. “How so?”
“There were photos of a little boy with dark hair on the walls. And hand-drawn pictures, too. I think one of them was a horse, and I remember one of those turkeys you make by tracing your handprint. And there was a stack of letters by her bed.”
“I hated writing letters,” Gabe said, “but I did like to draw. I wondered why my Aunt Linda kept all of them.”
“Now you know.”
“I guess I owe her a thank-you.”
Dani nodded. “A big bouquet of roses wouldn’t be bad, either.” She glanced at her watch.” I think we’d better get going if we’re going to meet Dante at the Piazza Bra at four.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gabe said.
They made their way back down the Arena steps and headed in the direction of the piazza. Suddenly Dani stopped and reached into her purse. “Shoot, I almost forgot to tell you. I found a connection between all those companies listed in the accounts receivable spreadsheets.”
“Yeah? What’s the story?”
She shrugged. “They’re all part of some holding company, I think. The Azure Consortium. Some places it’s listed as Consorzio Azurro. Should we mention it to Dante?”
“No, let’s feel him out a bit first. See how he reacts to the idea of the merger and the HR problems. Okay?”
“You’re the expert,” she said.
“I could say the same about you,” he said, stuffing the list in his pocket. “And Daniela?”
She stopped at the tone of his voice. “Yes?”
He raised her hand—the one he’d been holding off and on during their lunch—and kissed it, looking directly at her, hoping to let her know what was happening in his heart. “Thank you for a most enjoyable time.”
She swallowed, caught by his penetrating gaze. “Um, thank you too.”
He leaned in to kiss her, but she looked over his shoulder and stepped back. Gabe turned and saw that Dante had spotted them. He was standing up and waving them over.
“Alla prossima,” he murmured. “Next time.”