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I carry the tray over and place it down. I notice that Frank has chosen the seat next to his daughter, perhaps protectively. Which works out just fine for me, because it means I can sit opposite her. All the better to stare into those lovely eyes.
And it had better be those eyes. Because if I look anywhere else, I feel a desire taking hold of me that I’m not sure I can control. I want her to be mine. For a brief moment, I picture her bent over this table, right here in front of me, and I have to sit down fast before I give myself away.
“So, you’re here on vacation, I take it?” I say, handing out the drinks to their respective owners and then stow the tray aside on an empty table. I’m sure the servers will take care of it. I don’t want to get up again and miss a moment of conversation.
“Yes, just for the week,” Frank replies. Inwardly, I seethe. I want to talk to Liliana. He’s just getting in the way. “We spent a week in France before this, and now we’re down here, and on Sunday we’re flying back home.”
“Home? Where is that?” I ask. “No doubt, America, but whereabouts?”
“We’re from Philadelphia,” Frank tells me, busily emptying sugar packets into his coffee.
I set down my own mug in surprise. “Really? That’s funny. I went to school there.”
Frank glances up and frowns. “Where? The University of Pennsylvania?”
“Yes, I did my MBA at Wharton.”
Frank drops the sugar packet he’s holding. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What?” I ask, looking between him and his daughter for an answer.
“So did I,” Frank says, laughing. He reaches out and when I do the same, clasps my hand in a joyous shake. “How about that?”
I laugh in return. It is a mighty big coincidence. It almost feels like fate. “Well, there’s a reminder that we live in a small world. When did you attend?”
“I graduated, oh, twenty years ago,” he says, then jerks a thumb at Liliana. “Right before this one was born.”
I try not to let my jaw drop completely. She’s only twenty – or at the most, twenty-one? I knew she was young, but I hadn’t considered she could be that young.
And it’s worse…
“That would have been around the same time I was there,” I admit. “I’m surprised we didn’t run into each other.”
“What was your name, again?” Frank asks, squinting.
“Nico Manella.”
“No,” Frank shakes his head and shrugs with an apologetic smile. “I guess we must have just missed each other in the halls or something.”
“I’m sure,” I say, smiling. At least Frank has warmed up now, although Liliana seems to be looking at me with doubt. I think she’s made the same connection I have. That I am literally old enough to be her father.
I should probably feel some tempering of my desire, knowing that. I’m twice her age. And yet – there’s just something about her – something I can’t put my finger on. I want to know more about her. I want to know everything.
“So, you said you’d help us find our way around?” Liliana asks, perhaps trying to drag the conversation away from our university days. She taps the map lying on the table pointedly as she sips her mocha.
“Yes, I did,” I say, turning my most charming smile on her. “Let’s see. You’ve only been here a day, so I’m guessing you haven’t explored too much?”
Liliana shakes her head. “Only the harbor area, here. And we had lunch over here.” She taps two parts of the map, and I nod.
“Are you fans of Formula One?” I ask. “Even if you’re not, you should check out the race circuit. You can walk right on it because it’s just normal roads at any other time of year. By the way, where are you staying?”
When she doesn’t answer immediately, I look up to see her blushing again. I could just nibble that blush right off her cheeks. “Um, it’s actually… well, it’s not on the map,” she admits. “We’re staying out of town.”
I take her meaning in immediately. The hotels in Monaco are expensive, naturally so. She means they’re staying across the border, in a cheaper hotel. That’s alright, after all, many visitors only come here for a day trip because the prices are so high.
But it does bring up the worry that they might not only be exploring Monaco in this short week they are here for.
“Are you planning to visit any other areas?” I ask, tactfully. “I’m an expert on Monaco, but I’ll confess, I don’t often stray outside of the borders. If I leave, it’s usually on a plane or a boat.”
“No, I don’t think so,” Liliana says, returning hope to my chest. “Monaco’s so very interesting. Even though we’re only here for a week, I’m sure we’ll find plenty to see and do.”
