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‘And what about you?’ Gianni asked now. ‘Apart from wanting to prove yourself to your father, there must have been a moment when you knew that you wanted to be in the business?’
Keelin felt as if he was peeling her skin back and looking underneath. She reluctantly told him about her fascination with the business ever since she was small. And how she’d artlessly declared her intention to be part of it.
‘Unfortunately, my grandfather wasn’t like yours. He saw no merit in passing on his learning to a mere granddaughter. But if I’d been a boy it would have been totally different.’
She’d never revealed the extent of her ambition to anyone before but it wasn’t as if Gianni wasn’t aware of how far she’d been prepared to go to fight for her independence. And look how well that had turned out. She was sitting here, dining with the enemy, having let him see her at her most vulnerable and exposed.
For a moment, the extent to which Gianni had got under her skin was suddenly clear and stark. And unwelcome. Assuring herself that she was still in control, she continued, ‘I would have happily left school to work for nothing, learning everything from the ground up. I used to sit in on my father’s meetings and listen to him, until he put me out.’
‘What aspect of it interests you most?’
Keelin’s heart thumped and she looked at Gianni suspiciously but he seemed to be genuine. She fiddled with her cup. ‘I’m interested in innovation. Going out and researching the market, seeing what other companies are doing and trying to get ahead of the curve. I think that’s the key to longevity and success, apart from building on the tried and tested brands.’
Gianni nodded slowly. ‘I agree. I think if O’Connor’s has one failing it’s in this area. Have you ever mentioned it to your father?’
Keelin smiled but it was bitter. ‘Lots of times, but he never listened. My grandfather had entrenched views of women’s abilities and he passed that down to my father. I was aware of his disappointment in me, always, for not being a son.’
Gianni was surprised at the angry surge of emotion rising within him. He could picture Keelin as a small earnest girl all too easily, her face crestfallen as she was disappointed over and over again.
He heard himself say fiercely, ‘I would never stop my daughter from doing what she wanted.’
He wasn’t sure who was more surprised by that, himself or Keelin. He hadn’t even realised he’d held that opinion until it was out in the open between them.
Keelin’s eyes widened. ‘Good, because no girl should ever feel that anything is out of her reach.’
Something seemed to stretch between them, an accord. Tenuous and delicate. Gianni’s eyes dropped to Keelin’s ring finger and he stood up abruptly, putting some money down on the table.
‘I want to take you somewhere.’
* * *
‘Which one do you like?’
This is what Keelin had been afraid of. They were in a jeweller’s—one of the many glittering shops open late for the strolling tourists—and several trays of rings were laid out in front of her. Each display more exquisite than the last. And aeons removed from the ostentatious rock he’d presented her with that first week they’d met.
‘Gianni,’ she said weakly, mindful of the attentive assistant, ‘you don’t have to do this. I already have a ring.’
‘Keelin, we’re not leaving until you choose one.’
He was as immovable as a stone wall on the chair beside her. She rolled her eyes and grumbled, ‘So bossy.’
The truth was that a ring had jumped out at her from the moment she’d set eyes on it and now she looked at it again. Gianni followed her eyeline and picked the ring out, saying a little incredulously, ‘This one?’
Feeling defensive, she said, ‘I know it’s not exactly flashy but I like it. It’s simple but stunning.’
The shop assistant cleared his throat then and said a little reproachfully, ‘I have to agree with your wife’s impeccable taste, Signor Delucca. This ring is from the art deco period and is a prime example of its era with the simple baguette-cut emerald and two smaller diamonds on either side.’
Gianni took Keelin’s hand and before she could stop him he slid it onto her ring finger to nestle alongside her wedding band. Her heart lurched. It looked right.
It was almost with relief that she said, ‘It’s too big.’
The assistant hurriedly assured them that it could be resized within days. Keelin took it off and handed it over, feeling a tumult of emotions and an awful kind of regret that Gianni wasn’t presenting her with a ring out of love. That rogue thought made her go clammy with fear.
Was it really only hours ago he’d so coldly given her a choice to walk away?
Suddenly feeling claustrophobic and increasingly panicky, Keelin got up, muttering something about needing air, and stepped out of the shop, leaving Gianni to deal with the payment.
Love? Since when had that been part of the equation? She spied a small shop across the street and ducked in to get some water, gulping it gratefully. It was the lingering heat from the day. Heat did funny things to your brain. Like give you delusions.
