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Vito cursed under his breath. This was why he kept to himself, why he didn’t socialize or attend functions. His past always came up as a topic of conversation. One he had no interest in accommodating.
He should have known better.
* * *
Maya knew she wasn’t imagining the tension coursing through Vito as their tour guide went on and on in a flat monotone voice. The stiffness in Vito’s shoulders and neck was sure to cause one monster of a headache if he didn’t let it loose fairly soon. She also hadn’t missed the way he’d tried in vain to shut down Angelo’s reference to his work or supposed retirement.
Whatever the exact story was, between her internet search the other night and all of Angelo’s ramblings, she’d been able to surmise that Vito hadn’t produced anything in a considerable length of time.
It had to have something to do with his wife.
To top it off, their tour guide hadn’t been the only one to recognize Vito as they’d toured the basilica. Maya had caught more than one person doing a double take as they walked by. One young woman who’d been sketching in the apse looked on the verge of approaching him. Vito must have noticed her intent, as well, for he quickly walked in the other direction even as Angelo was still in the middle of a comment about a particular mosaic right above where they stood.
Now that the cathedral part of the tour was over, Vito seemed anxious to be out of there. She was feeling a bit claustrophobic herself. The crowds had multiplied since they’d arrived. At one point she’d found herself jostled badly enough that Vito had to reach over and steady her. She decided to ignore the little flip her stomach did as he placed his hands around her waist to keep her from careening into another church visitor.
“Shall we make our way over to the Doge’s Palace, then?” Angelo asked once they’d stepped outside to stand by the lion statue. “Follow me.”
He made a move in that direction but Vito held a hand up to stop him. “That won’t be necessary.”
Angelo blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
Maya’s heart fell. Vito was cutting the tour short. He’d had enough. Though she shouldn’t be surprised. He had definitely not enjoyed the tour. She’d have had to be oblivious and blind to not notice his discomfort.
“You won’t need to accompany us,” Vito added.
Wait a minute. It was one thing to be done with touring with her but it was something else entirely to send her guide away. This was part of her package trip. She began to protest but Vito interrupted her. “I can take it from here. We appreciate your time.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a leather wallet.
The young man seemed taken aback but recovered quickly once he saw the wad of bills he was being offered. Maya waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Vito.
“May I ask why you just did that?”
He bowed his head slightly. “I apologize. I should have asked you first.”
“But you didn’t.” She wasn’t exactly miffed about that fact, but she would have appreciated being consulted on the decision.
“I can catch up to him and bring him back, if you’d like.” Even as he made the offer, Vito’s expression made it clear how distasteful he found that prospect.
“I’d just like to know why.”
“A structured tour is so flat, so boring. You have access to the internet at home back in Boston, do you not?”
“Of course.”
“And you are able to read books on history or art?”
She began to see his point. “Angelo wasn’t telling us anything that can’t readily be found in an art history textbook.”
“Precisely.”
“And I suppose you can make the rest of the tour more stimulating?”
He clapped a hand to his chest in mock offense. “You wound me. I think I can manage a bit better than a distracted, uninterested graduate student.”
Did that mean that he was interested? In showing her around? In spending more time with her? Was there even the slightest chance that he’d sent Angelo away because he wanted to be alone with her?
She shook off the fanciful thoughts. Of course not; she was just foolishly searching for ways to mend her shattered pride after being duped by her fiancé.
