AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Fishing my phone out of my pocket with the other hand, I dial my concierge. “Get my plane ready. I’m flying to New York.”
“Of course, Mr. Cassinetti, when would you like to leave?” The overly sweet voice grates on my nerves.
“Right fucking now!” I hang up.
“I wouldn’t do that.” Gina appears from out of nowhere, and I jump. Jesus, as if my heart needed more rebooting. “Give her space.”
“I don’t have time for that. I need to be in California in a week and then in Singapore.” The words, my plans, sound foreign.
Gina looks at me like I’m an idiot. I probably am. Definitely. “If that’s your plan, don’t even bother. Your flight to New York will only add to carbon pollution. Nothing else.”
I pull my half-frozen hand from the freezer and bang the drawer closed with unnecessary force. The housekeeper eyes me warily and mutters something under her breath. Gina continues to glare.
“What?” I snap.
“Is Mila really just a pit stop between two business trips?” She pushes around me and leaves to join her husband.
I trudge around the house mindlessly, unable to gather my thoughts. Everywhere I look Mila’s presence is too evident, laughing in my face.
Her hair elastic in a bowl on the counter. Her towel draped over the chair. Her lavender scent filling the air.
I look at the happy couple outside, whispering and touching under the sun, and I call the concierge to cancel the flight.
Chapter33
Mila
“But you wanted to retire, Hilda. I can’t accept your generosity.” I sip from my extra-large triple vanilla syrup iced coffee. No amount of sugar can sweeten my life since I left Italy a week ago.
Gio hasn’t bothered to contact me. Nor has Lydia or any of his staff. I’m left alone, which is even worse.
He hasn’t fired me either, which is great, but I feel like I’m working on borrowed time. As much as I don’t want the reminders of Gio in my life, I love the firm too much.
“I’m not offering my time anymore, just money. With my financial contribution and guarantee, the bank is going to look at your loan application with more receptive eyes.” Hilda smiles and squeezes my hand.
“Thank you.” I try to curl my lips up, but it’s more of a tremble. I’ve been blinking away tears a lot. It’s kind of ridiculous, but I can’t stop the waterworks.
I was devastated after Brian, but now I know what I felt for him didn’t even resemble love. My heart is cracked. Irreparable. I hope one day I can breathe again, but with the constant pain numbing me, I doubt that will ever happen.
Every day, I put on a smile and go to work because I feel safe and needed there. I enjoy working, and it helps me survive each day. In a stupid twist of irony, I can now better understand Gio. Working helps to dull the pain, or at least ignore it for parts of the day.
The breakup was necessary, but the gaping wound it left constantly reminds me of the emptiness my life has been since I returned from Italy. That’s another irony right there, because for the past few months my life has been quite empty, waiting for Gio to come around.
Hilda heads home after our meeting, and I walk to my office. It rained last night and the air is pleasant, cleared of the smog and humanity, a nice break for the concrete jungle.
I’ve grown to like this city, but I wish I could still listen to the splashing water of Lake Como.Stop it, Mila.
When I get off the elevator on my floor, an uncomfortable prickle smarts my nape. My receptionist sits straight like she is expecting to be scolded. Breathless, she slides her eyes toward my office down the hallway.
Since I always keep my shutters open, the glass wall immediately reveals the reason behind the heavy atmosphere. The investor is in the building.
My eyes land on Gio. My heart stops for a moment before it starts beating faster than ever. The sweet latte rolls in my stomach.
He’s sitting at the long conference desk in my office, working on his phone. Of course.
His jacket hangs on the chair behind him, and he’s only in his white shirt and a navy blue vest. A vest. Just my luck. As if my defenses needed another hit.
His hair is rakishly mussed, and his beard has grown in, but it doesn’t hide the sharp lines of his face. I miss him so much.
