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IhavebeentoNew York a few times in my life, but this is the first time I have been here for business reasons. Even with my father’s approval, I had a hard time convincing some members of the board that buying an art dealership in Manhattan was a good move. But in the end, after I had presented the figures and projected sales revenue, even the oldies, such as Lorenzo and Emiliano, came around to my way of thinking.
“We have the art. Americans want it. That is the equation,” I reasoned. “Fine. The end.”
But they were still wringing their hands like old women, as if trying something new would certainly be doomed before it could start. I had to keep my game face fixed, because, although I had the stats in front of me, my decision was still based on a wing and a prayer. Was I trying to convince them or me? And when I dropped the bombshell that I had already gone ahead and bought the art gallery, all merry hell broke loose. It was a noisy few minutes before I managed to calm things down.
“Piano, piano, ladies and gentlemen.” I stand in front of the meeting with my arms out to the side, palms turned to the ceiling. When I have regained quiet attention, I go on. “Look, perhaps I have gone about things the wrong way, but when an opportunity presents itself, seize it.” I clench my fist. “The time is now. If I can’t make it work in a year, I will sell up. No problem.”
Acquiescence mutters around the room. I get the group nod of approval and the meeting concludes.
Before leaving, I had a date with my best girl. Luisa wasn’t happy when I told her I would be spending time away.
“You can come and visit me in New York,” I tell her at our favorite café in the Santa Maria Novella Piazza. The green and white marble church glistens in the Tuscan sunshine. Luisa gracefully spoons her gelato and I sip my coffee.
“Okay,” she says snarling at me with gelato-colored lips. “I will miss you.”
“I will miss you too.”
I do miss Luisa. I call her to say hi when I check into The New Amsterdam Hotel, which is handily located close to the Mayfair & Lewis Gallery of Fine Arts: my gallery. On the phone, Luisa tells me to organize my schedule better so we can spend more time together. And she’s right. She is growing up so fast I don’t want to miss out on any part of her journey.
New York hasn’t changed much. The last time I was here was after I snapped the tendon in my knee. My family heard about a specialist surgeon in New York, so I came over. Even though the flight was awkward and painful, and my leg was in plaster, my parents wanted the best money could buy. All I wanted was to get back on the soccer pitch and keep scoring goals. The surgeon said there was a fifty percent chance of playing again if I followed a strict physio plan and took things slowly. But it was as if the universe had spoken. I needed to find another way of living my life. Soccer is a young man’s sport. I would have needed to quit anyway. Regretfully, I was off the team permanently.
Yes, I was angry about it. I’d be lying if I said, ‘Ah well. It was one of those things.’ No. It sucked. Big time. I was furious. I hated everything. Maybe I’m still angry. But each day that passes things get a little easier. Time has knocked the hard, sharp edges from the granite of my fury, but the weight is still there in my stomach. The stone of resentment grows smaller each day. Soon it will be just a pebble.
And there’s another ache that I carry which adds to my scowl. This one is in my heart because, on the same day as I wrecked my knee, I should have been with the girl of my dreams. But I didn’t meet her and now she is lost forever. All I have to remember her by is a drawing she gave me, ripped from her sketchbook. I keep it folded up in my wallet. Sometimes I take it out, unfold it, and look at the pencil marks made by the golden-haired angel, Libby. When I hold the torn page, creased with age, I feel close to her wherever she may be. I close my eyes and she is right there in my memory.
“It’s beautiful, Gianni. Thank you so much,” Libby said when I gave her the picture of the old bridge. She held it up, comparing it to the view in front of us. “I should give you something in return.” She smiled as she tore out the page from her sketchbook. A drawing she had been working on, a different view of the river.
“Okay. That’s a fair trade,” I said, happy to have the original drawing and something tangible from her to keep. “If you’re going to be a famous artist you had better sign it. That way, when I sell it, I will make millions!” Libby laughs and punches me on my arm. I pretend it hurt.
“Alright,” she said, taking the drawing from my grasp. She adds her initials to the bottom right corner, L M. “There you are. Another souvenir to add to your collection of summer tourists’ broken hearts.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, you know. Girls come to Florence. And fall in love with a charming local boy. And leave with a broken heart because the charming local boy has already moved on to the next summer tourist. It’s a game, isn’t it? To see how many girls you can make fall in love with you?”
“What? What are you talking about?” I pull her close, pushing the unruly fringe across her forehead so I can look deep into her pretty blue eyes. “How can I prove myself to you?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll think of something,” she says her eyes twinkling with laughter.
The moment freezes time as she holds my gaze. Slowly, I lean towards her. She closes her eyes as my lips lightly touch hers.
I walk from the hotel to Mayfair & Lewis Gallery of Fine Arts. I’m not sure what to expect. My plan is to meet the employees and get to know the setup before I make any changes. It’s been operating reasonably successfully for a few years. I mean, they haven’t lost money, but profits have been negligible. I’ll observe how things are then adjust each component accordingly. I’m prepared for resistance. It’s usual in times of change.
I breathe deeply before I go in. The pressure of proving myself threatens to overwhelm me and I almost keep walking past the door. But I am here with my family legacy at stake. I set my expression to ‘determined’ and cross my fingers that I get full staff cooperation.
Chapter 5
Olivia
Iarrivedforworktoday thinking it was going to be like any other day, but how wrong I was. I walked in, said hi to Margot, who, as usual, was sitting at her desk looking immaculate. I don’t know how she does it. The walls looked the same as they did when I left last night. There’s the Warhol print which will be shipped today. There’s the tiny Modigliani bronze on a plinth due for delivery at the weekend. The two Spanish Baroque saints, all dark and brooding are side by side in perpetual penance on one wall. On the other side, a huge glamorous glossy sass of Tamara de Lempicka, one of her baronesses in green. We don’t have a buyer for her yet, but she’ll get snapped up in an instant. Probably by the end of the day.
As I make my way to the back of the gallery, I am met with the sort of hush reserved for funerals. Behind the partition wall where my less-than-adequate office space is, my colleagues are assembled around a central figure. It seems as if everyone is waiting for me. The color of self-conscious embarrassment creeps up my neck and burns into my cheeks.
“Ah, and now are we complete?” a male voice says from the back wall. “Margot. Could you please secure the door and, uh, arrange the, how you say? ‘Back in five minutes’ sign. Grazie.”
Margot edges past me to the glass gallery door. Sounds of keys in locks and bolts being pushed fill the silence followed by Margot’s footsteps as she returns to the office. I try to stay small and low at the back behind everyone else.
“Okay, everyone. I am Gianni Moretti. As some of you may know, I am the proud new owner of this gallery dealership.” The heavily accented voice is gruff and low with more than an edge of arrogance and superiority. “I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to come and introduce myself and meet the people who are to share in the continued success of Mayfair & Lewis.” I peek to the side past Nigel’s upper arm to get a glimpse of the speaker. He is tall and wears a pale grey suit. His face is unfortunately blocked by Margot, so I duck down and try to get a better view from a different direction. My new boss is annoying me already.
