Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
So now I was stuck with all these trunks and suitcases in my small bedroom, and most of them didn’t even contain anything useful. I didn’t like seeing them stacked against the wall. It made the space feel cluttered. That was part of it, but it also kind of felt like it was a dowery of some kind.
Plus, Massimo still seemed to think that I was a pampered princess who’d been waited on hand and foot her whole life. I couldn’t argue with the fact that I’d been raised a bit like a princess, but not in the way he thought. More in the “locked in a tower and rarely let out” way. Why couldn’t I have been one of those princesses who bucked tradition and learned to slay her own dragons?
“Leila?”
Stefano’s voice made me smile, and I stepped into the hall. He was wearing a blue T-shirt and shorts, which made me feel overdressed in my skirt and blouse. “Ready for lunch?” he asked.
“Definitely. I’m already hooked on Jana’s cooking.”
“I don’t blame you.”
I followed him down the hallway, noting that his feet were bare. Some men, or at least judging from my father, had gross feet, but Stefano’s weren’t at all. His skin was tan and even, and his feet were long and narrow. The muscles in his calves moved up and down as he walked, and I bumped my hip against a console table because I was so focused on him.
“You okay?” He gave me a curious look as we entered the dining room.
I nodded, and then blushed when he held a chair out for me. No one had ever done that for me before.
Lunch was panino al prosciutto, and it was so delicious that neither of us talked for a while. I didn’t even touch the side salad until I’d finished my sandwich. But then I peeked at Stefano from across the table. He was still eating.
He’d spent all morning in his office, which I’d been in a few times so far. His work desk had two monitors, and lots of technical equipment I didn’t understand. Plus there were even more bookshelves on the wall containing speakers, printers, and stuff I couldn’t even identify.
“Stefano?”
“Yes?” He raised an eyebrow as he held his sandwich—his second one—in front of him.
“Do you think you could get me a phone?”
His expression didn’t change, but I could see the answer in his eyes. “I’m sorry. Massimo said no.”
Did that mean he’d asked? If so, I was grateful. But overall I was disappointed.
Stefano looked sympathetic. “You got to talk to your parents the other night, right?”
“Yes.”
“Anytime you want to call them, just let me know.”
I nodded. He’d probably need to listen in. Carmine had been in the parlor the other day when I’d made the call. I didn’t know what Massimo might think I was telling them. It wasn’t like he let me know anything about his business.
Stefano was still watching me. “Maybe someday it won’t be like this.”
I gave a small smile for his sake, but I didn’t really believe that. Still, it was nice to know that someone other than me didn’t approve of how isolated I was. Maybe there was some other way he could help me. “What about a computer? You seem to have a lot of them in your office.”
He gave a rueful shrug. “A lot of pieces. I like building my own.”
“Could I maybe…”
I didn’t know how to finish that thought. Even though Stefano was the least intimidating of the three brothers, I didn’t feel comfortable telling him that I had an email account. I’d learned very quickly that if I ever managed to carve out a tiny bit of freedom for myself, I had to guard that secret carefully or it would be taken away.
“Come by my office this afternoon, and we can use one together. Is there anything you’d like to look up? There are websites about what flowers and plants grow well in this area.”
“Thanks,” I said.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Or we could look up some of the places you saw on the tour of Chicago Carmine gave you. He’s not really into that kind of thing, but Chicago’s got some fascinating history.”
That idea held more interest for me than the plants, but what I really wanted to do was to go to those places. Not read about them online. Not only see them from Carmine’s car.
But I doubted that was in the cards.
I poked at my salad and tried to look on the bright side—except I wasn’t coming up with much.
When we were finished eating and had turned down the dessert Jana offered, Stefano stood up. “Better get back to work. Stop by if you need me to look anything up.”
I nodded, also getting to my feet.
Stefano walked around the table, running his fingers down my arm as he passed. “It’ll get better,” he said softly.