Page 7 of I Would Die For You

“Wrong.”

“Scusa?”

“You give someone the wrong impression, not the bad impression.”

“Mi dispiace. See, that’s why it’s good to practice English with a native speaker.”

And suddenly, with this self-deprecating note and the smile in his tone, he disarms me so powerfully, I can’t help myself from laughing, the twinkle in his eye contagious.

“You look even more beautiful when you smile,ama.”

Slowly, the smile dies. It’s not often I’ve had reason to rejoice lately.

“And now I’ve gone and done it.Merda. The light, it has died from your eyes.”

The sincerity and the dejection in his voice are so palpable, it breaks my heart to hear him berating himself this way.

“It’s not your fault,” I say.

He shrugs. “Still, allow me to make it up to you? Please?”

This evening is supposed to be his, after all. And I can’t run the risk of him going to Don Rossi and telling him I haven’t upheld my end of the deal. Too much runs on keeping him happy tonight.

“Okay.”

“Va bene!” he crows. “Sit. Let me take care of everything.”

I find myself in the love seat across from the banquette, his hands pushing gently on my shoulders so I’m landing on my butt on the fat cushions. I’ve hardly settled down when the pop of the champagne bottle goes off and pale gold liquid is frothing in the flutes, one of which is pressed into my hand.

“Can I change the music?” he asks.

“Sure.”

The slow RnB playlist is just too sensual now. It will be a relief to listen to anything else.

But my surprise is strong when strings of violin reverberate in the closed room.

“Is that…The Four Seasons?”

Stefano beams as he turns back to me. “By Vivaldi, yes. This isSpring.”

“Classical music is your thing?”

“Is that so hard to believe?”

More than miffed, he sounds hurt.

“No! I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just…”

How to get out of this without putting my foot even more into my mouth?

“I look like a hooligan gym bro meat head who seems more into hard rock?”

“Uhm, yes?”

Again, his glib manner is so disarming, I’m getting all flustered and discombobulated again.

Stefano laughs. “No offense taken.”

---