Page 18 of Christmas Treasures

She wasn’t following. “What do you mean?”

He sighed, looking into his wineglass. “I guess there’s no reason to keep a secret. When Lucia knew she was dying, she arranged for Bianca to live with her grandmother—Nonna Rosella. But she wanted to make sure Bianca would be all right should anything happen to Rosella. She asked if I would be Bianca’s legal guardian in the event of Rosella’s death. She died last week. Rosella’s best friend is bringing her to me. I’m legally bound to take Bianca.” He winced. “Not bound. I mean, I am, but I wouldn’t shirk my responsibilities. Regardless, it’s hard to wrap my head around. An eight-year-old child is coming to live with me. We’re strangers.”

He must have gotten the news not long before she pounced on him about the cheese. Now she felt even worse. “That’s a lot,” Charlie said.

“Yes, it is. And I’m worried. She’ll be fragile and moving to a new country and new school and living with a man she barely knows. It’s beyond comprehension. For both of us. And I doubt she speaks much English. My Italian wasn’t good to begin with, and I’m rusty.”

“If you need any help with her—you know, since I speak the language, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Really?”

“Don’t look so surprised.”

“I am, though. I didn’t think you liked me.”

“Why would you think that?” Charlie asked.

“Let’s just say you seem blind to my charm.”

Quite the opposite.But she kept that thought to herself.

“Men like you are accustomed to the fairer sex falling at your feet. Simply put, I am not one of those women.”

“A pity.” His eyes twinkled at her.

Which caused an unfortunate flutter in her stomach.

He sobered. “If you’re serious about helping me speak with her, I would be very grateful. I should start studying Italian again, too. Frankly, I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed.”

“My dad used to say nothing was impossible if you just took it one task at a time. What’s your first step?”

“Getting her room ready. My dad’s going to help me clean it out, and then I want to make it nice for Bianca.”

“You should meet with Ivy. She did my whole house,” Charlie said.

Their conversation halted when Nolan announced that dinner was ready. She and Max followed the rest of the guests into the dining room. And wouldn’t you know it, she was seated right next to Max.

5

MAX

He still didn’t know why Charlie hated December, but he suspected it had something to do with her parents. The way her eyes dimmed when she spoke about their deaths had given some insight into her. More than he had before, anyway. Her offer to help with Bianca had surprised him. She was more generous than he had thought. In fact, it was becoming clear to him that it was not aloofness that kept her slightly apart from everyone else. She was shy. She’d admitted that she found it hard to talk to people.

Now he found himself seated next to her at dinner. Laney was sneaky. Not that he minded. Charlie’s serious nature had a calming effect on him.

They participated in the conversations around them, but by dessert, the two of them had fallen into an intimate conversation. Max had no idea what was going on around him. It was too mesmerizing to be sitting next to a beautiful woman who smelled of lilacs and had a habit of chewing off her lipstick and leaning close as if she wanted to catch every subtle nuance of whatever he was saying.

“Where was your trattoria?” Charlie asked. “I wonder if I ever went there.”

“San Frediano. Still on the Oltrarno side, but more locals than tourists. Laundry on the lines, neighbors who’d argue across balconies. I remember thinking it felt like the real Florence, not the one where tourists flocked.”

Charlie nodded, resting her chin in her hand, turned in her chair to look directly at him. She was so close, he could see the golden flecks in her brown eyes. “I spent time there. Had coffee near Piazza del Carmine some mornings.”

“That café with the broken marble tables?” he asked, surprised.

“That’s the one.”

For whatever reason, that thrilled him. “Lucia’s trattoria was just a few blocks from there. Tucked between a carpenter’s shop and a flower stall. No sign. Just the scent of tomato and garlic luring people in.”

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