Page 26 of Under Her Skin
Instead, he drove to the office and went to find Peter, who took one look at him and grabbed his jacket. “Comeon.”
“Where are wegoing?”
“TheVilla Claudia. You need something to distractyou.”
Hero was lockingthe shop when she heard her name being called. Turning, she saw a smiling George Galiano walking towards her, and her heart sank. Arranging her features into a smile, she greetedhim.
“Ciao, bella.” He kissed her on the cheek, then nodded to the store. “You work herenow?”
“Just helpingout.”
He nodded. “I see. I was just passing, and I thought it was you. Come, have a drink withme.”
Out of politeness, Hero went with him to a bar out on thelakefront.
“Shall we sit outside? It’s such a warmevening.”
Hero didn’t care. “Fine.”
George chatted pleasantly for a while about nothing in particular, and Hero barely listened to him. Then he sat back and studied her. “I heard some things. Your accident? I’m very sorry. Are you still inpain?”
“No.” Notphysically.
“And you and Arturo? I heard yousplit.”
Hero sighed. “For something that was private, news sure travelsfast.”
“This is a small town, Hero, and Arturo, for some reason, is always a source of gossip andchatter.”
“You seem to take aninterest.”
George shrugged. “Arturo and I…we go back a longway.”
“You told me. Flavia cheated on him with you.” It came out as an accusation, and Hero regretted it the moment it left hermouth.
George leaned forward, and his eyes gleamed with malice. “She did. She was desperately unhappy with Arturo, but I don’t suppose he mentioned that. He always likes to paint himself as the innocent one in all of this. He’ll do it to you, too; make out that you’re the villain, the gold-digger who used him and then dumpedhim.”
Hero recoiled from his spite. “That isn’t the man Iknow.”
“You’ve known him two weeks, Hero.” George sat back. “I’ve known him alifetime.”
“Look, I think I’d better go.” Hero got to her feet. “I really don’t want to get involved in any conflict between you andArturo.”
George laughed. “You don’t get it, do you? You are already involved. You were involved the moment you fuckedArturo.”
Furious, Hero turned away from him…and ran straight intoArturo.
Chapter Fourteen
Arturo stared at her and felt a desperate longing to take her in his arms and kiss the pain out of her eyes. Hero looked pale, angry, and achingly beautiful. “Hero…”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Hello,Turo.”
God, when she said his name likethat…
“Look,I…”
Then he saw him: George Galiano, getting to his feet. Arturo’s heart froze and his jaw set. “Galiano.”
