middle.” He handed her a fork.
With a mysterious smile, she took it from him. “Maybe one bite.”
While she toyed with a couple of mouthfuls, he didn’t waste any time making inroads. After swallowing some of the hot liquid he said, “So that’s the secret behind your weight loss.”
A little chocolate remained at the corner of her pliant mouth, tempting him to taste both. The errant thought took him by surprise. Before he could blink she wiped it away with her napkin.
“The Rossettis have always been a hefty bunch. Three years ago I saw a diet plan in a magazine and decided to try it. Bianca had just gotten married and she went on it with me.”
“Does she have an hourglass figure, too?”
Again he watched the blush fill her cheeks. “She looks good. Now she’s pregnant again.”
“Bianca has a baby?”
“Yes. Little Paolito. He’s so sweet. I wish he were mine.”
The throb in her voice didn’t escape him. “How old is he?”
“Six months.”
So much had gone on while he’d been pursuing his dreams. “So tell me what you got up to after I left Monta Correnti.”
“You mean besides running the fruit stand?”
“Anything you want to divulge.”
She studied him for a minute. “Do you remember Lia?”
“Of course. She was your favorite cousin who had a little white fox terrier named Horatio.”
“Yes. I’m afraid he finally died of old age. Anyway, she met a man from Naples who has his own construction company. They got married five years ago and live there with their two children. Last year she begged me to come and stay with them.
“I accepted her invitation thinking I’d only be gone from the farm two weeks. Instead I got a job in his office and started business classes at college.”
His dark brows lifted in surprise. “Business? What aspect of business were you thinking of going into? You told me you would never leave the farm.” He’d thought he knew all of her dreams.
“The inspiration didn’t come into my mind until after you left for Monaco.”
“Which meant I stunted your growth.”
“Don’t be silly.” Though she broke into gentle laughter of denial, Valentino realized he really didn’t know all there was to know about her at all. That bothered him. In the past he’d taken everything about her for granted. For the first time it hit him what a shallow man he’d been. That bothered him even more.
“You’ve got me intrigued.” Mystified was more like it.
“As you know, I spent my life in our lemon groves. One day I got this idea for doing something with lemons besides selling them.”
“But not lemon furniture polish since it had already been invented, right?”
More laughter rumbled out of Clara. “Actually I came up with my own recipe for limoncello.”
“Limoncello—?” In his opinion her mother was the best cook on the planet, so he probably shouldn’t have been surprised. Again it showed him he’d been so consumed by his own thoughts and interests back then, he hadn’t taken the time to explore hers. “Is it good?”
“My business teacher thought it was the best aperitif he’d ever tasted. He urged me to work up a model for its manufacture and distribution to present in class.”
Valentino felt a sudden onset of adrenalin. “I’m jealous he got to sample it first. When am I going to taste it?”
“There’s some left at Lia’s, I think. I’ll phone her and ask her to bring it when she comes for a relative’s party tomorrow. You’re welcome to try it.”
“I’m going to hold you to that offer. So tell me how your project went?”
“I’m afraid I can’t,” she said, glancing at her watch. “I’m behind schedule now and have to go.”
He stifled a protest of exasperation. Just when he was enjoying this conversation more than anything else he’d done in years, Clara was running off again. Her announcement was unacceptable to him. “Where are you going?”
“Shopping.” She took one more bite of torta, then drank the last of her coffee.
“I’ll come with you. I need to pick up a few things myself.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I’m afraid this is an expedition for women only. You stay and finish the torta.” She stood up. “It’s been wonderful talking to you again, reminiscing. Thank you for the treat.”
Valentino couldn’t believe she was ready to leave so fast. “Why don’t we meet up later and I’ll drive you back to the farm?” He got to his feet.
“That’s a very generous offer, but I’ve made other arrangements. Now I really do have to run.”
To Leandro?
He walked her to the entrance, knowing better than to try to detain her. “Thank you for meeting me, Clara. It meant a lot. I’ll be in touch.”
She darted him a breezy smile. “That would be lovely.”
His body tautened. That would be lovely? Clara, Clara. What’s going on with you? “Ciao, piccola.”
“Ciao!”
Frustrated by her hurried departure, he watched her progress. She had an enticing little walk that fascinated him before she disappeared around the corner. Once she was out of sight he took off in the other direction for the villa.
His father had dismissed him, and the too brief interlude with Clara had knocked him off balance. He needed to get out of Monta Correnti in the Ferrari. Opening it up always cleared his head. Why not strike out for Naples?
He could look up some old sailing buddies and visit a few tour operators to drum up business for his father. Some entrepreneur he was when he knew better than to approach Luca before he had something concrete to present.
The change in Clara since their first meeting must have affected him more than he’d realized, or else he was losing his edge. Diavolo!
CHAPTER THREE
BEFORE breakfast was over Bianca had asked Clara if she wanted help at the stand, but Clara had turned her down. Her sister suffered from bad morning sickness and helped with their grandmother and took care of Paolito while their mother did the cooking and the dishes. Her sister-in-law Maria did the house-cleaning. Everyone had their chores. Clara liked running the stand.
Their farm did big business with outlets all over the region. Trucks came and went
