moment of your time, per favore—one piece of news I can use for my lead story in La Repubblica?”
Why not?
“Since Italy imports almost all of its hydrocarbon demand, a doubling of domestic production would help the country reduce its energy bill. I’m planning to find them in Italy.”
“Where?”
“That’s my secret for now.”
The reporter beamed for having been given a partial scoop. “Mille grazie, signor.”
He nodded and closed the door before his driver took him to the heliport for the flight to his mountaintop villa in Positano, on the Amalfi Coast. Now that the two-day September conference covering the economic problems facing Europe was over, Rini was eager to explore his latest project. On Monday he’d be leaving for the coast of Southern Italy, but tonight he had other plans.
Once the helicopter landed on the pad behind his villa, he jumped down and found his housekeeper, Bianca, out by the pool watering the tubs of flowers. She looked up when she saw him.
“Welcome back.”
“It’s good to be home.”
“How’s your father?”
“Well as can be expected.” Rini had flown to Naples after yesterday’s session and spent the night with his papà, who seemed to be handling the loss of Rini’s mother a little better these days. She’d been the heart of their home and Rini would always miss her happy, optimistic spirit.
“Was the conference beneficial?”
“I’m not sure beneficial is the right word. Chilling would be more accurate. Europe is in trouble economically, but I’d rather not think about that tonight.”
“Do you want dinner?”
“I’d love one of your meals, but I’m meeting Guido tonight. It’s his birthday.” His best friend from childhood, the son of Leonides Rossano, who owned Rossano shipping lines, had texted him earlier in the day:
The parents are throwing a party for me on the yacht. Please say you can make it. I know you’re at a conference, but I need your advice about something serious. By the time you arrive it will be breaking up so we can talk in private.
The message sounded serious, even for Guido, who clearly wasn’t in a celebratory mood. He obviously had no plans for the weekend with a woman. His friend was as bad as Rini, who had no plans in that department, either. The two of them made quite a pair, but for entirely different reasons.
Guido was still looking for the right woman who hadn’t come along yet. Rini didn’t have the same problem. The right woman wasn’t out there for him because she wouldn’t want him when he had to tell her he was infertile. An old soccer injury he’d suffered in his youth had made it impossible for him to give any woman a child.
The pain of that realization had grown worse with every passing year, increasing his dissatisfaction with his own personal life. Whenever he did meet a woman he cared about, he held back, not allowing the relationship to develop into something deeper. It always came down to his fear she would reject him if she knew the truth.
He’d been denying his deep-seated needs for such a long time, he’d forgotten what real fulfillment was like. Since his sister Valentina—the mother of two children and now ecstatically married—had recently moved out of his villa, his unhappiness had deepened.
She’d lived with him through her whole pregnancy. He’d helped her with the baby when she’d first come home from the hospital. He’d loved every minute of it, but he’d carried a secret pain in his heart because he knew he’d never be able to be a birth father. When she’d married Giovanni and moved out, Rini felt the emptiness of the villa. It echoed the emptiness in his soul for what could never be.
Valentina’s happiness, not to mention that of his younger brother, Carlo, who enjoyed a wonderful marriage and had a little girl, heightened his awareness that the key element in his life was missing. He envied his brother for being able to give his wife a child. Rini’s doctor had told him he was a fool to let that prevent him from falling in love. “The right woman will be able to handle it,” he’d reminded him.
Rini didn’t believe it as he walked through the villa to his suite and stripped for a shower to get ready. After slipping into his black tuxedo, he reached for the wrapped gift he’d bought for the occasion. Once he’d said goodbye to Bianca, he left for the helicopter. The new hand-tied fishing fly he’d purchased for Guido was reputed to bring results. They often fished the mountain streams for trout. He thought his friend would be pleased.
Twenty minutes later he landed on board the Rossano luxury superyacht moored in the Bay of Naples, reminding him that not everyone was feeling the economic crunch. The yacht boasted seventeen staterooms and all the amenities of a five-star hotel, including a swimming pool and dance floor.
Twilight had descended, lending magic to the spectacular surroundings of one of the most beautiful and photographed bays in the world, with Mount Vesuvius in the background. He told his pilot to come back later and jumped down as Guido strode over to him.
“I’ve been waiting for you. Saw you on the evening news. Impressive stuff. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to make it. Thanks for coming.”
“As if I’d miss your birthday.” He pulled the small package out of his jacket and handed it to him. “Buon compleanno.”
They gave each other a hug, then walked into the salon-cum-bar for a drink. He opened his present and held up the lure. “Just what I need.”
“Good. Let’s go fishing next weekend. I’ll clear my schedule for next Saturday.” Rini had been working himself into the ground and needed a break.
“Perfect.” With a smile of satisfaction he put the present in his pocket. With dark blond hair, good-looking Guido could have his pick of any woman. The money behind his family name made him sought after and somewhat cynical, as he feared no woman saw him for himself. Guido was the best friend Rini could ever have had. He hoped the only son of Leonides Rossano would end up one day with a woman worthy enough to win his heart.
Rini’s name and wealth made him a target, too. Women came on to him, causing him to question if any of them loved him for himself. Coupled with his problem of infertility, Rini imagined it was possible he’d end up a bachelor for good.
“Was it a nice party?”
“Different. One of the big fashion houses asked Father for permission to film a show on the yacht. You missed the whole thing.”
“Sorry about that. The meeting in Rome went longer than anticipated.”
Rini followed him down the steps to the deck, where he greeted his friend’s parents and family, who made up some of Naples’s most elite socialites and were beautifully dressed. Rini was well acquainted with many of them. An orchestra played music and the drinks were flowing.
They moved over to the area where a smorgasbord had been set up. By now he was hungry. After filling his plate, he joined his friend at one of the tables away from the others, where they could eat and talk alone.
“Your text said you wanted advice. What’s going on with you?”
Guido
