She couldnt ask Amy for advice, either. Sure, her former boss would helpbut Carenza knew that Amy had just gone through another course of chemotherapy. The last thing Amy needed right now was this kind of stress. So Carenza really couldnt lean on her, either.
There was Emilio Mancuso, who, according to her grandfather, had been acting as the manager of the business for a while, but Carenza didnt feel comfortable with him. She couldnt put her finger on whyhed always been perfectly polite to her, if a bit condescendingbut there was something about him that made her feel wary. She didnt want to ask him for help. All her instincts told her that would be a bad idea.
None of her friends her own age ran a business, so she couldnt ask them for advice.
Which left
She sighed. Nobody.
You have no experience and the business is in a mess.
Dante Romano was right about that.
It needs turning around.
He was right about that, too.
And I have the knowledge and the staff to do that.
The obvious answer was to sell the family business to him. But, if she did that, shed be letting Nonno down. Breaking the family tradition. The last generation of the Toniellis, selling out. How could she do that?
Unless
She smiled wryly. No, that was crazy. Hed never agree to that.
How do you know unless you ask? a little voice said inside her head.
Maybe. But was he as good as he said he was? Could he help her fix the business?
She pushed the papers to one side and drew her laptop closer, so she could look him up online. Dante Romano. Interestingly, there were no paparazzi shots of him with beautiful women. Or men, for that matterbut her gaydar was pretty accurate. That zing of attraction shed felt towards him yesterday had been mutual, judging by the way hed looked at her across his desk.
No stories about an acrimonious divorce, either. Hmm. So it looked as if Dante Romano steered clear of relationships and focused on his work.
A workaholic, then.
She looked him up on the business pages. Make that a very successful workaholic, she corrected herself. He had a chain of six restaurants at the age of thirtypretty impressive, given that he seemed to have come from absolutely nowhere. A little more digging gave her the information that he had a solid track record of buying up businesses and then turning them round. And there was a new rumour in the business world that he was going to franchise his restaurants. Carenza didnt know much about franchising, but she had a feeling that it meant going national or even internationalso Dante Romano would be way too busy to date anyone, right now.
Not that she was interested in his love life. At all. Because she wasnt going to act on the attraction between them. Right now, she didnt want to get involved with anyone. She wanted to concentrate on the family businesson feeling that she could do something worthwhile. Get her self-respect back. But would this franchising thing mean that hed be too busy to help her? And, even if he wasnt, would he agree to be her mentorto help her get the business back under control?
It was a risky strategy, she knew, but she had no other real choice. And there was only one way to find out if hed help her.
Given that he was a workaholic, it was a fair bet that Dante would still be at his office. Her hand was shaking as she punched the number into the phone. Come on, Caz. Dont be such a wimp, she told herself as she pressed the last digit. But with each ring of the phone, her nerves increased. Maybe shed made a mistake. Maybe he wasnt there. Maybe she should just give u
Dante. His voice was crisp, clearand every coherent thought went out of her head.
Hello?
Get a grip, Caz, she told herself and took a deep breath. Signor Romano? Its Carenza Tonielli.
How can I help you, Signorina Tonielli?
If he was surprisedor if hed expected her to call and say shed changed her mind, once shed had a proper look through the booksit didnt show. He was polite, formal and absolutely expressionless. Which unnerved her even more.
I, um, wondered if we could talk. Theres something I wanted to run by you.
Where and when?
He certainly didnt waste any time. Maybe that was why he was so good at business. My office? As for when
When would be convenient for you?
Now?
Now? She almost squeaked the word into the phone. Whoever had a business meeting at this time of the evening?
Then again, she didnt need any more time to prepare. There wasnt anything she could add to make her case. OK. Um, do you know where my office is?
Yes.
Stupid question. Of course he did. Hed been planning to buy the business. No doubt hed met her grandfather here. Good. Ill, um, see you in a bit, then.
Ciao.
Her hand was still shaking slightly when she put the phone down. Well, shed done it now. She was going to have to go through with it. Anyway, what was the worst thing that could happen? Just that hed refuse. And if he did that, shed still be in the same position she was in now. It wouldnt make things any more difficult. So it was ridiculous to feel so nervous about seeing him.
She busied herself shaking coffee grounds into a cafetière and boiling the kettle. Shed just rearranged the cups on the tray for the third time when she heard the knock at the shop door.
Thank you for coming, Signor Romano, she said as she let him in and locked the door behind him.
Prego. Still perfectly polite and formal. And his face was even less easy to read than his voice. Maybe she shouldve asked him over the phone, instead. It would be a lot easier without those piercing eyes watching her every movement.
May I offer you some coffee? she asked as she led him through to her office.
Thank you. No milk or sugar.
Easy enough. She could do this.
Except her hand shook as she brought his cup over to the desk, and she spilled coffee all over his suit trousers.
Oh, Im so sorry! I didnt mean to
He cut her off with a shrug. No problem. Itll come out in the wash.
But he was unsmiling. Grim, even. And her heart sank. Why had she ever been daft enough to think he was going to agree to this? It wasnt just a risky strategy, it was an insane one.
So what did you want to run past me? he asked.
She placed her own coffee very carefully on her desk and sat down. Ive looked at Nonnos books.
And?
And you have a point. I admit it. I dont have the experience to turn things round. But she sucked in a breath if youd agree to mentor me, I could do it.
Mentor you. Again, his voice and his face were completely expressionless. She had no idea whether he was amused, outraged, surprised, interested. Definitely not a man to play poker against.
And then he was silent.
Thinking about it, maybe. Did she interrupt, or give him space, or what?
Whats in it for me? he asked eventually.
How about, you can say I told you so and feel really, really smug?
That earned her a smile, and maybe the slightest softening in those beautiful dark eyeswhich gave her enough heart to continue. Seriously, I can pay you to mentor me, she said. Tell me what you charge.
And then he was silent.
Thinking about it, maybe. Did she interrupt, or give him space, or what?
Whats in it for me? he asked eventually.
How about, you can say I told you so and feel really, really smug?
That earned her a smile, and maybe the slightest softening in those beautiful dark eyeswhich gave her enough heart to continue. Seriously, I can pay you to mentor me, she said. Tell me what you charge.
More than you can afford, Princess. Remember, Ive already seen your books.
Princess? That rankled. But she could hardly have a hissy fit on him. Not if she wanted him to help her.
I can pay you, she insisted.
How?
She took a deep breath. I could She licked her lower lip. She could sell her jewellery. It would hurtespecially parting with the watch that her grandparents had given her for her twenty-firstbut if she could save the business and make her grandparents proud of her, it would be worth it.
He clearly mistook her pause, because he raised an eyebrow. Im thirty years old. Ive never had to pay for sex before, Princess, and I have no intention of starting now.
I d-didnt mean that, she stuttered, feeling her face flood with colour. I was going to say, I can sell some of my jewellery.
Except now hed put a picture in her head. One that was even more inappropriate than the one that had been there the last time shed met him. A picture of him naked, in her bed. Buried deep inside her.
Oh, help. She really needed to get a grip. This was about business.
Why? he asked.
Why? Think, Caz, think. Except she didnt have a clue what he was talking about. The circuits in her brain had just scrambled.
Why do you want me to mentor you?
Oh. Yes. The reason shed asked him here in the first place. The reason that shouldve been uppermost in her mind. Except that picture in her head had got in the way. Big time. She took a deep breath. Im asking you to mentor me because you have experience at turning businesses round. She listed the last three restaurants hed bought, and the dates.
He raised an eyebrow. Done your homework, then, Princess?
Dont call me that! She glared at him.
Then she remembered. She was asking him a favour. She had to play nice. Please, she added belatedly. My names Carenza.
Carenza. It sounded like a caress, the way he said it. All deep and husky and sexy as hell.
No. She had to focus.
You were right, Signor Romano. I dont have the experience to turn the business round.
And youre eating humble pie. He inclined his head. Interesting.
Why do you have such a low opinion of me? she asked.
Because I know your type. He paused, giving her a measured look. Princess.
It took all her effort not to glower at him. Im not a princess, she said coolly.
Put your feet on the desk.
She frowned. What?
Put your feet on the desk, he repeated.
She had no idea what he was driving at, but she did as he requested.
Look at your shoes. High-end designer brand. Theyd cost almost a months wages for most of your staff, he said softly. So are you going to tell me now that youre not a princess?
Put like that, it sounded bad. She took her feet off the desk. I had a job in England, she said, knowing that she sounded defensive.
Uh-huh.
So he really did think it had been no more than a sinecure. I wasnt just sitting there filing my nails and fluttering my eyelashes. I was Amys PA. I organised things. I know how retail works.
For luxury goods, maybe, but not food. Its a completely different customer base, he pointed out.
Look, Ive admitted that I need help. What more do you expect from me?
Take the easy way out. Sell the business to me.
She shook her head. I cant do that.
Why not?
Because Im the fifth generation of Toniellis. Its up to me to make this work. She swallowed hard. I guess I wouldve been the sixth generation. Or maybe if my parents had lived, Id have had a brother or sister to share the burden of the business with me. She shook herself. But you cant change the past, so its pointless brooding over it. You just have to get on with things.
Dante looked at her. She wouldnt sell because the business had been part of her familys life for years. So she had family loyalty after all. Given how few times shed been back to Italy in the last ten years, hed thought shed pretty much abandoned her grandparents, happy with a life of partying in London. And shed gone seriously off the rails last year.
But maybe Carenza Tonielli was turning over a new leaf. Maybe she wasnt quite what hed thought she was.
And, if she really wanted to make the business work, then getting a mentor to teach her the ropes would be the best thing that she could do.
Shed chosen him. Ironic, as hed planned to buy her out.
He could refusebut, then again, he owed Gino. The old man had given him a break, all those years ago. Gino had given Dante solid advice, taught him things that had stood him in good stead in business. This was Dantes chance for payback: to help Ginos granddaughter and make sure that the gelati business didnt go under.
And this had nothing to do with the fact that Carenza had the most beautiful mouth and the bluest eyes hed ever seen. Or the fact that he could imagine that glorious blonde hair spread over his pillow, her lips parted and her body arched in pleasure as he touched her.
OK, he said abruptly.
She blinked. What?
He rolled his eyes. Pay attention, Princess. He wasnt going to call her Signorina Tonielli, not if he was going to be her mentor. But he wasnt going to call her by her given name, either. It would be too intimate. This way, he could keep some distance between them. Maybe it would keep his wayward thoughts under control, too. He wasnt used to feeling anything less than in full control of himself, and it unnerved him slightly that Carenza Tonielli could have this effect on him. He pushed the unwanted attraction away. This was business. I said OK, Ill be your mentor.
Her face was flooded with relief. Thank you. But I meant it about paying you. I cant expect you to do this for nothing. I mean, Im taking your time.
No payment required. Ill give you guidance, where I canbut youre going to be the one doing the work, not me.
Thank you. I appreciate that. She sat up straight. Where do we start?
You can start, he said, by wearing something frumpy.
Carenza could see from the shock on Dantes face that he hadnt actually meant to say that. So she wasnt the only one with pictures in her head, then?
The room suddenly felt way, way too smalland it felt as if all the oxygen had just been sucked out of it, too, for good measure.
Whats wrong with my business suit? she asked, her voice only just above a whisper.
Nothing. The jacket and skirt are fine. There was a slash of colour over his cheekbones.
So what was bothering him? Her top? Her shoes? Anger flared. The woman shed been last year wouldnt have thought twice about taking off her jacket, strutting round to his side of the desk and teasing him, and she could see in his face that he thought he knew her type; his research mustve dredged up a hell of a lot of dirt. No wonder he wasnt taking her seriously. Well, lets play your little game, Signor Romano, then Ill show you just how wrong you are about me when I turn you down cold.