The Villa

you. I wonder why. "Thanks."
    "Enjoy," Pilar murmured.
    When the coffee was served, they fell into light conversation. David followed Tereza's lead and left business out of it. Time enough, he concluded, to get to the meat.
    In precisely twenty minutes, Tereza got to her feet. "I regret my husband was unavailable to see you today, and meet your charming children. Would it be convenient for you to meet with us tomorrow?"
    "At your convenience, signora ." David rose.
    "At eleven then. Pilar, will you show the Cutters the guest house, and see they have all they need?"
    "Certainly. I'll just get our coats."
    What the hell was this? Pilar wondered as she retrieved jackets. Normally she had her finger on the pulse of the household. Yet her mother had managed to slip an entire family in on her without sending up a single alarm.
    So many changes, and practically overnight. It was time she paid more attention, she decided. She didn't care for the order of things to change when she wasn't prepared for it.
    Still, she conversed easily when she returned and geared herself up to play gracious hostess. "It's a short drive. An easy walk really, in good weather."
    "Winter rain's good for the grapes." David took her jacket, helped her into it.
    "Yes. So I'm reminded whenever I complain about the wet." She stepped outside. "There's a direct line from house to house, so you've only to call if you need anything or have a question. Our housekeeper's Maria, and there's nothing she can't do. Thank you," she added when David opened the side door of the van for her.
    "You'll have wonderful views," she added, shifting around to speak to the children when they climbed in the back. "From whichever bedrooms you choose. And there's a pool. Of course, you won't be able to enjoy that just now, but you're welcome to use the indoor pool here at the main house whenever you like."
    "An indoor pool?" Theo's mood brightened. "Cool."
    "That doesn't mean you drop in wearing your bathing trunks whenever you feel like it," his father warned. "You don't want to give them the run of the house, Ms. Giambelli. You'll be in therapy in a week."
    "Hasn't worked for you," Theo shot back.
    "We'll enjoy having young people around. And it's Pilar, please."
    "David."
    Behind their backs, Maddy turned to her brother and fluttered her lashes wildly.
    "David. Just take the left fork. You can see the house there. It's a pretty place, and the rain gives it a bit of a fairy-tale aspect."
    "Is that it?" Suddenly interested, Theo leaned up. "It's pretty big."
    "Four bedrooms. Five baths. There's a lovely living room, but the kitchen/great room is friendlier, I think. Anybody cook?"
    "Dad pretends to," Maddy said. "And we pretend to eat it."
    "Smart-ass. Do you?" David asked Pilar. "Cook?"
    "Yes, and very well, but rarely. Well, perhaps your wife will enjoy the kitchen when she joins you."
    The instant and absolute silence had Pilar cringing inside.
    "I'm divorced." David pulled up in front of the house. "It's just the three of us. Let's check it out. We'll get the stuff later."
    "I'm very sorry," Pilar murmured when the kids bolted from the van. "I shouldn't have assumed—"
    "Natural assumption. A man, a couple of kids. You expect the full family complement. Don't worry about it." He patted her hand casually, then reached across to open her door. "You know, they're going to have to fight over the bedrooms. I hope you don't mind screaming scenes."
    "I'm Italian," was all she said and stepped out into the rain.

CHAPTER FIVE
    Contents - Prev | Next
    Italian, David thought later. And gorgeous. Aloof and gracious at the same time. Not an easy trick. In that area, she was her mother's daughter.
    He knew how to read people, an invaluable trick of the trade in the climb up the slippery executive ladder in any major corporation. His read of Pilar Giambelli was that she was as accustomed to giving orders as she was to taking them.
    He knew she was married, and to whom, but since she hadn't been wearing a ring he assumed the marriage to the infamous Tony Avano was over, or in serious trouble. He'd have to find out which before he let himself consider her on a more personal level.
    There was a daughter. Anyone in the business had heard of Sophia Giambelli. A firecracker by reputation who had style and ambition in spades. He'd be meeting her along the way, and wondered just how she'd taken to his induction as COO. Might have to play some politics there, he mused, and reached for the