Deception of the Heart by Ellen Wolf Read Free Book Online Page B

have opened as she watched the driver, because it stood wide open and a short, skinny man walked down the steps, his brown, wrinkled face breaking into a smile warm enough to rival the setting sun. ‘Bienvenutto , signore Brunner and signorina Bennett.’
    Daniel Spitieri was just as surprising as his house. She had seen a photograph of him, of course. The glossy book cover had failed to convey the spark of life in his pitch black eyes or the way his mouth curved into a boyish grin, the gap between his front teeth adding to his youthful appeal.
    A black - and white-dressed man welcomed them at the door, his serious face and impeccable manners making her think of a penguin. He disappeared after a short exchange in Italian with Daniel that was too fast for her to catch except for the fact it revolved around some garden work and pool renovations.
    ‘I have hired some help around the house .’ Daniel nodded to them conspiratorially, his eyes following Pete and Melanie’s. ‘Sophia complains about me going pazzo , but we aren’t getting any younger. This place is getting too big for us, I keep saying. She thinks that we can’t move, or our children won’t find us anymore.’ He laughed out loud, his rich baritone surprising for such small stature.
    ‘ You’ve a lovely house, signore.’ She smiled in response, aware of the inexplicable but almost palpable resentment radiating from Pete at the mentioning of his workers. What on earth did he have against people hiring help? People had nannies, gardeners, maids, and cooks. It was a fact of life, and even though she couldn’t imagine having one of those people work for her personally at any time of her life, she wasn’t the one to judge or criticize it.
    ‘Call me Daniel, no ? Grazie , my dear. We love it dearly, my wife and me.’ Their host was apparently oblivious to Pete’s reaction. He ushered them into his home that seemed to grow larger and larger the deeper they ventured.
    ‘I thought we could have some drinks to break the ice, as you say it?’ They had arrived in a large yet cozy room. Its cream colored walls and huge oriental carpet in hues of brown, beige, and vanilla provided a perfect background for the heavy, chocolate brown leather sofas and low, marble topped coffee tables. ‘Sophia is still out in the garden. My wife loves painting her watercolors there, weather permitting,’ he explained, his eyes softening at her name. ‘Roberto will get her so she can join us in the salotto .’
    Melanie found herself holding a crystal goblet filled with a mixture of red wine and mineral water. She’d chosen to forgo something stronger out of fear she might get tipsy in the most inappropriate of circumstances. She had eaten very little at lunch in the hotel, since she was nervous about meeting Mr. Spitieri and the other unknown older gentleman Pete was trying to oust from the picture. By now, her stomach had settled. Daniel Spitieri had turned out to be one of the nicest and most approachable people she had ever met. If his colleague was anything like him, she might actually enjoy spending time in his company.
    ‘And here she comes, the most beautiful woman on this side of the ocean .’ Daniel’s eyes wrinkled in from his smile as he watched his wife approach. His face was so full of genuine tenderness Melanie felt she had to look away, embarrassed to encroach on something so private and precious. Would she ever meet anyone who’d look at her like that? She once thought she had, only to be utterly and heartbreakingly disappointed.
    She glanced at Sophia Spitieri, the taste of the excellent wine suddenly souring on her tongue. The older woman was by far no beauty queen with her rather round silhouette and broad, round cheeked face. Her dark eyes were set too close and her nose was too long to have any claim to real beauty. And yet, to her husband, she was special. The saying that beauty was in the eye of the beholder came to Melanie’s mind.
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