Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
“I’ll ask her and text you. Remind me to get your number before I leave.” I’m so unfit, I can hardly talk while I walk.
“That would be great. I think when I find a good base of friends, I’ll be fine. What’s your boyfriend like?”
Oh jeez, what do I say to that. “Quiet and bossy.” I smile. “He likes to get his own way.”
She laughs. “Don’t they all?”
“I guess.”
“How did you meet him?”
“We met in Rome two years ago. Things didn’t turn out, so I went home to Australia. I moved back here for a job just recently and we ran into each other.”
Jennifer smiles as she listens. “Sounds romantic, and it’s obviously serious?”
“Yeah, it is. It turned serious really quick, actually. We fell in love last time we met, and then as soon as we reconnected and we got over a few teething problems, it was all systems go.”
“It was obviously meant to be.”
“I think so.” I smile. “I moved in with him nearly immediately.” I walk up the incline on the treadmill. I don’t know why I put this thing on such a steep setting.
“Yeah, well I’m not sure about this living with him thing yet. Maybe we’re about to have teething problems, too. As in, me knocking his out.”
We both laugh. She’s funny.
“Okay, my warmup is done,” she says. “I have to do arms today. Thanks for that. Just ask your friend if she used a job agency or what way she thinks I should go.”
“Okay.” I smile. “I’ll come get your number before I go so I can text you later.”
“That’d be great, thank you so much.”
I watch her walk over to the weights area. A guy says something to her, and she laughs out loud. She’s so typically Australian—relaxed and carefree.
I like her. I’m going to make an effort to get to know her better. It would be nice to have another friend here. I’ll have to remember to call Nat for her later.
I turn up the speed on my treadmill and start to run.
Hot body, here I come.
It’s 1:00 p.m. when Giorgio comes swanning into my office with two cups of coffee in hand.
“Hello, my darling. I came for our afternoon tea.” He holds up a brown paper bag and gives it a shake.
I look up from my computer and smile. “Is that cake?”
Please let it be cake. I’m tired of eating healthy already. It’s been eight whole hours and I’m feeling weak.
He passes my coffee and hands me the bag over. “Almond biscotti.”
“Thank you.”
He sits on my desk and sips his coffee. “This place is so dull today. I miss the Roma office.”
“What’s it like? The Roma office. Did you see Seraphina?”
“Yes, Seraphina and I had cocktails last week.” He smiles wistfully. “She’s divine.”
“She really is,” I sigh. “I wish she’d stayed in Milan. We really clicked.”
I smile, remembering that heart attack she gave me.
“What?”
“You know, when I met her and she told me that she had a fiancé from Roma, I was sure it was Enrico. I was having a heart attack over it.”
He chuckles. “What a coincidence that would have been.” He watches me for a moment and narrows his eyes. “She is not good enough for Enrico Ferrara.”
“She’s beautiful. Are you high?” I scoff.
“She’s not as beautiful as you.” He smiles wistfully. “You have an inner quality. There is something very special about you, Olivia. You were sent from the gods for him. I could feel it from the moment we met.”
“Do you mind?” a deep voice says from the doorway.
We turn to see Enrico standing at the door. He raises a brow. “Hands off, Giorgio.”
I smile and stand. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
Enrico walks in and kisses my cheek. “Hello, bella,” he says softly as his hand falls to my waist.
Giorgio leaps up from the desk. “My darling Enrico.” He kisses both his cheeks, and Enrico smiles.
“You’re visiting me at work?” I ask. “This is lovely.”
“Just delivering a package.” He places a little black box with a gold ribbon tied around it onto my desk.
I smile as my eyes hold his.
He gives me a sexy wink.
Enrico turns to Giorgio. “Last night, Olivia told me she wishes I was a delivery driver.”
Giorgio face falls as he looks at me, and then he claps his hands and bursts out laughing.
“Can you imagine that?” Rico says, clearly amused as his sexy eyes hold mine.
“You? A delivery driver?” Giorgio scoffs. “Now I’ve heard it all.”
“Don’t laugh, you two,” I huff as I fall back into my office chair. “I actually do wish you were a normal, podgy old guy with a boring job.”
Enrico laughs heartily, it’s deep and loud and permeates through the room. “What is podgy? It does not sound in the least bit appealing.”
I try to think of an apt description. “Sort of fat and pig like.”