Giulia's smile deepens the lines around her eyes. "Good. Now. The family."
She pulls a small notebook from her apron pocket. The pages are worn soft at the edges, covered in neat handwriting.
"Everyone has their... preferences." She opens to a bookmarked page. "You'll need to know these. The maids, they try, but they miss things. That's where you come in."
I set down my fork. "Okay. I'm listening."
"Pietro." Giulia taps the page. "The boss. He takes his coffee at exactly 6 a.m. Strong. No sugar. If he's up before that, something is wrong—tell Nora. He likes his study kept a certain way. Papers never moved, even if they look messy. The mess has order."
I nod, committing it to memory.
"Nora." Her expression softens. "She's good for him. She prefers tea lately. She reads in the conservatory most mornings. Fresh flowers there every three days. Lilies give her headaches, so never lilies."
"No lilies. Got it."
"Vittoria." Giulia rolls her eyes fondly. "That girl lives on energy drinks and spite. Her room is her business—we don't touch it unless she asks. But her bathroom, she likes it stocked with specific products. I'll give you the list."
The notebook pages flip.
"Lorenzo doesn't live here anymore, but he visits for Sunday dinners. Always. He's particular about wine temperature. Sophia, his wife, she's sweet. Allergic to shellfish—make sure the kitchen knows if they're coming."
My head spins with information. I wish I'd brought my own notebook.
"And Nico." Giulia pauses. Something shifts in her expression. "Nico is... complicated."
No kidding.
"He works late. Eats at odd hours, if he eats at all. His room is off-limits to everyone except me." She meets my eyes. "And now you. He won't like it, but someone needs to make sure he has clean clothes and food that isn't three days old."
"What does he—" I hesitate. "What does he prefer?"
"Privacy. He prefers to be left alone. But what he needs is different. Fresh towels every day. Coffee strong enough to strip paint. Food left where he can find it without having to ask."
She closes the notebook.
"The maids handle the cleaning. You handle the details. The things people forget to ask for but notice when they're missing."
I take a long sip of coffee, processing. "That's... a lot of details."
"This family." Giulia leans forward. "They're not easy. But they're good people, underneath all the..." She waves her hand vaguely. "Complications."
Complications. That's one word for it.
"I'll write everything down for you," she continues. "But the most important thing? Pay attention. Watch what they reach for. What makes them tense. What makes them relax. That's how you learn what people need."
I think about Jack. How I learned to read his moods like weather patterns. The slight narrowing of his eyes that meant I'd said something wrong. The way his jaw tightened before he started in on everything I'd failed at that day.
I know how to watch people, I don't say. I learned the hard way.
"I can do that," I say instead.
Giulia studies me for a long moment. Whatever she sees makes her nod slowly.
"Yes." She stands, gathering our empty plates. "I think you can."
I set down my coffee mug, something nagging at the edge of my mind.
"What about the others?" I ask. "From the dinner. Aria, Carmela, Valentino?" I hesitate. "They mentioned another brother, Bruno?"
