Inconveniently beautiful, he thought, shaking his head.Eyes on the prize, Matthew.Focus.
He exhaled, releasing all the tension that had propped him up until now. As soon as he heard the shower running, Matthew collected his phone from the bed and opened Spotify. He created a new playlist and stared at the empty textbox. His finger hovered over the keyboard as his mind searched for the right words. Finally settling onOur Italian ‘Marriage’, he saved the title and promptly added the two songs. Locating his AirPods, he popped them in his ears and threw himself back on the bed.
He reached for his leather-bound journal – the first thing he had thought to unpack – and opened to the first page. He hit play and ‘Songbird’ filled his ears.
Today, I met Sarah. My wife . . .
quattro
Matthew took a final deep breath before knocking on the door markedPrivato.
‘Prego’, came the muffled reply.
The handle creaked as Matthew opened the door and he and Sarah stepped inside Alberto D’Adamo’s office. Ensconced by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, except for a large window with an enviable view across the rooftops of Florence, it was a beautiful space to conduct business.
Alberto was sat at his desk, reclining comfortably in a wingback leather chair, a small espresso cup in one hand and documents in the other.
Matthew couldn’t help but beam at the sight of his great-uncle. ‘Buongiorno,Zio.’
‘Ah,eccoti! Matteo!’ Alberto, a man of seniority in both age and power, practically jumped from his chair to embrace Matthew. ‘So good to see you. So good. And keeping well.’ He cheekily stroked Matthew’s middle, looking for an invisible paunch. Sarah thought her husband looked wonderful in his smart navy chinos, white linen shirt and brown suede loafers. Not that she was looking.
‘Zio!’ Matthew pulled away playfully.
‘And who do we have here?’ Turning his attention to Sarah, he took her right hand in his and gently placed a delicate kiss on the back of it. ‘Sarah,bellaSarah. How delighted we are to have you. To meet you. Welcome to the family.’
Sarah took an immediate liking to Alberto, though his raining of pleasantries upon her made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. His green eyes sparkled with the spirit of a teenage boy, and his cheeks and bulbous nose shone a friendly rosy hue. ‘Buongiorno,’ she returned, kissing both cheeks and accepting his embrace. She felt slightly underdressed in her black capris, matching cropped cardigan and tan leather sandals.
‘Come, come. Sit down. Let me just make some room here.’ He gathered the documents into a neat pile and set it aside on his leather-topped desk. The wood, the same deep mahogany of the trims throughout the hotel, was polished to a shine. He gestured to two of the four matching upholstered chairs on their side of the desk. ‘We were so delighted to hear of your wedding, Matteo. Just wonderful news. And we very much look forward to getting to know you,caraSarah.’ Once again seated, he took a final sip of coffee.
‘The feeling is mutual. I’m looking forward to getting to know you, and all the family,’ Sarah added, trying her best to make a good first impression. ‘I’ve been here less than twenty-four hours and everyone has been so lovely. So welcoming. Thank you,grazie.’
‘Good.’ He beamed. ‘That’s how we do things around here. Do you speak Italian?’
‘No. I mean,no. Just a few words, and terribly. And only to order food.’ Sarah giggled her apologies. ‘But I’m hoping to learn as quickly as I can. I’m going to give it my all.’
‘Never fear. Italian is the language of love. You will soon find your feet.’ Alberto paused a moment before turning his attention to Matthew. ‘And did you manage to see my brother before your departure?’ His eyes darkened.
Matthew nodded. ‘Sadly not in person. Just on FaceTime. It was a quick trip back to collect Sarah, but my flight from Singapore was delayed. It had been my plan for us both to see him, but it wasn’t possible in the end.’
‘Must be difficult living in different countries for the time being,’ Alberto said. ‘I hope you get to spend special time together as often as possible.’
‘We do,’ Matthew affirmed.
Sarah’s stomach knotted.The lie has truly taken flight, she thought, trying her best to disguise her deep steeling breath.
‘Nonno isn’t doing well at all, Zio. He’s putting on a brave face, but he is just melting away. You know better than anyone how stubborn your brother is.’
‘Stubborn, but soft inside. It’s a sad and dark time for our family, Matteo.’ He closed his eyes and his shoulders pinned against his chair with a defensive air. ‘Which is why this matter of the Trust needs to be settled. So he can be at peace, and so weallcan.’
Matthew nodded.
‘Now, I thought it best to discuss the . . . “arrangements”, as it were, before we move any further.’
Matthew was surprised that Alberto had cut to the chase so quickly. ‘Ok, sure.’ He opened the blue folder Salvatore had given him the day before, splaying some papers and Post-it notes across the desk. ‘Actually, Sarah and I have a few questions—’
Alberto held up his hand to silence him. ‘Scusami, Matteo. We simply cannot go any further.’
‘Sorry?’ Matthew was thrown by the change of tone.
