“Why do we have to do this again?” she asked as we made our way up theGilmore’s gangway.
After we’d come aboard, a seaman led us down the weather deck passage to the main deck, where at least a dozen rows of folding chairs had been set up. According to Paul, there had been talk of holding the conference in the wardroom, but when the registrations started rolling in, it became clear that they’d need every inch of space the main deck had to offer.
The Food Service Division had set up a long table under an overhang,but there was no food out yet, only iced tea and water. “They’re waiting until the last minute to bring everything out,” said Mary Lou as she greeted us with kisses on both cheeks. “Laura, you look ravishing.”
Laura beamed. “Thank you.”
“Eileen, you look very nice, too.”
I knew she didn’t mean it, but Ihadspent a little extra time putting myself together that morning. I was wearing a cream-colored tent dress with balloon sleeves and a square neck, which I’d bought in town, and I’d even worn a little makeup—some mascara and blush, in addition to the Maybelline Kissing Potion lip gloss I liked. I wouldn’t have admitted even to myself that I was doing this for Teo, so when Paul commented on the effort I’d gone to over breakfast that morning, I told him I wanted to make a good impression on Ambassador Volpe, and he had beamed at me in appreciation.
The press conference didn’t start until ten thirty, but all the wives had been instructed to be on the tender by half past nine. This gave us enough time to freshen up and to meet with the ambassador, as well as Vice Admiral Vaughan, who had arrived in La Maddalena the previous afternoon.
After we’d all said our how-do-you-dos, Mary Lou pulled us together for a quick pep talk. “I don’t have to tell you ladies how important today is. Just keep smiling, and please make sure you’re mingling.”
She dismissed us, but then she said, “Hang on, Eileen,” and I got a bad feeling. She wrapped an arm around my waist, then leaned in to whisper in my ear, “Let’s leave the questions to the experts today. Okay?”
Obviously, I was embarrassed, but I should have known she’d heard about what had happened at the conference last year. “I wasn’t going to say anything,” I said.
“Great,” she said. “Now we’re both on the same page.”
At a few minutes to ten, the invitees started to trickle in. When I saw Teo, it was all I could do not to rush the registration table. He was wearing a linen suit and a crisp white shirt, and his hair had gotten whipped around on the boat ride over.
I watched him sign in, then realized that Luca and Bruno were right behind him. He waited for them to get their name tags and folders, then the three of them moved in my direction.
“Eileen,” said Teo as we all kissed hello.
“You made it,” I said, not knowing what else to say.
“This is a first,” said Bruno, gesturing at the rows of chairs.
“Have you ever been on theGilmorebefore?” I asked.
“I’ve never been invited.”
“Well,” I said with a nervous laugh, “welcome.”
We talked a little about CNEN’s ongoing funding woes and whether theNereidewould be allowed to stay in La Maddalena, then Bruno and Luca were lured away by the melon balls and shrimp cocktail that the guys in Food Services had brought out.
“It’s been a while,” I said to Teo once we were alone.
He was squinting in the sunlight. “Too long.”
“You look nice,” I said, gesturing at the suit.
“It’s not every day I meet an ambassador.”
I bit my lip. “Yeah, me neither.”
“That dress suits you.”
I held out the skirt as if about to do a little curtsy. “You think?”
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Yes, definitely.”
We fell silent, and I didn’t know what to say, aside from the thing that I’d been turning over in my head for more than a month. “Luca let slip that you’re not with Nina anymore?”
He smiled, like he was mildly encouraged by the question.
