Amore and Pinot Grigio - a Guido la Vespa Christmas Tale [Guido la Vespa] (BookStrand Publishing Mainstream) by Veronica Bell Page A

reject her or pontificate about the hopelessness of relationships and the inevitability of disillusionment. She wanted to be able to tell him she was falling in love with him and have him say it back to her. Those were pretty tall orders for a Christmas gift.
    “Seegreed,” he said, deliberately exaggerating his mispronunciation of her name. “Of what are you thinking right now?” His arms were still wound around her tight and he was still inside her, though he was soft.
    “Just thinking this is a nice Christmas so far.”
    “Just nice?”
    “The nicest of my life?”
    That did it. He withdrew from her, sat up and ruffled her hair as if she were his little buddy. “Like I said, you are a funny girl. Let’s clean up here, get dressed and get back to the house. I know a nice detour we can take on our bikes—it’s along a riverbank and there are lots of birds and rabbits around. You’ll like it. You’ll see some of the natural beauty of Tuscany.”
    “Okay,” she said, hoping she was masking her disappointment. This is just about fun, Sigrid, she kept telling herself. Just enjoy the moment. So what if it has an expiry date? Ultimately, life does, too, right?
    Sigrid and Sandro arrived back at the estate about three hours before Christmas Eve dinner was being served.
    “I’d better go shower and change, Sandro.”
    “Yes, me too, but first I had better go see if Papa needs anything. Come in and say hi to my parents before going up to your suite.”
    “I’m all grubby though and…”
    “You’re fine. And my parents really like you and they know we were out on our bikes. They don’t expect us to look ready for a gala premiere or a charity ball.”
    Sigrid laughed. “Okay.”
    But she stopped laughing when she saw the expression on Sandro’s face change almost as soon as they stepped into the front hall.
    He looked worried and confused, as did his parents. What was going on?
    “Sandro, caro , there is someone waiting to see you.” Giuseppe nodded toward the sitting room.
    Sigrid looked over and saw a short and voluptuous dark-haired woman in high heels and a form-fitting pant suit standing by the Christmas tree, exactly the kind of woman that had always been the bane of Sigrid’s existence, not too different from Doug’s trampy government lawyer, actually. Even in high school, short, dark, curvy women were the ones all of Sigrid’s crushes had gone for, the mean girls that made her feel like a big, un-sexy, gangly geek.
    The woman looked over and cried out, “Sandro! Sandro! Buon Natale !”
    Sandro’s body language changed. He oozed strain and tension rather than his usual sexy self-confidence and ease. “Flavia,” was all he said.
     
    * * * *
     
    She burst out into the hallway, with her teeth extra white against tanned skin, and threw her arms around him, a hug he returned, to Sigrid’s dismay, though at least he didn’t appear to return it with enthusiasm. “ Ma che bello ! Still so handsome,” she said in English, looking over at Sigrid.
    “Flavia, this is Sigrid, a friend from Rome, well, from Canada, really. She’s going back there at the end of January.”
    Why would he say that to her? Sigrid wondered. It was none of her business. Did he want Flavia to know she was going to be old news soon enough?
    “ Piacere ,” said Sigrid.
    “Oh, she is so cute when she speaks Italian!”
    “Not really,” said Sigrid. “I’m not really that cute.”
    Sandro intervened. “Sigrid, this is Flavia Della Lucia.”
    “Not for long. Actually, that is why I am here. I am divorcing Enrico and I wanted to ask your father if he could recommend to me a good divorce lawyer. Your father”—she looked over at an angry-looking Giuseppe—“was always so good to me. So I thought he might help. And of course, I had to see you.”
    Sandro turned to his parents and to Sigrid. “I hope you will all forgive me if I ask for some time alone with Flavia?”
    Sandro’s parents nodded but said nothing,