ONE ITALIAN LOVE

- Chapter 6 -

Bianca arrived home with a bittersweet feeling. Her plans to return to work as soon as she landed from Turkey were ruined by the most self-centered lawyer she ever met. And she dealt with a considerable number of them in her line of work. Massimo Toscana proved to be more of a challenge than she would have expected. Not that she would admit to anyone that he presented a challenge to her at all. Especially to her grandmother.

If meeting Massimo rattled her temper, the fact that the bed and breakfast he booked in Lido di Cincinnato was located steps from her house sent bolts of lightning through her system. The mere idea that the arse of a man was right next door to her agitated her nature in a way she could not explain. She wanted nothing more than to calm down after the day she had, but she could hardly do so. Her head hurt, and ankle hurt, and if she had to be honest - her self-esteem hurt as well.

The businesswoman side of Bianca fumed over the idea that Signore Toscana caused her to display the clumsy side of her no one ever got to see. Yes, her clumsy side. She knew she had one, and she was aware of the effort she put into making sure people saw her as a successful business owner and not as someone who could trip over her own feet. But Massimo did. And the obvious level of his insight into her nature, however accurate, was not something she accepted. Nor did she approve of it.

She also knew her grandmother would see more in it than there was. Or ever could be...

"Good evening, nonnina," Bianca greeted her grandmother after purchasing a new phone on the way home to Lido di Cincinnato, and after taking a long hot shower that evaporated some of the steam in her temper, late in the evening.

"Ah, Bianca Mia," Gia Foxx greeted her granddaughter with a sincere smile upon picking up the phone that rang for much longer than usual since she sat in front of her home with her friends once the night fell upon quaint Alberobello. "It is good to hear Your voice."

"Yours as well," Bianca replied in the same tone of voice. "How is everyone?"

"Everyone is well, and asleep aside from me," Gia voiced her concern. "Why are You calling at this hour? Did it take Signore Toscana this long to come out of the airplane?"

"No, nonnina. Both of our flights arrived on time," Bianca chose her words carefully. Her grandmother was quite insightful, wise beyond her gray hair she never bothered to hide. Bianca usually valued that in her - though she knew her grandmother's intuition was a force to be reckoned with.

"Ah, bene. That's good to hear," Gia nodded to herself. "So, You did not need to wait for Massimo for too long after all?"

"No," Bianca replied in short. Too short for her grandmother's liking.

"So, he wasn't hard to find, then?" Gia smirked a bit, aware of her granddaughter's usual silent manner of acknowledging unnerving and annoying obstacles.

"No," Bianca repeated her short answer.

"And were You polite as You always are to my guest from overseas?" Gia narrowed her eyebrows, sensing uneasiness in her granddaughter.

"I was as polite as I possibly could, nonnina." Saying so, Bianca rose from her couch and walked slowly toward the window facing the bed and breakfast next door. "Believe me."

"Those words never spell out any good outcome for whoever they pertain to," Gia smirked again.

"Well, he asked for it," Bianca puffed out a temperamental breath of disapproval.

"He asked for it?" Gia raised her eyebrow. "What did that poor man ask for if You don't mind me asking?"

"He asked me to sit with him until the waiter brought back his change so I could make a call," Bianca explained, gritting her teeth.