The Accidental Engagement (7 page)

Ivy couldn’t sit still on the way to the hotel. She hopped from one seat to another in the spacious limo in an attempt to see every building and side street they passed. She caught Daniel watching her with a lopsided grin, clearly amused by her open display of awe, but she didn’t care. This was her first, and possibly last, trip to Italy—she didn’t want to miss a thing.

The moment the hotel came into view, Ivy knew she was entering into a whole new world. How could she ever describe this grandiose beauty to her family back home? The thought of that impending phone call was the only thing that could mar the perfection of the gorgeous palatial hotel and its picturesque setting. Daniel was right—she couldn’t put this off much longer. It was time to face reality.

A bellboy grabbed her bag and Daniel escorted her through the grand lobby to the elevator banks. He seemed intent on keeping her by his side. Ivy didn’t mind, especially once she discovered that he spoke fluent Italian so she could just smile and nod at the hotel employees who greeted them when they checked in.

Daniel even went so far as to take her into her room, which was down the hall from his, she discovered.

“Will you be all right here?” he asked.

Surely he was joking. Would she be all right? Who
wouldn’t
be all right in this amazing sanctuary? From the plush down comforter to the romantic lighting, the hotel room was the picture of decadence. “It’s beautiful,” she said with a sigh.

He looked around as though seeing the room for the first time. “Yes, I suppose it is quite nice.”

She laughed at the understatement and twirled around in the room that was more than double the size of her entire apartment. “Quite nice?” she echoed.

He watched her with a tolerant smile. “I suppose in my line of work, if you’ve seen one hotel room you’ve seen them all.”

Ivy stopped twirling and glanced over at him. His low voice was laced with…something. Sadness? Bitterness maybe. He was always so aloof, always putting on a show for everyone around her. That comment felt like the first truly genuine statement she’d heard him utter. She perched on the bed. “You travel a lot?”

He ignored the question and began to pace around the room. “I’ve arranged for a shopper to come by later this afternoon with some clothing samples so we can begin to build an appropriate wardrobe.”

Apparently that was the end of the ‘get to know Daniel’ portion of the day. Ivy sighed and walked over to set her purse down on the desk. There was a phone sitting there and its mere presence made her stomach twist in agony. She would give anything not to have to make this phone call. Ivy drew in a deep breath to steel her nerves. She had to call her parents. It would be like ripping off a Band-Aid, painful but quick. Once that was over, maybe the pit of anxiety would ease up a bit. Maybe.

Maybe later.

Ivy moved to the window, temporarily ignoring the phone. She watched the cars flying by below her window, an entire city filled with exotic foods, language and culture to explore.

“I’ll leave you to get some rest,” Daniel said, heading toward the door. “You must be exhausted.”

She knew she should be tired but she wasn’t. “I’m too excited to be tired.”

He hesitated in front of the door. He was watching her; she could feel his gaze on her and felt an immediate full-body reaction at the image of his eyes raking over her curves. Curves that he knew intimately after that awful display of clumsiness on the plane.

She nearly groaned aloud in embarrassment at the memory. Not so much over her less-than-graceful show but by her ridiculous reaction to Daniel. The feel of his hard warmth pressed against her and the heady masculine smell of him, the feel of his arms around her—she’d literally been gasping for air. And he must have seen how flushed she’d become. Too embarrassing.

Daniel’s voice interrupted her train of thought. “Why don’t we go to the shops ourselves,” he suggested. “Maybe take in a little sightseeing along the way.”

Ivy nearly jumped up and down with excitement. “Yes, please. Just give me one minute to freshen up and I’ll be ready.” She scrambled through her bag to find a brush and lipstick.

Daniel nodded toward the door. “I’ll just drop off my things and meet you in the lobby.”

She stared at the phone for a moment after he left. She would definitely make the dreaded call after some sightseeing, she promised herself. Definitely.

* * * *

Maybe it was the crisp fall air or the rush of being in a foreign country, but Ivy was sure she had never known shopping could be such an exhilarating pastime. Daniel changed out of his typical suit and into a more relaxed outfit of jeans and a pullover sweater, and that alone seemed to make him more approachable. She had thrown on a casual sundress and between the new outfit and a little lipstick, she felt ready to conquer a new city.

The hotel provided a car and chauffeur for their use and Ivy was given the first-class tour. Daniel had the driver go well out of his way to ensure she got a glimpse of the city’s most famous relics and museums. At each stop, Daniel regaled her with a wealth of information. Ivy was charmed. “How do you know so much about Italy’s history?”

Daniel shifted a bit in his seat, the only outward sign that he wasn’t altogether comfortable talking about himself. “I spent a good amount of time here when I was young.”

He wasn’t going to continue but Ivy pushed. “Did your family travel a lot?”

He shrugged. “A bit. My mother was born in Italy and her family was from here so we would come back often to visit.”

“How wonderful! Ugh, I’m jealous. My entire family was born and raised in Ohio and we never got to go anywhere when I was young.”

“Why not?”

“Money,” Ivy said with a shrug. “Or lack thereof.”

“I see,” he said.

Ivy took in his cashmere sweater and his noble, almost entitled air. She doubted money was ever an issue in his family.

“Are you going to see your family on this trip?” she asked.

He turned to look out the window. “No.” Daniel seemed to realize his answer had been a little too blunt because he turned back to her with a forced smile. “If all goes well, this deal will be over by the end of the week and we can all go home and get back to our lives.”

She smiled. “Sounds good. But, since we’re here….” The car had come to a stop in front of the Colosseum and she pulled him out of the car behind her so they could do a quick tour.

* * * *

Two hours, one ancient relic, and three boutiques later, Daniel pulled Ivy into a café for a well-deserved break.

“Can you believe how many cats there were?” Ivy asked. Her eyes were practically bulging out of her skull as she leaned in toward him over the tiny table.

Ivy was still talking about the damn cats at the Colosseum. He pulled her espresso cup away from her. “You are officially cut off.”

“But seriously, I mean, who feeds them?”

Daniel was trying not to laugh—he really was, but Ivy’s fascination with every detail of life in Rome was quite possibly the most adorable thing he’d ever seen. She was the exact opposite of the worldly, sophisticated women who ran in his circle, and it was oddly endearing.

Her enthusiasm for Italian life almost made him enjoy being back in Italy. For a little while there he had experienced the city through her eyes and not laced with childhood memories…or guilt.

“What do we do next?” she asked.

Daniel suppressed a sigh. She was endearing—and exhausting.

“We get you back to the hotel for some rest.” He met her gaze over the top of his coffee cup. “You still need to call your parents.”

Her eyes, which were bright with anticipation, quickly dimmed at the mention of her parents. The sheer joy on her face was instantly replaced by worry as her lips thinned into a tight line. It had been a long time since he’d met anyone who still believed in the sanctity of family and it was as admirable as it was pitiful. Daniel stopped himself from reaching out a hand to cover hers. He wanted to tell her that everything would be all right. Hell, he wanted to
make
everything all right. For a fleeting moment, he would have moved heaven and earth to bring that smile back to her face.

He almost wished he hadn’t brought it up. Almost.

This was not a pleasure cruise, this was a business deal. It was altogether too easy to get distracted by the woman sitting across from him, nibbling on a biscotti. Now was not the time to let his guard down. He had a deal to make and that was the end of it. Deals came first, always. He’d set his priorities years ago, and he’d never looked back. He sure as hell wasn’t about to start now.

He wanted Ivy to be happy—of course he did, a happy pawn was an easy pawn.

* * * *

Later that afternoon when they arrived back at the hotel, they were laden with bags and boxes filled with Ivy’s new and incredibly expensive wardrobe as well as a few souvenirs that she’d picked up along the way.

He carried the bags to her room, setting them inside before turning to head to his own room. She followed him to the doorway and hovered awkwardly for a moment. She’d had such a pleasant afternoon, despite all the anxiety over her family, and it was all thanks to this man.

He turned to say goodbye and Ivy closed the distance between them, giving him an impromptu hug that left her senses reeling. Good Lord, the man emanated heat and practically oozed sex appeal. The first thing she noticed was how hard he was from his shoulders to his chest to his stomach. The man was built like a rock. After a second of hesitation, his arms wrapped around her in a quick, friendly squeeze and Ivy didn’t want to let go.

“Thanks for a great day,” she said, taking a step back. She hoped he couldn’t hear how breathless she was after a mere hug.

“It was my pleasure.” His smile warmed her to her core. It actually seemed genuine. Maybe he wasn’t such a cold-hearted jerk after all.

She nodded toward her room. “Well, I guess I should get that rest now.”

His eyes seemed darker than usual. He hesitated for a second and she thought she saw a flicker of awareness. Ivy felt her heart race as she waited, half expecting him to lean toward her or pull her close. But then it was gone and the charming but single-minded businessman was once again standing before her. His smile was impersonal. “Sleep well, Ivy.”

* * * *

Ivy awoke disoriented and bleary-eyed a little while later. The bedside phone was ringing. She mumbled something unintelligible into the phone.

“Sorry to wake you.”

“Daniel? What time is it?”

“It’s almost dinnertime and I’m afraid your obligations are going to have to start earlier than expected.”

“What do you mean?” Jet lag left her feeling like she was coming out of a coma and Daniel’s serious tone made her instantly anxious. If Daniel was troubled, something was not going as planned.

“It’s showtime. Brunelli called, he heard that you were in Rome. He’s asked that you join us for dinner tonight.”

Ivy’s mouth flapped open and closed as she struggled to process this sudden change in the itinerary. She wasn’t ready, she needed her ally. “But Jack—”

“Hasn’t arrived yet. Yes, I know. He’ll get in late tonight. I think Brunelli is looking forward to getting to know you. He doesn’t want to wait.”

Ivy sat up in bed and tried to shake the jet lag. “O-okay.” Protesting would do no good. This is what she’d signed up for. Daniel was right. It was showtime as he’d said.

“Wear the black Armani dress we bought today. I’ll be by your room to pick you up in an hour.”

It didn’t take her long to shower and dress, and she paced the room, watching the clock as she waited for Daniel. There was plenty of time before dinner and there was one phone call that couldn’t be put off any longer. She drew in a deep breath. It was now or never.

“Hi Dad.”

“Ivy! Good to hear from you. Hold on, let me get your mother on the other line.” Well at least if they were both on the line she’d only have to lie once. Ivy’s stomach was in her throat. She didn’t know if she’d get the words out without being sick.

Her mother’s bright voice joined her father’s on the other end. “What’s up, sweetheart?”

Like pulling off a Band-Aid, Ivy reminded herself. Once she got started, it didn’t take long to get the whole story out. She tried to lie as little as possible by sticking to the facts—she’d met Jack, he was famous, they’d hit it off. He’d proposed. Boom—she was engaged. They were shocked, but after a couple seconds of stuttering and silence, they both congratulated her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, silently hating herself as she listened. Of course they were congratulating her. They’d always stood behind her no matter what choices she’d made. Her parents were incredibly supportive which only made it worse.

“Although I can’t help but worry about the timing,” her mother said.

“Yeah, well there were some other factors involved. But I can’t really get into that now. I’ll explain when I get home, okay?”

They accepted that as well as her other vague excuses with the kind of blind faith and trust that made her family so strong. Their trust in her only intensified the guilt that was threatening to eat her alive. She was going to hell.

“I just—are you sure you know what you’re doing?” her father asked.

This lie was somehow the hardest to get out.
No. I am in over my head and I have no idea what I’m doing.

“Of course.” The words felt like gravel on her tongue.

She heard her mother’s happy sigh. This was the day she’d been waiting for, when one of her children finally settled down and started a family of their own.

And it was all a lie.

“My little girl has met the love of her life,” her mother said. “We can’t wait to meet the man who won your heart.”

Ivy wished someone could pull the knife out of her gut. She was the worst daughter on the planet.

The phone call had neared the end; she was telling them about her whirlwind flight to Italy, when there was a knock at the door. She let Daniel in while she wrapped up the conversation.

“Thanks for being so understanding, guys. And if the press get to be too much, let me know, okay?”