Ariana lay in bed, so relieved not to have to do lunch and placate her mother as well as focus her attention on both Stefano and Eloa’s wedding, which she was now helping with a little, and organise the ball.
Even when the final menu cards came, Ariana merely fired back a confirmation, saying that they looked wonderful and she was certain her father would approve.
There was not as much as a breath of tutti-frutti between them.
Or references to pink blossom.
Or hints about a moonlit night and a deep kiss by the eternal flame.
It was just:
Gian, regarding the orchids, Roberto will bring them on the day...
Blah, blah, blah...
And in turn Gian, kept to his side of the deal. Or he tried to.
Ariana, regarding the seating plan...
But two days from the big day, he was finally so irritated that he picked up the phone and called her. ‘I don’t understand the problem with Nicki,’ Gian said. ‘We managed to find her a seat...’ He chose not to add that Nicki was being accommodated at the exclusion of a potential paying guest and this ball was a very high-end ticket indeed. ‘What is her issue?’
‘The table is near the back,’ Ariana explained, ‘and with Paulo not coming because you banned him—’
‘I will ban anyone who is abusive to my staff, which he was.’
‘Well, she doesn’t know anyone she’s seated with. She was hoping to bring a friend.’
‘You’reher friend,’ Gian rather tersely pointed out. ‘Would you like me to move you to sit with her, because there simply isn’t room at the top table.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Ariana said. ‘Has Mia RSVP’d yet?’
He knew, even before she asked, that Nicki must have asked her the same question ‘Because, if she doesn’t come then there’ll be a space.’
‘Ariana.’ It was the first time they had crossed to anything remotely personal. ‘I told both you and Dante that you are to leave Mia to me.’
‘Yes, but if she isn’t even coming...’
‘You cannot give Mia’s place to...’to one of your freeloaders, he was tempted to add, but refrained and reminded himself that this was a business discussion. In truth, if the Romanos wanted a flock of geese seated at the head table then it was his job to accommodate it. He took a breath. Where Ariana was concerned, it was almost impossible to draw the line and differentiate between personal and professional. ‘However,’ Gian said, ‘if you want Nicki at the top table so desperately then she can have my seat.’
‘But where would you sit?’ Ariana asked, loathing the thought of him not being next to her. Gian was always seated by her side at the Romano Ball, but now it seemed like he was willing to break that tradition.
‘In the seat to which she is currently assigned. I’ll be working the room anyway. Nicki can have my seat, if that is what you want.’
‘No, no,’ Ariana rapidly broke in, blushing as she declined his cold and practical solution to salvage her seat beside Gian. ‘Just leave it as it is.’
‘Very well,’ Gian clipped. ‘Anything else?’
‘I don’t think so. Should there be?’
‘No.’ Gian was assured. ‘Everything is under control.’
Except himself, but he was working on that, determined to erase that forbidden morning from his thoughts.
He did not need the complication of Ariana Romano in his life, he insisted to himself. He just had to get past the ball.
It wasn’t just Ariana that was worrying him, though.
Trouble loomed in another Romano direction...