Of Blood and Bone (The Minaldi Legacy #1)(7)
Author: Courtney Cole

“Welcome.  Table for one?”  She looks past me questioningly.

I nod. “Yes. Table for one.  How late are you open?”

“Oh, we’re open until midnight,” she answers warmly. “Don’t worry about that.”

I glance at my watch, an expensive medical school graduation gift from my father.  Its silver hands tell me that it is 11:00 pm.  I slept all day and evening, which is very unlike me.

Marianne leads me to a little booth and sits me down, fussing over me as she does.

“What is a pretty thing like you doing out in the dark alone?” she asks as she hands me a menu.  But then she just as quickly takes it away.   “I know just what you need,” she winks.  “Our special of the day is just what the doctor ordered for you, bella.  You need some meat on your bones.”

She doesn’t give me a chance to argue, instead she is gone before I even know it.  And I love how everyone refers to women as ‘bella’ here.  Beautiful.  It is endearing.

Marianne is back within a minute with a glass of red wine and a basket of fragrant bread.

“Eat, eat,” she waves her hands.  And then she promptly sits down in the empty seat across from me.  “You don’t mind, do you?” she raises an eyebrow.

“Of course not,” I answer.  “Please sit.”

She smiles, because she knows as well as I do that she was planning to sit regardless of what I said.  She watches as I make short work of a breadstick and half of my glass of wine. She looks satisfied by that and only then does she try to engage me in conversation, asking where I’m from, why I’m here, and what my plans are.  I answer her and she is visibly impressed.

“A psychiatrist?” she repeats.  “You must be a smart girl.  Beautiful and smart.  Your parents must be proud.”

Someone from the kitchen brings out a steaming bowl of fettuccine and the smells make my mouth instantly water.  Yes, I will be spending quite a few evenings here.  I already know it.

Marianne watches me eat, a small smile on her face.

“Do you know a Luca Minaldi?” I ask curiously in between bites. She looks instantly intrigued.

“Why do you ask?” she inquires.

I shake my head.  “Just curious.  I met him last night.  He was out jogging and heard me screaming about a spider.”  I tell her about the incident and she laughs.

“Yes, those are nasty little creatures,” she agrees.  “And I’m from here.  I’ve never gotten used to them.  It surprises me, however, that Luca Minaldi would approach you.  He tends to stay to himself.”

And that intrigues me.

“What do you mean?” I ask.  Marianne shrugs.

“You’d think someone in his standing would come to all of the important social functions, but he seldom does.  His family has been here in Valletta for generations.  They own Minaldi Shipping and their ships can be seen all over the world.  Yet, he doesn’t seem to be much of a people person.  It’s too bad, really.  With his looks and money, he truly is Malta’s most eligible bachelor.”

“He’s single?”

I ask the question before I even think about it.  Shit.

Marianne smiles.  “Yes, my dear.  He’s single.  He would have to come out and meet people in order to become married and he doesn’t do much of that.   He lives outside of town on the coast on an estate called Chessarae.  It’s a beautiful property, really.  Although he never hosts any functions there anymore.  Not since his mother is no longer well.  She used to be quite the socialite.  But no more… not since Nicolas died.”

“Nicolas was Luca’s father?” I take a guess.  She nods.

“Yes.  Nicolas died some years ago.  Melina became a recluse of sorts after that. She stays on the property now.  No one has seen her in a year or two.”

“She lives with Luca?” I ask.  For some reason, this surprises me.  He seemed so self-sufficient.  Power practically emanates from his pores, not the kind of person you would think lives with his mother.

Marianne smiles again.

“Eva, you are no longer in America.  Things are done differently here.  Families often live together because family is very important to us. When all is said and gone, family is what will remain.  And besides, Chessarae is so large that there is room for five families to live there comfortably.  But as it was, for years, it was just the three Minaldi boys and their parents.  But then Nicolas died, and Christoph and Damien moved away, working in other Minaldi Shipping locations.   Luca is the only one still at the house.”

“Does he also work for the family business?”  I don’t know why I’m curious. I just am.

Marianne nods again.  “Yes, he does.”

Interesting.

I’m too interested.  And I know that I’m not going to let it go.  I need a follow-up meeting with him.  His personality is just too interesting.  There are too many facets to it that I can’t put my finger on.  And the things that I can pinpoint are fascinating.  I tell myself that I am only interested in his mind, his personality, and definitely only in the medical sense, but I’m not sure that I believe it.

“How can I go about setting up a meeting with him?” I ask Marianne.  She grins.

“I thought you’d never ask!” she laughs and refills my wine glass.

“You can either show up at their home unannounced,” she tells me.  “Or you can finagle a meeting at the library in town.  His family is a patron of the library and one of the few things that he comes into town for are the board meetings.  As it happens, I also am on the board, so I can tell you when to come ‘bump’ into him.”

I feel slightly lecherous in trying to plan a chance meeting with the town’s most eligible bachelor in such a way.  And I tell Marianne so.  She just laughs.

“My sweet, a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.  If he isn’t coming to you, go to him. Make it happen.”

I don’t bother to explain why I want to meet with him again.  This is a cultural thing, I know.  She assumes that I am fascinated with him as potential husband material.  And so I let her believe that.  And honestly, her notion is only half false.  I’m not in the market for a husband, but I am certainly fascinated by him.