His Beautiful Revenge

3. Chapter Three-1

3

Chapter Three

Norah read and re-read Giacomo Conti’s letter. She showed it to an impressed Zulika, whose eyes bugged out of their sockets. “Wow. I mean, wow, Norah.”

“I know, right?”

It was late afternoon and the bookstore was quiet for once. Norah couldn’t resist telling Zulika about the letter. Zulika read Giacomo’s handwritten letter and sighed. “Even his handwriting is sexy.”

“He’s sexy?” Norah looked confused. She’d never seen the man himself. Zulika rolled her eyes.

“Just occasionally,” she teased, “Check out some gossip sites instead of your usual geeky ones. Here,” she grabbed her iPad and quickly brought up some photos. She handed it to Norah, who did a double-take.

“Holy moly.” She looked into the intense green eyes and dark good looks of Giacomo Conti. “I thought he was much older.”

“Well?”

Norah nodded, grinning. “That is one gorgeous man.”

“And you could be working closely with him,” Zulika teased, “I can see it now …you’re working one late night, on an urgent presentation. You’re both so absorbed in the work that you don’t realize it’s gotten dark outside. You lean across him and he smells your perfume…”

Norah was giggling. “Are you writing some kind of p**n movie in your head?”

“Hey, you mentioned p**n, so who’s the p*****t?” Zulika grinned and Norah flushed. She’d got her there. Norah held up the iPad, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Look at this man. Who wouldn’t think of p**n?”

“True story.”

Grinning, Norah handed her back her tablet. “Anyway, besides that, it could mean the business taking off.”

“Which might mean you not being free to work here as much.” Zulika nodded, “I get it. We always thought that might happen.”

“Do you mind?”

Zulika shook her head. “Putting aside the fact I’ll miss your company, your business is the reason our business has been financed this long. I’m grateful. I’m more than that; I’m delighted for you. We need to celebrate.”

“Good idea.”

Zulika studied her friend. “Why don’t you stay with me tonight? Call Luc, tell him you need a girl’s night in.”

Norah nodded. “I’d like that.” What she didn’t add was it would be a relief. The tension at home and Lucian’s mood swings—she needed a break from it. What she also hadn’t told anyone else was that she’d been looking at apartments in the city to rent. If Lucian was cheating, then she already knew her plan. In a weird way, she almost hoped he was cheating because then she would have the final push to do what she had wanted to do for a long time.

End it.