Falling for Italy Read Free Page A

worthy of her. He hoped after their tumultuous love story, things would brighten for his sister and Gerard.
    Gerard was very dedicated, a brilliant doctor, and was about to revolutionize the entire medical world with a couple of unconventional treatments for cancer. Unfortunately, the progress of his work seemed to always be impeded by one thing or another. Bureaucracy and red tape were always a pain in the ass, but these delays were costing lives. As such, they were unforgivable and incomprehensible.
    Carried by thoughts and the purring engine, he reached Linda and Gerard’s house, his temporary residence while he was in London—a big, rust-colored building in a select neighborhood. He’d wanted to stay at a hotel, but his sister and brother-in-law—he already considered Gerard as such—wouldn’t hear of it.
    He stopped the car in front of the massive gate, climbed out and inserted the alarm code Linda had given him. The gate glided open, then closed automatically after he drove past, on the short lane leading to the house. He parked his car on the side of the driveway, as the garage was small and already occupied by Linda’s and Gerard’s cars. He didn’t mind. He felt really good here, almost like home.
    When he opened the front door, a smell of fresh cookies and scented candles caressed his senses. He’d almost forgotten what an exceptional cook his sister was. He found her in the kitchen, just putting in the oven another batch of cookie dough. She wore black sweatpants and a T-shirt, a pink apron and pink, fluffy house slippers. Her long, dark-blonde hair was carelessly knotted at the nape of her neck. In all honesty, she was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever known. At least, until he’d met Sonia. They were as different as the sun and moon, but both beautiful, attractive women.
    “ Ciao, bellezza,” he said and lifted her off her feet in a bear hug, while she squirmed in delight, wiggling her legs. She was just two years younger than him, but felt like a child in his arms. Ever since she was born, she’d been the love of his life, and they’d become even closer when their parents’ marriage had broken.
    “Put me down, you clown! My oven’s getting cold,” she protested, and then looked disapprovingly with slanted blue eyes as he snatched a cookie and quickly popped it into his mouth.
    “Don’t do that,” she scolded him. “You’ll ruin your appetite. Pirata already stole a handful when he thought I couldn’t see him.”
    The offender—Linda’s cat—sat placidly on a chair, delicately washing his paws. His soft fur was white, except for some black spots on his paws that looked like cat shoes, and a dark patch around his left eye. That particular black patch had brought him the name Pirata and lent him a prankish look.
    Giovanni scratched the cat’s ears and chin, being repaid with a generous purring sound as Pirata rubbed against him, leaving white hairs all over his suit. He didn’t mind that either. The whole scene had a domesticity he sometimes envied, since the few days he’d been living in their house.
    “Is Gerard home yet?” he asked Linda, as she fussed around the kitchen, clinking bowls and pans while she prepared dinner.
    “Yeah, he’s in the living room, watching the news or something. Go and keep him company until I get dinner ready.”
    He went into the living room, where his brother-in-law sat sprawled on the couch, a beer in his hand. Giovanni knew him well enough to notice he very rarely drank alcohol, and only when he needed it to relax after a particularly nasty day. He punched him lightly in the shoulder.
    “Hey, what’s up?”
    Gerard lifted his head to look at him. His handsome face was unshaven, wearing traces of tiredness. Circles of fatigue shadowed his green eyes and his sandy-blond hair looked as though he’d been ruthlessly dragging his fingers through it.
    “Hey back. How was your shooting session?” he asked in his abrasive voice, which wore an