His eyes were running over her face as though he didn't know where to begin. That thought almost made her laugh in happiness and surprise. Her staunch boss was fumbling for words. He turned to Wesley as though to demand help however his friend shrugged and turned to his phone.   Leo's eyes returned to her. For a few seconds, he did nothing. Paige got the distinct impression he hadn't had cause to seek the help of any woman he wasn't close to in a long while.   Just as she finished that thought, to her utter surprise she saw his face harden, his gaze sharpened. Even his hands on her shoulder had tightened a little in its grip.“Paige, I know this might come as a surprise to you. But I need you to be my fake fiancée.”   If she understands him correctly, he wanted her to be his fake fiancée which meant she would be around him more often than she normally was. Wasn't that asking to be discovered?  

The dining room overlooked the outside, lit by several lights and the table overflowing with food ranging from Spaghetti Carbonara to Pesto to Risotto and some others she didn’t know but which looked positively mouthwatering.   Cutleries clinked and clanked as the family drank one of their brand wines, Amore.   A sparkling white wine with a characteristic fruity taste which tended to soft velvet. Paige met Rosa’s gaze across the table and the brunette smiled raising her glass to her lips. When she lowered it she said,   “You know, you two, how did you meet?”   “Leave the girl alone, Rosa,” Aunt Gemma mumbled. “Question her when we are done eating.”   “But Gemma I think it’s alright if the girl wants to speak, looking at that face I know she wants to tell us but If none of you will listen, you can all close your ears and I will do the listening for us."

Leo looked at the man who had the same cut jaw as him, the same brown eyes but was far older, with white stubble on his face, and drawled out, “Father you sent for me.”   Carlo motioned to a chair in front of him and Leo sat down. Even though his father had handed the company to Rosa eighteen years ago, Carlo had never fully withdrawn his interest from the company, neither had he stopped working. He was the type who felt everything would go wrong without their presence or interference.   A trait which had caused many a fight between father and daughter.   Right now they were in his study in the down floor of the palazzo which could easily be accessed by a hidden panel on the wall, Carlo perusing some paper but at his entrance had lifted his head from the paper and removed his glasses to hold in his right hand.   They were still garbed in their dinner attire, Leo in his white shirt and

“With no other living relative, my grandma took me in. Things were hard, life was hard. My grandma tried, but it wasn't enough. I had to work several jobs even though I was still in school. And when it was time to go to college I worked my ass off to get a scholarship, there I took a student loan to cover the rest of the expenses.”   She skipped the part she met her ex and said, “Finished school and worked four years in an advertising firm and here I am.” Paige explained, spreading her arms and acting like she wasn't bothered by any of what she had just said.   When she turned she expected to find Leo repulsed, but the expression she saw on Leo's face toppled her defenses as she did not know what to think about it. She had expected to see disgust at the type of life she had lived, but what she didn't expect was to see understanding in his eyes. And pain on her behalf.   “I think you turned out well. Your pare

The next day after breakfast Paige had thought all she had to do was pretend to be the perfect girlfriend when they were in the public eye and the rest would be history.Especially after the events of last night where she had told Leo about the events of her life and that little matter about her ex-boyfriend Paige had been embarrassed and had longed for a quiet time away from him, but she had been surprised when after breakfast a Golf course was suddenly announced, one which would throw her in the same space with Leo and there was no way she could escape it even if she wanted to. At first, her excuse had been she didn't bring any appropriate outfit for the game, but like a fairy godmother, Leo's mother had appeared with something she could wear. And all her arguments dissolved like a pack of ice. So here she was in their bedroom dressed up in golf attire waiting for Cole. The same man she had been hoping to avoid by any means today.She convinced herself the