Meet Me In Monaco - Flora Ferrari Page 0,3

looking at the prices.

“I’ll get this one,” I tell her, quietly enough that only she hears, right before the server asks for her order. She’s so startled, I think, that she just asks for a mocha without responding to me, and then the server is moving on to me.

“For you, sir?”

I smile and nod in acknowledgment to the server, who must recognize me. “The usual cappuccino, please. And for yourself?” I turn to her father and raise an eyebrow.

“Oh,” he says, put on the spot – which was exactly my intention. I don’t want either of them to have a chance to refuse. Since I bought their drink, they can’t say no to at least a chat. “Um, an Americano, please.”

I take out my wallet and hand over the required cash before either of them can stop me, and gesture back towards the seating. “Why don’t you find us a table?” I suggest to her. “Oh – by the way – what name should they write on the drinks?”

She blushes, and I get the feeling she hadn’t realized until now that she hadn’t introduced herself. “Liliana,” she says. “And for him, Frank.”

“I’m Nico,” I tell her with a smile. “I’ll bring our drinks over.”

She nods and smiles back at me, hesitating for just a moment before she turns to go. I’m so busy watching her that I almost miss the server telling me the drinks are ready.

I carry the tray over and place it down. I notice that Frank has chosen the seat next to his daughter, perhaps protectively. Which works out just fine for me, because it means I can sit opposite her. All the better to stare into those lovely eyes.

And it had better be those eyes. Because if I look anywhere else, I feel a desire taking hold of me that I’m not sure I can control. I want her to be mine. For a brief moment, I picture her bent over this table, right here in front of me, and I have to sit down fast before I give myself away.

“So, you’re here on vacation, I take it?” I say, handing out the drinks to their respective owners and then stow the tray aside on an empty table. I’m sure the servers will take care of it. I don’t want to get up again and miss a moment of conversation.

“Yes, just for the week,” Frank replies. Inwardly, I seethe. I want to talk to Liliana. He’s just getting in the way. “We spent a week in France before this, and now we’re down here, and on Sunday we’re flying back home.”

“Home? Where is that?” I ask. “No doubt, America, but whereabouts?”

“We’re from Philadelphia,” Frank tells me, busily emptying sugar packets into his coffee.

I set down my own mug in surprise. “Really? That’s funny. I went to school there.”

Frank glances up and frowns. “Where? The University of Pennsylvania?”

“Yes, I did my MBA at Wharton.”

Frank drops the sugar packet he’s holding. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“What?” I ask, looking between him and his daughter for an answer.

“So did I,” Frank says, laughing. He reaches out and when I do the same, clasps my hand in a joyous shake. “How about that?”

I laugh in return. It is a mighty big coincidence. It almost feels like fate. “Well, there’s a reminder that we live in a small world. When did you attend?”

“I graduated, oh, twenty years ago,” he says, then jerks a thumb at Liliana. “Right before this one was born.”

I try not to let my jaw drop completely. She’s only twenty – or at the most, twenty-one? I knew she was young, but I hadn’t considered she could be that young.

And it’s worse…

“That would have been around the same time I was there,” I admit. “I’m surprised we didn’t run into each other.”

“What was your name, again?” Frank asks, squinting.

“Nico Manella.”

“No,” Frank shakes his head and shrugs with an apologetic smile. “I guess we must have just missed each other in the halls or something.”

“I’m sure,” I say, smiling. At least Frank has warmed up now, although Liliana seems to be looking at me with doubt. I think she’s made the same connection I have. That I am literally old enough to be her father.

I should probably feel some tempering of my desire, knowing that. I’m twice her age. And yet – there’s just something about her – something I can’t put my finger on. I want to know more about her. I want to know everything.

“So, you said you’d