CHAPTER 40: The surprise

"Holy shit. You guys seeing this place?"

My face is glued to the window as I see the building standing right in front of us. It is a hotel, I know that, but I had no idea that we'd be staying the night in a place like this.

"Holy shit. They have a colourful fountain. I have a weakness for fountains."

"Holy shit! A red carpet."

"Sweet Jesus, I can feel the air conditioning from here." I sighed dreamily.

"Uh... Amy? That was the car. Not the hotel."

"Shut up and keep waiting for our turn, will you?"

"Holy motherfreaking fraking shittake mushrooms! I haven't been in a place like this after I turned fifteen. This is so goddamn amazing." I whispered in awe and wiped out a small drool from my mouth.

This place is the epitome of a perfection and money. I have been to hotels like this only four times in my seventeen year old life back in the States.

"I'm dreaming. I have to be dreaming. I should be dreaming right now." I mumbled to myself and pinched myself. I screamed when I realised that I am not dreaming. "I can't believe I am not dreaming!"

Leonardo laughed. "I did say that we were going to stay the night in a hotel. Here we are."

Leaning over his seat, I gasped as I remembered something. "Holy shit. You own this place?!"

His face fell slightly. "Um, no."

My eyes diluted in confusion. "You don't? But I thought that you had businesses of hotels and baby clothes."

He gave an incredulous look to his brother who was whistling softly. "Seriously? That's what you told her?"

"Don't blame me. I explained her and she understood only that part." Adrian muttered.

"I don't get it. How come we are not going to your hotel?" I asked.

"To avoid suspicion." The Agostini son answered. "As much as I wanted you to see it, word will reach to padre that Adrian and I checked in to that place without any reason. He might find out about you too, so we decided to go someplace else."

I nodded in understanding. "I get it. The truth is, I was expecting a motel for the night and not this! This is beyond my expectation."

"There is a motel two blocks down the road. It's nice and cozy. We can go there. There is no need to stay here." Adrian said.

"Adrian..." His brother warned. "Remember what I said earlier in the morning? I would appreciate it if you do it again."

"Do what?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "Just ignore him as he throws tantrums about this place. He's just jealous."

Tantrums? What in the world is he talking about?

"He is a fucking child!" Adrian snapped. "A child who got some inheritance as toys from his nonno!"

Oh. That tantrum.

Leonardo sighed. "Adrian, he is just a year younger than me. You shouldn't say things like these."

"I still don't trust that guy. I'm telling you, Leo. He doesn't know anything about business and he will screw up big!"

I exhaled sharply. "You might wanna explain me about things happening here."

"It's not a big deal. Adrian is just jealous of the owner of this hotel. Adrian thinks he is much more successful than him only at the age of twenty five. Even though we are his major investors, my dear brother is always opposing him. Padre simply told him to shut up and he has been insulting and throwing tantrums behind their backs since then. It's quite annoying." Leonardo whispered cautiously in my ears and smirked. "By the way, welcome to my team. Now you get to hear him too."

"Oh God," I groaned. "You have got to be kidding me. That's so childish."

"Not childish. It's just Adrian." He chuckled.

"He has zero experience. Zero knowledge. Zero capability! He will never learn! Never save his money and will become a spendthrift!" Then he started rambling in non-stop Italian.

"Oh. You poor thing. How long have you been suffering from this?" I cooed and pinched his cheeks.

"I do not remember." He pouted.

"I pity you." I whispered.

"I pity myself." He whispered back.

Adrian pulled over, finally after muttering a string of Italian curses. A chauffeur came and opened the door for me.

"I think I just died. God bless the owner of this place." I gushed in excitement and jumped out of the car.

"Very funny, Amy." Adrian said dryly and yawned. "I just happen to hate that man and my dumb brother chose his hotel to stay. I can't do anything."

"It's okay." I patted his shoulders as we walked into the reception. "Do tell me, what is his name?"

He scoffed. "Some stupid blonde named Rich-hard When-I-ate-ah."

I frowned. "Adrian, you are a blonde too."

"Great. Another reason to hate him." He said sarcastically.

"You are unbelievable." I laughed. "In case this helps, I have been living with blondes my entire life. My mother, brother and those twins were blondes. Now, it's you. Consider yourself special for me."

"Signorina?" I turned around and saw a man in uniform, holding a tray full of small glasses having weird blue liquid.

"Uh... si?" I asked dumbly.

"You are supposed to take the refreshments." Adrian hissed in my ear.

"Oh! Yes! Of course." I laughed nervously and took a glass from the tray. "Silly me! I was just tired. Cheers."

He gave me a trained smile before he served Adrian and walked away.

Adrian took a sip of his drink. "Have you ever been to a fancy hotel before?"

I examined the blue liquid very carefully, trying to guess what it is. "Yes. I have, but I guess I kinda forgot how it feels like to be pampered in a place like this."

"That's good to hear." He hummed and saw me twirling the drink in the small glass. "Amy, stop doing that. It's just Sprite."

"S-Sprite?" I stammered. "As in that soft drink Sprite?"

"Si."

"I haven't had a soft drink since I celebrated New Year's with my family." I confessed. "That was almost eight years ago."

He smiled. "Then you better drink up."

Inhaling sharply, I took a sip of the drink and moaned. "So good. First was the burger, Chinese food, ice cream and now this. This really has been the best day ever, Adrian. Thank you. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

He looked at me as if I had grown two heads. "Woah! No repaying and stuff. Leo and I just wanted you to have a great day and you did. That's it. Don't you ever bring up that or else we'll have your head. Clear?"

"Crystal." I grinned and took another sip.

A couple of seconds later, Leonardo came back with our keys.

"I got us checked in. Here are your key cards." He handed both of us a nice shiny platinum card. "Keep it safe till morning."

"Okay. That's a nice card. What's the limit?" I joked.

He rolled his eyes. "The limit is your room."

I looked around us and closed the distance between us. "How did you get me checked in? Dead Americans don't have any documents."

His eyes lit up with a very mischievous glint. "Dead Americans don't take college classes too."

I chuckled. "Very impressive, signore Agostini."

I heard Adrian yawn again. "I am very eager to hear where this conversation is heading, but I'm so fucking tired that I can sleep for an entire week. Driving takes a toll on you. Remember that kids."

"Won't you be joining us for dinner?" I asked in concern.

He met his brother's eye for a second before he shook his head. "No. I think I'll hit the bed now and probably raid my mini refrigerator or order something from my room."

"Oh." I mumbled. "That's okay."

"Si." My breath hitched when I felt capo's arm snake around my waist. "That's okay. We will also head to our respective rooms, freshen up then have dinner. You can take all the rest you need."

Wait a second... so it's just me and him?

"Our bags are already in our rooms so let's get going, shall we? We have a long night ahead of us, Amelia."

*****

I heard a rapt knock on my door.

"It's open."

I saw a familiar face pop up from behind. "Did you like your room?"

I grabbed my hair tie and got up from the bed. "Yes. I do. It's really amazing."

He rubbed the nape of his neck and opened the door wider. "It's time for dinner. Are you ready?"

I collected a fistful of my hair. "Yeah. Let me just tie my hair and I'll see you outside?"

"Don't." He said. I blinked rapidly at his sudden interruption of my hair tying. "I meant to say that... leave it open. It looks better like that."

"Oh."

I left it open, quickly adjusted it and smiled at him. "Does it look better now?"

"Perfect." He breathed out.

"Okay..." I sang awkwardly. Is everything fine with him? He looks pale or even worse, constipated. "Then let's just go eat some dinner."

He nodded frantically. "Right. Dinner time."

"Should we check up on Adrian first?" I asked as I closed the door and stuffed my key card into my pocket. "Did he have his dinner?"

"He's fine. Adrian's fine." He laughed it off. "He's enjoying his night by watching a game of football."

Wow. I had no idea that Adrian watches football.

"So where are we going to have our dinner? Is there a restaurant or something here?"

In a blink of an eye, he grabbed my hand again and quickened his steps till we were inside an elevator.

"Capo?" I whispered, tugging the sleeves of his shirt. "Are you sick? Constipation? Loose motion?"

The old couple in fancy clothes, standing in front of us exchanged an awkward glance.

"No."

"You look pale. Is it diarrhoea?"

"No."

"Home sickness? Vomiting?"

The old couple took a step away from the Agostini son.

"Amelia, stop naming diseases this instant!" His hands were sweating. His hands never sweat. Something is really wrong with him, but he was perfectly fine when he went inside his room. That was half hour ago.

"You have to be sick, capo. You haven't pressed a button yet." I whispered softly.

He muttered something Italian under his breath and pressed the button of the top floor.

Top floor? Is it a rooftop restaurant?

This is a thirty floor hotel with many amenities. Indoor and outdoor pool, lounging area, children's play area, garden, strong and free Wifi everywhere, a high class bar, seven restaurants with high quality, delicious food, banquet halls and meeting rooms on every five floors, 24 hour room service available, trained staff members to give us our best experience, a huge spa which also includes couples therapy, high security, free parking space, affordable discounts during holidays and the list goes on.

How did I know all of this? I was watching the mini screen on the elevator with such concentration that I did not realise that we had reached the top floor until Leo dragged me out of it.

"What..." I don't understand. I thought we were going to some restaurant, but the only thing I see is a huge white door and a man in same uniform standing with a high table in front of him. There was register placed on it.

"Prenotazione sotto Agostini." He sounded cool and calm. Like a breeze. Somehow, I knew he wasn't calm or cool. His hands were flooding river and I had never seen him like this. It was bothering me. He hadn't sweat like this in the entire day.

Something under Agostini? Something what?

The man smiled. "Si, signore. Il tuo tavolo è pronto secondo la tua richiesta."

Yes, sir. Your... what? What is going on here? I really don't like it when people talk in some foreign language which I don't understand and that too right in front of me! First time was in the car and now here. I can't even complain about this to anybody.

"Signore, signorina, right this way."

The man opened the door and hushed voices along with clinking of cutlery were heard. I saw people dining and waiters carrying food and empty plates.

"I think I saw an empty table... Oh! Never mind. We are going up." An awkward laugh escaped from my lips as we climbed up the stairs. The man opened another door and I was amazed. We were at the rooftop restaurant. The sky was clear and not many people were dining here.

"Hey! There are many empty... Never mind." I mumbled to myself as I saw the man open another door. Hmm. This one looked more private. There were separate booths. "I think I saw another empty... Oh come on!" We finally stopped in front of another door. This door was brown and ancient looking. It was all art and there was something plated in black gold on it.

Tavolo VIP privato - I

Somehow, that wasn't hard to understand. Private VIP table.

"I hope you enjoy your night here, miss." Great. Now he speaks proper English.

I gave him a tight lipped smile. "Thank you."

Then he left us alone. I looked at Leonardo and saw his face paler than it was before. His eyes were fixed on the door handle.

"Leo?" I whispered. "Are you really okay? You want anything? A glass of water or medicines?"

"I-I am fine." He cleared his throat. "Perfectly fine."

"It's kinda dark here. Are we supposed to go in or are we going somewhere else?" I asked.

"In." He answered and exhaled sharply. "Let's go in."

"Okay." I patted his arm in assurance as he opened the door.

The first thing that came in my view was the city. The entire city from above. It was mesmerising and took my breath away. I could see the dark outlines of mountains far away from here and the main road. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Wow. That's so amazing." I murmured. "Leo, you seeing this?"

Then I saw the second thing and my heart started pounding in my chest. The arrangements done on the table were... heart touching. No. No. That's not the correct word to describe it. It did make my heart touch because it was something. Something that had been going on between us for weeks.

I know what is going on here. I am just inexperienced in things like these, not dumb.

When did he ask me... No. He didn't. I'm sure of it.

A secluded corner. Romantic candlelight arrangement. His constant sweating. He planned this... this... I didn't had the courage to say it aloud nor I had the courage to think about it. I hadn't even expect it. I could only feel.

Wordlessly, I saw him walk ahead and pull out a chair for me.

I want to take you out, show you the city.

"Oh my God..."

He had been planning this night for weeks and his words actually revealed its true meaning now.

The entire city of Trento is in front of my eyes – and so is he, waiting for me.

Vote and comment 😁

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top