Carter arrived at their hotel right on time, and the three strolled over to Via Veneto, where they soon found a restaurant where they could dine outside and enjoy the pleasant night air. When they had settled in at their table, Carter impressed his new friends by speaking perfect Italian to their waiter when it came time to order.

“Maybe we were right after all,” joked Steve after the waiter had collected their menus and walked away to place their orders. “You are an Italian.You’re not an American from Rhode Island!”

“Either that or he has a lot of Italian blood in him,” opined Alison.

“Nope, pure Irish American through and through,” said Carter.

“But how did you learn to speak Italian so well?” she asked.

“I had a very good teacher,” he answered modestly.

Before long the waiter returned with bread and wine, the glasses were filled, and the three made a toast to new friendships. Later, as they talked over dinner, Carter learned that Alison worked for a marketing firm in New York, while Steve was in investment banking. The two seemed to enjoy talking about their careers and were full of advice for Carter when he told them that he had just graduated with a degree in finance. Now and then one of them would suggest some big firm or another in the city to which Carter might want to send a résumé when he got home. He listened attentively, for he appreciated the advice, but something struck him as a bit odd. More than once, for example, when Steve mentioned the name of a particular company where he knew people that Carter might consider approaching, Alison exclaimed that she, as well, had friends who worked there. Inevitably, though, when she asked if Steve knew them, he always answered in the negative. It seemed peculiar that Steve would not have known at least one of her friends. After all, since he had first met them, Carter had assumed that the two knew each other very well.They were quite affectionate toward each other, sitting very close together at the table, holding hands, stopping every now and then to gaze into each other’s eyes. They seemed much in love. Despite their outward displays of familiarity, however, Carter began to get the impression that the two were just getting to know one another. This feeling grew only stronger toward the end of dinner, when the talk turned to their travel plans and Steve told him that they were planning to leave for Capri the next day.

“I can’t wait to go,” said Alison. “I heard it’s beautiful. Have you ever been there?”

At first Carter thought the question had been directed to him, but then he realized she was talking to Steve.

“No, I haven’t,” Steve replied. “I’ve never been to Italy before. But I’ve heard Capri is fabulous.”