“This is terrifying,” she said softly. It was do or die. Villa Dolce Vita was due to open for reservations immediately after the official launch.

If the officials today didn’t agree to reinstate the permits then they would simply have to cancel the launch and uninvite all her important business and media contacts—most of whom were already set to arrive in Italy within days. Then they’d need to go through the long and arduous process and considerable hoop-jumping when reapplying. It could set the whole thing back another year, if not more. Kim simply could not let that happen.

“We will work this out,” Antonio was saying. “Whatever has happened we will remedy it.”

“I’m not leaving here until we do,” she said seriously.

“That’s the Kim I know,” Antonio replied, smiling. “You don’t give up until the job is done.”

“You bet I don’t. This is my baby and I’m not about to let anyone take it from me,” she replied with sustained fervor.

“And what of things with your real baby—and Gabriel?”

Kim should’ve known that Antonio wouldn’t have forgotten their conversation from before. And she also knew he was likely using this as a clever diversion away from their current predicament.

She shook her head.

“You haven’t spoken to him about it yet?”

“With everything that’s been going on, I just haven’t had an opportunity—or the time to find one,” she replied quickly. “Once the dust on this is settled I will turn my attentions to the personal. I promise.”

“I hope you do, or there may be much worse on the horizon than the failure of this venture,” Antonio cautioned.

Kim took his words to heart. In all of the years since she’d met him, her mentor’s advice had never failed to be accurate.

“I will,” she repeated sincerely.

“Ms. Weston? Mr. Berger?” a female voice called. “Everyone is ready.”

Kim and Antonio got to their feet immediately. She looked at him for one fleeting moment before shifting her bag onto her shoulder, lifting her chin, and walking into the meeting that could potentially make or break her.

The Italian officials’ faces gave nothing away as they both entered the meeting room. They greeted Kim and Antonio cordially, before sitting down across from them at the table. Kim noticed the paperwork spread out over it and wished she could reach across and grab the documents that had landed them in such strife. But she needed to be patient. There was no rushing Italian bureaucracy—this she knew from experience.

However, Antonio was keen to waste no time. He spoke in rapid Italian, asking the officials to straight out explain the nature of the problem.