“I hope so,” Kim said, realizing that she needed to check in on the RSVPs. She’d sent invites to both women, asking them and their respective plus ones to next month’s official Villa Dolce Vita Wellness and Cultural Retreat launch celebration, including flights and a hotel stay over a long weekend.

Once the party was done and the center officially open for reservations, Kim would be temporarily free from work obligations. She relished the chance of catching up with them here and revisiting some of their old haunts.

She hooked her arm in Antonio’s. “Let’s keep going. I’ve still got lots to show you. The bedrooms have been transformed, too, and wait till you see where we managed to slot in the massage area.”

When he’d finished his tour of the accommodation area, and its new state-of-the-art wellness facilities, Antonio nodded with satisfaction. “You’ve done an amazing job, Kim. The investors will be more than happy.”

“I just hope it’s enough to get those reservations flooding in.” She smiled. “Now, how about lunch? We can head down to Il Buco, maybe? I’m feeling in the mood for pizzaiola beef.”

Antonio looked at her with a sad smile. “Bella, in all the time I’ve been here you have not once mentioned your husband. Gabe is coming next month, too, I hope?”

Kim’s heart stuttered guiltily. “Of course. He and Lily are flying in soon, actually.” Her three-year-old, a beautiful little girl she barely saw these days.

Gabriel’s plan was to have some long overdue family time in Italy together before everything kicked off. Kim only hoped that things would run smoothly in the run-up to the launch so that she could carve out the necessary time.

Much like Antonio, her husband was an optimist at heart.

Now she could feel her mentor’s eyes following her as they meandered back out to the courtyard and down the steps to the pool terrace perched on the edge of the property. When she turned to look at him, the expression on his face said it all.

“Don’t...”

He smiled weakly. “I’m sorry but thirty-odd years of marriage has taught me well. I know trouble when I see it.” He stepped closer, taking Kim’s hand in his as he patted her knuckles. “Why don’t we go to lunch and you tell me everything? All right?”

But Kim didn’t want to talk about her personal life. She really didn’t. She had enough on her mind.

“I won’t take no for an answer,” he insisted gently and she knew there was no point in refusing.

While she’d never been able to talk to her father, to trust or confide in him, Antonio was so much more reliable. He understood her, sometimes even better than she did herself.