Page 18 of Lorenzo & Lily

Nate held up a hand. “No, excuse us. We were just leaving. See you later, Lorenzo.” The men nodded as they passed Lorenzo’s guest, then walked down the hall.

Lorenzo barely spared his brothers a glance before a smile split his lips. He took hold of the man’s shoulders and gave him a kiss on each cheek – a traditional Vallerian greeting – which he returned. “Dante, my good man.Come stai?”

“Sto bene, Your Highness. How are you?”

Lorenzo waved away the formal greeting. “You know better than to address me as a prince.”

Dante grinned and gestured to the door. “I know you like to defer protocol. Those were your brothers, were they not? I wonder what they would think if they heard you say that?”

“They’d think it was a normal day, that’s what. Come and sit, my friend. I’m pleased you could make it over from Italy.”

Lorenzo took his seat again just as Rio entered with a fresh cup of coffee for both him and Dante. After Rio whisked away his brothers’ cups, Lorenzo gave his friend a keen look.

Dante Cellini was the quintessential Italian male. Tall, broad-shouldered, olive-hued skin, and dark hair that gleamed. As the owner of Cellini Shipping – which was slowly and surely becoming one of the largest shipping companies in the world – Lorenzo often saw a Cellini ship docked in Masillia’s main port.

“You look happy, Dante. Another closed deal? Or another daughter?”

Dante laughed. “It seems greedy to want more children, I suppose. My Sophia doesn’t mind. She says she wants a boy, so we must keep trying.”

Lorenzo chuckled as he thought of the elegant and soft-spoken Sophia, Dante’s American-born wife. “How many do you have now? Three, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, and now I must show you a picture.” Dante pulled out his phone and flipped his finger across the screen until he found the picture he wanted, and turned the phone towards him.

Sophia was in the middle, her blonde hair shining. Their eldest, Isabella, with her father’s dark hair and her mother’s blue eyes grinned mischievously at the camera beside her mother. Their second child, Rafaela, had dark hair and eyes and was smiling as she cuddled on her mother’s other side. The youngest, little Anna, was held close in her mother’s arms, a toothless smile on her face and small, golden curls on her head. A beautiful family. Lorenzo’s heart clenched at the sight, as his thoughts ran towards his own little Lily.

He gruffly cleared his throat. “They’re beautiful, Dante. You’re a very lucky man.”

“That I know,” Dante said and took one last loving look at the picture before he put away his phone.

“Did none of your business partners come with you this time?”

Dante shook his head. “Their other businesses and families kept them away, but they did send their regards.” Dante’s grin faded as he turned back to business. “How bad is it?”

Lorenzo’s brows furrowed as happy thoughts of families and friends were swept away. “There’s nothing bad yet. I don’t know for sure that a strike will happen.”

“It would be extremely detrimental to business, not just mine but to the port. It could take months to recover from the backlog if the workers choose to strike.”

“I’m hoping that won’t happen. I’m going to the docks this afternoon, along with one of my brothers. We’ll talk to the workers, get a sense for what’s happening. I’ll keep you updated.”

“I’d appreciate it. I know you don’t keep all the shipping companies updated as you do me and mine.”

“I respect you, Dante. You trusted me when few others did. I don’t forget.”

“Bringing my business here was strategic, Lorenzo.”

“Perhaps it was, but that wasn’t the only reason.”

Dante’s voice was low when he spoke. “No, it wasn’t. When you took over the ports just as I was expanding my business here, I honestly didn’t know if I’d want to do business with you.” He flashed a quick smile. “However, I’ve since learned how much I had underestimated you.”

A quick sting of pain lanced Lorenzo. Far too many still lacked faith in him or the men and women from the MARC. If only his brothers could learn as Dante had, and not undervalue him. He covered his disappointment with a grin. “Does that mean you’ll agree when I tell you we’re raising port fees within the next two years?”

Dante chuckled. “It seems I’m guilty of underestimating you again. Do I have a choice in the matter?”

“No.”

“Then, I suppose I’ll agree. With some caveats, of course.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

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