Page 57 of Rules Of Engagement: St. Louis
“Idon’t have camping gear.”
“Lucky for you, I knew you would say that, but I’ve got you covered. Giuseppe’s wife, Elena, stocked the closet with everything you’ll need.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
I strolled up to her. “Oh come on… you’ll love it. I promise.”
“Mmm. I’ll be the judge of that. Give me an hour.”
Naomi emerged from the bedroom looking nothing like the refined businesswoman I’d grown accustomed to. She wore hiking boots, worn jeans, and a flannel shirt that was too big for her frame with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She looked about twenty-five years old.
“How do I look?”
“Like I should check your ID.”
Laughter rose from her lips. “What?”
“You wouldn’t lie to me about your age, would you?”
Her eyes grew. “Christian, I can’t tell if you’re being serious right now.”
“I think this is the first time I’ve seen you without a full face of makeup.”
She glanced at herself in a mirror that hung against the wall.
“Okay. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Are you drinking from the fountain of youth?”
She blushed. “Oh… I see. You’re saying I look younger than my age, well, I have a killer skincare routine.”
“That much is strikingly clear.”
“I’m the same person you know.”
“Yes. And thank you for sharing this part of yourself with me.”
We stared at each other for a long heart throbbing moment before she blinked and pulled her eyes away.
Luca arrived promptly at ten with two of the most animated dogs I’d ever seen. Bella was a golden retriever mix who couldn’t seem to contain her excitement, while Rocco, a smaller terrier, was intensely focused.
“Signor Christian!”Luca embraced me like family. He was Giuseppe’s youngest nephew, maybe thirty-five, with rough hands and a permanent tan. “And this beautiful woman must be Naomi.”
“I am,”Naomi said, accepting his enthusiastic handshake.
“Today, we find the most delicious treasures hidden in the earth. But first, a warning.”His English was heavily accented but clear. “The forest, she is not always kind to city people. You must trust me and trust the dogs, yes?”
“We trust you,”I said.
“And you, Belle?”Luca addressed Naomi. “You are ready for adventure?”
“I think so. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“Perfetto! First time is always the most exciting. Come, we’ll take my truck.”
The drive through winding forest roads took twenty minutes with Luca amusing us with stories about legendary truffle finds and the rivalry between neighboring villages over hunting territories.
“Last year, my cousin Giovanni found a truffle worth three thousand euros,”he said, navigating a sharp turn.“But he was so excited, he dropped it, and Rocco here ate half of it before we could stop him.”
