Page 55 of The Wife Deception
"Nice to meet you," I said.
Luca's eyes flashed with something I could not quite recognize. "Oh, the pleasure is all mine. We all thought he would never do it. And yet here you are, the only woman to make Notorious Nolan tie the knot."
Nolan cringed. "Please don't resurrect that nickname."
Luca chuckled, drew a chair close by, and placed it between our chairs. We all sat down in our respective chairs before Luca asked."So, what brings you here?"
"I came on business, but my weekend is now free and we were doing some sightseeing."
"Fantastic!" He clapped his hands. "That means you can't say no to a party at my villa."
Nolan was about to launch into a protest, but Luca cut him off. "How many times have you been in this city, but you've never visited an old friend? Like you said, you have nothing else to do for the rest of the weekend. I've just renovated it, and I was throwing a little house party." He pinched his index and thumb finger. "Very little. Tiny." He turned to me. "I'm sure your wife would love to see it."
I smiled, not knowing what to say.
"What do you think?" Nolan glanced at me. I was surprised that he wanted my input. It took me a while to respond.I was still in the mood to see the city, and the thought of going somewhere different was appealing. And something in me wanted to see more of Nolan's side that he was allowing me to see. I wanted to see more of it. What his friends are like and who hangs out with. Or to hear Luca and Nolan talk, who he used to be friends with in college.
"I don't mind going to a party." I said.
Nolan seemed slightly disappointed, but he said, "Text me the directions and we will be there."
Luca slapped his back. "That's more like it! You still have your old number?"
"Same one."
Luca got up and put the chair back where he took it. "It's been a pleasure to see you both and I can't wait to see you again," he said.
"I made a mistake in saying yes, didn't I?" I said after Luca was a few feet away.
"It's not your fault. Luca can be a little hard to say no to. Once we're there, we're probably going to spend the rest of the week. He loves nonstop parties. Or at least that's how he was in college and doesn't seem to have changed much."
"That sounds stressful."
He chuckled. "Don't worry. I will get us out any way we can. But pack your overnight bag."
***
Luca's Villa was just outside Milan. Nolan had hired a car and drove us there. By the time we arrived, it was late afternoon, the sky shades of purple and orange as the sun set. I don't know what I expected when Luca said Villa. Maybe a small mansion. It certainly wasn't a grand seventeenth century home that looked like something Mr. Darcy would own ifPride & Prejudicewas set in Italy. Nolan drove into a driveway of a sprawling six or maybe seven acre garden. A few people in smart casual were roaming about in the courtyard. Luca was waiting for us at the entrance of two grand white ornately carved doors.
He had a glass of brandy in his hand and a cigar lazily hanging on his lips. The white pants, pink shirt and gold waistcoat only added to the aristocratic look. "Is your friend like a count or something?" I asked Nolan, as we got out of the car.
"His lineage is long and his blood is as blue as the sky. This house has been in his family for centuries, according to what he told me some time ago."
Luca opened his arms wide as we drew near. He gave Nolan a bear hug, sloshing the drink in his glass and almost ruining Nolan's shirt beforeturning to me and kissing me on the cheek. "You made it!" He turned around to face the Villa, "What do you think? We gave the old geezer a fresh coat of paint."
"It looks magnificent," Nolan said.
"You're going to love what I did inside."
We entered the house into a central hall adorned withintricate decorations, frescoes, and stuccoes from the late 17th century. Luca spoke nonstop about the restorations he had made, the money he forked out to turn this place back into its original glory as he led Nolan and me down a wide corridor. After a few turns, and passing through empty rooms, climbing some steps, he led us to a balcony that overlooked a back garden.
The rest of the party was here and, unlike how I had imagined, it wasn't as big. There were less than twenty people excluding us and most looked to be couples in their thirties and forties. I was probably the youngest person there. Gentle music trilled from the speakers as the partiers chatted in small groups on the balcony and the garden.
"You see, it's not so bad. It doesn't look like this crowd is going to party day and night throughout the week," I whispered to Nolan.
A server passed us by, and Nolan grabbed two wineglasses from the tray. He gave me one saying, "It seems like he has finally grown up."
I took a sip of the wine. Prosecco. It was the best prosecco I've ever tasted, but what else should I expect from a literal aristocrat? "So, how did you two become friends?"
