Page 65 of The Billionaire and the Maid

I can see smoke whirling out of the chimney, indicating he’s home. I park and walk up to his green front door. Knocking, I look around at the cottage, noting where we need grounds staff to do maintenance. I should be checking more often.

Nonno opens the door. “Well, this is a surprise. Come in, come in,” he says as he motions for me to enter. He gives me his usual double-cheek kiss while gripping my face and grinning at me. Damn, I do love this man. For all the lack of affection from my parents, it was always made up for by Nonna and Nonno.

“What brings you out here?” he asks as he walks back toward his kitchen. I smell soup and I take a seat at the small peninsula in his kitchen.

“I need answers, Nonno. It’s important.” I pause and decide that I’m going to be upfront with him. No more secrets. No more lies. Just the truth. “I’m in love and I’m going to lose her if I don’t do something.”

Nonno pauses mid-stir and turns toward me. “Lose Ella?”

I nod, and for the third time today, I tell my story and add in what Greta said. I may make it seem more like Ella and I agreed to go on a date and that led to more, rather than fessing up completely about the whole fake dating thing.

Nonno’s face gets redder as I talk about Ken’s behavior. He curses in Italian under his breath and clenches his hand that’s not holding a wooden spoon. Although, I have a sneaking suspicion that if Ken were here, he would be dead, and his cause of death would be impalement by a wooden spoon. I finish with the story and explain that Dad is firing Ken as we speak, and then I’m only left with my questions.

“I need some answers, Nonno,” I add.

“Answers to what?” he asks, setting down the spoon and leaning against his cupboards.

“How did Ella get those shoes? I know how much they are worth. I looked up the other shoes as you suggested,” I explain.

“I wasn’t lying when I told you I wasn’t sure how she got them,” he starts. “I would guess that your grandmother gave them to Ella’s mother. She always had a liking for her, and when she got sick, I remember Nonna said something about giving Jennifer a special gift, something she could pass on to Ella someday. But she never said what and I never asked. She was so sad when Patrick died, and Nancy moved the girls. We lost touch with them after that. Although, it sounds like Kayla plays tennis with Nancy on occasion.” He pauses and gives me another sad smile. “Nonna had so many friends in Storyview Falls. From the time we bought the property out here, she just made the entire town her family.” He pauses and smiles a sad smile, and my heart breaks a little for him. “Anyhow, I’m glad she has them. Solves a big mystery,” he adds with a chuckle.

“You don’t want them back?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “No. They are where they should be. On the feet of a beautiful woman.”

I fight a grin. “OK. There’s more.

“I knew Ella before,” I state.

“Before?” Nonno asks, but it doesn’t come out as a confused question, more of a prodding statement.

“I was out riding in the back woods that summer before boarding school and she had fallen and I helped her. We became friends and spent a lot of time together that summer. I know it sounds weird because I was a few years older, but it didn’t feel weird, it just felt…good, fun,” I explain.

“I know,” Nonno says.

“Know?”

“I saw you kids building that treehouse. I was out riding one day and you two were busy little bees. I let her father know and we had a good chuckle about it, and I figured if you wanted me to know about your new friend, you’d tell me,” Nonno explains.

“Her dad knew?” I ask.

“Yes. It was right before he died. He said you were a good kid because of how you helped find that missing foal that one day.”

I laugh. “I forgot about that. Ella wasn’t there, but I remember looking for it.

“Nonno, who owns the property now? Ella said Nancy sold it after her father died.”

Nonno looks away and goes back to stirring his soup. “Nancy owns it.”

“What?” I ask.

“She put it in a trust. I heard it’s supposed to go to her girls when they turn thirty,” he says. “I wanted to buy it, but she wouldn’t sell it.”

“Wait. Nancy still owns it?”

Nonno nods. “The records are filed at city hall. You should get our legal team to take a look at them. Tell them I want to acquire the property.”

“Is that your subtle way of saying you think the trust is illegal?”

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