Read Online Charmer's Death (Temptation in Florence Book 2) by Beate Boeker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beate Boeker
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touch. “You won our bet. They're all yours.”
Ricciarda smiled. It looked a bit exhausted, but sincere. “Thank you, but I think we can share them tomorrow. We both deserve them.”
“I think you've never met,” Carlina turned to Garini. “This is Ricciarda Fazzolari, who has worked for me these last two months. Ricciarda, this is Stefano Garini.” She omitted his title and any other explanation because she did not know how to refer to him. A friend? Were they friends? It was hard to say.
Garini took one sharp look at Ricciarda, but he didn't seem to be impressed with her clear skin and the deep-blue eyes. Then again, you could never tell what Garini thought.
Carlina took one hundred Euros out of the cash box and put them into an envelope, then handed them to Ricciarda. “A bonus for the good work today. You did a great job.”
Ricciarda's face lit up. “How nice. Thank you.” She fished her handbag from behind the cash register, opened it, and stored away the envelope. “Oh, I just remembered; your mother came to the store today while you were out for lunch. I'm sorry I forgot to mention it earlier.”
Oh, no. From the corner of her eye, Carlina could see that Garini's mouth twitched in anticipation. She knew exactly what he thought of her family. “Did she say what she wanted?”
Ricciarda frowned. “I admit I didn't quite get it, but then, I had a customer, and I may have been too distracted.”
Garini's smile grew more pronounced.
Carlina wanted to give him a hard nudge with her elbow but managed to control herself.
“Oh, now I remember.” Ricciarda's frown cleared. “She said the cards spelled danger and money for you, and she wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“ What cards?” Garini sounded as if he had to ask in spite of himself.
Carlina suppressed a sigh. Sooner or later she had to tell him. “Mama took up fortune telling.”
“Madonna.” He blinked.
Carlina decided to overhear his remark. “It soothes her and gives her the feeling that the universe is following certain rules.”
His ironic gaze came to rest on her. “Does this mean she has given up walking around with a cushion?”
“ No,” Carlina said. “She still carries around a cushion. But she has now decorated it with golden stars.”
“ Interesting.”
Carlina felt she had to defend her mother. “A cushion has many practical uses.”
“Yes, but not if you take it shopping.” Garini pushed his hand through his hair.
“ You have to see the cushion as a little idiosyncrasy.” Carlina said. “I mean, if you have to be a bit crazy, walking around with a cushion is at least a harmless form of craziness. It doesn't hurt anybody.”
“ Harmless?” Garini lifted his eyebrows.
She met his incredulous gaze straight on. “Completely harmless.”
He shook his head. “So now she tells fortunes? Whatever will she do next?”
Carlina smiled. “It's quite entertaining, really. She told my cousin Ernesto that he would soon be baptized with fire, and when a friend at the Internet café dropped a cigarette onto his head, she claimed that had been exactly what she had foreseen.”
“She could have made it clearer,” Garini said. “How did she learn it?”
“ She bought a book.” A giggle escaped Carlina. “It's called 'The future in ten days'. It took her twenty, but she says she's now on top of the game. I find it quite amusing.”
“ You would.” His gaze came to rest on her, and the expression in it made her catch her breath. “And now she has foreseen money and danger for you?”
Ricciarda laughed. “Well, the money part at least is true.”
Carlina jumped. She had forgotten Ricciarda's presence. “I'll clear this up tomorrow, Ricciarda.” She smiled at her assistant. “You can go home straight away. I won't stay long, either.”
Ricciarda smiled. “Thank you.” She went to the door and opened it. Over her shoulder, she said, “I don't think you need to worry about that danger forecast
Ricciarda smiled. It looked a bit exhausted, but sincere. “Thank you, but I think we can share them tomorrow. We both deserve them.”
“I think you've never met,” Carlina turned to Garini. “This is Ricciarda Fazzolari, who has worked for me these last two months. Ricciarda, this is Stefano Garini.” She omitted his title and any other explanation because she did not know how to refer to him. A friend? Were they friends? It was hard to say.
Garini took one sharp look at Ricciarda, but he didn't seem to be impressed with her clear skin and the deep-blue eyes. Then again, you could never tell what Garini thought.
Carlina took one hundred Euros out of the cash box and put them into an envelope, then handed them to Ricciarda. “A bonus for the good work today. You did a great job.”
Ricciarda's face lit up. “How nice. Thank you.” She fished her handbag from behind the cash register, opened it, and stored away the envelope. “Oh, I just remembered; your mother came to the store today while you were out for lunch. I'm sorry I forgot to mention it earlier.”
Oh, no. From the corner of her eye, Carlina could see that Garini's mouth twitched in anticipation. She knew exactly what he thought of her family. “Did she say what she wanted?”
Ricciarda frowned. “I admit I didn't quite get it, but then, I had a customer, and I may have been too distracted.”
Garini's smile grew more pronounced.
Carlina wanted to give him a hard nudge with her elbow but managed to control herself.
“Oh, now I remember.” Ricciarda's frown cleared. “She said the cards spelled danger and money for you, and she wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“ What cards?” Garini sounded as if he had to ask in spite of himself.
Carlina suppressed a sigh. Sooner or later she had to tell him. “Mama took up fortune telling.”
“Madonna.” He blinked.
Carlina decided to overhear his remark. “It soothes her and gives her the feeling that the universe is following certain rules.”
His ironic gaze came to rest on her. “Does this mean she has given up walking around with a cushion?”
“ No,” Carlina said. “She still carries around a cushion. But she has now decorated it with golden stars.”
“ Interesting.”
Carlina felt she had to defend her mother. “A cushion has many practical uses.”
“Yes, but not if you take it shopping.” Garini pushed his hand through his hair.
“ You have to see the cushion as a little idiosyncrasy.” Carlina said. “I mean, if you have to be a bit crazy, walking around with a cushion is at least a harmless form of craziness. It doesn't hurt anybody.”
“ Harmless?” Garini lifted his eyebrows.
She met his incredulous gaze straight on. “Completely harmless.”
He shook his head. “So now she tells fortunes? Whatever will she do next?”
Carlina smiled. “It's quite entertaining, really. She told my cousin Ernesto that he would soon be baptized with fire, and when a friend at the Internet café dropped a cigarette onto his head, she claimed that had been exactly what she had foreseen.”
“She could have made it clearer,” Garini said. “How did she learn it?”
“ She bought a book.” A giggle escaped Carlina. “It's called 'The future in ten days'. It took her twenty, but she says she's now on top of the game. I find it quite amusing.”
“ You would.” His gaze came to rest on her, and the expression in it made her catch her breath. “And now she has foreseen money and danger for you?”
Ricciarda laughed. “Well, the money part at least is true.”
Carlina jumped. She had forgotten Ricciarda's presence. “I'll clear this up tomorrow, Ricciarda.” She smiled at her assistant. “You can go home straight away. I won't stay long, either.”
Ricciarda smiled. “Thank you.” She went to the door and opened it. Over her shoulder, she said, “I don't think you need to worry about that danger forecast
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