Chapter 3 : The Proposal

*Sophie’s POV*

My reflection stared back at me as I took in what I was wearing. Mr. Rossi had already seen me at my best when we first met at the unveiling, and I didn't want to show up in my grungy flea market attire. I came home to change, and Luca deserted me so he could go have lunch with Kylie and Minerva.

I wore a simple black dress I bought recently, and I paired it with a pair of black high-heeled sandals that I bought because they made my already long legs look even longer. I pulled the top of my curly mop of hair into a top knot, and let the rest fall down my back. My dark brows framed my mocha-colored almond-shaped eyes, eyes that never cease to remind me of how much I physically resembled my mother.

I had decided to skip makeup altogether except for a hint of blush and shiny lip gloss. Mr. Rossi seemed nice enough, but I didn't want him to get the wrong idea about how I was dressed. Men like him were used to getting whatever they wanted, but I wasn't interested in being the sugar baby of a man so much older than me, regardless of how much money he had.

With a final glance in the mirror, I grabbed my phone and handbag and headed toward the bistro. It was only a two-minute drive from my apartment, and my Uber got lucky and zoomed through the afternoon traffic easily.

I walked through the doors, and my empty stomach loudly reminded me that I'd skipped breakfast this morning right as I saw Mr. Rossi stand from his seat and greet me with a smile. He was a tall man, and his well-tanned complexion indicated he got plenty of sun on the Italian coast.

"Good morning, Sophia. I'm glad you could make it," he said as he pulled my chair out for me.

"Thank you, Mr. Rossi. It's a pleasure to meet you again," I politely replied.

Before we could get into anything specific, a waiter approached the table, " Hello, would the two of you like to get started with something to drink?"

"Water for me please," I answered, and Mr. Rossi ordered a bottle of wine.

The waiter walked away to fetch our drinks, and Mr. Rossi leaned back in his seat and said, "I don't mean to jump right into things, but I'm on a bit of time crunch. I'd love to tell you more about the villa you'd be restoring."

"Of course, Mr. Rossi. That's why we're here, isn't it?" I raised my eyebrows with my sarcasm, hinting that I was being playful instead of disrespectful.

Mr. Rossi threw his head back, revealing a wide row of perfect teeth as he let out a hearty laugh that seemed to light up his entire face. His eyes sparkled with joy and merriment, and I couldn't help but join in on the laughter.

"I like your attitude. I don't mean to brag, but I'm usually in charge. Not many people take that tone with me, and it's refreshing," he told me.

I grinned at him and sipped the water the waiter had sat in front of me, "Now, Mr. Rossi. Before you begin, I just have one question. You seem to know quite a bit about me, and I want to know why you chose me for this project?"

Mr. Rossi sighed and leaned forward, "Well, Sophia, I chose you because you are the perfect candidate for this project. When I heard you were doing restorations for The Met, I began to look into your past work and was very impressed. Plus, your enthusiasm and love of art are evident.”

As he stops and stares at me, I can feel he is studying me and it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, but I don’t let him get the impression I can be read easily. He sips from his wine and then continues.

“I can tell just from reading a few interviews from you that you are married to your work. It's an important quality to have when you're working with priceless and timeless artifacts. Also, your background check was clean and the other candidates had a few questionable moments that made me think twice. Above all else though, I trust you. You have a good heart and strong ethics that make me confident in your ability to restore my villa with care."

I was taken aback by the surety with which he spoke. He didn't personally know me, how on Earth could he have such inherent trust for a stranger? He must have sensed the question on the tip of my tongue, because he finished, "I've always had an eye for judging someone's character. It's allowed me to run my business effectively and efficiently. You don't get to where I am by ignoring your gut. My gut says you're the one, and I've made my decision."

I nodded, then asked, "Can you tell me a bit more about the building and art I'd be restoring?"

Mr. Rossi grinned and sat back in his chair, and began to weave a grand story of the Italian villa he owned.

"The property belonged to my wife and is nestled in the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. The grounds span almost 100 acres, with gardens of cascading blooms that are tended to every morning before sunrise by two of my head gardeners. Inside, you'll find large open spaces filled with original frescoes painted by Renaissance masters like Michelangelo himself. There are also various sculptures throughout the villa, some dating back thousands of years to Ancient Rome. My wife used to spend her time restoring the art…it was her life’s work."

He paused for a moment, looking away as if he was lost in the memory of her, then added with a hint of sadness in his voice, "Unfortunately, she passed away a few years ago and some pieces have been damaged or destroyed over time. I'd love it if you could restore them as closely as possible to how they were originally meant to be seen."

I almost visibly gulped when I realized the size of the project. I had a sense that if I accepted his offer, I may be biting off more than I could chew. Once again, Mr. Rossi, the mind reader, answered my internal struggles aloud, "It is a project that will take time, patience, and thoroughness. It is not something that will be completed in a week, and you will have to leave your life and other work behind while it is finished. I know that's not a small ask. But think about what will come of your career whenever your pictures and work are released for the world to see?"

I listened as he spoke of the amazing, one-in-a-lifetime art in his collection. There were works I had dreamt of seeing since I was a child, and restoring them would catapult me to one of the top names in the art world. It was an opportunity that I simply couldn't pass up, and Mr. Rossi knew that. He had me right where he wanted me, and I saw the twinkle of understanding in his eye.

"You seem to have thought of everything, Mr. Rossi," I began.

"Ah, call me Alessandro. If you come to Italy, we'll be working closely together for quite some time. I don't want things to be stiff and formal," he interrupted me.

"Alessandro," I started over, "As I said, you've thought of everything. I think you know that if I turn you down, I'd end up regretting it for the rest of my life."

“I know that you would not be doing this so much for the money, but you will be well compensated. I think we can arrange for a number easily. Name your price.” He said this so casually.

Name a price? I still had no idea of how big of a project I would have in front of me! “Alessandro, I have no idea!”

He smiled. “Ok, come to Italy and see, then you name your price.”

I nodded. “That seems a bit more reasonable. Thank you.”

He nodded along, and I realized I was about to give him what he wanted.

"I'll come to Italy and work on this for you," I accepted his offer, and butterflies began flying through my stomach. I couldn't tell if they were from nervousness or excitement at the prospect of the work ahead of me, but it felt right to agree to his job offer.

Alessandro heartily clapped his hands together and said, "Wonderful! I am delighted to hear it. I will have my assistant send over your contract and all the necessary details. You won't regret this, my dear," he said with a smile.

"I do have one request, though. This project is going to be a massive undertaking. I'd like to have a partner along for the work. You are more than welcome to run all necessary checks, and I'd need to double-check his availability. His name is Luca Bianchi. I'd love for him to come with me," I maintained eye contact as I spoke so Alessandro could sense my determination to bring Luca. I really would need the help, and I needed a confidante and friend in the foreign country as well.

"As long as he passes all necessary checks, I don't see a problem with that. Please speak with your friend and get back to me. You have my phone number. I'd rather know sooner than later, so I can make the necessary adjustments to the flight plans. I'd assume you want him to fly over with you, yes?" Alessandro agreed too easily with my request.

I had the sneaking suspicion that he had already known I'd ask for Luca to come with me. It was creepy to know that he was two steps ahead of me.

"Yes, I'd like that very much. I'll leave here and go speak with him, and you'll know before your flight leaves this evening," I assured him.

"Perfect. Now, I hate to conduct business and run, but I really do need to get ready for my flight. Business is waiting in Italy, and I need to get back to tend to it. It's been lovely seeing you again, Sophia, dear. I can't wait to show you my home," he said as he stood and shook my hand.

He departed and I was left behind in astonishment at how quickly it all occurred. Suddenly, I realized: I was going to Italy. I felt nervous, yet excited, at the thought of the grand adventure that was about to begin. My mind raced through all that needed to be done before my flight left, and a plan began to take shape.

I walked out of the bistro and back to my apartment. On the way, I dialed Luca’s number and waited for him to answer.

“Hello?” His voice rang out after two rings.

“Luca, meet me at my apartment in an hour. I have a business proposal for you,” I ordered him.

After he told me he’d be there, we hung up. I knew he’d be in for an adventure, so I wasn’t worried about him saying no. The biggest obstacle in our way would be making sure we could delegate our existing work to other people. While in Italy, I had a feeling we wouldn’t have the opportunity to work on much else but the villa and Mr. Rossi’s collection. He seemed like the kind of man who would demand one hundred percent of our attention, and I wanted to give him that.

Once I had changed into something more comfortable, I opened my calendar and began making calls to let people know I’d be leaving town indefinitely. There were a few people who were disappointed that I couldn’t commit to their projects, but overall, everyone was happy that I’d received such an amazing opportunity to travel and work. Moments like that reminded me that the art world was a tight-knit, amazing community. I was grateful to have surrounded myself with so many like-minded, talented people.

An hour passed quickly, and Luca was ringing my doorbell before I knew it. I pressed the button to unlock the front door, and minutes later he burst through my front door with an excited look on his face.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you met with Mr. Rossi, and only an hour later said you have a business proposal for me. Are you going to Italy?!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his enthusiasm, “As long as you don’t have a criminal record, WE are going to Italy,” I answered.

He ran toward me and picked me up in a bear hug. “OMG! Really Soph?!”

I hugged him tight as I grinned. “Yup, really.”

“This is going to be amazing. The food, the culture, the art. Soph, when do we leave?”

He sat me back on the hardwood floor, and I looked up into his eyes and pushed him away from me playfully. “Flights are scheduled for four days from now, so figure out your schedule and pack your shit.”