Quiet Wealth by J.L. Drake

My deep yellow sundress flowed around my legs in the light breeze as Wyatt and I hurried to find the terminal gate. I caught a glimpse of myself in the window and was pleased with my outfit choice. A thin, tan tie wrapped around my waist, and matching heels all paired nicely with my rose-colored sunglasses and gold jewelry. Now that I could enjoy the clothing I wanted to wear, I had a bit of an obsession with fashion.

“There really need to be moving sidewalks out here.” Wyatt huffed beside me like he was about to die from the short walk since we had stepped off the train.

“Cardio.” I held up a hand to warn a driver to slow down. He seemed intent on making us his new bumper sticker. “You might want to look into it.”

“I do cardio.”

“Flirting with woman at the coffee stand outside work isn’t cardio.” I smiled over my shoulder at his deep gray eyes that looked amazing with his tight black t-shirt. “Hold on.” I googled Ricco Oil and the last name that Georgio had given us and quickly wrote it on the sign we were to hold up. “I think that’s how you spell it.” I handed it to Wyatt as we started our dash down the walkway.

“Oh, over there.” He pointed to terminal eight, and we picked up the pace. Just as the passengers were coming out, we slipped toward the front, both of us searching for someone who looked like they had a ton of money.

“So, we are going off a name and a photo?” Wyatt pulled out a silk handkerchief and dabbed this forehead.

I chuckled under my breath. “Isn’t that what he has to go off of, too?”

“True. It’s like a blind date interview.”

“No date,” I shot back in my normal debate with that topic and held up the white sign that read DeSimone. “Work. This is simply a work date.”

“You still called it a date.”

“Do you want me to leave? Because you know I will.”

“No,” he gave a little nod toward the sea of people coming toward us, “because I believe you’ve just been spotted.”

“Oh, God,” I whispered at the tall, rather attractive man walking toward me with quite the swagger. His jaw was defined, clean shaven, and his black hair was styled in the latest clean short look.

“Miss Giovanna?” He stopped in front of me and offered his hand.

“I am.”

His face broke into a cocky smile. “I’m Mariano DeSimone.”

“Pleasure to meet you. This is my associate, Wyatt Burn.”

“Nice to meet you as well.”

Wyatt looked to be starstruck, just standing there with a gaping mouth. I gave him a little nudge as I took a step forward.

“We thought you might like to get together after you were settled, but my boss told me you asked to meet right away at the airport.”

He picked up his bag and ushered us toward the doors. “I don’t have a lot of time, and I wanted to fit this in.”

“The interview?”

“I think we would both benefit from it.”

“I’m intrigued.” I glanced back at my best friend, who seemed to be still stuck in some kind of trance.

We stopped in front of a town car that looked like a modern-day carriage. A man who could only be described as spiffy-looking started to load Mariano’s luggage, and another fellow opened the door for him.

“This isn’t going to be your regular sit at a table, drinking coffee while I share my story kind of interview, Miss Giovanna. If you choose to tell a true tale about the oil business and all its struggles, and all the work and effort I have had to put in to get where I am, then you must experience it personally from the inside. This will require you to travel with me.” He stopped speaking and stared directly into my eyes. “Are you willing to do that? Go the extra mile? All for a story that will launch your career like no other?”

“Why me?” fell from my lips.

He handed his last bag to the driver then unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it inside the car.

“Because from what I’ve read, you understand that sometimes the lines between right and wrong may be blurred in order to survive.”

I licked my dry mouth and glanced at Wyatt for some kind of answer.

He finally spoke up. “Lines between right and wrong? Wait, will she be in any danger?”

“Ha!” He chuckled lightly. “No, of course not, and I live here in Florence. We will not be going far, and you can call and meet up with her at any time. You have my word she’ll never be in any kind of danger.” He addressed Wyatt with such confidence that I believed him.

“Look,” he rested his arm on the car roof, “I’ve run my intentions by your boss already. Sometimes you will be required to spend the night, and other times you’ll be driven home. Georgio has been emailed the locations that I will be showing you, and you have been cleared from work for the next month if you choose to accept my offer. Though it could be longer if you wish to dive in deeper.”

“A month?” I nearly choked on my words.

“I’m due back in the States for my sister’s wedding,” Wyatt reminded me. “I won’t be here to help you over the next while.” He looked more than a little unsure.

I took a deep breath, and when Mariano sensed my nerves, he checked his watch.

“I figured your boss ran the details by you already. Here, take my number. Think it over, but I’d like an answer by tonight as I’m very busy.”

“Wait.” I stopped him when he was about to get into the car. “I’m still not sure why you want your story to be told. And why by me?”

“I read your article a few times. I’m intrigued by you, Miss Giovanna. So, for the same reason you wanted to tell your story, it’s why I want to as well.” The driver closed the door, and we were separated by a mirrored window. I stared down at the matte black card he handed me. It had gold lettering, and when you tilted it in the light, a strange logo appeared.

“Well, that certainly was not what I was expecting.” Wyatt ran a hand through his hair. “This probably will skyrocket your career, and honestly, I would love for you to get the hell out from under Georgio’s hold.”

“Mm,” I thought out loud, “I can’t believe he didn’t fill me in on those rather important details. He was probably worried I’d say no.”

“He’s a jerk, but I think you should do it.”

“I think so, too. Hey,” I turned to him, “us, Wyatt, we need to get out of this together. I might be doing the interview, but I expect you to help me with this so both of our names are in print.”

“You really are a good person, Sienna.”

“So are you.” I waved a hand to stop the cab that was heading our way. “We should get back.”

Later that evening, I paced the living room floor, most likely driving the tenants below crazy. His card was in one hand and my phone with the written text to Mariano in the other. A bottle of my favorite wine sat ready to be opened for a celebratory evening, but I was scared to hit send. I couldn’t help but wonder who I’d meet and what places I’d see. Not to mention the story that would come out of this. I would be the first person ever to get to do an exclusive on Ricco Oil. It was no secret that every reporter and journalist would give their left arm to get the true story on this company. One day, they just appeared, sank their roots into Florence, and were now a multi-billion-euro company. The company had propped up the economy big time, and word was that anyone who worked there seemed happy. I knew this was going to be the experience of a lifetime, and Wyatt was right about me going for it. The article would open doors that I probably didn’t even know were there.

“Send the damn text already.” Wyatt tossed himself on the couch then started to pour the wine. The sunflower on the label had a shiny gold outline that caught the light as he poured it. It was the reason I’d picked up the bottle in the first place a few years ago.

“Sienna,” he waved the glass around, “stop stalling.”

“Okay.” I closed my eyes, took a breath, and hit send. “Oh, sweet Lord, please tell me I made the right call.”

A moment later, my phone rang, and I saw it was him.

“Hi.”

“Hi, Sienna. I’m happy to hear that you’ve decided to write my story. I think you’ll really enjoy yourself, and at any point you’re not, I will have my driver take you home. I want this to be fun as well as work.”

My nerves settled, and I felt my shoulders sag with relief. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Good. Do me a favor and please pack a bag and bring something fancy. We never know when we might need to stay in hotels, so please always be prepared.”

“I can do that.”

“Wonderful. Text me your address, and I’ll be at your place early, about eight.”

“Will do. See you then.” I tossed my phone aside and swung around to look at Wyatt. “And so, it begins.” I took the glass from him and tapped mine to his.

At ten to eight, I stepped out on the curb with my bag packed to the brim. I only hoped I was ready for any situation that might be thrown at me. One of the many things I had learned while trying to survive on my own was to always be prepared for the unexpected. And of course, a bottle of Mace for good measure.

“He dresses well and is punctual.” Wyatt pulled down his sunglasses as the sexy car from last night pulled up in front of us. The front passenger hopped out and opened the door for me while he slipped the bag from my hand.

“Good morning, Miss Giovanna,” he greeted me kindly. “Please take a seat.”

“Thank you.” I turned to Wyatt, who looked at me with a worried face.

He leaned in and whispered, “I sure wish I were going with you, but I need to prepare for my trip. Your phone location is on. Mace is in the side pocket. Try and have a good time but be alert.”

“Thanks.” I kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand. “No goodbye.” I chanted our special parting words.

“Just a later.” He smiled.

I slipped down onto to the leather seat, careful to keep my dress down.

“Good morning,” Mariano greeted me briefly then immediately turned his attention back to his phone and started typing.

“Morning,” I whispered.

“Would you care for some coffee?” He handed me a to-go cup of coffee that he must have picked up along the way.

“Thank you.” I sipped the heavenly coffee and tried not to moan at the rich flavor that smothered my taste buds. “Where are we off to today?” I tried to fill in the gap of silence.

“We,” he paused and tapped his phone one more time, “are off to tour the beach.”

“Beach?” That was the last place I thought he would say.

“Yes, if you are going to interview me about Ricco Oil, we need to start from the beginning.”

“All right, the beach it is.” I smiled, but it fell as he went right back to his phone. I guessed his busy life consumed a lot of his time.

The drive was long, and I found myself staring out the window, lost in my thoughts. I remembered why I had moved here in the first place. Cara, my old friend at the house, once showed me a post card she had received from a relative who had visited here. It showed an entire field of sunflowers on the front. It was so beautiful, I often dreamed of lying in the middle of that field watching the clouds drift over those golden heads that looked up without a care in the world. Sadly, when I arrived here, finding that field of dreams hadn’t come true yet. I had jumped into my job and lost my way to it. I guessed some dreams were just meant to be just that—dreams. Thankfully, I found a someone along the way who had become a true friend. Wyatt saved me from myself and had proven to me that he could be depended upon.

“What’s that?” Mariano pointed to my hand that was now entwined with my necklace.

“Oh.” I fiddled with the two pendants. “Just something my mother gave me.”

“What is it?”

I shifted uncomfortably and felt my heart suddenly speed up its rhythm, something that came along with any thought of both of my heartbreaks.

“A teddy bear and a crow.”

“What do they mean?”

I forced a smile and dodged the question.

“I thought we were here for you.”

His phone rang, and he held up a finger for me to hold on. I took a deep breath and turned thankfully back to the window and tuned him out.