Unexpected summer

•business not pleasure•

L O R E N Z O

The clock ticked with a maddening precision as the door to the conference room clicked open. My fingers drummed against the edge of the desk, a nervous habit I'd picked up when things got tense. Mr. Leonard Price, the client we'd been working to impress for months, was finally here.

Giovani flashed me a grin, always the first to act like everything was under control. He was the friendly face—the charming one. I, on the other hand, preferred to stay in the background, quietly observing, calculating. I didn't need to charm anyone. I knew what I had to offer. But today was different.

Mr. Price was notorious for his no-nonsense attitude. The man didn't smile, didn't waste time with pleasantries. He was here to talk numbers—and he expected results.

As he strode into the room, his expression remained as stone-faced as I'd been warned. Giovani extended a hand, but Mr. Price barely acknowledged it, his icy gaze scanning the room before settling on us.

"Gentlemen," Mr. Price said in a low, commanding voice. "Let's get down to business. I want the best deal possible. No compromises. You understand?"

I nodded, my eyes sharp. Giovani did the same, but his easygoing nature didn't falter in the face of Mr. Price's intensity.

"We're confident we can meet your expectations, Mr. Price," Giovani said smoothly, offering the kind of charm that made him an asset in situations like this.

Mr. Price didn't respond immediately. Instead, he shifted his attention to the large glass windows, looking out at the view with the air of someone who was constantly assessing their surroundings. The silence stretched between us, and I could feel the weight of his scrutiny.

I cleared my throat, stepping forward. "We've analyzed your portfolio thoroughly. We're prepared to make a deal that will exceed your needs and give you the best return."

Mr. Price didn't acknowledge my words, still lost in the view. It wasn't uncommon for him to ignore us in favor of his own thoughts, but it didn't make it any less frustrating.

And just as the tension was beginning to make the air feel thick, I heard a familiar voice.

"Excuse me, where can I find my brother?"

I turned, instinctively scanning the room for the source. There, in the doorway, stood Sofia.

My pulse did something strange. Of course, I recognized her immediately—there was no mistaking her energy, even with the focus on the client. She stood there, looking at the receptionist with that same determined expression she'd had when she'd arrived in Italy. The one that told you she wasn't leaving without an answer.

I watched her move through the lobby, her hand gently holding a bag, and suddenly the room felt smaller. The air felt heavier. And I couldn't help but notice how good she looked—dressed casually but with that effortless style that made her stand out in a crowd.

"Lorenzo?" she called, spotting me across the room.

I stiffened.

"Yeah, I'm here," I said, my voice almost too flat, even for me. I didn't want to be caught off guard, but it was hard to ignore the way my heart kicked into a faster rhythm when she looked at me like that.

As if on cue, Mr. Price turned his head, his sharp eyes sweeping over Sofia.

"Ah," Mr. Price said, his lips curling into something that could almost be mistaken for a smile. "Now, this is a welcome sight. I wasn't aware this company had such... lovely associates."

The words hung in the air like a challenge. He turned to Giovani, who shot me a quick glance before stepping in.

"My sister, Sofia," Giovani said with a casual grin, as if he didn't see the subtle tension building between the two men.

"Pleasure," Mr. Price said, his tone warm, but it didn't feel genuine. It was as if he was testing something. His gaze lingered on Sofia for a moment longer than was necessary.

I didn't like it.

"What's your name?" he asked, his tone too smooth, too interested.

Sofia smiled, completely unaware of the dynamic at play. "I'm Sofia, Giovani's sister."

"Giovani has good taste," Mr. Price said, his eyes still on her, a glimmer of something else there—something that rubbed me the wrong way.

I could feel my jaw tightening, but I forced myself to stay composed, my eyes never leaving Sofia. She seemed completely unaffected by the way Mr. Price was looking at her, but I wasn't so sure.

She wasn't naïve. She knew how to handle attention.

But this attention? From someone like Mr. Price? I didn't like it. Not at all.

"Lorenzo, I brought you lunch," Sofia said, holding out the sandwich with a playful smile. "Turkey and cheese with extra cucumbers, just the way you like it."

I nodded stiffly, trying not to show that I was annoyed—at her for interrupting, at myself for feeling off-kilter, and at Mr. Price for behaving like a damn predator.

"Thanks," I muttered, taking the sandwich. But my eyes never left Sofia, and I could feel the weight of Mr. Price's gaze on us.

"So, what is it you're working on, exactly?" Sofia asked innocently, as though she was completely unaware of the tension, and yet, I couldn't help but notice how her voice cut through the atmosphere with a strange sort of ease. It made everything feel... unsettlingly complicated.

Mr. Price didn't hesitate, his gaze shifting from Sofia back to us.

"I'm here to make sure your company delivers. I want results. Not fluff. And I expect only the best from you, gentlemen."

His words should have been directed at us, but they landed with a weight I didn't appreciate, especially when I could feel his lingering eyes on Sofia.

I didn't trust him.

But I trusted myself less, and that was a problem.

******
Hii what do yous think of this so far?
i'm loving it- i'm so excited for the next chapter