The Italian Businessman (Old Version).

27) Goodbye.

"You have been avoiding me amore."

What were the odds that I would run into Giovanni on my second week at work, I will tell you, a very good percentage. After the weekend I had spent with Malcolm I had given myself a break when it came to the weird time limit that I felt I needed to speak to him by. Today I had been told by the principal that a member of the governing body had wanted to see me for a quick chat about how I was settling in. Surprise, surprise it was the man in front of me.

"Hi Giovanni. Is there something I can help you with?" I looked around the room and noted the absence of any staff members; it seemed that I was now on my own.

"How are you finding working here?" He asked as he stood up from the desk that he had been sitting behind.

"It has been fun, the kids here are amazing." I replied as I decided to humour him. "Are you the reason I got this job so quickly?"

It all made sense now there had been little to no interest for me during my interview, but I had received an almost instant response the following day.

"Of course I helped Aurora. How could I leave you with nothing after you broke up with me? That would be extremely cruel."

"Thank you." I said which surprised both of us. "I needed to land on two feet after everything happened with you and my family. So I appreciate you helping me."

"You are welcome Amore." Giovanni looked like he wanted to continue, but seemed to think better of it.

"How are Melissa and the baby?"

"They are both healthy, Melissa has been better as well. No more hospital trips since the last one." He came to stand in front of me as he responded.

"I'm glad." I responded and for the first time I realised that I really was happy for the both of them. "You'll make a great dad."

For the first time since I had known him he looked uncomfortable as I gave him the compliment. It could have been my imagination or it could have been that the fact that I was being so polite had caught him off guard.

"I have a class in about fifteen minutes that I have to prepare for. Is there anything else that you wanted to ask before I leave you?" I glanced at my wristwatch as I spoke to him.

"There is so much more I wish to say, but I do not have run out of time it seems. Is there any way that I could meet you for coffee after your day ends?" Giovanni asked as he looked at me with hopeful golden eyes.

"Yeah, I'll ask Malcolm to drop me off. You can text the name of the café to me later." I concluded.

It would be both beneficial and healthy to lay all of the cards out on the table before I finally closed this chapter of my life with him.

"Thank you amore." He punctuated his gratitude with a nod of his head that was followed closely behind with him leaving the room, but not before glancing back at me with longing.

Once he left the room it felt as though I could finally breathe a much needed sigh of relief. Who knew what the talk would mean for us when we had it all I wanted now was a hug from the one person that was not here yet. Surprisingly it was not Kendall instead it was Giovanni's cousin and I could not bother myself to even feel an ounce of guilt.

"Good morning Miss Richmond, I trust that the meeting went well with Mister Amelio?" A familiar voiced called as I placed a hand over my heart at the fright I had just gotten after being lost in my own thoughts.

"Yes it did, thank you Mrs. Morgan." I said as I turned to look at the principal of our school. Bianca Morgan was a knockout even after weathering the earth for forty-odd years. Her blonde hair that was tied in a bun only heightened her angled jawline and high cheekbones to the point of supermodel quality.