The Magnate's Holiday Proposal

Luca parked his car and nodded to several of the employees before taking the private elevator to his suite on the third floor. As he entered, his secretary, Sofia, got up from her desk and hurried over to him. Something was going on. In a hushed voice she said, “Before you go in, I wanted to warn you that your father is here. He’s been waiting several hours for you.”

Anger swamped Luca. The doctor had ordered his father to stay home and continue to work with his various therapists until he was given permission to put in part-time work again. But that hadn’t stopped him from crossing the threshold today. It was so like him to intrude on Luca’s private life without warning. In the past he’d tried to sabotage several of Luca’s relationships with women by making demands and criticisms.

Today was all Luca needed after having to console Dino following one of his nightmares this morning, but he knew exactly why his father had shown up and shouldn’t have been surprised. When he hadn’t gotten satisfaction after a fiery exchange on the phone with Luca last night, he’d decided to barge in on him.

Being armed with that information, Luca thanked Sofia for the heads-up and walked in his inner sanctum. His silver-haired sixty-eight-year-old father sat at the large oak desk while he read some sensitive documents Luca had been working on.

He looked at Luca without getting up. “I asked Sofia to hold your calls so I could talk to you.”

How like his father to come to the office without advance warning when the doctor hadn’t given him permission to be at work yet. Throughout Luca’s life his father had interfered, never approving of his sporting interests, always trying to stifle his career ambitions that had nothing to do with the family plastics business. No girl, no woman was good enough for Luca except the one they were fighting about right now.

“We said all there was to say last night on the phone.”

His father slammed one hand on the desk. “I don’t know why you continue to thwart me about Giselle.”

“Frankly, I’ll never understand why you hoped she and I would ever get together. I was never interested in her, which is why I married Catarina.”

“But your wife has been dead for two years. Giselle is still very much alive and beautiful. Her father tells me it was you she always wanted. We’re determined to get the two of you together. I told him I’d arrange it.”

Luca shook his head. “Don’t you understand I have more important things to think about at the moment? I’m dealing with my son’s fears over his operation,” he exploded. “Henri Fournier may be your best friend and the two of you are desperate to keep the fortunes of both our families sealed with a marriage, but I made it clear last night. I don’t want to see his daughter and have no interest in any woman! Since you look settled in that chair where you once sat for years ruling the company, I’ll leave it to you.”

The older man’s cheeks grew ruddy. He would never change. His father had been the same intransigent dictator for as long as Luca could remember. Nothing Luca had ever wanted or done had met with his father’s approval, and Luca had given up hope for a transformation.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

“Wait, Luca—”

But he walked back out and told Sofia to ring him if anything vital came up. Now would be a good time to do an on-site visit to the ski manufacturing plant he owned in nearby Tauriano before returning to Maniago. It might cool down his anger.

At three thirty that afternoon Luca returned home and found his son still in his pajamas watching TV in the family room.

“Hey—piccolo.” He hugged him. “What’s going on?”

“My favorite show.”

Ines, the nanny, got up from the sofa and walked over to him. “It’s the Start with a Wish program that’s on every weekday afternoon.” Luca had heard of it. “He’s obsessed with it because they make a child’s wish come true.”

If only that were really possible.

“I take it his headache finally passed.”

“Yes.”

Every headache his son suffered caused Luca pain that crossed over the older lines of grief etched on his hard-boned features. “After we have dinner, I’ll take him to watch a hockey game. Hopefully it will get his mind off the operation.”

He left the kitchen and raced up the stairs, as ever feeling devastated by Dino’s condition. Earlier that morning his son had cried to him. “I dreamed I was in the avalanche and couldn’t find Mamma. I wish she didn’t have to die.”

How many times had Luca heard that? He’d kissed the top of his head. “We all wish she were here, but at least we have each other, don’t we?”

“Yes,” his boy whispered.

“Pretty soon you’re not going to have headaches anymore.”

“But I’m scared.”

“I know, but the operation is going to take them away. Doesn’t that make you happy?”

“Yes, but what if I never wake up?”

Luca clutched him harder. “Where did you get an idea like that?”

“On TV.”

“What show?”

“That cartoon, Angel’s Friends. Raf’s mother never woke up.”

Diavolo. A simple cartoon had played on his fears, doing more damage. “Listen to me, Dino. I’ve had four operations in my life, and I’m just fine.”

“Was Nonna with you?”

He’d closed his eyes, praying for inspiration. “Yes.” Luca’s mother had always been there for him. “And I’ll be with you. Don’t you know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you?”

“Yes.” But Dino’s voice was muffled against Luca’s shoulder and he’d finally fallen asleep.

The heavy lids that covered blue eyes revealed his misery. In the last year, his headaches had grown more frequent as the doctor said they would. When the medication didn’t stop them, sleep was the only thing that seemed to help, but that meant he stayed in bed until they subsided.

At his last checkup three months ago, the doctor had brought up the operation to remove it. But Dino fought the very thought of one, even if it would make him feel better.

Now Luca was frightened, too, because the neurosurgeon told him the tumor was in a dangerous place. Removing it wasn’t without risk. But Luca knew it had to be done so his son could be relieved of pain.

His operation had been scheduled for December 21, less than a month away now. Dr. Meuller, the Swiss-born doctor from Zurich who was doing some voluntary work in Africa, would fly in to the hospital in Padova to perform the surgery. Luca had arranged his business affairs so he’d be free during that time.

Luca and his mother had done everything to reassure Dino they’d be there for him during the surgery, but whenever it was mentioned, he would run to his room and sob. He wanted his mother, and no one could replace her. It broke his heart that Dino dreaded it so much.

Something out of the ordinary had to happen to help his son. Luca wished to heaven he knew what it was...

* * *

Another Monday.

Gabi Parisi left the house in Limena and drove the four miles under an overcast sky to the office of the Start with a Wish foundation in Padova, Italy. In the fifty-six-degree temperature, she didn’t need a coat to wear over her long-sleeved blue sweater and black wool skirt.

After the weekend, Mondays meant tons of mail. So many letters came in from children needing help. Some required money for medical procedures or operations that parents or guardians couldn’t provide. Others were dying and the family or caregivers wanted to grant them their greatest wish, which was beyond their means.

Edda Romano, Gabi’s boss, was a famous philanthropist who had been giving away her money for worthy causes ever since her husband’s untimely death. Being the heiress of the Romano manufacturing fortune had allowed her to establish the foundation that would continue to give happiness to children for generations. There was no one Gabi admired more than Edda. She felt it a privilege to work for this remarkable seventy-five-year-old woman who was truly selfless.