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kitchen, carrying a tray laden with coffee, cups and an assortment of breads, cheeses and fruit.  
    The calzone on the train had been hours ago, and Calia suddenly realized how hungry she was.   The smell of the coffee and food had her stomach rumbling.
    “This looks fabulous, Larissa.   Thank you so much!” she exclaimed.
    Larissa beamed, setting the tray down at the table.   She gestured towards it.   “ Prego .   Please, help yourself.”   Then, after watching to ensure Calia did just that, she turned her attention to Gio.   “Oh, and that woman has been by here twice since you left,” she said, her manner cool.   “I told her that you would be in touch if you wanted to speak to her.   But she says she will see you tonight.”
    Gio grimaced.   “ Grazie, Larissa.   I will deal with it.”
    “Good.   Because I am tired of that woman sniffing around here all the time.”
    As she fixed her coffee and helped herself to some treats, Calia remained tuned into the exchange, alert with curiosity.   “She sounds like quite a favourite with you, Larissa,” she commented, before taking a sip of coffee.  
    The other woman let out a snort.   “A viper, that creature,” she said, holding her thumb and middle finger together for emphasis.   “And she’s set her fangs for this one.”   She nodded her chin at Gio.   “I warned him.   I told him already, ‘this woman is not one to give up easily.’”
    “A fact of which ‘he’ was already aware,” Gio interjected wryly.
    “Ah.”   Calia hid her smile behind her cup of coffee.   After all, she could quite see why a woman might set her cap for the likes of Gio.
    “And she said she was going to be at the reception tonight?” Gio asked.
    Larissa nodded.   “So she said.”
    “ Che cavolata. ”   He expelled an irritated sigh.
    “Surely it couldn’t be all that bad?   Why not just make it clear that you’re not interested?”   Calia glanced from one to the other of them.
    “I have,” he ground out.
    “The problem is that she is married to Paolo, one of Gio’s closest friends,” Larissa explained.   “Paolo adores her.”
    “Paolo is not just a good friend.   He is also one of my key men.   He’s a genius with figures and accounts.”  
    “Right.”   Calia nodded as understanding seeped through.   “So if you’re too blunt with her, then she might complain to Paolo.”
    “And who knows what she might tell him,” Larissa interjected.   “I would not put it past that woman to lie — to say that it was Gio who made the advances.”   She shook her head.   “ Basta così.   I have wasted enough of my time talking about that woman.   If you would call me when you are done, I will show you to your room, Calia.”
    “I can show her to her room, Larissa,” Gio interjected.
    “ Grazie.   A presto. ”   And she bustled out of the room.    
    Calia frowned at Gio.   “I can see that your situation’s awkward, but presumably, her behaviour’s already arousing Paolo’s suspicions.   So why not just tell him the whole story?”
    “It is not something you can easily tell your best friend — that his wife is catting about town at every opportunity.”   Gio gave her a withering look.   “Not that it is any of your concern in the first place.”
    “Fair enough.”   Calia sipped her coffee, resolved on minding her own business.
    But she couldn’t let it go.   She had been on the other end of a similar situation in college, when a guy she was casually dating made the moves on her best friend — who had told him off in no uncertain terms, before letting Calia know what had happened.   Though it put a strain on things for a little while, as Calia sorted out her reactions, the friendship had ultimately grown stronger for having been tested.  
    Calia shifted, frowning.   “But still — “
    “Oh, here we go,” Gio muttered.
    “I really think he should know.   I mean, isn’t that what friendship’s