Rendezvous in Rome Read Online Free PDF

scattered around the room.
    Seeing the girls, Claudia hurried over to greet them. Sandro was right behind her.
    â€œBuòna séra ,” he said, kissing each girl on both cheeks. “I’m so happy you could come meet our friends.”
    Within seconds Nancy, Bess, and George were laughing and gesturing with the others as they all tried to make themselves understood.
    â€œOriginally we were just having dinner,” Sandro told Nancy, his arm resting on Claudia’s shoulder. “Then we found out Domenico and his friends are leaving tomorrow to climb Mount Olympus or something, so we invited everyone over so we could say farewell. Then when you came, we invited you so we could say welcome!”
    George’s brown eyes gleamed with interest. She turned to an Italian girl with short, spiky hair, whom Sandro had introduced as Daniela. “You guys are climbing Mount Olympus?” George asked.
    â€œActually, they’re going to Greece to visit the site of the ancient Olympics,” Claudia told her.
    â€œWhat a great thing to do!” George exclaimed. “You know, our next stop is Greece. Maybe we’ll do that, too.”
    Bess looked horrified. “Over my dead body,” she told her cousin firmly. “We did enough mountain climbing when we were in the Alps.”
    Despite Bess’s veto, Nancy could tell that George was very excited about the idea. As Daniela and a blond-haired guy named Domenico told George all about their planned trip, she listened eagerly.
    Signora Fiorello didn’t appear in the living room until dinner was almost ready. Sandro introduced the girls to his mother as all of the teenagers got up to help put the food on the table. Nancy immediately liked the robust, gray-haired woman. She was the picture of an adoring mother.
    All through the pasta, the veal entrée, and the salad, Signora Fiorello kept up a steady stream of conversation about Sandro. George was at the other end of the table, still talking to Domenico and Daniela, so Nancy and Bess got the full force of Signora Fiorello’s doting.
    â€œOh, yes, he is really quite an electronic genius,” she said, speaking to Nancy and Bess in very good English. “The shop where he works as a computer consultant would be lost without him.” She smiled proudly at Sandro, who was seated next to her. “Of course, after a few years there he could go out on his own, maybe even open his own company. But first he must get more experience.”
    Sandro looked completely embarrassed by hismother’s rambling. “I have plenty of experience,” he objected. “I could be a big success now.”
    Claudia bent close to Nancy. “I have heard this same argument a million times,” she said. “Sandro is very frustrated not to be working for himself.”
    Nancy nodded her understanding, feeling thankful that her own father was so supportive of everything she did.
    â€œYou young people are so eager to grow up,” Signora Fiorello said. She took Sandro’s hand and patted it affectionately, not appearing to notice his grimace. “Are you in school?” she asked Nancy.
    â€œNot right now,” Nancy replied.
    â€œSo what is it you do, if I may ask?”
    â€œWell, occasionally I help my father or his friends do some investigating. He’s a lawyer,” Nancy said, trying to avoid the topic. What would Signora Fiorello think of some of the scrapes she had gotten herself into during her cases!
    â€œSee?” Signora Fiorello said triumphantly to Sandro. “She helps her father and his friends. She is not trying to start a business so young.”
    Sandro rolled his eyes, not bothering to hide his frustration. For the rest of the meal he ignored his mother, devoting his attention to his food.
    When dinner was finished the girls lingered in the living room after Domenico and his friends left. Claudia told Sandro’s mother about their day and about