Gina Ardito: Romantic Comedy Author

How long could Gianna hedge about her dearth of dates? Better to come clean. Maybe Joey could help.
Then again, maybe not. "Which reminds me." Deep breath. "Do you know where I can rent a super-stud
for the evening?"

"You mean you haven't found a date yet?" The surprise in her brother's tone both warmed and
depressed her.

"Not unless you count the ROMEOs. Every one of them volunteered for the task."

"Nice of them," he replied thoughtfully. "But a little too old, don't you think?"

"Definitely."

The ROMEOs were a group of men, none younger than sixty, who frequented Villa Mare once a week.
Their acronym stood for Retired Old Men Eating Out.

"Give me a day or two," he said. "I'll make a few phone calls."

"Forget it." She waved a hand as if brushing away a gnat. "Frank would recognize anyone you set me
up with."

"Well, then, who do you know Frank won't see through?"

Scanning her bureau, she glanced over framed photographs of close friends. No one suitable smiled
back. She didn't exactly have a stable of men waiting. Except, of course, the ROMEOs.

And then her mind clicked on the image of a man with wide-set hazel eyes and a clipped New England
accent. No. Ridiculous. She barely knew him, for God's sake.

"Come on, Gi," Joey prompted. "Think. There's gotta be someone."

"Maybe." She bit a ragged cuticle on her thumb.

"Who?"

"Our newest employee at Villa Mare."

"You hired somebody?"

Ow! She bit too close to the nail and winced, but not at the pain. Joey would want details about Kyle
now. And she didn't dare lie because Claudio would give her up faster than a parade of dancing teddy
bears.

"I'll have to make sure he's available first," she said.

"Who is he?"

Stick to the basics. Maybe he won't ask the million dollar questions. "His name's Kyle. Kyle Hayden."

"Where'd you find him?"

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! "Umm..." Squeezing one of the throw pillows, she mumbled, "I
found him in the parking lot."