Harlequin Romance April 2019 Box Set by Liz Fielding

Author:Liz Fielding
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWO

‘MUM, YOU DON’T have to drop everything and come to Florence with me,’ Mariana protested. ‘I’ll be fine.’

‘You don’t know this man. He could be anyone,’ Carol Thackeray said, her mouth thinning. ‘And does your injunction even apply abroad?’

‘Mum.’ Mariana took both her mother’s hands. ‘I love you. And I’m not doing anything risky, I promise. The guy’s a partner in a really big firm of lawyers in the city—I met him at his office this afternoon and it’s all legit. He clearly loves his grandfather, who’s dying. Angelo is dropping everything to make him happy before the end, and I can understand that. I’m sure you can, too.’

‘Oh, darling. I know you miss your grandfather. I miss him, too. And, yes, of course I can understand. But this worries me.’ Carol frowned. ‘I can come with you.’

‘Mum, your idea of hell is being stuck indoors or being dragged round a dusty art gallery when there’s a garden outside with roses to be pruned and borders to weed,’ Mariana said with a smile. ‘You don’t have to do that. And I want to go. If I spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder and worrying, that means Eric wins. I want to live my life as I want to, Mum. Independently. Well. The way I promised Grandad I would.’

Carol sighed. ‘Then I want you to text me. A lot.’

‘I will. And I’ll send photographs,’ Mariana promised.

* * *

‘Hey, Cammie. How are you and my gorgeous niece doing?’ Angelo asked his sister.

‘Fine.’

He coughed. ‘This is a video call, Cammie. I can see your face.’

His sister looked around, and whispered, ‘Mamma’s fussing is driving me insane!’

‘She’s just worried about you.’

‘Remember when she had that two weeks in London playing Lucia di Lammermoor in Covent Garden and stayed with you? Imagine that, times a thousand.’

Angelo couldn’t suppress a grin.

‘It’s not funny, Angelo. Just you wait until you have—’ She stopped, her face stricken.

Yeah. He knew what she’d almost said. Until you have a baby and Mamma decides she has to stay with you for a month to ‘help out’. Except he couldn’t actually have children. Which was why Stephanie had dumped him; and he’d been wary about starting another relationship since. What was the point, when he couldn’t give a woman what she really wanted—when he’d totally failed at being a husband? Much better to avoid the risk of rejection and not let anyone else into his life.

‘I’m sorry, Angelo. I didn’t mean—’

‘I know you didn’t, Cammie. It’s OK,’ he cut in. ‘Really. I was just calling to see how you all are. And I hope to come up to see you next week. It’s about time I met my niece. Serafina’s two weeks old already.’

‘I’ll understand if you don’t w—’

‘Of course I want to come and see her, Cammie. She’s yours and Ed’s. I can’t wait to meet her.’ And he meant it. He’d ignore the fact that his heart ached for what might have been. For the babies he’d never have.

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