CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER NINE
D ANTE WAS DOING his level best not to think of Susie.
His vague plan to send her a gift and some flowers once the court case was over kept changing.
Perhaps a handwritten card, rather than one written by the florist...
But even that seemed too impersonal.
She had her parents visiting that weekend in the middle of his court trial, but perhaps he’d send something after that?
Then he would snap himself out of it, tell himself that the hollowed-out feeling he seemed to have acquired since he’d returned to Milan would be gone by then.
Certainly there was enough work to bury himself in. Both the client and his soon-to-be ex-wife seemed determined to have their day in court, and there were plenty of other clients...
And there was always family.
‘Dante!’
Gio was sounding chirpy this morning, and had been for several mornings prior. Dante was starting to rue the day he’d showed him how to use that smart phone.
‘Hey, Gio,’ Dante said. ‘How are you?’
‘Good,’ Gio said. ‘I know we spoke yesterday, but I have good news—Mimi and I are getting married.’
‘Congratulations.’ Dante found that he was smiling. ‘Did she like her ring?’
‘She’s not wearing it until the wedding. We want to keep it very small; most people can find out about it once we’re married. Just you and Sev... Mimi’s sister...’
‘When are you looking at?’ Dante asked, pulling up his calendar.
‘Valentine’s Day.’
‘Gio...’ Dante frowned. ‘That’s two days away. You mean next Valentine’s Day?’
‘I’m eighty-four, Dante,’ Gio snapped. ‘Of course I don’t mean next year.’
Dante screwed his eyes closed in exasperation. He had honestly thought any wedding would be a couple of months away, when Susie had gone.
‘Gio, I have that big case commencing next week.’
‘That is why we are doing it before. It is just a lunch. Are things so bad between you and Sev that you cannot stand to be in the same room for my wedding?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ He pushed out a lighter tone, while squeezing the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. ‘Of course I shall be there...’ He asked the question he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer to. ‘Where is the lunch to be?’
‘At home. Mimi insists on cooking for us.’
Dante found there wasn’t the expected wave of relief that there would be no encounter with Susie at Pearla’s...
‘I have eaten rather a lot of restaurant food lately.’ Gio laughed.
‘Are you still getting home deliveries from Pearla’s?’ Dante had tried not to ask before, but today he couldn’t help but delve.
‘Sometimes.’ Gio laughed. ‘Mimi refuses to move back in till after the wedding, so I order now and then—but not as much. Things changed.’
‘What changed?’
‘Susie stopped bringing my meals. And I miss her a lot.’
God, so did he.
The hollowed-out feeling he’d had since he returned to Milan had morphed into a black hole of regret that felt as if it might consume him.
‘She’s working in the kitchen now,’ said Gio.
‘Oh?’ Dante said, as if it meant little to him. But he stood from his seat and started to pace as realisation dawned.
Susie would be in Lucca.
And not just for Gio’s wedding.
She didn’t need to go on that course in Florence. She was working in the kitchen of one of the best restaurants in Italy. Which meant every time he returned, Susie would be there.
‘Dante? About the wedding...’
Gio brought him back to the reason for his call.
‘We are not going to let anyone know—not until the wedding papers are signed.’
‘I understand.’ The whole town would be there otherwise. ‘I’m so happy for you both.’
‘Two brides to your zero!’ Gio laughed. ‘My love life is better than yours.’
‘It is.’
‘But if you want to bring a guest,’ Gio said. ‘Someone special...’
Of course he would like to bring a guest. How much easier the day would be with Susie by his side. It would make facing Sev a whole lot easier. But he was not about to use Susie as a shield.
And, of course he wanted to call Susie tell her he was returning for one night...perhaps arrange to see her after the wedding.
But that would set a dangerous precedent.
‘No,’ he told his grandfather. ‘It will just be me.’
Susie had never really been one for Valentine’s Day. And Lucca was such a romantic city that it seemed to ram home her loss as the big day approached.
Museums were holding special events and there were beautiful floral displays everywhere. Pearla’s was booked out for both lunch and dinner, with Cucou planning a special menu...
Was it the same in Milan? Susie pondered as she awoke on the dreaded day. Were there red roses by the fountains? Was there so much romance in the air that Dante would pause and finally think of her? Would flowers finally arrive from him today?
She lay listening to Juliet playing. It was a different piece than usual, and actually rather beautiful. It made her think of Dante, although that wasn’t unusual. Everything did these say.
She checked her phone, chiding herself for vague hope, while knowing damn well he wouldn’t call now...
It had been weeks of nothing and she knew his big case started on Monday—no doubt he was busy working, or out with some gorgeous beauty who understood that when Dante said he didn’t get involved he meant it.
As she did most Saturdays, she called home.
‘How are you, darling?’ Mum was sounding cheerful.
‘Busy,’ Susie said. ‘One more week till you come. You need to tell me your flights...’ She scrambled for a pen. ‘I’m really looking forward to seeing you.’
‘And we’re excited to see you too—but I’m afraid it’s not going to be until April.’
‘Sorry?’
‘The twins’ move has been brought forward. They’re moving that weekend.’
Susie felt her heart plummet as she was told how they needed Dad to shift some heavy stuff...how there was simply no other day...
‘But, Mum...’ Susie tried to quash her wail of despair. ‘I’ve booked the days off.’
‘I know you have, darling,’ Mum said. ‘But their landlord wanted tenants in immediately, and they’d have lost the flat otherwise. You know that we’d do the same for you...’
Actually, Susie didn’t!
‘But it’s my birthday...’
‘Susie!’
Mum gave a little laugh—the one that she always used to warn her that she was being petty. And possibly she was. It wasn’t a milestone birthday...it didn’t actually matter...
Except it did.
She wanted one birthday where it was all about her.
One cake that was her own, and not just another candle stuck in beside the twins’ double ones, which always seemed to shine so much more brightly.
‘Susie, we are coming—it just won’t be next week.’
‘Mum, please—’
‘Now, stop being silly!’ Mum gave her little warning laugh again. ‘You sound as if you’re jealous.’
‘I am.’
‘Pardon?’
‘I am jealous,’ Susie confirmed. ‘I’ll call you next week. Bye.’
Ending the call, she took a breath and waited for guilt or panic to arrive. But bizarrely she felt a bit better for having said it.
She went into the kitchen and smiled at Louanna, who was dressed in black. ‘Buongiorno...’
‘There’s coffee in the pot,’ Louanna said.
‘Are you working?’ Susie asked.
‘It’s Valentine’s Day in Lucca—there’s a lot of love and music to be made.’
She looked up as Juliet came in. She was also dressed in black, her red hair up in a chignon and pearls in her ears, clearly in for a busy day also.
‘But no love for us today...’ Louanna sighed. ‘We just get to watch other people be romantic. I’ll get packed up.’
‘I didn’t wake you, did I?’ Juliet asked as Louanna went to sort out her cello.
‘I was up anyway,’ Susie said, and smiled, deciding not to take her grumpy mood out on everyone else. ‘You sounded incredible.’
‘“Una Ve Poco Fa”,’ Juliet said. ‘“A Voice I Once Heard”. It’s a gorgeous piece.’ Then perhaps she saw the strain on Susie’s face. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Of course.’ Susie nodded, then shrugged. ‘I just found out my parents aren’t coming next week.’
‘I’m sorry... I know you were so looking forward to it. You’ve been quiet for a while, though, and you are very pale.’
Susie saw a flicker of concern in Juliet’s eyes and did not want it to be there. Juliet didn’t know about Dante, no one did.
‘I’m honestly fine. It’s just the new job, all my course work...’
‘If you ever want to talk?’ Juliet offered, before she and Louanna headed out.
Susie didn’t know how she felt, let alone what she might say.
It wasn’t Juliet’s early practice sessions, nor was it even that her parents were no longer coming.
She kept waiting to feel okay—to wake up and know she was over Dante.
It was the first time she’d been alone in the flat in for ever. Mimi was busy today, so there would be no walking on the walls. And, yes, she had homework for class, but for now it could wait.
Two minutes into her peaceful moment her phone rang.
It wasn’t Dante.
And it wasn’t her mum, saying she’d thought about it and they were coming next week after all.
Nor was it a florist staggering under the weight of red roses, calling to be buzzed in...though she briefly flared with hope.
‘Susie!’ It was a frantic Pedro. ‘Can you come in early and help with prep? We have a function—a last-minute booking.’
‘Sure.’
‘And I know you won’t be happy, but after prep we need you to do some waitressing...’
‘Pedro...’ She did not want this, but of course it was a feeble protest. Her apron-flinging moment had been a brief one. ‘When do you want me to come in?’
‘Now.’
Even though Pearla’s wasn’t yet open, the restaurant was hectic on this special day. The pastry chefs were all frantic, and Cucou barely looked up—just pointed her to a mountain of parsley.
‘Prep that, then help Phillipe with the arancini .’
But, as busy as it was, Cucou still found time to teach.
‘Susie...?’ He called her over and she gazed upon his sofrito —buttery, silky, salty perfection. ‘Do you see the gloss?’
‘Yes...’
She put in her tiny little spatula and took a taste, and then she looked at Cucou, about to tell him she knew his secret, for she could taste anchovies.
‘Good, yes?’ he asked.
‘Perfect.’ Susie nodded.
Certainly she wasn’t about to disagree with Cucou, and she was grateful when Phillipe came over and tasted it too.
‘To die for!’ he declared.
‘Are you waitressing at the wedding?’ Cucou asked her.
‘Is it a wedding?’
He nodded. ‘If so, the cake needs to come out of the chiller exactly twenty minutes before serving—no earlier...’ Cucou gave her some more somewhat unusual instructions, and perhaps saw her frown. ‘It’s a tiny wedding...just a party of five...’
Cucou opened up the massive chiller, and if this Valentine’s Day had proved challenging for Susie so far, it suddenly became impossible.
Gio and Mimi
The names were piped on the cake elaborately, and there were little hearts and bells... And if there was a God, then he was playing tricks on her, surely?
‘Gio and Mimi are getting married?’ she croaked, hurt that Mimi hadn’t told her. ‘When?’
Cucou glanced at the huge clock. ‘About now...’
He closed the box on the precious cake.
‘Susie...?’ Pedro called. ‘You need to get changed.’
As she headed for the cloakroom she braced herself for a second hurt.
Dante.
Dante won’t even be there , Susie told herself as she slipped on her stockings and wriggled into her black dress, remembering his hands on the zip even as she reached for it. Remembering his hands on her hips and how in that moment their promised one night had turned into three...
Of course he’ll be there , she argued silently in her mind as she put on her ugly sensible shoes and then tied her black apron on.
And if he was going to be in Lucca then he’d want to see her, surely?
Call her?
Warn her so she could at least warn her heart!
But then what did one weekend with a waitress mean to a man like Dante?
He’d made her feel special and adored, but she didn’t doubt he’d done the same to many women.
He wouldn’t be here , she reassured herself as she tied her hair into a low bun and put a slick of lipstick on.
It felt odd to step into Gio’s through the staff entrance and not the main kitchen.
Pedro was his usual self—behind the scenes he was frantic, but she knew he would be all polished smiles when the wedding party arrived.
‘Susie and Camilla, you are here in the butler’s kitchen, serving...’
‘Can’t I work in the main kitchen?’ Susie asked.
‘You’re a waitress today,’ Pedro reminded her sharply.
Oh, God.
She would like to run...go and hide in the lovely garden and drag in some air. Instead she walked through to the private dining room, where the table was being hastily dressed for a very elegant wedding breakfast—more candles, of course, as well as silver-framed photos on occasional tables. To her surprise Juliet and Louanna were there, as well as a tall gentleman—obviously their conductor—and a harried-looking older lady.
‘Susie...’ Juliet called.
She gave a quick wave. Now and then they’d worked the same venue, but there was no time to stop now. They were busy tuning up, and Susie was busy accepting platters from the main kitchen.
Then she was directed by Pedro to hold a champagne tray at the door.
‘Wait...’ the conductor was saying, and Susie couldn’t work it all out—because surely there was no such thing as a surprise wedding?
Yet there was Mimi, looking stunning in an emerald gown, giving a shocked gasp as she stepped into the dining room.
‘Gio!’ She laughed, and kissed the groom as the music started.
Susie stood still as hands reached for the champagne flutes on the tray she held. No matter how she tried not to notice, she knew which hand was Dante’s.
‘ Grazie , Susie,’ he said.
‘You’re welcome.’
Mimi was still happily protesting. ‘This is beautiful...but I wanted to cook for my wonderful husband, my new family.’
‘You think I would have you cooking on your wedding day?’ Gio was delighted as he held a chair for his bride. ‘Sit, my love.’
‘I am not going to sit,’ Mimi said. ‘I have to sing .’
‘Great...’ the other man in the party said under his breath as he took a drink from Susie’s tray. ‘That’s all we need...’
Susie looked up to get her first glimpse of Sev. His comment had clearly been to himself rather than to Susie. In fact, he didn’t even deign to spare her a glance—just took a glass and raised it.
The music paused as Mimi smiled to her small audience and then looked at her husband.
‘My love gets stronger every day...my voice not so much. Forgive me...’
‘You have the voice of an angel,’ Gio said.
Mimi looked towards the string quartet. ‘ “Una Voce Poco Fa” ? “A Voice I Once Heard...”’
It was the piece Juliet had been practising this morning, Susie realised. Perhaps Gio had told them it was Mimi’s favourite?
There was silence, then a short musical introduction, and then Mimi reached out her hand towards her new husband, and for the first time Susie heard her glorious voice.
Susie knew nothing about opera, and hadn’t really understood before how a song might know exactly how she felt—how a song might mirror the aching desire and the loneliness that had suffocated her since her parting from Dante.
God, she missed him so much...
As the song neared its conclusion Susie dared to look over, but of course Dante was looking at Mimi.
At first, she couldn’t read his features. His chin was up, his lips slightly taut, and for the first time she saw that the very smooth Dante appeared slightly awkward.
‘Bravo,’ he said as Mimi finished.
Possibly it was to do with his brother being there, because there was no hint of awkwardness when he came into the little butler’s kitchen a while later.
‘I didn’t know Gio was getting lunch catered here,’ Dante explained. ‘When he told me about the wedding he said it was just a family lunch and Mimi was cooking. The string quartet and the private lunch was a last-minute thing, apparently.’
‘Good for Gio.’ Susie pushed out a smile, not wanting to make a fuss. After all it was a very special day.
And it wasn’t the wedding that hurt.
She understood why Mimi hadn’t said anything; it was clearly a very intimate affair. What hurt was the fact that Dante had known he’d be in Lucca and hadn’t even thought to call.
Clearly she was nothing .
‘Susie?’ He caught her wrist. ‘I had no idea you’d be here.’
The first time he’d held her arm her skin had prickled with goosebumps, perhaps unsure how to react to a delicious stranger. Now, though, her body knew the pleasures his touch was capable of, and it flared in reaction. She looked up to those dark eyes, and down to the full, sensual mouth that she’d missed so much, and almost stepped forward to kiss him.
No!
She wasn’t going to be caught kissing Dante in the butler’s kitchen. He couldn’t just pick up where he’d left off.
‘I’m at work, Dante.’ She wrenched her arm away and stepped back.
‘I was just attempting to explain...’
He stopped when Mimi burst into the kitchen.
‘Susie!’ Mimi pulled her into a hug. ‘I was desperate to tell you.’ She held out her hand. ‘But I knew if we told a soul...’
Dante left them, and Susie examined Mimi’s stunning ring—reds, violets, greens, encircled with diamonds.
‘It’s a rare black opal,’ Mimi said. ‘Gio says it is for the colour I bring to his life.’
It was a very long, very gorgeous lunch, and thankfully the happy couple were so besotted they didn’t seem to notice the strain between the two brothers—or perhaps they were used to it by now.
The speeches were short and informal.
‘Mimi, you have brought so much happiness to Gio...’ Sev smiled at his new step-grandmother, then looked at his grandfather. ‘Gio, you deserve every happiness.’
‘You do too,’ Gio said, dabbing his eyes.
It was far from effusive, yet Susie could feel the love in the room, and she found she was holding her breath as Dante stood to make his toast.
‘Mimi...’ he said. ‘It is wonderful to share in this day, to know you are now part of our family.’ He looked to his grandfather. ‘And Gio...’
He paused.
He really paused, and Susie felt her throat squeeze tight.
‘We love you...’
Gio nodded. ‘I love you boys too.’
The music recommenced, and Susie headed back to the main kitchen to take out the cake. She nodded when Pedro suggested she take a break.
‘There’s some lunch for you in the kitchen.’
Susie didn’t fancy it, though, and just took a couple of arancini balls in a napkin.
‘I might just go out to the garden,’ she told him.
‘Go through the side entrance,’ he said, and nodded.
She slipped out and walked under the portico. It was a lovely chilly day, and it was nice to be cold for a moment, and to let a tear slip out. But she hastily wiped it away when she saw Dante had come out too.
‘There you are...’ He stood over her. ‘Gio said you were working in the kitchen now. Congratulations.’
‘Thanks, although I’m waitressing today—oh, and tonight.’ She looked up, took in his lovely suit. She had sort of known he’d come out—or rather she’d hoped he might. ‘How’s your client? The one with the letter?’
‘Driving me crazy. Court on Monday.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘I don’t think either party is ready. The judge is right, I fear—it’s going to be a circus.’
Dante wasn’t outside by chance. He knew how awkward this wedding must be for Susie, but he’d been resisting calling her for weeks.
Resisting...
He glanced back at the restaurant. ‘Mimi’s going to sing again.’
‘I think that’s beautiful.’
‘Maybe...but I get embarrassed when people sing to each other.’
‘You!’
‘I don’t know why... I always have.’ He couldn’t help but smile as he took a seat on the bench beside her. ‘Just my luck to now be related to someone who does it all the time.’
Susie couldn’t help but laugh, and then she thought about Sev’s comment. ‘You should tell Sev—I don’t think he’s too keen on the singing either.’
She glanced over at his grim expression. ‘Please...listen... I thought about what you said. If it was you and Celia... You’re right, I wouldn’t tell her.’
‘No?’
‘I think I’d lose her if I did...’ She was being honest, and it hurt, but it was true.
‘So why do you think I should tell Sev?’
‘If it was Cassie who’d slept with you, though...’
‘They’re identical twins.’ He frowned in confusion.
‘I mean if you took me out of the scenario—if it was just between them—well, I think she’d forgive her, or they’d somehow get past it, because they love each other and they’d work it through.’
‘It’s not as straightforward as that.’
‘You could try?’
Susie honestly expected him to stand up and stalk off, but he didn’t.
‘Rosa told me she thought she might be pregnant.’
He snapped it out, as if it was something he’d never wanted to share.
‘Do you think Sev would want to hear that?’
‘I don’t know...’ Her voice shivered. ‘Was she?’
‘Of course not.’ He looked around and made certain there was no one else about. ‘She kept calling, asking me when I’d be home—that sort of thing. I reminded her we weren’t a couple. Then she called and said she was late...that maybe the condom had broken. I knew it had not.’
‘Accidents happen...’
‘Not to me. I knew I’d been careful; I knew she was lying. I flew straight back—she wasn’t expecting me to. I called her and asked to meet immediately. I said that she should see a doctor and that I’d come with her. She didn’t want that, of course.’
‘What did she want?’
‘Marriage,’ he said flatly. ‘She suggested I go and speak with her parents and make things “respectable” before anyone caught on...’ His laugh was black. ‘I told her there wasn’t a chance in hell I’d marry her, and that I’d want a DNA test before we spoke any further. Look, I’m not proud of how I reacted, but I was certain she was lying.’
‘Why would she lie?’
‘Why?’ Dante repeated. ‘Because she was trying to set me up—no doubt at the urging of her parents. There have been fights over this land for generations...the De Santis family have always wanted the wineries merged.’
‘You really think she was doing that?’
‘Susie, I spend half my working life sorting this kind of issue out. Family lines, succession, mergers of land... I didn’t get interested in that side of the law by chance.’
Susie exhaled shakily.
‘I told her she should take a test right there and then. I went and bought one.’ He gave a mirthless laugh. ‘By the time I got back from the pharmacy, lo and behold, she told me it had been a false alarm.’
‘Her period had arrived?’
‘Of course.’
‘You never told anyone?’
‘I wish to God I’d told my brother, but I didn’t.’ The regret in his voice turned to bitterness. ‘A couple of years later I was visiting home, walking on the walls, and she came running after me crying, telling me that she and Sev were in love, that he must never find out about us. I thought she must have pulled the same stunt that she tried with me and told him she was pregnant. Sev’s a lot more dutiful than me—or he was... I tried to talk to him a couple of times, but he just blocked me... On the eve of the wedding I was more direct. I said that if she was saying she was pregnant, it was no reason for him to marry her. Sev hit me—told me never to speak of Rosa like that. He said he loved her...’
‘Do you think he did?’
‘Who knows with Sev? I stayed back... I figured if he wanted to talk...’ He shook his head. ‘Then the accident happened. I tried to talk to him again, but he didn’t want to hear it.’
‘He might now.’
‘No.’ He looked over to where she sat. ‘I’ve thought about your question...if I regret sleeping with Rosa, or not telling Sev.’
‘And?’
‘I wish I’d never laid eyes on her.’ He stood. ‘Sev and I are finished.’
He headed back to the party and Susie just sat there for a moment. Then glanced at the time and knew she had to head back.
Dante watched Susie leave the private dining room and saw her pass the west side windows. He tried to focus on something Mimi was saying, and to tell her he wanted to leave discreetly.
But no...
That would not be fair.
And when Susie returned—when the cake had been cut and the catering staff were packing up—he wanted to go into the kitchen and kiss her neck...turn her in his arms and lose himself in her for a moment.
But that would not be fair either.
‘Dante?’
Sev was trying to be polite, for the sake of the wedding, and held up a bottle of whisky. Dante nodded, but he could see the hell in his brother’s eyes even as he attempted to be civil and knew he’d caused so much of it.
Then Mimi took the microphone again. Briefly he met Sev’s eyes and gave a small smile, one only the brother who knew him very well might understand.
Only Sev didn’t return the smile, and Dante looked away.
God, but he wanted Susie...
Dante gave in then—pushed back his chair and walked into the kitchen. But it was empty, and everything was neat and tidy.
The staff were gone.
It was just family now.
Two feuding brothers, whisky and wine.
Oh, and music that was set to play late into the night.
What could possibly go wrong?
It was after Mimi’s sister had left that Gio turned his attention to his grandsons.
The musicians still played softly; his grandfather’s conversation was getting louder the later the hour.
‘Dante, why don’t you ever bring someone?’ Gio demanded, seeming determined to sort out his grandson’s love life.
Dante strummed his fingers on the table and gave a non-committal smile.
Right now, he wished he had.
He kept thinking of Susie, and how he’d stalked off in the garden that day, after he’d told her everything.
‘And you...?’ Gio turned his inappropriate questions to Sev. ‘Why are you staying in a hotel when you have a home here?’
‘It is your honeymoon,’ Sev quipped.
‘Then why not stay at your brother’s?’ Gio persisted. ‘Always you stay in a hotel...’
‘I might want to find company.’
‘Then bring her along.’
Sev gave a wry laugh and rolled his eyes, and then Mimi decided it was time to treat them all to another performance.
‘Ah, I know!’ Mimi said, and delivered her choice to the ensemble.
The violinists and viola player took up their bows, but the cellist abruptly glanced towards Sev. She was local, and knew this was perhaps not the best choice.
A beautiful soprano aria by Puccini. They were in Lucca, after all—his birthplace. So possibly it was a natural choice, and Mimi would have performed it often...
Except it had been sung at Sev and Rosa’s wedding.
As well as at Rosa’s funeral.
Gio didn’t seem to remember—he was gazing at his bride.
Dante closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to look at Sev, who was as white as marble, though there was clearly still some blood supply, given the muscle leaping in his cheek.
Mimi’s voice seemed to be wrapping around them both, taking them back to those dreadful days.
‘Mimi...’ Dante went to halt her, but Sev told him to leave it, and so they sat through the hellish performance and briefly met each other’s eyes. Sev’s look was less than friendly as his gaze lifted to Dante’s scar.
‘Bravo,’ Sev said at last, and stood and gave Mimi a burst of applause. ‘Now, I really do have to go.’
‘Not yet!’ Mimi pouted, but thankfully Gio suddenly seemed exhausted and ready for guests to leave.
‘And me.’ Dante stood.
Sev was out in a matter of moments, so it was Dante who bore the brunt of the farewell hugs and kisses, but soon he was up on the walls, chasing his brother down.
‘Sev!’ he called out.
Sev told him to back off, only Dante ignored him.
When he’d caught up, Sev told him to back off again—only rather less politely.
‘No!’ Dante grabbed him. ‘Listen to me. I should never have said what I did. I get it, okay? And I am sorry. But it’s been almost ten years.’
‘I said leave it,’ Sev warned, and now he had Dante by the lapels of his jacket. ‘Or I’ll take care of the other eye. See how good you look in court on Monday then. Go to hell, Dante.’
‘We’re brothers.’
‘Correction,’ Sev said, and shoved him. ‘We used to be!’
Dante walked off.
Possibly because he knew he had court on Monday...
More likely it was guilt.
For whatever reason he walked away, arriving home to an empty house, and the coral scarf Susie had left behind still draped over the banister.
He’d be having words with his housekeeper, Dante decided, picking up the long strip of coral silk and pressing it to his face, inhaling her scent, unable to resist any more.
The worst Valentine’s Day ever!
Susie’s knew that her long shift might be worth it come payday, but seeing Dante had been hell, and then serving happy couples late into the night...
She was utterly spent—more exhausted than she could ever recall being.
One more week of language school and hopefully then things would get easier.
There was no Dante waiting with ice cream when she stepped out of Pearla’s—not that she wanted one. If anything, the thought made her feel a little bit ill.
Susie stopped mid-stride, a few throwaway thoughts starting to merge in her mind. There was a flutter of panic in her chest.
She walked more briskly, telling herself she was being ridiculous.
She’d missed one pill.
Or two.
Her breasts hurt...
Because she was getting her period.
She’d told herself that when she’d been trying on Mimi’s gowns.
‘Hey...’
The one time she hadn’t been hoping, Dante was here!
He’d been leaning against the wall of the ancient apartment block, but stood up straight when he saw her.
‘Shouldn’t you be at the wedding?’ she asked.
‘It was time to go.’ He gave a grim flash of a smile. ‘Can we talk inside?’
‘I’m not sure if my flatmates are in.’
‘What? Aren’t you allowed to bring men back to the nunnery?’
He must have seen from her expression that his little joke wasn’t well received, and perhaps he thought he knew the reason, because he said, ‘Susie, I had no idea you’d be there today. I was...’
‘So you were just going to fly in and fly out? Not even...?’
Dante looked as if he hadn’t had the best night either. ‘I have a home here in Lucca—am I to you inform you every time I’ll be home?’
‘Of course not.’
‘Did you want that?’ he asked. ‘Did you want me to call you and say, I’ll be here for one night. I can’t tell you why, but can I come over? ’
‘No.’
She shook her head; she hadn’t thought of it like that. No, she didn’t want to be his on-call mistress.
‘So what? Now that I know you’re here, you thought you’d drop in?’
‘If you’d let me finish... I was trying to say I had no idea you’d be there today, but I was pleased you were.’
Her head was still spinning—not just from seeing him, but at the possibility that she might be pregnant, and also...
She looked at Dante and realised that there was another problem.
It would be hell to be pregnant by the playboy attorney...
But to love him...?
As if to deny her own want, she snapped, ‘What do you want, Dante?’
‘This.’
He kissed her then—a fervent and deep whisky-laced kiss that tasted delicious—and she was in his arms, kissing him back with passion. Hurling herself at the exit that was Dante, desperate for escape from her thoughts.
His hands were everywhere, and Susie truly wished they were at his house. There they could fall through the door and be completely alone...
But then she hauled herself back.
It was only a temporary escape.
She pulled her head back, peeled her body from his. ‘You’d better go.’
‘Susie...’ He took a breath and then released her. They stood apart for a moment, and Dante seemed to gather his thoughts.
‘Can we talk?’ he asked.
‘Talk?’ she scoffed.
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Please.’
She was still reeling, though. She knew they would end up in bed, and that she’d be in love with him just a little bit more.
In love and possibly pregnant by a man who couldn’t commit to anything.
And so she’d give him a chance to talk.
One chance.
‘I spoke to my mother this morning...’ she told him.
He frowned. Clearly he had no idea what she was getting at.
‘The twins are moving house next weekend, so they’re not visiting me now till April.’
He frowned again.
‘It means I’ll be free on my birthday weekend. The weekend of the ball. You could come.’
‘I’ll be in the middle of a court case.’
It wasn’t the answer she wanted. She wanted him to understand how much it hurt that her parents had cancelled visiting her on her birthday, for him to fix it, to tell her not to worry.
To tell her they were about more than sex.
But, as charming as he could be, he didn’t step in—and he didn’t wave a wand and say, Susie, you shall go to the ball .
‘What are you saying here, Susie? If I ask you to the ball then I get to come upstairs?’
Susie flushed. ‘I didn’t mean it like that.’
‘No...’ He shook his head. ‘You want to use me in whatever strange competition you have going on with your sisters.’
‘I might be in competition with them,’ Susie retorted, ‘but I’d rather that than throw in the towel as you have with Sev.’
Dante abruptly turned and walked off.
And, as he did so he raised his arm as if he was doing just that—throwing in the towel on them.
Damn...
Susie ran up the stairs and wanted to immediately run down again. Instead she sat on the couch and buried her head in her hands.
Oh, she knew she’d handled that terribly. But the shock of seeing him two seconds after she’d realised she might be pregnant...
‘Susie?’
It was Juliet, carrying two boxes of pizza, with Louanna behind her.
‘You missed all the fun,’ Louanna said.
‘It wasn’t fun—it was awful,’ Juliet groaned.
‘The Casadio brothers...’ Louanna said with glee.
Susie’s heart sank. ‘What happened?’ she asked.
‘Mimi sang “O Mio Babbino Caro” ,’ Juliet said, sinking down on a chair. ‘You should have seen the look that passed between the two brothers.’
‘And...?’
‘Apparently it was played at the older brother’s wedding,’ Louanna explained. ‘And I think it might have been played at the wife’s funeral too. I thought Sev was about to explode... Then apparently there was a fight on the walls.’
‘No...’ Juliet shook her head, and told her the gossip she’d heard while getting pizza.
Only Susie wasn’t listening.
She closed her eyes in wretched regret for her handling of things.
Dante really had wanted to talk.
And kiss...
It was the worst Valentine’s Day ever.