Chapter 21
21
ROSE
‘Ben, can you talk?’ Marco yelled across the garden as they approached Villa Paradise holding hands.
He gave Rose and then Ben a considering look as they drew closer.
‘Have you spoken to Luna today?’
‘Not yet.’ Rose shook her head, taking in Marco’s grey pallor, how morose he looked.
It was obvious he was devastated that Luna had threatened to call off the wedding and from the look of him, nothing had changed.
‘She just texted. I’m about to meet her inside.
’ She pointed towards the villa.
‘Thank the gods she’s still here.
’ Marco looked relieved.
‘She slept in another bedroom last night,’ he muttered.
‘When I went to find her this morning, she and the dog were gone. I was afraid she might have left. I need to apologise,’ he said, turning in the direction of the house, but Ben placed a gentle arm on his shoulder and turned him back.
‘Not now…Let Rose speak to her first.’
Marco sighed but nodded.
‘I didn’t mean what I said, if she really wants to delay the wedding, well…
’ He drifted off, clearly dismayed at the idea.
‘She was upset,’ Rose began.
Marco shrugged. ‘And I’ll do whatever I can to fix that.
I’ll speak to Nonna , see what I can do to get Luna’s mum here on time.
Perhaps there’s a way to make the wedding happen?
’ His eyes widened.
‘There could be. But there’s a lot to talk about first.’ She glanced towards the house again.
Was her friend watching them now, waiting for her?
‘Let me find Luna while you both catch up. I’ll see if I can convince her to at least sit down and discuss things with you.
Last night was probably a knee-jerk reaction, I’m hoping in the cold light of day she’ll reconsider.
’
‘So you’ll convince her to go ahead with the wedding?
’ Marco asked.
Rose grimaced.
‘I’ll get her to talk to you.
I just want her to be happy; that’s all I’ve ever wanted.
’ She wasn’t going to browbeat Luna into getting married – her friend had to make her own choices – but she’d make sure she’d fully considered her options.
Remind her how strong her feelings for Marco were.
The last couple of days with Ben had given Rose an insight into how wonderful caring for someone could be.
Of course that was what she wanted for Luna too.
‘Do you think she’ll change her mind?
’ Marco asked.
‘Luna was upset last night, unwilling to talk,’ Rose said, still surprised her friend hadn’t answered any of her messages.
‘Now she’s had a chance to sleep on it, she’ll be in a better headspace.
If she wants to go ahead, I’ll do what I can to remove any obstacles.
If she wants to marry you, I’ll be a hundred per cent behind it.
’
‘Thank you for talking to her, for not telling her I’m an unworthy idiot and that she should back out,’ Marco said, his shoulders relaxing a notch.
‘I mean it.’ Then he turned his attention back to Ben.
‘Shall we sit in the garden?’ he asked, tipping his head towards the villa.
‘In our usual spot?’
‘Later.’ Ben gave Rose a quick wink before they both walked around the side of the house.
‘Luna,’ Rose said as she reached the second floor of the villa and spotted her friend sitting in a pool of sunshine on the staircase that led to Rose’s floor.
Coco growled as she approached but didn’t budge.
Her friend looked as tired and pale as Marco had, and Rose quickly dropped onto the step beside her.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked, ignoring the shih tzu as she tried to nip at her dress.
‘I’ve been trying to speak to you since last night.
’ She patted Luna’s knee, just managing to save her fingers from Coco’s snapping jaws.
Clearly, their short truce in the cellar was over.
Luna sighed. ‘I needed time to think. I’m sorry.
’ She gave Rose a dim smile.
‘Besides, from what I saw last night, you had better things to do than talk to me. Was that real or did I imagine it?’ She looked surprised.
Rose laughed. ‘It was real. I’m not sure what happened.
But?—’
‘Oh, I can guess.’ Luna let out a lusty chuckle.
‘But the real question is, do you want it to happen again?’
Rose shrugged.
‘Ben said he’d like it to.
If I’m honest, I think I would too, but…
’ She sucked in a breath.
‘It’s moving a little fast. I need to slow things down.
I don’t want to get into a situation like my parents and make a mistake.
’ Just the thought had her insides curling into themselves.
‘Looks like you ignored a few dozen of your Love Doctor rules,’ Luna said indulgently.
‘I’m sorry.’ Rose grimaced.
Her friend had lived through hours of sermons about the importance of taking things slowly, about the dangers of rushing into love.
Then in one single night Rose had broken every single rule she’d ever preached or made up.
Did that make her a hypocrite?
Luna placed a palm on Rose’s knee.
‘I’m happy for you. You deserve to meet someone, and you’ve spent far too long running from love — trying not to be like your parents.
But Rose — you aren’t.
I only hope Ben deserves you.
He’s certainly hot enough.
’ She waggled her eyebrows.
Rose smiled. ‘But what about you? You were angry last night.’
‘I was.’ Luna drew in a long breath.
‘Everything felt like it was falling apart. I still feel like Marco’s trying so hard to please his family that he’s lost sight of what we want.
Everyone seems so fixated on us having children, but I’m not ready for that yet.
When his nonna refused to come to the wedding and Coco ran away, it felt like the final straw…
’ She winced.
‘And what about your mum?’
Luna relaxed.
‘She’s finally managed to get herself on an early flight tomorrow, from London.
She’s in a taxi now, heading for a hotel close to Heathrow airport.
’ She sounded relieved.
‘She called just now to tell me. When I mentioned I might cancel the wedding, she said I need to give Marco another chance.’ She sighed.
‘She told me not to worry about what other people want and just to focus on us. Also, she said just because Marco loves me, he doesn’t have to love my dog.
’
Coco growled malevolently.
‘I know I don’t.’ Rose grinned and earned herself a laugh.
‘So it sounds like you’ve got a few things to talk to him about?
’
Luna looked embarrassed.
‘I’ve been ignoring his calls.
’ She spun her engagement ring on her finger, looking unhappy.
‘The key to a good relationship is communication,’ Rose said primly.
‘And now you sound just like your old self,’ Luna teased.
Rose frowned. She didn’t feel like herself at all.
‘I’m just saying the only way you’re likely to put things right with Marco is if you talk with him.
I happen to know he’s speaking with Ben in the garden now.
’
‘Do you really think the wedding should go ahead?’ Luna asked, looking at her suspiciously.
‘Is this Ben’s doing?
Because you haven’t been keen up until now.
’
‘It’s not Ben exactly.
’ Rose pulled a face.
‘Perhaps I’ve just realised I need to loosen up a little.
Marco makes you happy and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.
If you want to marry him, you should forget what anyone else thinks and go ahead.
’ She shrugged. ‘I’ve realised I have to stop trying to control everything – it’s pretty obvious from my work with Mum and Dad that I’m not always right.
’
‘It’s not you that’s wrong.
’ Luna squeezed Rose’s hand.
‘Just as long as you remember — and that you deserve to be happy too…’
‘Rose is a beautiful woman – I don’t think I noticed it until now.
’ Marco’s voice carried as Rose and Luna slowly made their way across the garden.
From here, Rose could see the men were sitting on a bench overlooking the sparkling swimming pool in front of them.
‘She is,’ Ben said carefully.
‘Wait,’ Luna said, scooping Coco into her arms and tugging Rose behind a blood-red oleander situated just a few metres away from where the men were sitting.
‘What are you doing?’ Rose complained as Luna tugged her closer, ensuring they were both hidden.
She could just make out Ben and Marco’s silhouettes through the branches.
‘ Shhhh , they’re talking about you.
’ Luna giggled, nudging Rose.
‘Don’t you want to know what Ben has to say?
’ She winked suggestively.
‘I know I do.’
Rose grimaced but didn’t move.
Spying was definitely not something the Love Doctor would recommend, but she wouldn’t mind hearing what was going on inside Ben’s head.
Perhaps if she eavesdropped for a few minutes, it would help her to understand what he saw in her?
Or even what he really expected to happen going forward.
‘I know you said Rose wasn’t your type, but I wanted to thank you for keeping her occupied since you arrived,’ Marco said seriously.
‘When I asked you to keep her busy in the restaurant and you refused, I thought you meant it.’
A block of icy dread made itself at home in Rose’s belly.
What did that mean, exactly?
She glanced at Luna who was frowning too.
‘Occupied?’ her friend mouthed silently, grimacing.
‘What do you mean?’ Ben asked, sounding a little put out.
‘Aside from last night.’ Marco chuckled but thankfully didn’t elaborate.
‘You took her swimming after you picked up the wedding gift which ensured Rose and Luna didn’t get time to talk.
Plus, you distracted Rose by taking her shopping to Francesca’s while Luna got her hair done.
It’s been obvious since Rose got here that she’s been distracted by you.
That’s made it easier for the wedding plans to progress without interference.
’ His voice trailed off at the end, and Rose wondered if he was remembering that his almost bride was having second thoughts despite him conniving to keep them separated.
‘But are you somehow responsible for her change of heart now? Is that why she’s not so dead set against the wedding anymore and why she’s agreed to get Luna to speak to me?
I’ve a feeling if my fiancée decides to marry me, Rose will be a big part of the reason behind that.
’
Rose winced when Luna mouthed, ‘What?’
‘That’s not true,’ she mimed.
But was it?
‘Rose knows her own mind,’ Ben said.
‘If she’s coming around to the idea of you getting married, that’s down to your fiancée and you.
It’s got nothing to do with me.
’
‘All I’m saying is I’m happy Rose is finally on my side.
You have a magic touch with women.
Perhaps you could encourage her to talk to Nonna next?
’ Marco asked.
‘I think she’s planning on doing exactly that,’ Ben said, and Rose’s stomach went into freefall.
Had this thing between them all just been an elaborate hoax?
Had he always been plotting, trying to get her to make sure the wedding went ahead?
Had Ben somehow staged their conversation by the lake when they’d spotted the shoot on the olive tree?
A million possibilities raced through her mind.
None of them good. ‘She told me that she’ll speak with Isabella later,’ Ben added, and Marco let out a quiet cheer.
Rose bit her lip, she knew she was only hearing half a conversation, had coached enough couples to realise this might be a misunderstanding.
But what if it wasn’t?
What if Ben had been playing her?
Had everything that had happened between them just been an act – a way to encourage her to get the wedding back on track?
Suddenly, she felt sick.
‘What’s happening?’ Luna whispered, leaning closer and squeezing Rose’s arm.
‘What’s he talking about — are you really planning on speaking to Nonna ?
What about?’
‘Nothing important,’ Rose croaked, swallowing a wave of bile.
‘Am I hearing this correctly?’ A gust of wind blew into them from nowhere making her shiver.
‘You mean did Ben deliberately seduce you to stop you from ruining the wedding?’ Luna asked softly, her face a picture of confusion.
‘I think that’s what they just said.
What I can’t believe is Marco would even ask that of him.
’ She paled. ‘What kind of man am I planning on marrying?’
What kind of man had Rose let herself fall for?
‘I don’t know,’ she croaked.
This couldn’t be happening.
A few minutes ago, she’d been humming with excitement about a relationship that might not be real.
She’d dropped her defences, allowed herself to feel something for the first time, trusted Ben when she should have known better.
She’d overturned her entire life, abandoned everything she’d built and believed in in less than four days.
How could she have been such an idiot?
‘I’m going to speak with Marco,’ Luna suddenly snapped, and was about to reveal herself when her mobile beeped from the pocket of her dress.
She juggled Coco into another arm and tugged it out.
‘It’s Mum,’ she hissed, indicating that they should move away from the men.
‘I need to take this. Then I’m going to sort this out.
’ Luna shot a furious look towards where Marco and Ben were still talking as she guided Rose towards the house.
Rose’s head was spinning, her insides pulsating with pain.
She’d been so stupid.
The woman with all the rules had allowed herself to be played.
How had that happened?
Was it just because of Ben’s handsome features; had she been too flattered by his attention to see below the surface?
Had she simply seen what she’d wanted to see?
When they were out of earshot, Luna quickly dialled her mother while Rose leaned her head against the cool brickwork of the villa.
She felt sick, but worse, she felt gullible and foolish.
She’d spent a lifetime first witnessing and then counselling others against getting involved too quickly.
Now she was reaping the devastating consequences of ignoring her own advice.
She’d abandoned her rules, decided they didn’t matter – and she should have known better.
Luna let out a sudden sob, and Rose jerked her head up just as her friend pushed her mobile back into her pocket.
‘What’s happened?’ she asked, sucking in a deep breath and trying to pull herself together.
She was strong and she’d get through this.
Hadn’t she walked her parents through all of their heartbreaks?
They’d survived, even if they had simply gone and done the same thing all over again.
‘That was Mum.’ Luna swallowed, her face paling.
‘She lost my grandmother’s necklace on the way to the hotel.
She’s just arrived and searched everywhere, but she can’t find it.
She’s so upset. She told me she’s not getting on her flight; she’s going to try to retrace her steps instead.
’ Her voice edged into hysteria.
‘She’ll find it,’ Rose said more out of reflex than anything else.
‘She won’t. She had it in a special bag, but that’s not in the taxi because she checked with them, it’s nowhere.
The only thing she can think is that she lost it or it got stolen on the train.
’ Luna’s eyes flooded.
‘It’s gone, my grandmother’s necklace is lost and my mother’s not coming.
If that’s not a sign that this wedding should be cancelled, I don’t know what is.
’
Rose opened her mouth to argue, before shutting it again.
‘If I’d never agreed to this wedding, we’d still have my grandmother’s necklace,’ Luna wailed, suddenly looking so fragile.
‘You’re right.’ Rose sighed.
‘Rushing into love always ends in disaster.’
Hadn’t her parents shown her that a million times?
‘So now you’re blaming me?
’ Luna squeaked, jerking her head up as more tears streaked across her face.
‘Of course not,’ Rose soothed.
‘But you do keep leaping into these relationships. You’ve known Marco for barely a month, got engaged to him in such a rush.
Perhaps this is for the best.’
Rose knew she’d said the wrong thing when Luna’s eyes widened.
‘I need a friend right now, not a Love Doctor, or a lecture in “I told you so”,’ she muttered, before turning on her heels and marching away.
Rose stumbled after, her stomach in knots.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said.
‘I’m not blaming you; I’m just upset.
’
Luna stopped as she reached the front steps of the villa and Coco stood beside her growling as Rose drew closer.
‘You got what you wanted. I’m not getting married and I’m going to end up alone — just like you,’ her friend said, before spinning on her heels and marching into the villa.
‘What’s happening?’ Elena asked as Luna bumped into her in the hallway just as Rose caught up.
Her head was spinning.
How had everything gone so wrong so quickly?
‘The wedding is off!’ Luna declared, before racing up the steps.
‘What?’ Elena cried.
‘It’s what?’ Marco yelled, his eyes widening as he and Ben appeared from the sitting room that led from the garden.
‘ Tesoro , you can’t mean that?
’ He jerked his gaze to Rose looking angry.
‘What did you do?’ he moaned.
Then he shook his head before bounding after Luna as she headed upstairs.