A Life Sublime (33 page)

She turned around and glared at Durante. God, she better not carry on doing that, she was beginning to scare him. “You don’t look surprised.”

Durante deftly stepped out of Belinda’s line of vision. Not. His. Battle. He received his hugs and kisses from his nephews and nieces just as Arlo saw the commotion.

“I asked them to come,” Massimo answered his bride smoothly. “For our wedding.”

“Massimo Da Canavaze, what the hell did I tell you about surprises?”

“Arlo!” Durante said smoothly, hastening his nephews and nieces away from the battleground. “Have I shown you the art of escaping a domestic?”

“I think you should have shown
Zio
first,” Arlo murmured with a worried glance to where Massimo was calmly accepting a serious ear chewing.

“He’s fine,” Gina said breezily, “He’s got some mystical power over my aunt.”

“But I—” Arlo began to turn back only for Nick to clap a hand over the boy’s eyes. Durante briefly witnessed Massimo catching his woman by the arms and pulling her into a persuasive kiss.

“Trust me,” Nick assured him, “for the sake of future therapy, you do
not
want to look back.”

Durante shrugged. “Nothing he hasn’t been witness to for the past three weeks. You know sound carries at night.” They all came to a screeching halt. Durante lifted his brows. “I hope you all brought ear plugs.”

Sofia drawled. “I’ve already had my retinas burned out by them, why not my hearing?”

“What does that sound like to me?” Gina murmured.

Nick kept his hands over Arlo’s eyes. “Justice.”

Durante held up his hands. “All right, ground rules. We don’t talk about what’s going on behind us. They will do that. They are eighteen year olds in half centenarians’ bodies. You keep my farm house tidy. You do not undo the good work we have all done with Arlo. Finally, if you touch my wine, you tell me first.”

Paul snorted, “Good luck with that one. Might I reintroduce you to my wife, Sofia?” She gave him a self-satisfied curtsey.

Durante gritted his teeth. “Those are the rules. Now, let’s get this wedding business done with so I can go back to peace and quiet around here.”

“You know what
Zio
?” Gina said with a worrying lilt in her voice. “I think you need someone special in your life. Like my aunt has Pads. We could help you.”

Durante looked at all of them. “
That
,” he waved in the direction of Massimo and Belinda, “is your doing?”

He got four suspiciously, innocent grins that made him feel rather ill. “Just think what we could do for you.” Nick’s grin widened. “No cars this time,” he added out of the corner of his mouth.

Oh God help him.

BILLY

Thank you for reading. To read more stories in the Italian Knights series, check out the following:

• Windows
  (Nick and Gina)
  
• On Caristo’s Watch
  (Tony and Lydia)
  
• The Claim
  (Rocky and Anna)
  
• Best Laid Plans
  (Luca and Francesca)
  

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Ah, poor Billy. The only girl between two boys who each have nearly a foot on her. Didn't stop her from starting physical fights with them. She still thinks she can take them. So while she used to hide away in her wardrobe to read a book or four, she started to question why the heroines in those books would just lie there and take it. No, not just sex, but downright James-Bond-backhand-slapping, do-as-you're-told-woman, inappropriate lie there and take it.

She couldn't understand it. These women were just playing that mental woman from
Coming to America
, Miss “Whatever You Like” who barked like a dog and hopped on one foot. Billy didn't want to do that. Definitely not because one empty-headed fool with different anatomy told her to. So she started to create characters and worlds where the women could own their sexuality, their intelligence, their right to turn around and say “jog on, mate” without apology.

The small problem was that other people wanted to read what she was had written. “Er...why?” didn't cut it as an answer. After years of prodding and pleading and come on and for goodness’ sake, what's the point otherwise, she closed her eyes and pressed “submit.” Actually, she had Prosecco, limencello and white wine, then pressed “submit.” Who would have thought people would actually enjoy reading about the crazy characters who live in her head? But they have done, and Billy feels rather proud of that connection with her fellow man.

Billy lives in London with the most patient family in the world and doesn't forget for a minute how lucky she is. Well, she wouldn't mind a BBC adaptation of one of her novels... Ooh, with Richard Armitage!