An Inconvenient Love (Crimson Romance) (19 page)

That brought a smile to her lips. Luca leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I am pleased to see you happy again. It has been too long.”

She squeezed his hand where it rested on the table. He lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers, oblivious to the couple sat opposite them. The woman glared at her again, but Sophia didn’t care. Luca was hers
.

“Don’t let him out of your sight.”
Leslie’s dire warning flitted through her brain.

Thirty minutes later they sat in the Maserati. When Luca didn’t start the engine, she turned to him.

“Thank you for coming with me tonight. I know you are tired and would have preferred to stay at home. Are you still ill from Teramo? You look a little pale.” He cupped her cheek, his thumb rubbed lightly across her lips.

She pressed a kiss against his thumb and he smiled. “I think it’s just because I’ve been inside so much lately. A few days in the garden and I’ll look better.”

“Hmm.” He didn’t look convinced. Before he could question her further, both their mobile phones buzzed. Their peripherals were more in synch than they were.

“
Mi scusi
. The planning committee in Teramo held a special meeting tonight on the project. They said they would let me know their decision.”

While he read his message, Sophia glanced at hers. There were several missed calls from her brother and an email from the property rental company. They offered her the contract and wanted her to begin in ten days.

“All is approved. We can start in two weeks,” he said, triumph in his voice. “Let us go home and celebrate.”

• • •

Several hours later, a thoroughly satisfied Sophia curled up against Luca. His heartbeat was steady under her ear, his warmth enveloped her. Although she was still slightly embarrassed at her loud reactions to their lovemaking, she couldn’t deny the effect he had on her. “I like the way you celebrate.”

“Glad to hear it—almost as much as I like hearing your expressions of contentment.” She could hear the self-satisfied grin in his voice.

“Hmm,” she ran her hand up his thigh and felt his instant reaction. “I seem to recall a rather vocal response from you as well.”

“Really?” He rolled her onto her back, his hand sliding up from her hip to her breast. “I do not think I said anything. Perhaps we had better test this theory of yours,” he whispered against her lips, before taking them in a blistering kiss.

He was trailing his lips down her throat when the jarring sound of the phone ringing made him raise his head. “This is very bad timing. Must be my mother. Should I tell her she will never become a
nonna
if she telephones when we are in bed?” He rolled away and picked up the receiver.

Still in a fog of bliss, it took a moment for her to understand the voice on the other end, asking if this was the correct number for her.

“Yes, she is here. Who is calling?”

“It is your brother, James,” Luca said, passing over the phone.

“Hello, James.” She cleared her throat, which was still raspy with desire. “What’s wrong? You usually call me on my mobile phone.”

“I tried your mobile all evening. You never answered my calls or messages. Finally I got in touch with your friend Olivia, who gave me this number. Who answered the phone?” Her brother sounded upset but curious to find a man answering his sister’s home number.

“That was Luca, my husband.” She moved the phone away from her ear as James’s “what?” echoed through the room. “I’ll tell you all about it later. What’s so urgent you are calling so late?” She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest.

“It’s Mum. She’s taken a bad turn and is in hospital. Sophia, the doctors don’t think she is going to last much longer. They say she has only a day or two left. She wants to see you one last time.” James’s voice cracked with emotion.

“Oh, James! I thought she was doing better. I’ll catch the first flight in the morning … No, no, I’ll meet you at the hospital. I take it she’s at North Mid?” Her voice was calm, but her hands shook. She spoke with James a couple more minutes before hanging up the phone.

She glanced at Luca and her heart flipped. How could she decide between her husband and her dream? Her future was such a disaster, she might as well go back to the past.

Luca had already gotten out of bed and was standing next to it, wearing his dressing gown, holding hers out for her to slip into.

“I am coming with you,” he said firmly.

She gazed up at her husband and saw compassion, and something else she couldn’t identify on his face. “Luca, I would love for you to come. But I don’t think this is the most appropriate time for you to meet my family. If my mum really is dying, then finding out in her last hours that I’m married will only upset her. I can’t tell her our marriage is a business arrangement; she wouldn’t understand. All she’ll think is that her oldest daughter didn’t even invite her to the wedding. And it will remind her of how crappy a mother she’d been to me. I’d rather she went to her grave in peace.”

A flicker of pain crossed Luca’s eyes, and his hand flew to his chest as though she’d stabbed him in the heart. Then he blinked and the expression disappeared, although he still looked ready to argue with her. “Can we compromise and you come out for the funeral? You can meet my father and the rest of my family then. Also, if the doctors are wrong and she lives longer, you won’t have to fly back and forth. Don’t you need to sign a bunch of contracts for the hotel project this week?”

“I told you that you would never have to cope alone again, and I meant it.” He paused, as if considering her arguments. “Okay. I will wait for your call. But I am serious, call at any time and for any reason, and I will be on the next plane.” He took the clothes out of her hands that she’d been picking up from the floor. He tossed them on the sofa across the room and pulled her against him.

“Thank you,” she mumbled into his chest. She didn’t want to leave his warm embrace. Her career might provide her with some financial security and personal satisfaction. But it couldn’t compete with the haven of his arms, or the bliss that filled her when he smiled at her.

“Pack a bag and I will book you a seat on the first plane in the morning.” Luca leaned back and seemed to search her face. She could feel the walls build up inside of her again as she prepared to face her family.

With an enigmatic shake of his head, he finally let her go to make the necessary arrangements. She listened to the messages on her mobile phone—several from James and one from Olivia telling her that she had given James her home number and asking her to call back no matter what the time.

• • •

Leaden skies greeted her arrival back in England. The early morning sunshine in Italy seemed a lifetime away. This stormy weather, however, reflected her state of mind. Automatically, she scanned the crowd waiting for arriving passengers. Warmth filled her as she caught sight of a familiar face. She hadn’t anticipated how happy she would be that Olivia hadn’t listened to her about not coming to the airport.

“I saw a uniformed man holding a card with your name on it. Did your gorgeous husband arrange a car for you?” Olivia said, after embracing her.

“Probably. He made all the arrangements last night while I packed. Luca wanted to come, but I managed to convince him that now wasn’t the best time to spring a husband on my family.”

“No, I guess not. But you’re going to have to tell them soon. I don’t think it will be too long before you have a gaggle of children following you.”

“What do you mean?” Sophia could feel the heat creep up her neck.

Olivia laughed. “You no longer have that gaunt, haunted look, as if waiting for the final blow to do you in. You now look healthy, radiant even. Like a flower that has at long last been moved into the sunshine. Marriage suits you. I’ve never seen you look better.”

“You should try it. You look exhausted. Are you still burning the candle at both ends?” She noted the dark circles under Olivia’s eyes that her friend had unsuccessfully tried to conceal.

“No. I broke it off with Stuart. I realized he only wanted me for my looks. When we would go out he would show me off to his friends, but at home he just ignored me. He wasn’t interested in what I wanted or needed. He was like all the others. That’s it. I’m off men for good.”

“Oh, Livy, I seriously doubt that. You have too much love to give to go solo for the rest of your life. The right man is out there, you just need to be a bit more … selective.”

“Well, one thing is for certain. I am going to take a leaf out of your book, and I’m not jumping into bed with another man until there is a ring on my finger—preferably a wedding ring. Then I’ll know it’s serious.”

The drive to the hospital was accomplished in near silence. Sophia’s thoughts alternated between the bleak reunion that awaited her, and the ever-constant worry about her and Luca’s conflicting careers. If someone had told her four months ago that she’d be sitting in the back of a luxury car, trying to decide whether to accept a 50,000 euro contract or join her gorgeous and kind Italian millionaire husband living in one of the most beautiful parts of the world she’d ever seen, she’d have laughed.

Before she’d resolved her dilemma, they arrived at the hospital. As they walked into the hospital, both women wrinkled their noses and shivered. They put their arms around each other at the shared memory of fleeing the hospital together in the middle of the night.

“Give me your bag. I’ll be in the waiting room down the hall.” Olivia said as they stood outside the room number James had given last night on the phone.

“It’s not really necessary … ” Sophia began.

“It is necessary. Don’t be a bore and argue. I have a delightful book to read, another one of your habits I’ve taken up … and handsome doctors to ogle.”

“That sounds more like you. Sworn off men, my foot.”

Olivia hugged her, then took her bag before gliding down the hall. Sophia took a deep breath, opened the door to the room, and stepped inside. Her mother lay in the bed, eyes closed, exceedingly pale, her skin almost transparent. Her father sat in a hard plastic chair, holding his wife’s hand, his head bent as he slept. Although his face was relaxed, he looked drained, as though his life, too, was ebbing away.

She took a moment to study her parents, relieved to find that, despite the turbulent past, she was able to look at them without animosity. Luca’s support and the new life she had in Italy made this possible.

Walking over to the bed, she took her mother’s other hand. Janice opened her eyes and Sophia could see the dark shadows, and the pain she couldn’t hide. It took a moment for her mother to focus and recognize her daughter.

“Sophia! Is that really you? You look so different, so beautiful. Thank you for coming.” Her voice was barely a whisper but it woke her father, who stared at her.

“Of course I came. You are my mother.” Her voice cracked at seeing her mother so frail. What she wouldn’t give to have Luca’s arms around her right now.

“James said you’re living in Italy now, that you have a good job there,” her dad put in. She’d begged James not to mention her marriage; it was something she had to tell her parents herself. Thankfully her brother had lived up to his promise.

“Yes, I live in a lovely house near Milan with a beautiful garden. When you’re better, Mum, you’ll have to come over. Sitting in the garden with the warm sun on your face will do you a world of good.” She tried to keep a positive tone, despite having to speak past a lump in her throat.

Her mother just smiled and her father looked out the window at the grey skies. A few drops of rain slid down the glass like tears.

“Where is James? I expected him to be here.” She looked around the small room, a few cards from friends on the bedside table, and some dying blooms on the window ledge the only decoration in the sterile environment. Repressing a shudder at the coldness of the room, she reinforced her smile for her parents’ sake.

“He went to get some breakfast. He should be back shortly. Sarah will probably be here in an hour or so. She has to wait for a babysitter.” Her father’s voice was raspy as if he was trying to hold back tears.

Before the silence became unbearable, James entered the room and swept her into a big hug, lifting her completely off the floor. After he put her down, she scrutinized her brother. Even though it was only six months since she’d last seen him, he seemed to have changed from boy to man in that time. He was as tall as Luca but fair where her husband was dark. Her parents were frail and weak. James was strong and vibrant.

“Sophia, you look fabulous. I could almost say you’re glowing.” He held her at arm’s length, studying her carefully.

“It’s the Italian sunshine. I spend a lot of time outside in the garden. I passed my interior design course so I’m doing that now.” James looked like he was about to question the real reason for his sister’s transformation, but after her warning glare, he shrugged.

“Well, whatever it is, it suits you. How are you feeling today, Mum?” He shifted the attention back to Janice.

“Not bad. The nurse gave me some more morphine about an hour ago. Come sit next to me, Sophia, and tell me all about Italy.” She sat on the bed and held her mother’s hand, pleased to find her grip was still strong. She talked about her life in Italy, playing up the interior design work she was doing, avoiding any mention of her marriage. It was hard not to talk about Luca, the center of her world. But she could tell that surprising her mother with that news would be too much for her to bear.

Sarah arrived an hour or so later. Although they shared the same coloring and physique, Sarah always had a look of vulnerability that clearly distinguished the two sisters. Sarah twirled a lock of her hair, like she used to do as a child, even though she was a mother herself. The family talked about everything and nothing, pretending it was a normal reunion and that one of them wasn’t fading away before their eyes.

“I think Mum needs some rest now.” She noticed her mother’s grip had significantly weakened. She was exhausted as well, not having slept the night before.