Maybe she wasn’t the same woman either. She certainly wasn’t the impressionable young girl who’d fallen in love with Steven Clark. She’d loved, lost, withstood public scorn and found a new home. You’re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for, Nico had once said. Maybe it was time to start giving herself credit. Time to believe she was strong.
Maybe even strong enough to fall in love with a strong man.
* * *
“I asked Lindsay Sullivan if she would stop by the meeting, as well. It might be useful to get a professional event planner’s input, even if she does specialize in weddings. Is that all right with you, Nico?”
“A wedding planner is fine,” Nico replied. “Whatever you want to do.”
“Whatever I...? All right,” Rafe said, plopping down on the other side of the table. “What have you done with the real Nico Amatucci? Usually by now you would have rearranged the agenda items and brainstormed three or four new ones. Instead, you’ve hardly said a word. What gives?” Folding his arms, the chef tipped back in his chair and waited.
No doubt he found Nico’s shrug an unsatisfactory response. “It’s your committee.”
“That I started with the full knowledge that you would take over. Honestly, I wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble if I didn’t think you would do the bulk of the heavy lifting.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” he replied.
“Leave him alone, Rafe. He’s nursing a broken heart.” Walking past, Dani gave her husband a playful smack on the back of the head. “Remember how depressed you were when I left Monte Calanetti?”
“Depressed is a little strong. Ow!” He rubbed the back of his head. “I was joking. I was also trying to distract him from his problems.”
“News flash. The playful banter isn’t helping.” Each quip was like salt in his already raw wounds.
“We’re sorry,” Dani said, taking a seat.
“No, I’m sorry,” he quickly replied. “You shouldn’t have to censor your happiness for my sake.” Then, because he was clearly a glutton for punishment, he added, “I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I called a couple of times, but she isn’t picking up her phone. She’s still in town, though.”
“I know.” He saw the lights on in the palazzo. Yesterday, while in the vines, he thought he caught a glimpse of her on the balcony, and he almost climbed up to join her. But since he was practicing patience, like his sister suggested, he stayed away.
“Do you think she’ll go through with selling the palazzo?” Rafe asked.
God, but Nico hoped not. “It’s up to her.” He personally hadn’t returned the Realtor’s call. Probably should or else risk losing the property altogether. The idea of someone—anyone—other than Louisa living next door... Grabbing a fork, he stabbed at a cornetto. Far preferable to stabbing anything else. “It’s her decision to make,” he repeated, as much to remind himself as anything.
“Whose decision to make what?” a beautifully familiar voice asked. Nico looked up in time to see Louisa walking into the main dining room. She was dressed in a navy blue suit, the kind a banker might wear. The dark material made her hair appear more white than ever. Perhaps that was why she was wearing it pulled back in a clip. This, he realized with a jolt, was a different Louisa than the woman he’d left the other day. The woman before him carried herself with confidence and grace.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said, setting a leather portfolio on the table. “Oh, please tell me that carafe is American coffee.”
“Espresso,” Rafe replied. He sounded as astounded as Nico felt. A quick look at Dani said she shared the feeling, as well.
Fortunately for all of them, Dani didn’t have a problem saying something aloud.
“We didn’t think you were coming,” she said.
Pink appeared in her cheeks. “I wasn’t sure I was going to attend either. I didn’t make up my mind until last night.”
“And the suit?”
“Confidence booster,” she said, reaching for the plate of pastries that was in the center of the table. “I have a business meeting after this one.”
“You do?” Nico sat up straighter. This was what he feared. She’d come to say goodbye. “You found someone to buy the palazzo?”
“No, someone to help me turn it into a hotel.” Her blue eyes found his. “It appears I’m not leaving Monte Calanetti after all.”
“You’re not?” For a second, he was afraid he’d heard her wrong. There was a smile in her eyes, though. Would she be smiling if she was about to break his heart?
The rest of the restaurant faded into the background. Nico was vaguely aware of Rafe and Dani excusing themselves from the room, not that it mattered. He only had eyes for the woman in front of him. Everything else was background noise.
“What made you change your mind?” he asked.
Of course, her staying didn’t mean she wanted him back in her life. He tried to remind himself not to get his hopes up. She’d never even said she loved him.
But she was smiling. They both were.
“For starters? A good long look at where I was.” Her lip trembled, breaking the spell between them. She looked down at her pastry. “I realized I’d been stuck in the past. Not so much regarding what happened—although I was stuck about those things, too—but more like frozen in time. In my head, I saw myself as that same impressionable twenty-one-year-old girl. I forgot how much time had passed.’
Afraid she was about to beat herself up, he cut in. “Not so much time.”
“Enough that I should know better,” she told him.
She wasn’t making sense. Confused, he waited as she got up from the table. Her high heels tapped out her paces on the terra-cotta.
“I should have known that the person I am today isn’t the same as the person I was back then. At least I shouldn’t be, if I let myself grow up.
“I’m not making much sense, am I?” she said, looking at him.
“No.”
“I was afraid of that.” Her small smile quickly faded away. “What I’m trying to say is that you were right. I was afraid of repeating the past. For so long I thought I was trapped in my marriage. Then the trial happened, and suddenly I had a second chance. Throughout the entire trial, I swore to myself I would never let myself become trapped again.”
And along came Nico charging in to make everything better. Exactly what she didn’t need. He’d heard enough. “It’s all right, Louisa. I understand.”
“No, you don’t,” she said, walking to him. “I should have realized that I can’t make the same mistake, because I’m not the same person. I can make new mistakes, but I can’t make the same ones.”
Through her speech, Nico had been fighting the kernel of hope that wanted to take root in his chest. All of her rambling sounded suspiciously like it was leading to a declaration. Until he heard the words, however, he was too afraid to believe. “Are you saying...?”
“I’m saying I’ve fallen in love with you, Nico Amatucci. I started falling the day I arrived in Monte Calanetti, and I haven’t stopped.”
She loved him. “You know that I’m still going to want to rush in and fix things.”
“And I’ll probably get mad and accuse you of trying to take over.”
“I’d expect no less.”
The eyes that found his this time were shining with moisture. “Because no one said love had to be perfect.”
“Just perfect for us.” After days of separation, Nico couldn’t hold himself back a moment longer. Jumping to his feet, he rushed to take her in his arms. Immediately, he felt a hand against his chest.
“I still have scars,” she said. “You’re going to have to be patient with me.”
“I’ll wait for as long as it takes,” he promised. “There’s no rushing the harvest. A long story,” he added when she frowned. “I’ll tell you about it later. Right now, I’d much rather kiss you.”
Her arms were around his ne
ck before he finished the sentence. “Bella mia,” he whispered against her lips. Thank you, he prayed to himself. All his dreams, everything he’d ever wanted, he was holding in his arms right now. Nothing else mattered.
As his lips touched hers, one last thought flashed across his mind.
No sweeter wine...
EPILOGUE
February 14, Valentine’s Day
IF YOU ASKED LOUISA, the palazzo had never looked lovelier, not even when the place had hosted the royal wedding party. Standing in the ballroom doorway, she couldn’t stop smiling at the crowd of people who were there to celebrate the opening of her hotel.
This weekend, the palazzo would only host a handful of overnight guests, mostly friends who had agreed to be guinea pigs and test the service. They would open to the general public on a limited basis next weekend, and she hoped to be fully operational by summer.
The crowd was here for the first annual St. Valentine’s Ball. Billed as an opportunity to experience medieval romance and pageantry, the idea was the tourist development committee’s first official success.
A flash of red sequins caught her eye. “Lindsay’s outdone herself this time, hasn’t she?” Marianna said, appearing by her side. “No wonder she does so many A-list weddings.”
“No kidding.” The room was a gorgeous display of roses and red tapestry. “We were lucky she offered to help, what with her schedule.” But then, the woman had a soft spot for the village since it was where she’d met her husband. He was here with her tonight. A quick look across the dance floor found the two of them stealing a kiss in the corner. They were caught by Connor and Isabella, who’d apparently had a similar idea. Yet another couple who had found love here.
Monte Calanetti seemed to have a romantic effect on people.
“I overheard a couple talking in the lobby about booking a room for next year’s ball,” Marianna was saying. “I hope you’re planning to take advanced reservations.”
“Of course,” Louisa replied. Talk about a foolish question. “My business partner would kill me if I didn’t,” Louisa replied. “Speaking of, where is your husband anyway?”
“He went upstairs to check on the baby and her nanny.”
“Didn’t you just check on them five minutes ago?”
“I did, but Ryan has to see for himself. Daddy’s little girl, you know.”
Louisa laughed. Sometimes she thought her two friends were competing to see who could dote on their daughter the most.
The idea of asking Marianna’s husband, Ryan, to invest in her project had happened completely by accident. Literally. Louisa had almost knocked him over the day she had taken the palazzo off the market. As luck would have it, he’d been looking for a new start-up project. Neither Nico nor Marianna had any idea until the partnership was official.
Naturally, when he found out, Nico had teased her about going behind his back. In reality, he was excited for her. It was a sign of how good things were going between them that they could joke about that terrible night last fall.
A tap on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts. “Nico told me to have you join him in the other room,” Marianna said.
It never failed. As soon as she heard Nico’s name, a shiver ran down Louisa’s spine. The man would forever have that effect on her. “Did he say what he wanted?”
The brunette waved her hand. “You know my brother tells me nothing. I think he and Angelo are up to something. I saw them and Rafe with their heads together. Their poor, poor wives.”
“You might want to include yourself in that category,” Louisa reminded her. “Whatever they’re up to, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before Ryan’s involved, too.”
“He’d better not be.”
The two of them walked toward what was now the hotel lobby. Of all the changes that the palazzo was undergoing, this was the most drastic. What had been the plain entranceway was now a richly appointed lobby. Louisa had done her best to keep the structural changes to a minimum, although she did concede to installing a small built-in counter that served as both the front desk and concierge location.
The staircase remained the same, however. Richly polished, the stairs made a welcoming statement to everyone who walked in. It was in a group gathered around the bottom banister post that Louisa found her man. He was talking with his brother, Angelo, and Angelo’s wife, Kayla, who had flown in from New York City. Rafe and Dani were also chatting.
Nico stepped to the side slightly, drawing her attention, and her heart stuttered. He sure could wear a tuxedo. Wasn’t fair. Tomorrow he would be back in his T-shirt and jeans and would look just as sexy. Worse, she’d bet he would look just as good fifty years from now, while she’d probably end up with gray hair and a thickening waist.
So you think the two of you will be together in fifty years, do you? Nico caught her eye and winked.
Yeah, she decided. She did.
At her arrival, Nico leaned in and whispered something in Angelo’s ear. His brother nodded. “There you are, bella mia!” he greeted. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her into a lingering kiss. Same as she did whenever Nico touched her, Louisa melted into his embrace. Such an overt public display of affection surprised her. She chalked it up to the champagne and the atmosphere.
“I missed you,” Nico whispered before releasing her.
“Down, boy. This dress isn’t made for manhandling.” She smoothed the wrinkles from the pink chiffon skirt before whispering in return, “I missed you, too.
“Is that why you wanted to see me?” she asked. Not that she would ever turn down a kiss, but again, even for Nico, the behavior seemed extreme.
“The kiss was merely a bonus. I was looking for you because I have a surprise.”
“For me?”
“No, for my brother, Angelo. Cover your eyes.”
Louisa did what she was told and seconds later, she felt Nico’s breath tickling her ear. “I wanted to do something to congratulate you for everything you’ve done with the palazzo. Carlos, he would be proud. I know I am.”
Warmth filled her from head to toe. She didn’t need a surprise. Nico’s respect meant everything. “Okay,” he whispered. “Open them.”
“Nico, I don’t need—Mom?”
The silver-haired woman standing at the foot of the stairs offered her a watery smile. “Hello, Louisa.”
“I—” She couldn’t believe her mother was standing the lobby. “How—”
“Signor Amatucci flew me here. He wanted me to see what you’ve done. It’s wonderful, sweetheart.”
“Mom...” She couldn’t finish the sentence. Instead, she ran and threw her arms around the woman, holding on to her as tightly as she could. “I missed you so much,” she managed to choke out. Until this moment, she hadn’t realized just how much. “I’m so sorry.”
“No, sweetheart, I am. I let us grow apart, but I promise I won’t let that happen again.” Pulling away, her mother cupped her face like she used to do when Louisa was a little girl and had a bad dream. “Okay?”
Louisa nodded. This was the best surprise she could imagine. “Thank you,” she said when Nico joined them.
“My pleasure,” he replied before looking serious “You’re not angry I went behind your back?”
“Are you kidding? No way.” If anything, his kindness only made her love him more. A pretty amazing feat, since she already loved him more than seemed possible.
She saw the same love in Nico’s eyes. “Good. Because a woman should always be able to share her engagement with her mother.”
Her engagement? A warm frisson passed through her at the words. She’d be lying if the idea of spending the rest of her life with Nico hadn’t crossed her mind during these past few months. Trying to imagine life without him was... Well, it was like staring at a blank wall.
Still, she wasn’t about to let him know that. The man needed to be kept on his toes, after all. Arms folded, she lifted her chin and said in her most haughty voice, “There you go, t
aking charge again. What makes you think we’re getting married?”
“A man can hope, can’t he?” Nico said, reaching into his pocket. Louisa gasped when she saw the small velvet box.
Bending on one knee, he held it out to her with a shaking hand. “Louisa Harrison, my beautiful, haughty American princess, you are the only woman I will ever love. Will you marry me?”
There was only one answer she could give. Same as there could only be one man she would ever want to be with forever. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, I will marry you, Nico Amatucci.”
He pulled her into another kiss, and this time Louisa didn’t care how wrinkled her dress got. As his lips slanted over hers and the crowd burst into applause, she felt the last ghosts of her life with Steven disappear forever. She’d found a new life, a new home, a new love, here, in the vineyards of Monte Calanetti.
And they were better than she’d ever dreamed possible.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from PREGNANT WITH A ROYAL BABY! by Susan Meier.
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Pregnant with a Royal Baby!
by Susan Meier
CHAPTER ONE
WHEN THE DOORBELL to her condo rang, Virginia Jones, Ginny for short, had just gotten out of the shower after a long, long day at Jefferson High School in Terra Mas, Texas. Her school was the last on a list of places Prince Dominic Sancho of Xaviera, a small island country between Spain and Algeria, was visiting on a goodwill tour. As guidance counselor, she’d shown him the school and introduced him to staff, then herded the kids into the gymnasium, where he’d given an hour-long talk on global economics: how the world was a much smaller place than it had been before the internet.
Harlequin Romance February 2016 Box Set Page 17
