‘We’ll do the bride and groom first,’ the photographer told them. ‘Down here, so we’ve got you framed by the entrance archway and the braziers.’
Georgia and Matteo were left standing to one side.
Alone. Together.
‘It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?’ Georgia scanned the scene that would become the background of the image. There were spotlights on the turrets towering above them and the round sweep of the Half Moon Battery. Dramatic flames danced over the tall braziers that the bridal couple were positioned between. ‘Perfect spot for a wedding, isn’t it? Did you know that the chapel was built in the twelfth century?’
She could hear herself speaking too fast and would probably cringe when she remembered the artificially bright note in her voice.
‘It’s the oldest building in Edinburgh.’ Her words slowed as she glanced sideways to catch the intent stare Matteo was giving her. ‘Um... St Margaret’s chapel, that is...’
‘So, is he the man with the beard?’ Matteo’s tone was clipped.
‘Sorry...what?’
‘The man with the beard who was sitting in the second row.’ He sounded impatient now. ‘That’s your husband?’
For a moment, Georgia was confused. If Matteo had known about her pregnancy, surely he would know that she didn’t have a partner?
How much did he actually know?
Luke and Kate were kissing now. A tender moment that would make a fabulous photo to remind them of this occasion.
Georgia had to close her eyes in a long blink, however. Shame was pushing past confusion. Of course Matteo thought she had a partner. He believed she had been cheating on him when she’d gone to bed with him.
‘That’s Dougal McGregor,’ she heard herself saying aloud. ‘My boss.’
Matteo’s breath came out in a silent whistle. ‘The boss, huh? That’s nice.’
Georgia’s eyes snapped open. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Matteo’s gaze seemed to be fixed on Luke and Kate. They looked like they were sharing a joke now and Kate’s head was tipped back as she laughed. Luke was grinning down as he held her in his arms. Maybe this would be the photo they kept on display, rather than the kiss, because they looked like the happiest two people on the planet.
Georgia was not happy. Matteo must have felt the anger in her glare because he turned his head. One eyebrow rose.
‘You’ll be well looked after,’ he murmured. ‘Even if you’re not married.’
‘Oh?’ The single syllable was a warning but Matteo merely shrugged.
‘He’s the father of your baby, isn’t he? Of course he will look after you.’
Anger got washed away in a small tsunami of relief.
He didn’t know the truth.
This was it. A cloak of protection that she could wrap around herself and her babies.
Weirdly, there was disappointment to be found in finding safety so easily.
Man...she really was an adrenaline junkie, wasn’t she? It was a personality trait that she really needed to squash, given that she was going to become a parent in the near future.
It wasn’t going to be easy, though. The temptation to hint at the truth was irresistible.
‘Dougal is not the father of my baby,’ she told him, even as a part of her brain registered that Matteo had no idea that this was a twin pregnancy. ‘And he’s not the only person from my work who’s here tonight so I’d appreciate it if you don’t spread any unfounded rumours.’
Matteo was scowling at her, dark brows lowered over eyes that looked black in this light. ‘But he is here? The father?’
Oh...the crazy part of her wanted to say ‘yes’ and flirt with danger again. But what if Matteo talked to everybody in the room over the canapés and champagne and worked out who that person could be by a process of elimination?
She could outright lie and say ‘no’ and make safety even more assured but, despite what Matteo thought of her, it wasn’t easy to tell a lie.
Her moment of hesitation provided an escape.
‘Over here, you two,’ the photographer called. ‘We’ll do the whole wedding party now, please.’
* * *
‘What is this?’
Luke peered at the tiny sandwich Matteo had in his hand. ‘I think that’s the smoked salmon and horseradish crème fraîche. It’s delicious.’
‘Mmm...’ Kate’s head was leaning against her new husband’s shoulder. ‘We made some good choices, didn’t we? Have you tried the Scottish beef and mustard mayonnaise ones? I’ve had three.’
‘Oink-oink...’ Luke dropped a kiss onto her hair.
Matteo put the sandwich into his mouth and let his gaze rake the room as he chewed it.
Where was she now?
It took only a split second to find Georgia, who was standing beside her boss. Had she been telling the truth when she’d denied that he was the father of her child? He could have sworn that when he’d asked whether that man was here, she’d been on the verge of confirming it. He could still feel an echo of the twist in his gut that was something bigger than jealousy. A betrayal almost. As if something that was rightfully his had been taken away.
It was crazy. He barely knew Georgia. They’d had only a matter of hours together.
So why was there a nagging conviction, he had never quite squashed, that she was the only woman in the world for him?
That he still loved her, despite the evidence that she had the worst fault a person could have as far as he was concerned.
Dishonesty...
He swallowed the mouthful of food that had suddenly become like cardboard.
‘Who is it?’ he surprised himself by asking aloud. ‘The father of Georgia’s baby?’
Kate’s jaw dropped and Luke’s eyebrows shot up.
‘She won’t say,’ Luke offered into the slightly awkward silence. Then he glanced at Kate, who bit her lip.
‘I have my suspicions,’ she confessed. ‘I think it might be a paramedic from New Zealand that she...um...had a brief thing with.’
‘New Zealand?’ Matteo had to focus on something and this was easier than the idea that the father of Georgia’s baby might not be in the picture any longer. ‘Had’ made it sound like ancient history. As if she had a space in her life that was glaringly empty. A space that he could fill...?
Could he do that? Not just get past the glaring fault of Georgia’s lack of honesty but be able to be a father to someone else’s child?
Sì...his heart whispered. Because it would mean you could spend the rest of your life with the woman you love...
No... His head shot back. Don’t even think about it. Change the subject. A country on the other side of the globe was a great subject.
‘Isn’t that where you two are going on honeymoon?’
‘More than that,’ Luke said. ‘I haven’t had the chance to tell you about it yet, but Katy and I are thinking of emigrating there. We’ve got some job interviews lined up for next week.’
‘What?’ Okay, this was an effective distraction. ‘You’re serious?’ A pang of something like envy tightened his chest.
He was ready for something new.
An excitingly different challenge.
More people edged closer to congratulate Luke and Kate, which interrupted their conversation about how wonderful a country New Zealand was. Matteo drifted away—towards where Georgia was still standing with her boss. She must have seen him coming because she apparently spotted someone she was clearly keen to talk to and excused herself smoothly the moment he arrived by her side.
‘It’s Dougal, yes?’
The older man nodded. ‘And you must be Matteo, the “paramedic extraordinaire” from Milan that Luke was telling me about.’
Matteo laughed. ‘He trots that line out everywhere. I would take it with... How do you say it—a s
poon of salt?’
Dougal grinned. ‘A pinch. But he was very believable, I have to say. If you’re ever in the market for a new job, come and have a chat. We have a position on our helicopter team coming up very soon that I’m keen to fill with someone extraordinary.’
‘Oh?’
‘We have a very international team. In the past, we’ve had guys from all over the world.’ Dougal sighed. ‘I guess the characteristics that make someone extraordinary include the desire for adventure and travel. Which is great, but it does mean that I have to go through this exercise of finding new people a lot more often than I’d like.’
Matteo nodded, but he wasn’t feeling sympathy over Dougal’s extra workload. His mind had stopped at the ‘international’ reference.
‘Have you ever had someone from New Zealand working for you?’
Dougal blinked. ‘As a matter of fact, we did. A while back now, though. Must be about six months since he left. It’s his replacement that we’re trying to find someone to fill right now. Why do you ask?’
‘No reason.’ Matteo didn’t need to do the maths. It fitted. ‘It just seems a popular part of the world at the moment.’
‘Ah...because that’s where Kate and Luke are planning to live?’
‘Mmm.’ Matteo’s gaze was roving again and, of course, it settled on Georgia. Why was her boss here if it wasn’t as her ‘plus one’? Kate and Luke were both doctors and it seemed surprising that they would count the director of a rescue service as a close friend.
Dougal had followed the direction of his glance.
‘You met Georgie, didn’t you? At the rally in Rakovi?’
‘Ah...yes.’ Somehow, he managed to make it sound as if he had to try to remember. ‘She was Kate’s partner.’
Dougal nodded. ‘She was the one who introduced me to Kate. We had her come to do some training sessions on station about dealing with paediatric trauma and we’ve been friends ever since. Have to say I’m delighted to share her happiness this evening.’
Matteo mirrored his nod. And, slowly, the smile. So there was a reason for Georgia’s boss to be here tonight that meant he could let go of his suspicions.
And the probable father of her child was already back on the other side of the world, oblivious to what he’d left behind.
He took a sip from his drink as he relaxed.
‘Tell me more,’ he invited Dougal, ‘about this job you have available...?’
CHAPTER SEVEN
IT WAS OVER.
The wedding guests followed the bridal couple down to the castle’s entrance where a taxi was waiting to whisk them off to the luxury hotel they had chosen to celebrate their first night together as husband and wife.
Matteo was apparently staying in Luke’s apartment for the night before he flew back to Italy tomorrow.
Georgia was going to drive back to the cottage that would feel very empty without Kate.
Her final hug with Kate was a fiercely tight one. The house wouldn’t just feel empty for the three weeks that her best friend was on honeymoon.
Kate would never live with her again. Even if they weren’t planning to emigrate to New Zealand in the near future, she would be living with Luke for the rest of her life, hopefully with the addition of children to complete their family.
Georgia was happy for them, she really was.
It was completely selfish to feel sad at the same time, wasn’t it?
‘I’m going to miss you,’ she said.
‘Same.’ Kate had tears in her eyes as she finally let go.
Georgia found a smile. ‘No, you won’t. You’ll be too busy living happily ever after.’
‘That’s not true and you know it.’
‘What’s not true?’ Luke was beside Kate now. Holding her hand and about to urge her into their taxi.
‘Kate doesn’t think she’s going to live happily ever after.’
‘Oh?’ Luke’s glance at his new wife was so full of love it took Georgia’s breath away. ‘We’ll see about that.’
Kate gave Georgia a long-suffering look. ‘You’ll keep. We’ll talk soon, okay?’
Another quick hug and then the taxi pulled away, the rattle of the traditional tin cans tied to the back of the car almost drowned out by the cheers of the guests.
And then there was a moment’s silence before the murmur of people taking their leave.
‘Where are you parked, Georgie?’ Dougal McGregor asked. ‘I’ll walk you back to your car.’
‘I can do that.’ Matteo’s voice came from behind them.
‘I’m fine,’ she said firmly. ‘It’s not far and there’s plenty of people around. Thank you both, but I’m quite safe.’
Dougal smiled. ‘See you at work tomorrow, then.’
‘You will.’ Georgia turned, intending to dismiss Matteo just as politely.
‘Didn’t Luke have a word with you?’
‘Um...about what?’
‘Giving me a lift to his apartment. He said it was on your way home.’
Georgia hadn’t noticed the old leather satchel that Matteo must have had with him when he’d arrived. He adjusted the strap on his shoulder.
‘No matter. I can get a taxi.’
They both looked at the empty street in front of them. Georgia closed her eyes for a moment. She had been too aware all evening of how the air around her changed when Matteo was present and her coping mechanism had been to keep as much space as possible between them. They were outside right now and the awareness was stronger than ever. Could she cope with being shut inside a small car with him?
She had to. She didn’t want Kate finding out that she had let them down on their wedding night. Or maybe she didn’t want to have to answer any questions about why it had been a big deal.
‘It’s not a problem,’ she told Matteo. ‘My car’s this way.’
It wouldn’t be a problem. It would take a matter of minutes, that was all.
She could cope with that breathless sensation of having this large man apparently using too much of the available oxygen in her vehicle. Of actually being aware of the warmth coming from his body that was only inches away from her own. Of the scent that was more alluring than any commercial aftershave.
Man...if some company could bottle the essence of Matteo Martini, they would make an absolute fortune...
What Georgia couldn’t cope with, however, was that Matteo didn’t get out of the car when she pulled up at Luke’s address. He just sat there, staring out of the windscreen until the silence became unbearable.
She flinched at the low rumble of his voice when Matteo broke the silence.
‘I need you to tell me something.’
Oh, no... Georgia felt as if any safety barriers around her had just evaporated. She was standing on the edge of a cliff and the slightest wrong move would be catastrophic.
Matteo didn’t wait for her to respond. He still wasn’t even looking at her.
‘Did you know,’ he asked quietly, ‘that you were already pregnant that night? Is that why you said it was safe?’
Here it was. An opportunity to ensure that Matteo would never know the truth. That she would be safe for ever from having the father of her children try to interfere with her life in any way.
All she had to do was say ‘yes’.
But she couldn’t do it.
If she said ‘yes’ she would be tarnishing the memory of the most perfect night of her life. Turning it into something that Matteo would dismiss as being even worse than cheating on someone.
Her breath came out in a sigh of surrender.
‘No. I didn’t know.’
‘But you were.’ She could actually hear Matteo’s painful swallow. ‘Already pregnant when we were together.’
A flash of memory engulfed Georgia. She was in his arms again. He was filling her a
nd her name was a groan of ecstasy as Matteo joined her in paradise.
Any science behind the timing of the conception was irrelevant. As far as Georgia was concerned, that was the moment she had become pregnant.
‘Yes,’ she whispered.
She never cried. But she had to blink hard right now.
‘And you’re happy about it?’
Good grief... It sounded as if Matteo was on the verge of tears as well.
It was Georgia’s turn to swallow hard. ‘Yes. I’ve wanted a baby for a long time.’
‘But you’re not with the father.’
‘No.’
‘Have you got family that will help you?’
‘No.’
Another long silence fell. It felt different this time. Not threatening at all. Almost sad, in fact.
* * *
How could anyone be facing a future like Georgia’s when they didn’t have the support of a loving family?
Even trying to imagine it was breaking Matteo’s heart.
It was brave and he admired that courage very much but it wasn’t the way things should be. Especially for Georgia. She needed to be adored.
The way he could adore her...
His mother and sisters would love her, too. And their children would be part of a tribe of cousins when they gathered to celebrate family occasions like birthdays or Christmas. Nobody would need to know that their first child wasn’t his own because he would love it as if it were.
Because it would be part of Georgia and he’d never quite managed to stop loving her.
He took hold of Georgia’s hand and broke the silence.
‘I will help you,’ he said. ‘I could be a father to your baby, Georgia.’
She looked totally shocked. Her mouth started to open but no words came out. She was clearly too stunned to say anything. Or even move to pull her hand away when Matteo raised it to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
Dio mio, but his heart was winning this time. Hanging onto that image of the future when his own family was a part of a joyous, Martini gathering. The only branch of the family tree that could carry on the name, in fact.
Twin Surprise for the Italian Doc Page 9
