Dr. Romano's Christmas Baby
Page 16
‘I lied to you. Hell, I lied to myself. I came back for you. The divorce papers gave me such a jolt. I started looking for a job in Brisbane the same day. I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw the job at the General advertised. I told myself I was coming back for my career and to prove I was over you, but I was lying to myself. I knew it that day in the bush when I noticed you were ring-less and I certainly knew it the day against the door. I just couldn’t face it. Couldn’t bear to leave my heart so exposed again.’
Rilla gazed into his eyes. They were warm and open. She could see he was telling her the truth. He had come back for her. Before she was pregnant. Even if he hadn’t been aware of it. She could see his love and the pain all twisted together in his eyes, and she could hardly breathe as a burst of pure happiness rose inside her.
Luca moved towards her. His grief over the miscarriage and then his stubbornness over this baby had nearly lost her, nearly made him lose track of what was important. He came around to her side of the desk and sank to his knees in front of her.
‘I know I don’t deserve it but can you ever forgive me, Rilla? Do you think you could love me too?’
Rilla felt a lump rise in her throat. ‘Oh, Luca,’ she cried, pushing her fingers into his hair and swooping her lips down for a brief hard kiss of his momentarily stunned mouth. ‘I love you so much, it hurts. Of course I forgive you. We both made mistakes. We were both stubborn. I thought I was over you too. Why, oh, why, did we waste seven years?’
Luca was just grateful they’d finally got their act together. ‘We were fools,’ he whispered, and this time he claimed a kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her until they were standing pressed together.
‘Does this mean you’ll be my wife again?’ he asked. ‘Properly this time?’
Rilla nodded through suddenly glazed vision. ‘For ever and ever.’
Luca grinned. ‘This is an amazing Christmas.’
‘Amen to that.’ Rilla grinned back.
EPILOGUE
CHRISTMAS Day at the Winterses’ house was full on. Everyone was there, including David and his girlfriend and the newest member of the Winters clan, Bridie. It was a day full of love and laughter.
Despite the soaring summer temperatures, Penny Winters was a traditionalist at heart, which meant lunch was turkey with all the trimmings. The air-conditioning units kept the outside heat at bay and everyone ate to excess.
The usual groans were heard around the table after the last of the pudding was eaten, over-indulgence stretching bellies. Rilla, whose morning sickness was all but over, ate everything in sight, making up for lost time, and withstood the good-natured teasing of her siblings.
After lunch they sat around in the lounge, watching cricket on TV and dozing for a while as carols played in the background. Rilla smiled indulgently at Luca, who was learning the rules of cricket from John. The last two weeks had been the best of her life. She thanked the universe every day that they’d both finally come to their senses.
She heard Bridie stir and as Beth and Gabe were both dozing she picked her up out of her cot. ‘Hello, beautiful girl,’ she whispered, and was rewarded with a dribbly smile.
Rilla took Bridie out onto the deck. It was quiet outside and she wanted to give Beth and Gabe a proper break. It was hot but the deck was covered and a slight breeze blew through the tall gums and lifted the hair off Rilla’s neck.
Luca found her out there ten minutes later. He was blasted with a furnace of heat as he opened the door and he had a fleeting longing for snowflakes and frozen lakes. But he knew it wasn’t a serious desire. This was where he belonged. With Rilla.
She was rocking Bridie and he found the movement mesmerising. She had tinsel in her hair and a zany Christmas T-shirt on and a Santa hat, and she’d never looked more beautiful.
This was how she would look holding their child. Her confident stance, her instinctive rocking, her low, gentle voice. She would make an excellent mother. But first and foremost she was Rilla. His wife. His lover. His soul-mate.
‘You’re good at that,’ he murmured softly. He knew she’d heard him as her rhythm paused briefly before her hips resumed their gentle sway.
‘Damn right I am.’ She grinned at him. ‘Had enough of cricket?’
Luca chuckled as he walked towards her. ‘I think it may take me a few years to grasp it. Your father’s going to take me to a game some time at the Gabba.’
He put his arm around Rilla, drawing her into his side and looked down at his niece. ‘How is my little bush baby?’ he murmured.
‘Alert,’ Rilla said as they both watched Bridie follow the lazy path of Jumbles, the family cat.
They gazed down at her for a long while, a very special connection between the three of them.
Rilla finally dragged her gaze away. ‘Hey, guess what?’ she asked, indicating above them with a nod of her head.
Luca looked up to see a bunch of bush mistletoe hanging from the middle of the exposed beams of the deck.
‘Do you think I need mistletoe to kiss my wife?’ He grinned.
‘You haven’t done it yet,’ Rilla teased.
‘Well, now, I’ll have to do something about that, won’t I?’ he said, lowering his mouth. ‘Merry Christmas, Rilla,’ he murmured, his lips touching hers as he formed the words. ‘Here’s to many, many more.’
‘Merry Christmas, Luca.’ Rilla sighed, and surrendered to his mouth, knowing they’d finally made it.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5637-1
DR. ROMANO’S CHRISTMAS BABY
First North American Publication 2008
Copyright © 2008 by Amy Andrews
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