by Cara Colter
He felt Charlie relax beside him, heard her gasp of relief. ‘Really?’
‘Will it make you happy, cara?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then let me discharge myself and we will head home. I think we’ve trespassed on the good doctor’s time long enough, don’t you?’ He started to pull himself to his feet, trying to hide his wince of pain as his broken ribs protested and his head swam.
‘I would prefer you to stay in overnight for observation,’ the doctor said and Charlie nodded.
‘Besides, Matteo, we need to figure out where is the best place for you to recover. I don’t think you should return to London. Far too tempting for you to start browsing the internet or watching the news and before you’d know it you’d be back at work.’
‘True,’ he conceded. ‘Your house—I mean, your grandmother’s?’ Because, of course, Charlie would long have left the quirky cottage to move in with him. To his surprise she firmly shook her head, her expression unreadable.
‘Too noisy. There’s building work going on.’ She chewed her lip again and then turned to the doctor. ‘Can he fly?’
‘It’s not advised, but a short distance should be fine. No reading, no looking at screens, no bright lights and if you can lie flat then that would be best.’
‘Then how about Italy? Matteo owns a villa overlooking Amalfi. Would that work?’
‘Amalfi?’ The doctor smiled. ‘I honeymooned on the Amalfi coast. I can’t imagine anywhere nicer to recuperate. As long as you take the journey slowly and steadily, you should be fine. But when you are there, rest.’ She gave Charlie a stern look. ‘Don’t let him even read an email, keep him away from all news and try not to prompt him. Just live in the moment for a couple of weeks and let his memory try and come back naturally. No stress, no shocks, no over-exertion physically or mentally and he should be just fine. Just try and relax and enjoy yourselves.’
Amalfi. Italy. Home. For all he had been born and brought up in London, sent to school in the home counties, for part of him, Italy would always be home. Matteo half closed his eyes. He could feel the warmth of the sun, smell the all-pervasive scent of lemons mixed with the salt of the sea, see the vibrant blues and greens of that God-blessed coastline. ‘We honeymooned there too.’ He smiled at Charlie. He might not remember the honeymoon but he remembered the planning. ‘Paris, then the Orient Express to Venice because the book is one of your favourites...’ But at the shuttered look on Charlie’s face he paused, uncertain, hating the holes in his memory. ‘Have I got it wrong?’
‘No, that was the plan, but we didn’t get any further than Paris.’ She looked away, her cheeks pink. ‘A business deal gone wrong. We postponed the rest.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said futilely. What had he been thinking? They had planned the honeymoon together and she had been so excited.
Charlie waved a dismissive hand. ‘I understood. It’s ancient history. I mean...’ She stopped, a stricken look on her face. ‘I am so sorry. Ancient history to me, but the future to you.’
‘No, don’t apologise.’ This was ridiculous. They were married, in love, and yet they were dancing around each other like guarded strangers. ‘I should apologise, for not having taken you to Amalfi yet. It shouldn’t take an accident and memory loss to prompt me. But let me make it up to you. This can be a second honeymoon.’
He smiled but, to his surprise, Charlie avoided his gaze. Dread curled around his gut. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Lovely.’
Copyright © 2021 by Jessica Gilmore
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ISBN-13: 9781488073694
Matchmaker and the Manhattan Millionaire
Copyright © 2021 by Cara Colter
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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