by Sue MacKay
She could get to like this. Come on, you already do. When she lifted her head he was watching her without the usual exasperation or questions. Instead his face was soft: not sharp but kind, not wary but friendly. It would be too easy to lean up and kiss him. And completely out of line. Instead she drew in air, leaned into those hands to gather strength from him and said, ‘I take it you accept Aimee is yours.’
His hands fell away and he returned to his stool. ‘Sì. I do.’
Phew. That would save a lot of time. Elene dug deep for a smile. ‘I’m glad.’
‘I’m coming round to feeling like that.’ His smile was slow and his eyes were confused. ‘It’s not that I don’t like the idea of being a father, I just hadn’t planned it to happen like this, if at all. But then, that’s life.’
‘Damned curve balls, eh? Didn’t you want children some time?’
Mattia reached for his wine, took a deep drink, his gaze fixed somewhere in the distance. Even when he began talking he didn’t look at her. ‘I was once engaged, going for the whole family package. Life was sweet, my career going along as I’d planned, and I’d started a charity medical centre in Napoli that was beating all expectations. People were donating money and time from all over the place. It was incredible.’ Then his voice took on an angry vibe. ‘My fiancée ran the finances.’
Oh-oh. Trouble? Elene waited out his silence, knowing he’d finish his tale, no matter the pain.
Finally, ‘Sandy was very good at what she did, and it took a year before anyone realised where those donations were going. And by then it was too late to save Charity Napoli. But facing up to her crime wasn’t part of her plan. I was the intended scapegoat and for a while it looked as though I’d be charged with fraud.’ His hand shook and wine sloshed over the rim of his glass. ‘Eventually common sense and my family’s reputation for philanthropy prevailed and the truth came out. Sandy went to jail and, because of her actions against me and the family, the judge gave her the maximum penalty.’
Elene’s heart squeezed for this proud man who’d been dealt such a lousy hand. ‘I’m glad she got caught and sentenced. You didn’t deserve that at all. No one does. Thank goodness for families.’ No wonder he didn’t do trust very well, if at all. Something to remember whenever she felt the need to get close to him. He’d never again look at a woman twice.
‘Without them I’d have been sunk.’ Leaning back in his seat, he looked directly at her. ‘Which is why I never thought I’d have my own children. Getting that involved with a woman is anathema to me. Except it’s been taken out of my hands.’ His mouth lifted into a small, wry smile.
Clunk. That was her heart dropping. ‘You don’t have to treat me as though I’m Sandy reincarnated. I am here for Aimee to meet you, and to put my side of the story.’
Forking up a mouthful of pasta, Mattia chewed thoughtfully. ‘You’re worried how I’m going deal with this.’
‘Of course I am.’
The smile that had begun flicked off. ‘Did Danielle make you a legal guardian of Aimee?’
‘Yes. She intended me to be Aimee’s mother.’
Still watching her, he nodded abruptly, leaving her to wonder if he approved or not. ‘Am I named on the birth certificate?’
‘No. But I’ve brought copies of all the pertinent documents.’ The lawyers had put it all together so there wouldn’t be anything missing. ‘Shall I get them for you?’
‘Sì.’
Elene had reached the door when the worry won over being fair. Spinning around, she said, ‘I love Aimee. With all my heart. I would do anything for her.’
Except hand her over to you permanently. Not because you won’t be the best dad, but because I can’t live without her.
‘That’s obvious whenever you’re together.’
‘I want to be there for her as she grows up. All the time.’
In an instant Mattia again stood before her, taking her hand in his, looking down into her eyes with nothing but compassion. ‘I know that. Give me time, Elene. That’s all I ask of you for now. There’s a lot to think about. Apart from the fact I am now a father, something that still shocks me and yet feels—’ His hand curled around hers as he tapped his chest. ‘Feels right in here.’
Some of the knots inside loosened. Her hand was warm in his strong one. Her heart thudded. Aimee was loved by her father. But as she began to smile other knots tightened, and her lips froze in place. Where did that leave her? Would she have to pack up and move over here to be with her little girl?
‘I won’t just walk away from her. She’s a part of me too.’ It had been her who’d bathed and changed Aimee almost from the day she was born, who’d heated milk when Danielle couldn’t breastfeed, who’d got up during the night on every cry so Danielle mightn’t wake.
‘Time, Elene. Please.’
Fair enough. It was all she had to give him. ‘I’ll get those papers and leave you to unwind from your day.’
All she could hope was that he wouldn’t start arming himself with lawyers before they discussed every possibility. Looking into those dark eyes, she couldn’t find anything to suggest he’d take advantage of her legally, but she’d read Craig completely wrong so how could she trust her instincts?
She pulled away reluctantly. As his hands left her she felt a loss so deep it was frightening. As though she’d stepped back from something big, something deep. She couldn’t have. This was Mattia, a man who’d given few concessions to those he worked with in Wellington, and especially her, and yet so far he’d given her plenty. Why did the memory of that almost kiss invade her right now? She’d have done anything to see that through, except for the fact Danielle was having a fling with him. But that was history. Yet it seemed she was still susceptible to men who liked to take charge.
When she handed Mattia the papers he kissed her cheek. ‘Goodnight, Elene.’
A hint of the wild touched her skin, like once before. How sultry could two words sound? How tight could her insides coil from one chaste kiss on her cheek? Her skin flared pink, her stomach tightened and a flame of need burst into life at her core. Turning around so he couldn’t see her face, read her eyes, she raced to shut herself in the bedroom and leaned back against the door, dragging in a lungful of air. This was not happening. That was Mattia out there. Not the man of her dreams. That man would be genuinely considerate and kind, not wanting to control everything around him. Not like Craig, who’d pretended to be considerate and kind, loving and giving. He’d turned into a monster.
Mattia was not someone she wanted to get to know intimately, because intimacy suggested a willingness to give herself up completely. She could still feel the debilitating powerlessness whenever Craig had yelled at her for cooking steak when he wanted chicken, for being five minutes late home from work because a patient needed her. Craig came first in everything. Yet her body, even her head, was telling her Mattia didn’t use control to hurt people, that he used it to keep himself out of danger from others.
Another idea struck. Was this Mattia’s way of undermining her so he could win his way with Aimee? That was more like the Mattia she knew. Before Danielle had told her otherwise. Before coming close to kissing him. Before a lot of things.
The Mattia standing in the kitchen with nothing but genuine kindness on his face, in his gaze fixed on her, was very different to what she’d anticipated on the long flights over.
It was time to get to know Mattia Ricco inside out. The good, the bad and the downright sexy. No, not that. Why not? He was gorgeous, inside and out. Yeah, but would he still be when she refused to step aside from Aimee’s future?
No, he would not.
Hold onto that thought.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘WANT TO GET CHANGED? We’re going out for dinner on Via San Francesco, if that’s okay with you?’ Mattia smiled as he strolled out to join her and Aimee in the back yard the next night, hands in poc
kets, looking like he didn’t have a worry in the world. But he did. Aimee. He also looked as though he didn’t expect her to say no.
Elene looked up at him towering above her. ‘You’ve forgotten something.’
‘Not at all. Anna’s more than happy to babysit.’ Smug didn’t suit him. ‘She’s happy to stay upstairs until we return.’
‘I was thinking more along the lines of you didn’t say please.’
Teasing him mightn’t work but he’d asked her out to dinner so why not lighten up a bit? Just the two of them, taking an adult break despite the pressures on them, had a lot of appeal. Aimee had taken to Anna like mud to white shorts so no problem there. Which left the burning question: What to wear? The blue and white cotton dress with shoulder cuffs or the blue and white cotton dress with shoulder cuffs? Not haute couture, nor bargain basement.
Mattia might have a fit when he saw her ready to go out with him, considering the circles he moved in. What he wouldn’t realise was three-quarters of the case she’d brought over was filled with tiny tee shirts and shorts, minuscule socks and jackets.
‘Give me half an hour.’
Where was the iron kept?
‘Take all the time you need. There’s no hurry.’ He knelt down by Aimee. ‘Hello, my girl.’
Another knot let go inside. Elene gulped. My girl. He was finally acknowledging out loud to Aimee his place in her life, and even though she wouldn’t have a clue what had just gone down, Elene certainly did. This had to be good. For Aimee at least.
A shadow crossed Mattia’s face. He swallowed hard. ‘Hello, Aimee.’ His voice sounded as though someone had hands around his throat and was squeezing. He wasn’t looking Elene’s way. In fact she’d swear he wasn’t seeing anything not inside his head.
‘Mattia?’
‘Go get ready,’ he growled, reaching for a toy truck, rolling it back and forth, his gaze still somewhere other than in the room. ‘Please.’
‘Sure.’
After slipping into her dress Elene brushed out her hair so it fell over her shoulders, then pulled on her happy face along with her make-up. If she was going out to dinner with Mattia then she intended having a good time, no matter what they talked about. Which would be about Aimee’s future, surely? What else was there? They weren’t close friends wanting to share a meal and a bottle of wine in a relaxed atmosphere. He certainly wasn’t attracted to her. Nor am I attracted to Mattia. She was not thinking about that heat nearly flooring her the night before. Not, not.
‘You look lovely.’ Mattia watched her step across the family room to pick up Aimee for a goodnight cuddle before tucking her into bed. He sounded genuine, but it had been a while since a man had paid her a compliment so she might be imagining it.
‘Thank you.’ Her mouth watered and another bout of heat tapped places best ignored as she glanced at Mattia. He’d changed into casual dark grey trousers and an open-necked white shirt which highlighted the sun-kissed tone of his skin. Good start to the evening. Not attracted, remember. Not, not. ‘I’ll take Aimee to her cot. Aimee, say goodnight to Papà.’
‘Ma-ma-ma-ma.’
‘Nice try.’ Mattia kissed Aimee’s cheek, then said to Elene, ‘Good luck.’
‘You can say that every time I need to put her down,’ Elene told him ten minutes later. ‘She’s sound asleep.’
His eyebrows rose. ‘That’s a first. Let’s go while we can.’ He took her elbow. ‘Anna, call me if there’s a problem,’ he said to his housekeeper-turned-babysitter.
‘Sì. Have a nice time.’ Anna’s smile was endearing.
Elene nodded. ‘Thank you for doing this.’
‘No problem.’
* * *
‘This is the locals’ favourite restaurant. I’m sure you’ll like it,’ Mattia told her when he held her chair out at the ideally situated table overlooking the harbour with the lights of Naples in the background.
‘I’m sure I will.’ If she could swallow anything, because suddenly this felt like her first date as a teenager—butterflies in her stomach, fingers fidgeting with the napkin the waiter placed on her lap.
‘The menu is limited, but superb,’ he continued, seeming totally relaxed for the first time all night. Not for him any awe of the setting, or excitement about his companion.
Why feel like this when they had important issues to resolve? Looking around the restaurant, Elene let the warmth slide under her skin and tried to relax. It had been a long time since she’d last gone out with a devastatingly handsome man. Tonight she longed to enjoy Mattia as a date, forget he was a possible adversary.
‘This is wonderful,’ Elene sighed. ‘Being in Italy, being Italian for now, it brings my two halves together. If you know what I mean,’ she added on a whisper. He probably thought she was crazy and not suitable to mother his daughter.
‘I can’t imagine what it’s like to have parents from two different countries. But I’d say it must broaden your outlook on most things.’
‘Food especially, and wine.’ She laughed before picking up the menu.
‘Ah, wine. What type would you like? Red or white?’ Mattia asked.
‘You choose.’ She wasn’t up with the local wine. ‘I’m having the shrimp salad.’
‘Then we’ll go for the Pinot Grigio.’
‘Does your family live in Sorrento?’ she asked after the waiter had taken their orders.
‘My parents and two of my brothers and their families are in Napoli. My other brother lives further north, where he oversees the family vineyards. The house I’m living in has been in the family for five generations, and therefore not strictly mine. Any of the family can, and do, arrive to stay whenever the whim takes them.’ Love softened his face.
‘Obviously that doesn’t bother you.’
‘Why would it? It’s how it’s always been. My grandparents, their parents before them. Sometimes I think it’s ridiculous I rattle around in such a large home on my own, but everyone’s got their own place and likes their independence.’
‘Think of the family history. Not everyone has that, not so openly anyway.’ Elene thought back to her childhood. ‘I can’t remember a time when my family hasn’t always been there for each other either, but there isn’t the depth, the same house steeped in family history.’ She sighed. ‘That’s special.’
Mattia nodded. ‘You’re right. I never gave it a lot of thought, mostly took it all for granted: the houses, the comfort, the businesses that provide so much—the past, with its ups and downs, the people who came close to losing everything and those that lifted the company back to greater heights every time.’ His gaze had wandered to the view beyond the window and a thoughtful expression tightened his face. ‘After what Sandy did I came to fully understand and appreciate how lucky I am, and that I’d fight to keep it that way for all my family if necessary.’
Elene watched him, refraining from talking, letting him have this moment, and thinking about her situation. Had she just been issued with a warning? Or was Mattia telling her these things because of the custody problem? It didn’t matter how relaxed she became or what they talked about, everything always came back to that. Aimee’s future and her role in it.
Returning his attention to her, Mattia asked, ‘You have siblings?’
‘Two younger sisters. The one I mentioned before who manages the vineyards my father and his brother began many years ago, and the other a lawyer at a major firm in the city.’ The firm who’d drawn up the papers for Danielle about the guardianship.
‘Growing wine’s something we have in common.’ He leaned back in his chair, an elbow slung over one corner. ‘You’ll know your wines then.’
‘The Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, definitely, but not the Italian varietals. Though I put some effort into learning about them last time I was here.’ She cracked a smile, determined to keep on the upside of happy. ‘Too much
effort.’
Mattia’s laugh was sharp and unexpected. ‘Go you.’
Inside she melted a little. When she wasn’t worrying about why she was here she felt free and happy, as if there was a future to look forward to involving a man she might love. Careful. No, caution could take a back seat while they were getting on so well, when she was having plain old fun. Nothing to do with letting go the restraints on her heart.
‘This shrimp is delicious.’
‘Glad you like them.’
‘What’s not to like? Thank you for bringing me here. It’s special.’
‘You’re welcome.’ His chest rose, fell, and he asked, ‘Have you ever been in a serious relationship?’
Her smile slipped away. ‘Yes.’
‘It didn’t work out?’ While she was trying to decide how to answer, he continued. ‘You used to say you weren’t interested in relationships.’
Tell him. He told you about his fiancée. They needed to know these things to understand each other better, and she had nothing to lose. Craig had already taken her pride. ‘I lived with a guy for three years, got engaged, was about to be married, then I left him.’ Her finger picked at the tablecloth. ‘Craig liked to control everything about me. Everything. I succumbed because it was easier than fighting him, plus the guilt was horrendous whenever I let him down.’
Mattia sat back, his gaze soft, non-judgemental.
‘Looking back, I can’t believe I let him do that but it was like water dripping on stone; one drip doesn’t alter a thing, many make an impression.’
‘Yet you found the courage to leave.’
‘You talk about your loving family. Well, mine and Danielle saved me. They didn’t storm in and snatch me away, knowing that would probably make me draw up the barriers. Instead they refused to stay away, despite Craig telling them to, and if I didn’t turn up for family dinners Dad would drive around to collect me. It was Danielle who told me I had to leave Craig because it was only going to get worse. She helped me pack while he was out at the dentist one morning.’ She’d left most of her belongings behind, wanting nothing to do with Craig’s choices of clothes and make-up, books and music.
