The Delicious De Campos. Дженнифер Хейворд

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      So why did everything feel so wrong? Why couldn’t she just do what she needed to in public and to hell with how things were at home? She tossed her clipboard on her desk and grabbed the notes on her afternoon patients so she could file them. She had pushed a set of notes into a folder and slid it back into the drawer before realizing she’d completely mixed the two patients up. Damn. She pulled the two folders out again.

      A loud piano piece filled the air. She frowned. Her new ringtone. Note to self: change that. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and held it to her ear while she fixed the notes.

      “Lilly Anderson.”

      “De Campo,” Riccardo’s rich drawl oozed across the line. “Really, Lilly, you have to get with the program.”

      “I don’t use your name professionally. You know that.”

      “I don’t like it. I’m calling to ask your permission to ask Katy to clear your schedule for Thursday and Friday.”

      Her husband’s drily delivered request made Lilly frown and push the drawer of the filing cabinet shut with her foot. Riccardo asking for her permission to do something? Was he sick? On some type of mood-altering medication?

      She cleared her throat and chose her words carefully. “I have clinics at the hospital on Thurdsay and Friday. Is it important?”

      “I’d like to take you to Barbados for the weekend.”

      “The Caribbean island of Barbados?”

      “The one and only,” he confirmed, amusement lacing his tone. “A friend of mine offered up his place for the weekend.”

      She stuck a finger in her mouth and chewed on her nail. “So it’s a business thing?”

      “No.” His voice deepened to that silky tone that made her toes squish in her shoes. “Definitely not business.”

      Heat filled her cheeks. “Riccardo—”

      He sighed. “We need a truce. We need to talk, Lil. Somewhere by ourselves, with no photographers, no one interrupting us, neither of us rushing off to work... Just us.”

      She couldn’t deny that. It was just that it sounded sort of...terrifying. She rested her hip on the corner of the desk and the guilty thought came to her that maybe, maybe, if she’d talked to him from the start instead of shutting down things would have been different.

      A snapping sound filled the air. She pulled her finger out of her mouth and stared, horrified, at her broken nail. She hadn’t bitten her nails in exactly twelve months.

      “You still there?”

      “Yes.”

      Another sigh. “I’m pretending I’m asking, but I’m not really, you know.”

      She smiled. At least she knew her husband hadn’t been abducted by aliens. She stared down at her wreck of a nail and swallowed hard. “To be clear—this is a discussion? That’s all?”

      “A discussion,” he agreed firmly. “That’s all I’m asking for.”

      “Okay, then, yes.” It would be closure for them both.

      “Good. Will you tell Katy or will I?”

      “I will.”

      “Bene. I’m off for dinner with the boys and Antonio.” His voice took on a sardonic edge. “Wish me luck.”

      “Keep your cool. You’ll be fine.”

      A meaningful silence came down the phone line. “Already lost it. Ciao, bella.”

      “Ciao.”

      Lilly pressed the end button, her skin tingling from the effects of those two softly spoken words. Would there ever come a day when that didn’t make her want to throw caution to the wind and do exactly what she wasn’t supposed to do?

      She fought the sinking feeling she had just made a huge mistake and dialed her sister.

      Alex answered with a distracted, “Hello.”

      “It’s your sister. Got a sec?”

      “Always. How are you holding up? Riccardo mix it up with anyone lately?”

      “Very funny.” Lilly pulled a pristine nail out of her mouth before she trashed that one too. “We have to reschedule brunch. I’m going to be away this weekend.”

      “What lifestyle-of-the-rich-and-famous event is he taking you to?”

      “None. We’re going to Barbados together.”

      “Damn. I would put up with him for a weekend like that.”

      Lilly smiled. “Gabe’s still in town, you know.”

      “Mmm, yes—well, I’m afraid I’m not up for twenty-four-seven sparring. Dr. Overlea just called to say he’s scheduled Lisbeth in for some pretreatments next week. I’m going to head home and keep her company so she doesn’t stress.”

      Lilly’s throat tightened. “I didn’t think he was going to be able to get her in so soon.”

      “He needs to do this before he schedules treatment with the clinic in Switzerland.”

      “Right.” She swallowed hard. “I—” Hell. The conversation with Riccardo was important, but her sister’s health was more so.

      “Lil—it’s fine. I’ll go.” Her sister’s voice softened. “You guys need time together.”

      She chewed on her lip. Alex probably thought she and Riccardo were having hot reunion sex every night... She so desperately wanted to tell her that, no, they weren’t, that they were hardly talking to each other and she was hopelessly confused, but she couldn’t. Not if she was to keep her and Riccardo’s deal.

      “You’ll call me if you need me? I’ll come right back.”

      “I will. I promise.”

      Her shoulders sagged. “Okay.”

      “By the way—one of the girls here just showed me some of the stuff the tabloids are saying about you. Please tell me you’re not reading it?”

      “I’m not reading it.” Only a bit. One or two particularly horrid pieces...

      “Yes, you are. I can tell. You have to stop it, Lil. It’s awful, destructive stuff and not a bit true. I’ve never seen you looking so good.”

      Lilly sighed. “I’m fine, Alex. I promise.” Only her sister knew how deep her body issues went and she called her on it when she needed to.

      “You sure?”

      “I gave my whole wardrobe to charity,” she said drily. “Riccardo almost had a fit.”

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