The Italians: Rico, Antonio and Giovanni. Kate Hardy
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Название: The Italians: Rico, Antonio and Giovanni
Автор: Kate Hardy
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: Mills & Boon M&B
isbn: 9781474036450
isbn:
Ella shook her head. ‘Mum gave up sending them when I turned eighteen. So now you know why I don’t have a family. I probably have half-siblings somewhere out there—who knows how many other women fell for the same lies that my mum did?—but they’ve never tried to find me, and I don’t need them. I have good friends, and that makes me luckier than a lot of people.’
‘Did your grandparents soften once they met you?’
‘No. Mum tried to stay in touch with them, but they refused to see us. And it’s too late for any reconciliation now—they both passed away, some years back.’
‘It was their loss, not yours.’ Rico pulled her onto his lap and held her close.
For a moment Ella thought that she saw something in his expression—something that told her he understood how she felt because he’d been badly let down himself—but he masked it so quickly that she couldn’t be sure.
Sitting so close with him like this made her feel so warm, so secure. And the question slipped out before she realised what she was going to say. ‘So do I get to see you tomorrow?’
‘Maybe. What time do you finish?’
‘I’m not sure. Late afternoon, I guess.’ She thought about it. ‘I have two celebration cakes to make and flat-ice, and then I need to do some of the sugar work for them, as well as make the cupcakes for the two local cafés who’ve agreed to stock my cakes. And there’s the business admin stuff. If I keep on top of it, then it won’t take long. If I leave it to pile up, it’ll be a chore.’
‘So the cupcakes have to be ready before the cafés open. Does this mean a really early start?’
She smiled. ‘That rather depends on whether you call six a.m. early.’
‘I’d better get you home, then. It’s not fair to make you burn the candle at both ends. If you want to get dressed in my bedroom, I’ll call a taxi.’
‘Thank you.’
The phone rang as she walked back into the living room. Rico answered it. ‘That’s great. Thank you very much.’ He turned to Ella. ‘That was Reception. They’re very efficient—the taxi’s here already.’
‘Thank you. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.’
‘I’ll see you home. I would’ve driven you myself, but I haven’t sorted out a car yet.’
Outside her flat, he kissed her lingeringly in her doorway.
‘What time do you finish tomorrow?’ she asked.
‘That depends on how my meetings go.’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘Plus I have a pile of paperwork to get through and a few phone calls to make to Rome.’
‘Call me when you’re free,’ she said.
‘I’ll do that.’ He kissed her again. ‘Goodnight, Ella bellezza. Sweet dreams.’
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