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“When will you be back?”

For the first tiaze skittered away “I have no plans to return Once Paris is looked after, I a to Florence for the holiday with my family”

A family that didn’t include her No matter hoelco fact that she was an outsider

And with that, everything went sinking to her toes

It was clear Despite what they’d shared, despite the attraction that clearly simmered between theh to keep him here She stood motionless, not sure of what to say Until she’d asked the question, there had been a tiny flicker of hope But she’d only been fooling herself She had always known he was leaving, so as she feeling so betrayed? Why was she feeling like somehow she’d failed?

Because she wasn’t ready to let hio yet That hat he’d done to her He’d shown her herself and he’d taught her to hope And in the process he’d ended up breaking her heart by doing what he’d said he was going to all along Leaving

She should have known better Should have thought it through more Should have realized that in the end they couldn’t just go their separate ways like nothing had happened

“Say so, Mari”

She sat down in the chair “There is nothing to say, Luca We both knew this tiuess I just hoped you’d be back”

“We knew this was temporary”

She couldn’t tell hirown to care for hiy and that wasn’t what she wanted It was irrelevant noay To as obviously not meant to be

“I thought you’d be around to supervise , that’s all”

His jaw relaxed a little and he sat, too, turning his chair to face her “I did, too The plan was for me to be here severalthe Cascade in capable hands, Mari And I’m only a phone call or e-mail away if you need help I have full confidence in you”