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‘I’ll think it over’ Holly fibbed, because she had already thought it over and really there was no contest bethat Vito was offering Angelo and what she could hope to offer her son as a lone parent

‘Be ed ‘If youwithin my power to make you happy’

Holly had known true happiness only a few ti at dawn enfolded in Vito’s arms Another had been the first ti with Vito alsoas it did that she was craving soe based on their son’s needs Should she listen to that voice of reason and warning now? Stay on the sidelines where it was safe rather than risk dipping her toes into the e?

But at the baseline of her responses there was no denying that she wanted Vito Zaffari with a bone-deep, al How could she possibly walk away from that? How could she stand back and watch him take up with other woiven him that freedom? And the ansas that she couldn’t face that, would sooner take a risk on a ht not work than surrender any hope of a deeper relationship with him

Holly breathed in slow and deep and lifted her head high ‘All right We’ll get oes…’

And Vito s s he said after that point registered with her because she ashed away by sh

eer excitement and hope for the future

Vito registered the stars in her eyes with satisfaction Having been driven by the need to secure the best possible arrangeht on the actual reality of beco a married man or a father He wanted Holly and he wanted his son: that was all that mattered And Holly would soon learn to fit into his world, he thought airily

CHAPTER SEVEN

‘SMILE!’ PIXIE TOLD HOLLY ‘You look totally stupendous!’

Holly shtly on her lap The past four weeks had passed in a ind of unfa day and hopefully she would finally have time to draw a breath and start to relax Only not when it was a wedding about to be attended by a lot of rich, important people, she reasoned nervously

‘How are you feeling?’ she asked her best friend and bridess, which were both encased in plaster casts

Her housemate had returned from a visit to her brother badly battered and bruised fros The extent of her injuries had appalled Holly and, although the bruising had faded, she couldn’t help feeling that there wason because Pixie’s usual chirpiness and zest for life seeently questioned Pixie on several occasions, she could not work out if it was her own iination in overdrive or if indeed there was so to share with her

Predictably, Pixie rolled her eyes ‘I keep on telling you I’et these casts off in a couple of weeks and I’ll get back to work and it’ll be as if this never happened’

‘Hopefully you’ll be able to come out to visit us in Italy in a feeeks’ time’