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‘I knew you would htly

She was a jealous cow and he probably sensed that Although she had never been co a rival that beautiful and sophisticated could only be hurtful and inti She loved Vito so much and was painfully aware that he did not love her In addition, she was always guiltily conscious that she had won her wedding ring purely by default Vito had married her because she was the mother of his son

Mother of his son, Holly repeated inw

ardly Not a very sexy label, certainly not very glamorous But it didn’t have to be that way, she reasoned ruefully She could walk that extra mile, she could make the effort and dress up too But she needed the excuse of an occasion, didn’t she? Well, at least to begin with… On her passage across the hall, she spoke to Silvestro and told him that she would like a special romantic meal to be served for dinner

Silvestro positively gloith approval and she went upstairs to go through her neardrobe and select the fanciest dress she owned In the oddest way she would have liked to put on a Santa outfit for Vito again but it wouldn’t work out of season She would tackle Vito the roup and come up with evasions or excuses What she wanted most of all was honesty He needed to tell her how he truly felt about Marzia and they would proceed from that point

Did he still have feelings for the beautiful blonde? Hoould she cope if he admitted that? Well, she would have to cope Her life, Vito’s and Angelo’s were inextricably bound to the stability of their e Would he want a separation? A divorce? Her brain was iant leaps into disaster zones and she told herself off for the catastrophic effect that photo had had on her iination and her confidence Since when had she chosen to lie down and die rather than fight?

Fro rooth dress, which glittered with sparkling beads below the lights It definitely belonged in the glaory

Vito knew soe was afoot the instant he walked into the hall of the castello and Silvestro gave hi and was not prone to s

‘The signora is on the way downstairs…’ he was informed

Vito blinked and then he saw Holly as he had only seen her on their wedding day, and quite naturally he stared She drifted down the staircase in a fantastic dress that seelass curves It was the sort of gooman wore to a ball and Vito suffered a stark instant of very otten? Were they supposed to be going out somewhere? What special date had slipped past him unnoticed?

Silvestro spread wide the dining-rooht and flowers and thought…what the hell? He spun back as Holly drew level with hiht and expressionless A pang ran through Vito’s long, lean fra hih he had been absent for a week…and in truth he thoroughly enjoyed the wholehearted affection she showered on both him and his son

‘You look nificent, bellezzawhat occasion he had overlooked and how he could possibly cover up that reality rather than hurt Holly’s feelings by adnorance

She was so vulnerable sometimes He saw that sensitivity in her and marvelled that she retained it even after all the disappointments life had faced her with His primary role was to protect Holly from hurt and disillusionment He didn’t want her to lose her innocence He didn’t want her to turn cynical or bitter But most of all he never ever wanted to be the man who disillusioned her

‘Glad you like the dress,’ Holly said a tad woodenly ‘Shall we sit down?’

‘I’e of clothes,’ Vito pointed out with a slight line dividing his black brows into the beginnings of a frown because her odd behaviour was frustrating him