Henri had been his first friend.
Mateo touched the scar on his upper lip—the one he’d received when Henri had thrown a ball too hard and he’d missed catching it—then, dismissing the pang in his chest, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for the water decanter. After pouring two glasses, he offered her one.
She drank, watching him over the rim of her glass.
“How did Mama Celeca find you?” she asked, handing the empty glass back.
“Not Mama. Ernesto.” He took another mouthful and set both glasses down. “Years before, he’d been in love with a woman who’d carried his child. A friend, returning from France, let Ernesto know he’d heard that Antoinette had given birth in a town called Ville Laube and had offered her baby boy up for adoption there. Ernesto flew straight over. He found the orphanage his friend had described but not his boy.”
Clutching the sheet under her chin, Bailey sagged.
“I thought you’d say that you were Ernesto’s child.”
“Not through blood. But apparently my parents were Italian, too. I was left there when I was three, but I don’t remember any life before the orphanage.”
She shifted and he waited until she’d settled alongside of him.
“One day after Henri had gone,” he went on, “I saw this sad looking man sitting alone in the courtyard under a huge oak. His hands were clasped between his thighs. His eyes were downcast. When I edged closer, I saw they were bloodshot. He’d been crying. I knew because some times in the mornings I had bloodshot eyes too.”
His throat closed as the memory grew stronger and flooded his mind with a mix of emotions, sounds and smells from the past. The scent of lavender. The noise of children playing. The deepest feeling that, if only he knew this sad man, he would like him.
But, “I didn’t know why the man was unhappy. I had no idea what to say. I only knew I felt for him. So I sat down and put my hand over his.”
Mateo looked across. In the growing light, he thought he saw a single tear speed down Bailey’s cheek. Ironic, because after that day he couldn’t remember ever crying again.
“And he took you home,” she said.
“Home to Italy, yes. And later here to Australia.”
“So Mama Celeca isn’t your real grandmother?”
“She’s always treated me as though she is. She accepted me from the moment Ernesto brought me back to Casa Buona. I helped Ernesto in his office during the day and hung out with Mama in the kitchen in the evenings.”
“Where she taught you to cook.”
Remembering the aromas and Mama’s careful instructions, he smiled and nodded. “The old-fashioned way.”
“The best way.” She turned more toward him. “Did Ernesto find his boy?”
“No.” And that was the tragedy. “Although he never gave up hope.”
“Did he ever marry?”
“Never. He died two years ago.”
“I remember. Mama told me.”
“He wanted to be buried back home. Mama was heartbroken at her son’s death, but that, at least, gave her a measure of comfort.” He voiced the words that were never far from his heart. “He was a good son. A good father. Last year I had a call from a woman, Ernesto’s biological son’s widow. After he’d been killed in a hit-and-run, she’d found papers from the orphanage that helped her track Ernesto down. She’d wanted him to know.”
She lowered her head and murmured, so softly, he barely heard. “Is all this why Natalie thinks you might bring home a child from France one day?”
“Adoption rules were more flexible in the country back then.”
“You’d have no trouble proving you could care for a child. I haven’t known you long but I know you’d make a good father … like Ernesto.”
A knot twisted in his chest. Sharp. Uncomfortable. He’d already explained.
“I’m too busy for a child.” He looked inside and, flinching, admitted, “Too selfish.”
When his temple throbbed, he turned to plump up his pillow. They ought to get some sleep, Bailey especially.
They lay down again, front to front, curled up tight. Mateo was drifting when she murmured against his chest.
“When are you expected in France?”
“Next week.”
“I told Natalie I’d start work for her in two days’ time.” She lifted her head to glance out the window at the ever-rising sun. “Make that tomorrow.”
Mateo was suddenly wide awake. If Bailey was thinking about changing her mind and coming with him.
“Natalie won’t hold anything against you for taking a week off.”
In fact, he was sure she’d be happy at the news. Natalie made no secret of the fact that she would love to see her husband’s best friend settled with someone nice. Not that that was in the cards.
She snuggled into him more. “I’d feel as if I were copping out.”
“Visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, perhaps. But the orphanage?” He skimmed a hand down her smooth warm arm. “It’s not a cop-out.”
After several minutes, her breathing grew deeper and he thought she was finally asleep. He was letting oblivion overtake him too when she spoke again.
“Mama’s right.”
He forced his heavy lids open. “About what?”
She rubbed her cheek against his chest and murmured in a groggy voice, “You are a good man.”
Eight
As Mateo predicted, Natalie wasn’t the least bit upset when the following day, Bailey rang to explain.
“I know I’m only starting,” she began, sitting behind Mateo’s desk in his home office. “I’m so grateful for the chance, but I was wondering if I could possibly ask for the week after next off?”
“Are you all right?”
“I feel great.” In fact, better than great. “Mateo asked whether I might like to fly with him to France.”
Bailey jerked the receiver from her ear as Natalie squealed down the line.
“Sorry,” Natalie said. “I’m just excited for you. For you both. And I’ll need to go through my wardrobe with a fine-tooth comb. In late October, you’re going to need some warm clothes over there.”
The following day Bailey dived into the first of her cleaning jobs. The work was constant and anything but glamorous, but she rolled up her sleeves and took pride in making sure the floors were spotless and that the kitchens and bathrooms sparkled. She was being constructive, pushing forward, earning her way and feeling rewarded because of it.
When Friday came, Bailey was exhausted by the time she got to Mateo’s place. But she was also elated. When he opened the door for her, she threw out her hand.
Mateo took the slip of paper she held. “What’s this?”
“A printout of the receipt from my transfer.”
Mateo had set up an account solely for the purpose of her loan repayments.
When he smiled, he truly looked pleased.
“We