“I don’t understand. Why would your getting married make such a difference to him?”
“My story’s as convoluted as yours. When I divorced Mila, I had to give up a lot to win my freedom from her. Dino was the main casualty, of course. He was so hurt by the tension in our impossible marriage, divorce was the only solution. But both our families disowned me over it.”
“Are you joking?”
“I wish I were. If I wanted to see my child, I had to agree to abide by the severe stipulations she set up.”
“Couldn’t a judge have interceded?”
“Oh, he did, in favor of both our families. He and my grandfather were close friends, like your parents and the Simonides family. The order stated that Dino had been in jeopardy in a loveless home with a father who’d shown a flagrant disregard for his heritage and prominence, therefore was a poor role model.”
“I don’t believe it,” she cried, aghast.
“There’s more. Until the time came that I could show I’d come to my senses and had reconciled with my ex-wife, the visitation rules would stand.”
“Oh, Vincenzo—that’s horrible. None of those reasons make any sense.”
“Of course not. Mila waited for me to go back to her, but she waited in vain. Finally she remarried six months ago, causing another change in Dino’s life.”
“Does he like his stepfather?”
“Not particularly. He’s fifteen years older than Mila with a grown son and daughter at university. His wife died a year ago and it wasn’t long after that he met Mila. He has nothing in common with a young boy like Dino.”
“That must tear you apart.”
“It does.”
“So what will happen now?”
“Tomorrow morning I’ll meet with my attorney to end the current visitation.”
“What will you put in its place?”
“Joint physical custody. From now on Dino will have two homes.”
“But the judge—”
Vincenzo shook his head. “Don’t worry. After my attorney talks to Mila’s attorney, everything’s going to change in a big hurry.”
“How can you be so sure?”
He sucked in his breath. “Because I’m prepared to do something I refused to do before. My father will be so overjoyed, he’ll fall over backward to accommodate all my wishes, including that of influencing the judge to rescind his decision.”
Irena had been listening between the lines. Whatever this something was Vincenzo had refused to do, it had to have been something big. So what was it the judge had meant about Vincenzo’s heritage and prominence?
From the first moment she’d met him, she’d sensed he was a man of many parts. He knew too much, understood too much, had too much savvy to be an ordinary Italian male. There was an inherent authority and intelligence he emanated without conscious thought.
When they’d been introduced at the plant, she’d been aware of a certain deference the staff exhibited around him. Like he was someone elite.
She stared at his striking features as they sped along the strada toward Cinque Terre. Beneath his black brows, his aquiline profile gave him a fiercely handsome look. He had the most beautiful olive skin she’d ever seen. As for his eyes, they were so piercing a blue her body quickened just looking into them.
Irena felt like she was experiencing second sight. His sophistication couldn’t be denied.
Who was this attractive man with unruly black hair who drove around in a secondhand car and rented a tiny apartment on a cliff? He dressed in casual clothes you could buy in any local shop and wore flip-flops like his son.
Without clothes he’d looked like a statue of a god she’d seen in Rapallo that morning. The memory of them making love six weeks ago sent a wave of heat through her body. Did she even know him at all?
“You’re very quiet all of a sudden.”
His low voice curled through her nervous system. “I’ve been putting the pieces of a puzzle together.”
“How close are you to being finished?”
He knew she was on to him.
“Several are still missing. Just how prominent are you?”
“Let’s save all that until tomorrow.”
What was she getting herself into?
“Don’t be alarmed. Once I’ve seen my attorney, I’ll explain everything. Go to sleep. I can see your eyelids flickering. We still have an hour’s drive ahead of us. After such an emotional day, you’re tired and need to take care of yourself, especially now that you’re carrying our baby.”
Our baby.
The baby had to be theirs. It had to be! But still that dark cloud of doubt lingered.
Irena was tired. In fact, she was exhausted from too much thinking and feeling. “When should we tell Dino about the baby?” she asked after closing her eyes.
“Most likely he’ll decide the moment. He’s an incredibly insightful little boy.”
She chuckled. “How long do you think it will take me to learn Italian?”
“Two months for the basics if you work on it every day. The rest will come over a lifetime.”
“A lifetime. That’s a beautiful thought.”
It was the last thought she remembered until the next morning when she awoke in Dino’s bed feeling slightly nauseous. She was still clothed except for her sandals. She’d completely passed out last night, forcing Vincenzo to carry her into the apartment after they’d arrived.
The shutters were still closed, but she could see the sun trying to get in. She threw off the light cover and staggered to the window to open them. A glorious view of the Mediterranean greeted her vision. She checked her watch. Ten forty-five. Irena couldn’t believe it.
Vincenzo had placed her suitcase in the bedroom. She got out her cosmetic bag and padded to the bathroom.
She called out to him, but there was no response. He’d said he was going to see his attorney this morning.
She could tell he’d been in the bathroom recently. It smelled of the soap and shampoo he’d used in the shower. A wonderful male smell she associated only with him.
Once she’d swallowed her pills, she undressed and got in the shower. After she washed her hair with apricot shampoo, she dried it the best she could with a towel, then hurried back to the bedroom.
With a change of fresh underwear followed by a cotton top and pants, she felt a little better, but she needed something to eat. In the kitchen she discovered a note on the table from him, written with a flourish.
I should be back by noon and I’ll take you to lunch. Feel free to nibble on anything that appeals. Crackers, toast might help with the morning sickness. There’s tea or coffee in the cupboard, juice in the fridge. V.
She found a roll and grape juice. Perfect.
The food helped the emptiness in her stomach. She went back to the bedroom for her brush and worked on her hair until it fell in a swath. Since it was already warmer in the apartment than the other day, she arranged it in a loose knot on top of her head in the interest of staying cool.
Her pregnancy was causing her to notice everything. She’d thought her fatigue had been brought on by anxiety, but the doctor had assured her that it was normal to feel so tired, especially in the first few months.
Vincenzo