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‘I’m sure it will be fine...’
But Bianca was shaking her head. ‘So much could go wrong—a button could loosen or a hem fray or my veil need adjusting. What was I thinking to choose a designer who isn’t here for the wedding? It has to be perfect. But if you were here, I wouldn’t have to worry.’
‘Bianca, no one would notice if a button was loose, I promise.’
‘And what if I get bigger? Or smaller? With all the stress, I don’t know if I’ll lose my appetite or eat chocolate for the next seven days. Everything is very unpredictable at the moment.’ To Sophie’s horror Bianca’s voice began to waver. She wasn’t going to cry on her, was she?
‘It’s only a week. I’m sure it won’t make any difference if you eat nothing but chocolate, not at this stage.’
‘And this is your first time in Venice, no? You can’t possibly see the city in just one day. Marco should have known better. You must stay, see the city properly and then come to the wedding. I would love to have you.’ She turned to Sophie, her smile wide again, all traces of tears miraculously disappeared. ‘There, now we are all happy, me, you and Marco. Perfect.’
‘What will make me happy?’
Sophie’s stomach turned as Marco strode up beside them. He’d think she’d been plotting with his sister, think the palazzo had turned her head and she wanted to stay, to inveigle her way into his family.
‘Nothing. Bianca is panicking a little about her wedding, but I’m telling her not to worry,’ she said quickly.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Don’t tell me, the flowers are out of season and so you need to call the whole wedding off? She used to be quite sensible,’ he added to Sophie, ‘until this wedding nonsense.’
‘It’s not nonsense. Wait until it’s your turn,’ Bianca said indignantly. ‘But, Marco, wait. I have a wonderful idea. Sophie should stay here with us until the wedding and come as your date. What do you think?’
* * *
Sophie should what? Marco froze to the spot, eyes narrowed at his beaming sister. Had she been consulting with their mother? Was this some elaborate plot? Was Sophie in on it? He cast her a quick glance. No, her cheeks were red and eyes lowered in mortification.
‘What do I think?’ he repeated.
‘He thinks it’s impossible.’ Sophie reached up and took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. ‘I have to get back and he doesn’t need a date anyway. I don’t want to cramp his style.’
‘Nonsense,’ Bianca said. ‘He would love to have you there.’
Amusing as it was to hear the two women politely disagree about what he did or didn’t want, it was time to take control. ‘Of course I would love to have you attend the wedding with me, Sophie, but if you have to get back, then there is no more to say. Besides, I have a lot to do over the next few days and I would hate you to be bored here alone.’
Bianca shot to her feet and glared at him. ‘It’s my wedding and I want her there. I need her, Marco.’
‘But...’ He wasn’t often at a loss for words, but seeing his usually sensible, logical sister so het up robbed him of all coherent speech. ‘Bianca, Sophie’s said she needs to get back. You can’t force her to stay.’
But as he said the words he began to consider just what would happen if Sophie did stay. He’d warned her he had to work so there would be no expectation for him to be responsible for her—and then when they returned to England he’d give it a few weeks before casually telling his mother they had parted company. In the meantime... He laced his fingers through hers, enjoying the smoothness of her skin against his. In the meantime it had been too long since he had enjoyed one of his discreet affairs. Two nights and a day wasn’t long enough, not when every time she moved the beads on her dress shimmered, showcasing the outline of her breasts, the shapeliness of her calves.
And she’d made it very clear to him she wasn’t interested in anything long-term...
‘Of course, if there was some way you could arrange things so that you could spend a few more days with us, then you would be very welcome, Sophie.’ He smiled at her. ‘Besides, bitter experience has taught me that Bianca usually gets her way, so it saves time if you just agree with her at the start.’
‘But...you don’t want, I mean, this is a family occasion.’
‘Three hundred guests, at least a hundred of whom are my parents’ business associates and another hundred Bianca and Antonio’s clients. I wouldn’t worry about gatecrashing.’
Her mouth opened and she stared at Bianca incredulously. ‘Three hundred guests?’
