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It seemed like so long ago, her heart and mind then so very different to what they were now, that she struggled to capture that recollection.

“You told me that your work is important. Lately, you’ve been too busy with me to take on a new patient, but before you do, I wanted to make a suggestion.”

She waited, not sure how to tell him that she’d already decided she needed a career change.

“My darling, I want you to be happy, and if your job does that, then I will support you. But what if you could channel your kind, sweet benevolence in a different direction – one that could still benefit those most in need?”

“How?”

“Well,” he gestured to the building. “I bought this relic with you in mind. You want to restore old buildings to their former glory? Then let this be your first.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out three sheets of paper, folded to envelope size. She flattened them so she could read better.

The Montebello Care Home.

She scanned the document with a small frown on her face. “A charity?”

“A hospice, of sorts, staffed and run by medical professionals but with you overseeing it, and right here, once you’ve worked your magic.”

Lauren had been pondering what she might do next but would never, in a thousand years, have been able to come up with something as perfect as this.

“I want you to be happy, cara.”

She couldn’t speak. Her mouth wouldn’t cooperate. But her eyes showed sheer, utter joy, before she dropped them to the papers again and a small detail caught her attention.

“This has the date of purchase on it.”

He nodded, his eyes intent. “I know.”

“You bought this a week after I left Villa Fortune.”

“Yes.”

“What did you buy it for?”

“For you.”

“For me?” She shook her head, unable to believe it.

“I hoped I might be able to convince you to come back and restore it. I didn’t know then why I needed you back so badly, only that I would move heaven and earth to have you return to Italy, and my life.”

Her heart clutched because it was proof – if she’d needed any – that they’d both wanted each other in the same, heart-stretching way.

“It’s perfect,” she said, finally. “It’s everything I could ever want.”

“Then that is perfect, because you are everything I could ever want.”

She pressed her head to Raf’s chest and she felt complete and grateful – and overpowered by love, as she would for all time. As it turned out, some things last forever, and then some.

THE END

I hope you loved Raf’s story! Following is an excerpt from the next book in the Montebellos - it’s Luca’s turn for a happy ending - or is it? You’ll have to read this forbidden, Cinderella, fake-boyfriend romance to find out…

IT STARTED WITH A LIE is coming soon! (And keep reading for a full-length bonus book - The Sheikh’s Baby Bargain, first book in The Evermore Series).

“Your ex is looking at us.”

Bronte frowned. She’d forgotten Ashton was even in the same restaurant.

“Oh.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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