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‘Rafe isn’t married.’
‘That doesn’t give him free rein! He is irredeemable, Antonietta, and a complete rake. You must have looked him up?’
‘No! I make up my own mind about people,’ Antonietta said rather piously, and then stepped down from her high horse and admitted the truth. ‘I’ve tried to look him up, but I can’t get on the Internet here and I daren’t risk it at work.’
‘Well, don’t bother—just heed my advice and stay well away from him,’ Aurora warned, and then she looked at Antonietta’s pale cheeks. ‘Or am I right in guessing it’s too late for that and he didn’t just take you for dinner?’
Antonietta said nothing.
‘Oh, Antonietta...’
It wasn’t the best catch-up with her friend. Antonietta had wanted advice—only not the advice she had got.
And although Aurora wanted to be delighted for her friend, who had tucked herself away for far too long, she could not bring herself to it.
‘I have to go over there now,’ she said, picking up Gabe’s little jacket. ‘I’ll try not to kill Rafe when I see him.’
‘Please don’t say anything,’ Antonietta begged.
‘Of course I won’t.’
‘Why don’t you leave Gabe with me?’ Antonietta offered. ‘I can give him his birthday present...’
‘You’re sure?’ Aurora checked. ‘He’s due for his afternoon sleep and it would be so much easier.’
‘Of course I’m sure.’
‘I’ll leave my phone too,’ Aurora said. ‘It’s got a good signal.’
Antonietta frowned, wondering for a moment why Aurora would leave her phone here when she was heading out, but then realised she was being given an opportunity to look Rafe up.
‘That won’t be necessary,’ she said, but Aurora was blowing kisses to Gabe as she headed off for coffee with her husband and Rafe...
Rafe had found, during a long and luxurious lunch, that he’d had to keep pulling his focus back to the conversation with Nico. His mind had kept drifting to last night. Or rather it had kept honing in ontonight, and seeing Antonietta again.
All thoughts of checking out had gone and, knowing that she was on a half-day, he had decided that he would not wait until evening. If he walked Nico to his helicopter he could make a diversion to the cottage unnoticed...
‘Ah, here is Aurora now,’ Nico said, and both men stood as she approached the table.
As Rafe greeted her with the familiar kiss to the cheek, it was confirmed that she and Antonietta really were chalk and cheese. A person had to dig deep to get so much as a glimpse of Antonietta’s thoughts, whereas Aurora wore her heart on her sleeve.
‘Rafe,’ she said as they greeted each other.
And, though it wasn’t quite the Sicilian kiss of death, he could feel Aurora’s wrath and suspicion even as they brushed cheeks, and was certain that she knew what had transpired last night.
‘It is lovely to see you again,’ Rafe said.
‘Likewise.’ Aurora gave a tight smile.
‘Is Gabe with Antonietta?’ Nico checked.
‘Naturally,’ Aurora said. ‘Why wouldn’t I leave him with my dearest friend? Sheishis godmother, after all.’ She looked over to Rafe. ‘I consider Antonietta family.’
‘Of course...’ Nico frowned, with no idea of what Aurora was alluding to.
Rafe knew, and he could feel Aurora’s contempt when she addressed him.
‘I was sorry to hear of your accident, though clearly you are feeling much better.’
