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She vented an internal sigh. Ah, well, this looked like it was going to be a nice relaxing journey—always supposing you were the sort of person who found nail-biting tension and sitting on the edge of your seat while looking for an escape route relaxing!
She adopted a carefully neutral expression as she lifted her chin and crossed her feet neatly at the ankle. The soft leather flats she had changed into proved you could look fashionable and be comfortable. Well, at least from the ankle down—being comfortable elsewhere was hard when she remained so acutely conscious of the restrained power Dante exuded. Always a challenge to cope with, but overpowering in any enclosed space, and right now her feelings were too raw and close to the surface to make her feel confident about disguising her vulnerability.
‘I’m fine, feel free to…’ She made an all-encompassing motion with her hand before she gave an elaborate yawn. ‘I didn’t get much sleep last night.’
She and Maya had talked into the small hours, and after her sister had gone to bed she had lain fully dressed on her bed staring at the ceiling, dreading the morning. She had finally fallen asleep half an hour before her phone alarm sounded, and had felt like death warmed up.
‘Nor the night before,’ she continued unthinkingly, then tacked on, ‘That wasn’t a dig.’
‘I’m sorry I disturbed your sleep.’
‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’
The quiver of her stomach could have been connected with the lurch as they hit a pocket of turbulence, but she knew it wasn’t.
‘All right?’
‘Fine. I always liked roller coasters.’ She breathed through a wave of nausea and missed what he said next. ‘Sorry…?’ she pushed out, her hand pressed to her throat.
‘I said…’ He paused, his heavy-lidded glance lingering on the dark smudges beneath her glorious eyes.
Dante didn’t know where he stood on the nature, nurture debate, whether he’d inherited the trait from his parents or simply learnt by example didn’t seem the point, but whatever the truth he had always possessed the ability to step back and observe events and people from an objective perspective.
Except with Beatrice.
‘You do look tired.’
‘Thanks,’ she murmured drily, translating the comment that he’d framed more like an accusation as, You do look awful.
‘Maya and I were trying to decide what to do now that I’m, well…not there.’
‘Setting up a business is challenging.’ And he suspected that most of the work fell on Beatrice’s shoulders. He had nothing against Maya, but she didn’t seem that dynamic, and as far as he could tell she had a habit of not finishing things. From what Beatrice had let slip he had decided Maya was one of those people who were wildly enthusiastic, then lost enthusiasm when the project needed hard work.
Not the sort of person you’d choose to enter a partnership with.
‘Is your sister intending to go it alone now?’
Beatrice felt a resurgence of her guilt. She was letting Maya down once more and her sister was being so damned nice about it, but they both agreed that she couldn’t put her plans on hold again. ‘She says she’d be happier to go for a less ambitious format.’
‘You think she’s lying.’
‘Of course she is.’
He looked thoughtful. ‘I was actually going to suggest that… I have some contacts—would she be open, do you think, to the idea of experts coming in to offer advice? And I know someone who might be interested in investing.’
‘Someone, as in…you?’
‘Someone anonymous,’ he said smoothly.
‘That is very generous of you.’
‘It is in my best interests that you not spend your pregnancy worrying.’
‘Well, I’ll speak to her, but she can be a bit touchy. She has come up against a lot of prejudice, a lot of people who can’t see past a young pretty face.’
‘I wouldn’t bet against either of you once you put your mind to something.’
Bea reacted with a glowing smile to the unexpected compliment; she couldn’t help it, even though she knew his good opinion shouldn’t matter. ‘We like a challenge.’
