AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She lifted her chin as she tried to calm her jangling nerves.
It was amazing. One minute he was cold and distant, the next, care and compassion seemed to shine from those dark eyes. But nothing seemed to meet in the middle. She felt like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, torn between two people.
If this was how it was going to be, how on earth would she survive the next four weeks?
Chapter Four
THREE DAYS. THAT was how long she’d been here. Phoebe always worked long hours on the job once she got started and this house was no different.
With the avocado bathroom gone, the walls were now smooth and ready for retiling. The plumbing and electrics had been checked and any problems fixed. The ancient chimneys had been swept. The whole house smelled of paint, and there was a perpetual thin layer of dust wherever she went.
It wasn’t that the clean-up crew weren’t doing their job. They were. It was just they were having to do their job over and over again as the endless stream of tradesmen came and went from the house.
Today there was a joiner oiling and re-hanging some of the shutters. They really were gorgeous and they’d all been repainted a brilliant white. The kitchen appliances had been delivered, but not connected. The Belfast sinks were still to be fitted along with the new countertop. Phoebe had a spreadsheet with all times, dates and phone numbers for everyone responsible.
She walked up the curved stairs humming to herself with a pile of bedding and towels in her arms. Two of the bedrooms and half baths were ready for her inspection. The drapes for the bedrooms wouldn’t be here for another week. But there was no reason she couldn’t start to look at some of the finishing touches.
The porcelain sink and toilet gleamed bright white, along with the tiles. The clean-up crew had guaranteed they could restore the pieces to their former glory and they’d been as good as their word. She smiled as she put the pale yellow towels on the floor. She’d bought some cute ottomans for the bathrooms. She’d need to find them.
She glanced out the window toward Lake Mecox. Snow was starting to fall heavily again. She had hours of work still to do. She didn’t want to start the journey back home because of the bad weather—even more so, she didn’t want any of the tradesmen to leave early.
She’d ordered new mattresses for all the beds. So she spent a few minutes making up the bed in one set of bedclothes, then five minutes later in another. The pale yellow had seemed a little washed out in this room. The duck-egg blue was much better. Most people didn’t understand how much light played in dressing a house. One of the first things she considered was whether a room was south, east, north or west facing. It could make all the difference.
She looked at the pile of bedclothes she still had to go through. There was no reason why she couldn’t start looking at the other rooms. She had cushions, new lights, new lamp shades. There was a world of work she could do right now. Enthusiasm sparked inside her. Now, where had she put those prints she’d bought the other day?
* * *
“You look like crap.”
Brianna had never been one to hold back.
Matteo waved his hand and shook his head while he finished his call. Brianna swept through the door and strode across his office. She was wearing a bright blue designer coat that she took off and practically dumped in his lap.
Patience had never been his sister’s greatest virtue.
She sighed, then tapped the desk, before finally perching on the edge of it. Matteo finished his call then leant back in his chair. “What do you want?”
He knew not to ignore her. Any man who ignored Brianna Bianchi was a fool, and soon learned the consequences of their actions.
“I’m ready to meet her.”
“Ready to meet who?”
She waved her hand nonchalantly. “That girl that you won’t really talk about. Makes me suspicious. I definitely have to meet her.”
Matteo shook his head as he stared at the laptop on his desk. There was a problem at one of the vineyards in Portugal. He really needed to call. Soon.
Brianna licked her glossy lips. As usual, his sister looked impeccable. And very much like their mother.
Brianna always liked to be reminded of that. She’d only been a few weeks old when their mother had died, so didn’t have any memories of her at all—only a few family photographs. But for Matteo it was harder. He had lots of memories.
Brianna had the same shiny dark hair and eyes, the same skin tone and frame. It was uncanny, and sometimes she even did little movements similar to their mother. There was no way it could be learned behavior. It could only be genetics. And sometimes that terrified Matteo. Especially now.
He’d always been close to his brother and sister. How would they feel about him if he ever told them the truth about their mother? Would they hate him, resent him for keeping quiet? He couldn’t bear the thought of not being this close to them. His insides twisted again. For now, it was best that he continued to keep his secret. He could watch Brianna. Keep close to her. That way, he’d know if there was anything to worry about. He wasn’t a child anymore. He was an adult. An informed adult.
