become quite expert at changing him by now, she was able to snap up his little stretchy suit with no problem. The pretense of competency was something to cling to.
“One more short flight in the helicopter and we’ll be home.”
Massimo’s neutral tone told her nothing about his true feelings lurking beneath the surface. Remembering the woman whose arms he’d just left, they couldn’t be all bad.
“Did you hear that, Nicky? We’re going for another ride.” In the family helicopter no less. She placed him back in the infant seat. The limo began to move, and by the time she’d put everything else away, they’d reached the helipad.
Massimo took charge of Nicky. Soon she and the baby were ensconced behind him and the pilot. Once their things were stowed on board and introductions made, they took off. The sudden lift caused her stomach to lurch. After a few minutes, however, she grew used to the motion.
Her first helicopter ride over Milan would have been enough to rave about, but the sights filling her vision as they neared Lake Como defied description. What might appear commonplace to them was like being transported to another planet for Julie.
She fastened hungry eyes on the shoreline dotted with tiny ochre towns so picture perfect, she had to be dreaming. From the deepest blue water she’d ever seen rose forested slopes that ended in mountain peaks covered in snow.
At Massimo’s instruction the pilot swept lower so she could pick out olive and palm trees, bougainvillea, even rhododendrons and azaleas growing in a profusion of riotous color. They’d flown into a subtropical paradise.
Soon a picturesque town appeared, whose colorful houses and narrow streets were almost completely surrounded by water. Among the lush greenery she spied palatial villas with terraced gardens and cypress trees covering the foot of the terrain.
As a gasp of sheer delight escaped her lips, she felt a pair of black eyes trained on her. “Bellagio’s renowned for being the most beautiful town in Europe.”
She turned her head toward Massimo, who was looking over his shoulder at her. “I … I can’t find the words to describe what I’m seeing. Pietra’s love for Shawn must have been overpowering to turn her back on this kind of beauty.”
“The Sonoma vineyards have their own brand of charm.”
“That’s true, but nothing I’ve ever seen or imagined compares to this.” She quickly averted her eyes.
No man I’ve ever met compares to you.
The helicopter dipped lower until it hovered near a gold-tinged villa surrounded by a sun-drenched garden hugging the steep hillside.
Her breath caught. “Your home?”
He nodded solemnly. The helicopter set them down in a cleared space at the rear of the villa.
“Oh, Nicky—” she cried in absolute wonder. “To think this is where your mommy grew up, where you’re going to live—”
As Massimo had pointed out, this was Nicky’s birthright.
It was so fabulous only a fool would have asked him why he was bringing the baby back here. She cringed over her pathetic naiveté.
Yet for all her euphoria, she wasn’t wrong to feel trepidation. She knew from Massimo’s history that this particular Garden of Eden had its serpent. What frightened her more was anticipating the moment when it would strike without warning.
After thanking Guido for setting up a new crib and dresser, Massimo went in search of Lia. Per his instructions, they’d made one adjustment to the rooms on the second floor.
Pietra’s bedroom would now serve as the nursery. Julie would stay in the adjoining suite. Massimo’s was down the hall. The arrangement would give them both easy access to the baby without his having to go through Julie’s room first.
Rounding the corner, he found Lia leaving Julie’s suite with a tray. He noted with satisfaction that she’d eaten most of her lunch.
Over the past week she’d displayed little appetite. Ironically he’d been more worried about her than Nicky, who’d finally started drinking his formula without problem. After several failed attempts in the beginning with Julie looking on, Massimo learned that all he had to do was act in charge and plunge the nipple in Nicky’s mouth. Suddenly the baby stopped fighting him and they were in business. At that point Massimo didn’t know who was more surprised.
“Congratulations,” she’d said. “You’ve stumbled onto the secret of the assertive doctrine, just like I did.”
Between her gentle laughter and a smile for Nicky that drew his attention to the passionate curve of her mouth, he felt a sense of accomplishment he hadn’t experienced in years.
He popped a lone grape from her plate into his mouth. “Did Julie mention needing anything else right now?”
“No. The signorina put the baby in his carryall next to her bed. Both are asleep. She cares for him like he’s her own bambino.” Lia’s eyes misted over. “Such a beautiful child Pietra made. To think she’s gone.”
Massimo inhaled sharply, not wanting to dwell on the nightmare they’d just lived through. It still enveloped him like a shroud.
“I’m going to bed, myself. Have Gina bring him to me when he’s awake, no matter the hour. Julie needs her sleep. I’ll feed him.”
She nodded.
“Bene. Grazie, Lia.”
“Momento, Massimo. Cesar urged you to call him at your convenience. He and Luca sent flowers. I put them in your study.”
“I need to get hold of them.” Cesar and his elder brother, Luca, would be shocked when they learned Nicky would be living in Italy with Massimo. This would especially impact Cesar because it meant Massimo’s bachelor existence had come to an end. The fallout from Pietra’s fatal accident was still reverberating.
“You’ve had many other phone calls. Your uncle, Signor Vercelli, Signor Ricci, Seraphina Ricci, Dottor Pittman, Dottor Reese and Signor Walton.”
He checked his stride. “Walton?”
“Signorina Marchant’s fiancé. He sounded anxious to speak to her. Something to do with a wedding, but it was a poor connection.”
Massimo frowned. So it wasn’t over. Whatever quarrel they’d had, the poor devil had to be kicking himself by now.
“I’ll tell her. The rest of them will have to wait.”
Especially his uncle, who’d already played his first hand to no avail. Making sure Seraphina was at the airport to greet him the second he stepped off the plane hadn’t come as any surprise.
His uncle and her father had been plotting an alliance between the two of them for the past four years. But Massimo wasn’t in love with her. Even if he had been, he would never have married her. She was a big-city girl, overly indulged by her papa and his money. Unsuited to live in a third-world country.
Totally
