Summer Romance with the Italian Tycoon Page 13

  Everything had escalated so far beyond her control. She had never intended to get so close to Luciana—to like her, to enjoy her company. Now what had seemed like a harmless deception done for the best of intentions seemed cruel, manipulative. And as for Arianna... Maddie’s chest tightened even more, the pain almost making her gasp. The one consolation was that the small girl didn’t know about either the fake or the real relationship between her father and Maddie. But Maddie had allowed herself to get too close to the child. Had allowed herself to care for her—and, worse, she knew Arianna was getting far too attached, searching her out, confiding secrets, seeking reassurance.

  At that moment she saw Dante. He looked good in formal evening wear, the severe, clean lines suiting his austere handsomeness. He stood, unsmiling, listening courteously to the elderly couple who had greeted him. Maddie watched him, drinking in every fibre of him. The dark hair she loved to muss out of its usual order, dark blue eyes capable of freezing—or heating—with one glance, sharp cheekbones, wide shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist. It may have been the way Dante looked that had pulled her in that first day by the lake; it was partly the way he looked that had enticed her to throw caution to the wind and stay with him on the boat that first time. But the pulse beating insistently at her neck, her wrists, the tops of her thighs had nothing to do with mere looks.

  No. She was attracted to his quiet, un-showy thoughtfulness. The way he wanted his sister to stop worrying, his dedication to his daughter, his commitment to the village and the people who worked at the castello. She was attracted to those rare flashes of humour. To the way his smile transformed his usual serious demeanour, giving him a warmth and sweetness most people never suspected that the Conte Falcone possessed.

  And in just four days she would get on a plane and would travel to the other side of the world. It was unlikely she would ever see him again. Maybe that was for the best. Because whatever Dante wanted from the rest of his life it didn’t include her.

  As if he could hear her thoughts across the crowded room Dante looked over at her and their gazes caught for one long moment. Humour and heat mingled in his gaze and Maddie wished that she could walk over to him, slip her arm through his and claim him as hers, publicly and irrevocably.

  Hang on. She what?

  Taking a step back, Maddie was relieved to feel the cold security of the wall propping her up as her legs trembled, her stomach swooping like a starling in full murmuration. This wasn’t the deal—not the deal she had made with Dante, or the one she had made with herself. The last few weeks had been the first step in a new adventure, in claiming her identity as a new Maddie. They hadn’t been about putting down roots in any way, especially not romantically.

  And yet that was exactly what she had done.

  Somehow she had allowed Dante Falcone to claim a place in her heart—only, ironically, he had as little interest in being there as she had in having him there.

  ‘Fool,’ Maddie muttered. ‘Utter fool.’ Only she could get herself into this kind of mess. At least her departure date was fixed. If she could just make sure Dante suspected nothing, left with her head high and a smile on her lips, then at least her dignity would be intact. Just not her heart.

  * * *

  Dante took a breath, relieved to have a moment to himself for the first time that evening. It seemed that no time at all had passed since the Dowager Contessa had, as planned, descended into the medieval hall from the gallery above, flanked by her four grandchildren. She had been greeted by a room full of her friends and relatives, a large contingent of Luciana’s friends and some of Dante’s business associates, as well as family associates and neighbours. The band had immediately struck up a medley of her favourite songs, starting with the Beatles, before Dante had welcomed everyone to the first Falcone ball in over a decade and toasted his mother’s health.

  After the formalities the crowd dispersed. Some stayed in the hall to dance to a selection of sixties tunes, others mingled on the terraces or made their way to the marquee by the lakeside. Waiting staff circulated with trays of drinks and canapés, buffet tables were set up in the formal dining room and in the courtyard, and entertainers amused the partygoers with magic tricks, acrobatics and spectacular professional dancing. All the fountains had been switched on, water cascading down the series of terraces like a waterfall, illuminated by the lamps which had been threaded through all the trees and hedges. The Castello Falcone looked stunning, like a scene from a modern-day fairy tale. The last time it had been so vibrant, so alive had been for Dante’s wedding.

  Dante’s mouth tightened. Violetta had been so excited she was getting married in a real castle—and he had been so proud that he could give her that opportunity. He had so willingly and happily bestowed his home, his title, his love on her. But all she wanted was the first two of the trio and even they had palled after a while. His love had never been enough.

  It was funny that Maddie had almost married for the same reasons. That she too had chosen a title and a grand old house over love. Only in the end she had walked away.

  He glanced at his watch. Half-past eleven. Half an hour until their dance. He had barely seen Maddie all night. She was supposed to be enjoying the ball as a guest, but she was probably running around behind the scenes, making sure everything was going smoothly. The only way to get her to stop would be to make her—he’d have to insist on a glass of Prosecco, maybe a walk down to the lake. Not that they would get any privacy with over two hundred guests plus staff milling around—and his mother, whose sharp, blue-eyed gaze missed nothing.

  Maddie and he had managed to keep their liaison a secret from her so far; there was no point being outed now when his family were departing tomorrow and Maddie herself had booked her flight to leave in just four days’ time.

  Dante’s hands tightened on his glass stem. He’d only known her for a few weeks and yet somehow she had become an integral part of his family, his life. Somehow Dante knew that the way she relaxed with him was unusual, a privilege. Not just in bed, but also the way she teased him, allowed him to tease her. The way she confided her hopes and dreams, her fears. Inspired him to confide his. Not many people saw that side of Maddie.

  Maybe it was a good thing she was leaving before he got too used to having her around.

  ‘Dante, there you are.’

  He turned as Luciana called his name and smiled affectionately at his sister, magnificent in tight red silk. ‘I have to admit I thought you were crazy when you suggested holding a ball in such a short period of time, but you have done a wonderful job. Mama looks radiant. She has barely left the dance floor all night.’

  ‘Last I heard she was dropping all kinds of heavy hints about the years she spent in London before she married Papa. If we believe her then she was serially dating a number of rock ’n’ roll stars! If I have to hear one more story about what she got up to in her “garret on the King’s Road” then I am sailing off to the other side of the lake, just me, a bottle of Prosecco and no more mental images of my mother in a teeny miniskirt flirting with half of London.’

  ‘She was really beautiful though. She still is,’ he added hurriedly, just in case his mother was behind him. ‘But I would still rather not hear about the time she posed nude for a certain celebrity photographer.’

  ‘No. Really no,’ Luciana agreed, snagging two glasses of Prosecco from a passing waiter and handing one to him. ‘Here, to us. The Falcones. Who really know how to throw a party.’ She frowned, glass still held up to his. ‘Maddie should be here. I wouldn’t have been able to organise half of this without her. I only had responsibility for the guest list—which, let me tell you, was no mean feat; the great-aunts were a week’s work alone—and she did the rest.’

  ‘She’s very capable.’

  ‘She’s more than that. I love her, Dante. She’s exactly what you and Arianna need. No nonsense, organised, she understands our world, but has a lot
of heart. Mind you don’t let her slip away.’

  Deceiving his sister for one week had been hard enough. But deceiving her for two more weeks, watching her get close to Maddie, seeing the happiness in her eyes whenever she caught sight of the two of them together...that was a whole other level of deceit and he had struggled to reconcile it with his own code of honour and responsibility.

  ‘Ciana...’ he began impulsively, but was interrupted by Arianna, flying over to him, her hair its usual tangle, her sandals long since discarded and smears of something that looked very much like a good half of the chocolate fountain down her dress.

  ‘Papa. Papa.’

  ‘Si, cucciola mia.’

  ‘Did you know Maddie is leaving?’

  ‘What?’ Luciana turned to him, eyes wide in surprise.

  ‘This was only always a temporary job for her, cara.’ Dante took Arianna’s hand. ‘She has been saving up to travel the world. Doesn’t that sound exciting?’

  ‘But I like her! I don’t want her to leave.’

  ‘Ari, we’re leaving too. In just a couple of days. Your aunt and cousins will go back to New Zealand and Nonna will go home to Lucerne and you and I have to go back to Roma for school and work. It’s been a lovely summer, but even the best summers turn into autumn eventually.’

  He did his best to keep his voice light and unconcerned despite the tears gathering in Arianna’s eyes, the suspicion and disbelief in Luciana’s gaze and the heaviness in his heart. He didn’t really want Maddie to fly off to the other side of the world. He would have been quite happy to keep their relationship going for a little longer, to allow it to peter out naturally. But this was what Maddie wanted, what she had been saving for, planning for, what she needed. Not a lonely widower whose heart was so locked away the chains were probably rusty with disuse.

  ‘Ari,’ he said again, coaxingly. ‘This separation isn’t for ever. You and I and Nonna are going to spend Christmas in New Zealand with Zia Luciana and the cousins. They live on a huge vineyard in the mountains. Best of all it will be summer there. We can spend our Christmas boating and swimming—won’t that be fun?’

  ‘But Maddie won’t be coming with us?’

  ‘No, she won’t. Maddie has her own life to live, bambina. Her own adventures to have.’ Adventures far from here. Far from him.

  ‘Can’t you tell her not to go?’

  ‘No. And I wouldn’t if I could. She’s looking forward to it very much. So, even though it’s hard, you need to remember you’re a Falcone and say adieu with a smile.’

  Arianna’s lip wobbled and she turned and fled into the crowd without replying. With a sigh Dante straightened and turned to meet his sister’s accusatory glance.

  ‘She’s leaving?’

  ‘Ciana...’

  ‘Don’t you Ciana me! Why didn’t you say anything?’

  ‘Because I didn’t want you to worry. Look, I like Maddie. But I did tell you that our friendship is still in very early days. Maddie has plans. Plans that don’t, can’t include me, and I have a life incompatible with those plans. We both knew that when we got closer and nothing has changed.’

  ‘Dante Falcone, you are a fool.’

  Dante blinked at the vehemence in his sister’s voice.

  ‘That girl might be the best thing to happen to you, to Arianna. And you’re going to just let her walk away?’

  ‘I’m not going to just let her do anything. Maddie is a grown woman.’ And he knew all too well what happened when plans, needs didn’t align—chaos and heartbreak.

  ‘Have you said anything, asked her to stay?’

  ‘No. No, I haven’t. Because it wouldn’t be fair.’

  ‘Why not?’

  This was why he had lied in the first place: Luciana was relentless. Dante’s control snapped. ‘Because I am not the kind of man Maddie needs.’

  ‘No? You keep telling yourself that, mio fratello. But I think she is exactly what you need. And if you don’t at least ask her to stay then you’re an even bigger fool than I thought.’ And with those closing remarks Luciana grabbed another glass of Prosecco and stalked away, leaving Dante staring after her.

  This—this was why he couldn’t be honest with his sister. She didn’t understand. How could she? He was the Falcone heir. Responsible for hundreds—thousands—of jobs. He had to look after the family empire, the livelihoods of dependents, investors and staff. Custodian of the family name, title, holdings for the next generation. Failure wasn’t an option. And yet he had failed spectacularly. Failed at marriage. At parenting. At love. It wasn’t pride or fear or heartbreak that stopped him trying again. It was pragmatism. He couldn’t be trusted to give his heart to someone who wanted it, who would value it. It made sense to keep it guarded.

  Only, Arianna had so enjoyed the company of her aunt and Maddie. She needed a mother figure in her life, someone close by, not half the world away. He had always promised himself that he would put his daughter first. Maybe he should reconsider his decision to never remarry. He could look for someone safe. Someone who knew the rules, played the way he did. Someone he could trust. A partner, not a lover. The idea had been unthinkable just a few weeks ago, but Maddie had thawed him. Given him some of his self-respect back. He would always be grateful to her for that.

  Lost in thought, he made his way back to the ballroom for the midnight dance, which would be followed by the presentation of the birthday cake. The ball wasn’t due to end until the early hours for those with the stamina to keep going. The first coach would head back to Riva at one; the last wasn’t due to depart until five, after coffee and pastries had been served to the final guests. Dante had no doubt that his mother would be the last one on the dance floor.

  As he reached the double doors he sensed someone watching him and, looking up, he saw Maddie. She stood just inside the doors, a little paler than normal, but otherwise her usual composed self. He knew she had spent the whole evening flitting between the kitchen, the ballroom and the dining room, anticipating problems and solving them before they occurred, making sure every guest was comfortable and happy. But there was no sign of the hard work on her face. Her blonde, silky hair fell in a shining sheet. She wore silver, just as she had that first night on Lake Garda, this dress floor-length and full-skirted, the strapless bodice revealing a tantalising hint of cleavage. She wasn’t wearing any jewellery, her make-up subtle, letting the dress take centre stage. But no dress, no matter how expensive, could outshine Maddie. Dante swallowed as he surveyed her from head to toe. The dip of her waist, the swell of her breasts, the long-lashed eyes. She was so beautiful, so elegant. Like a young queen surveying her kingdom.

  And she was his.

  The possessive thought came from nowhere. Shocking in its certainty. Dante’s hand tightened compulsively on his wine glass. Pushing the thought, any thought away, he strode towards her, watching every tell-tale sign that his presence affected her. The way her eyes widened, the hitch in her breath. The pulse beating wildly in her exposed throat. The primal side of him roared its approval, pheromones flooding the air so thick and fast it was as if he could see them rising in a cloud to envelope them, separate them from the rest of the room.

  She was his. Tonight at least. And then he had to let her go.

  As he reached Maddie the band quietened and the band leader took to the microphone to announce the midnight dance. His mother, escorted by one of her many admirers, took to the centre of the dance floor and, watched by the hushed, appreciative crowd, waited for the first strains of her favourite song. Finally they came, the unmistakable sounds of the Beatles’ ‘Something’, and slowly the pair began to waltz and Dante held his hand out to Maddie.

  ‘My dance, I believe.’

  Without a word she came to him, her arms slipping around his neck as he held her close. Bodies melding together as if they belonged, the music taking over as he guided her around the floor.r />
  ‘Had a good night?’ she asked after a while as the song blended into ‘And I Love Her’. Dante tightened his grip.

  ‘I didn’t see you all evening. I thought you were supposed to be a guest, not running around working.’

  Her eyes fell, but not before he saw the shadow in them. ‘I had a lot to do. That reminds me, Dante. Ari heard me discussing my plans with Guido and I’m afraid she was upset.’

  ‘I know, she came to see me.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I meant to talk to her and tell her in person. But how could I explain it was a secret and her aunt couldn’t know? I just didn’t realise she would be so upset.’

  ‘She cares about you. We all do,’ he added and her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. ‘Luciana was there when Arianna came to me. She knows you’re leaving too.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘No, don’t be. They had to find out sometime.’

  ‘Is Luciana very cross with me?’

  ‘No. She’s cross with me. She thinks I should persuade you to stay.’

  ‘I see.’

  The music slowed again and he pulled her in tight. She fitted him so perfectly, as if she was made for him and he for her. But life wasn’t that neat. Lust faded, love wasn’t infinite and hearts weren’t wise. Maddie had dreams, and he couldn’t, wouldn’t stand in her way. He didn’t want to ever see the same disappointment in her clear grey gaze that he had seen every day in Violetta’s during the last two years of their marriage. Maddie may have changed his life, given him hope—but she didn’t belong with him, whatever other people said, whatever he might want in the secret places in his heart.

  He came to a decision. ‘Maddie, I need to speak to you. Alone. There’s something important I want to give you.’

  Maddie came to an abrupt stop. They stood there, looking at each other as the rest of the dancers swirled around them.

  ‘Tonight?’

  ‘Now.’ Something had to change, Dante knew that now and there was no point delaying any more. He couldn’t follow his heart—but he could listen to his head. Before she could reply the band struck up the familiar strains of ‘Happy Birthday’ as the chef wheeled in an enormous and elaborate cake. Dante swore under his breath and Maddie stepped back.