Her Italian Boss’s Agenda

‘Isn’t it beautiful?’ Galina squealed when Olympia admired it.

‘Did Primo give you that?’ Luke asked.

Galina just giggled. Olympia stared out of blank eyes. A gift so valuable was a declaration of intent.

‘It’s time the groom was leaving for the church,’ Hope said, bustling over. ‘And those of you who are going with him, the car’s ready outside.’

Justin appeared, dreadfully pale, and was taken in charge by Primo. A few minutes later the two of them departed together, with Galina.

More cars were lined up before the house; people started checking themselves in the mirror, taking care of last minute details.

Then everyone was silenced by the arrival of the bride. Evie had chosen a simple ivory-coloured dress with a short veil held in place by flowers. She looked beautiful, but she also looked honest, calm and strong. In fact she was exactly what the man she loved most needed.

And Hope knew it, because she gave her new daughter a special mother’s embrace before taking her hand and putting it in Toni’s.

‘You will give her away,’ she said, smiling, ‘and then she will be ours.’

No bride could have asked for a better welcome, Olympia thought as she and Luke headed out to the cars. But she knew now that it could never be hers. There could be no marriage between herself and Luke, whatever other people thought, and it was time for her to leave.

His brotherly kindness had lulled her into a sense of security and she had lingered too long. But now it was time to depart and set a distance between herself and the Rinucci family. That way she need no longer see Primo with Galina.

But then she thought of working with him, seeing him day after day, and knew that moving home wasn’t enough. She must go away entirely, back to England, to another job. It would mean starting again.

But I can do that, she thought. I’ve done it before.

The wedding ceremony was an impressive ritual, but the most impressive part was when two people claimed each other with quiet fervour. Then the organ pealed out and they started back down the aisle into the sunlight, where the photographer was waiting.

So many photographs to be taken, so many family combinations. Nobody must be left out, and Olympia found herself kindly dragooned into many pictures where she felt she had no right to be. But Hope was determined and nobody could stand up to her.

‘Not if they want to live,’ Luke commented wryly.

Then the formal reception, the speeches, Justin almost inarticulate, having to be rescued by his son, saying cheekily, ‘Dad hasn’t got much Italian yet, so I’ll do it.’

At last the tables were cleared for dancing. Olympia watched the bride and groom, standing well back against the wall, a glass of champagne in her hand.

‘Making plans?’ Primo’s voice asked ironically.

‘Oh, shut up,’ she said, abandoning tact.

‘But how much longer can you keep us all on tenterhooks while you delay the announcement? Soon you will be my sister-in-law-or you would be, if I acknowledge that Inglese as a brother.’

‘Primo, will you please stop talking nonsense? Of course I’m not going to marry Luke.’ She faced him, suddenly angry and too full of regret to care much what she said. ‘How could you ever have believed it for one minute?’

‘Because you went to live with him.’

‘Only because I was angry with you. You should have known that. You did know it. Where have your wits been all this time?’

He stared at her. ‘This is my fault?’

She thought of Galina and sadness overcame her.

‘No, mine too, I suppose. I wasn’t very clever from the start, or I’d have seen through you.’ She gave a wry smile. ‘Let’s face it, you didn’t really do it very well. You didn’t fool me. I fooled myself. I wanted to believe in my own cleverness. I’ve nobody to blame but me, so I think we should part friends and forget it ever happened.’

‘Friends?’ he murmured, and then, ‘Part?’

‘Yes, I’m leaving. It’s time this was over. I’m going back to England.’

He stared at her, seemingly unable to think of a reply. When it came it wasn’t the one he would have chosen.

‘You can’t. You’ve got a contract.’

‘Sue me.’

She turned and began to walk away, moving out on to the terrace. But he came after her and pulled her round to face him.

‘People will see,’ she said frantically.

‘Let them. It’s time we had this out. You’ve been playing me for a sucker for far too long.’

‘I’ve been-?’

‘Everything you’ve done recently has been done to punish me. Living with that Inglese, making my whole family see you as a couple. You were teaching me a lesson, weren’t you? I thought better of you.’

‘Oh, don’t give me that,’ she said angrily. ‘We both behaved badly. We both thought better of the other, and we were both disappointed.’

‘Which seems to leave us about even,’ he said, giving her a curious look.

‘Yes.’ She sighed. ‘And that’s a good place to finish.’

‘Are you sure about that?’ he asked, looking at her strangely. ‘Some people might say it was a good place to start.’

‘What?’

‘Don’t you realise that what you’ve been saying for the past few minutes gives us the best chance we’ve ever had? Olympia, for the first time we can be honest with each other. That’s a great start.’

There was a gleam far back in his eyes that obscurely disturbed her, but she refused to take any notice. She had made her decision and this time she would stick to it.

‘I can’t believe you’re saying this. After what we did to each other-’

‘That was bad, and we needed some time apart to get over it, but we’ve had that and now we’re ready-’

‘Will you stop telling me what to do?’

‘Somebody needs to, because you’re lost and confused. Almost as lost and confused as I am, but this is where it stops. Tell me that you love me.’

She gasped in outrage. ‘Is that an order?’

‘Yes, it is! And look sharp about it, I’m tired of waiting.’

‘The devil I will!’ she said, trying to turn away again.

‘The devil you won’t,’ he said, pulling her back. ‘Now listen to me. I stood there in that church, watching Justin and Evie and wondering how I’d ever let things go this wrong.’

‘But so did I-’

‘Then tell me that you love me.’

‘Now, look here-’

‘Say it-’

Before she knew it his lips were against hers and his arms about her.

‘Say it,’ he muttered.

‘I’m blowed if I-’

‘Say it!’

But in the same instant he made it impossible for her to say anything, kissing her until she was breathless and incapable of thought. She had deadened herself to emotions, not once but twice-first for David and then, recently, trying to kill her love for Primo. But now the sweet, uncontrollable feelings rose up and refused to die down.

She loved him. She might deny it from now until kingdom come, but it would still be true.

‘Say it,’ he murmured again. ‘Or I’ll kiss you forever until you do.’

‘In that case, my lips are sealed.’

He was laughing, his body shaking, sending tremors through her too.