Sunny’s anxious face lit up with a hugely relieved smile the instant she saw Phoebe walking across the park towards her. She looked at Phoebe and her sad eyes and pale expression broke her heart. Damned Mia did a great number on Phoebe.
“Thank goodness you didn't stand me up!” she gasped as she flew off the bench. “Come on, you’re coming to stay with us for as long as you want.”
Phoebe dug her hands into the pockets of her jacket and avoid looking her in the eyes. She had cried a lot those past few days and didn’t want Sunny to worry or to tell that to George.
“I can’t, Sunny. Don’t worry, I’m staying in a nice place.”
“Phee… I want to help you. This is why I invited you here,” Sunny said squeezing her hand.
“I’m ok, really. Or I&rs
Hearing her sweet voice confessing her feelings in Italian, made him happy beyond belief. Lorenzo caught her up in his arms and crushed her mouth with hungry intensity beneath his. As he buried his face in her red curls, Phoebe quivered, feeling weak and strong at the same time.“I never dreamt that hearing a woman telling me that she loved me could mean so much. And confessing that in my own language is even better,” he confided with roughened sincerity and pure joy.“And to think that if you had told me rather than Mia,” she could not resist adding, “that you loved me, I'd never have left you.”“Piccola, don't you ever leave me again,” Lorenzo warned fiercely.“I wouldn't dream of it...” She gave him a teasing glance, rejoicing in this new intimacy of mutual trust which allowed her to do and say what she liked.“Not if it means you're likely to drow
She was so appalled by that confession she sank on the side of the bed before her legs gave out beneath her. If he needed a shoulder, why did it have to be hers? Then Phoebe understood. He wanted to make a complete confession. Nothing less would satisfy his over-active conscience. So, he was about to drag out personal admissions that would very probably rip her heart out and depress her for the next thirty years. Lorenzo regarded her warily and very slowly set down the case. He cleared his throat.“I…”“Will you keep it short?” Phoebe begged without pride. Lorenzo got even tenser. He looked so absolutely miserable her heart went out to him. She had to face it now. He had really loved Mia. He might now be disgusted, but he had loved her.“My father first told me that Mia
Instead of exploding at that rather unjust stab, Lorenzo froze in his distant corner of the back seat.“I guess you're right about that.” Phoebe sent him a slightly confused glance, registering the raw tension engraved into his bold, dark profile.“I honestly didn't think you might get worried until later… Much later,” she said without irony. “It took you eleven days to call Sunny,” Lorenzo stated tautly.“I had some things to work out.” Like how to live without him. How to exist with a constant craving that got more agonizing with every passing hour. How to push away the flawed memory of good times that kept hurting her even more in those days. Images of them, making love… For her, making love with Lorenzo had been earth-shattering sensa
Sunny’s anxious face lit up with a hugely relieved smile the instant she saw Phoebe walking across the park towards her. She looked at Phoebe and her sad eyes and pale expression broke her heart. Damned Mia did a great number on Phoebe.“Thank goodness you didn't stand me up!” she gasped as she flew off the bench. “Come on, you’re coming to stay with us for as long as you want.” Phoebe dug her hands into the pockets of her jacket and avoid looking her in the eyes. She had cried a lot those past few days and didn’t want Sunny to worry or to tell that to George. “I can’t, Sunny. Don’t worry, I’m staying in a nice place.”“Phee… I want to help you. This is why I invited you here,” Sunny said squeezing her hand.“I’m ok, really. Or I&rs
Once she reached the warm soft sand on the beach, Phoebe kicked off her shoes and walked along through the surf whispering onto the shore. The sun shone blinding silvered reflections on the sea. It was hotter than it had been on her last visit. Well, she didn’t mind the heat. It seemed to drive out the chill inside her. Here they were on the very first day of their honeymoon and Mia had already practically torn them apart. Lorenzo had indeed been outraged by such lurid invasive publicity. And, whether she liked the role or not, Phoebe now knew that she had become Lorenzo's soft spot. He was a very proud man, and she didn't want him to be any less proud. But they had had yet another violent and destructive argument and she had got precisely nowhere. How many more could they afford to have before Lorenzo decide
“This is not the way I wanted the world to discover about our child,” Lorenzo commented trying to keep some restraint.“No...” Phoebe agreed, trembling.“You should’ve told me everything about your past. I might have been able to protect you… us better.” Hearing his tone filled with disappointment, Phoebe flinched. None of what was in that newspaper was her fault. There was some truth in the article, but also a lot of lies and exaggerations. His gaze was judgmental.“For starters, I had no idea that you and your mother were treated like pariahs. Another thing you didn’t mention.”“Lorenzo, my mother was an unmarried woman and all her rich friends started treating her even worse once her father lost their fortune.” Remembering those moments, what her mother