said. And then his eyes followed hers as Eve grinned at the drunk looking fairy perched on the top of the tree. " Si , she got caught in the crossfire. The twins were fighting to see who would put her on the top. They are very excited about the visit from Santa."
Matt handed him a carrier bag which held a couple of gaily wrapped boxes. "The pink one's for Sophia and the blue one is for Luca."
" Grazie ," Nico said in that deep rumbling Italian accent that made Eve grin. "They are asleep, thanks be to God. We spent the day making snowmen. I am happy to say they are exhausted."
He led the way into a gorgeous sitting room.
"Admit it, you had more fun than the kids," said a blonde woman, hugely pregnant and sitting in a chair next to the fire.
"Hello, gorgeous." Matt wen t over to greet her. She kissed him twice on each cheek.
"Hello, handsome," she said and beamed into his face. She ran her fingers through his hair. "Is this a new look or for a film?"
"I'm incognito ."
For some re ason the statement made the woman roar with laughter.
Matt took Eve's hand and brought her over to meet her hostess.
"Bronte Ludlow, Eve Langan."
Friendly emerald eyes met Eve's and she read humour and not a little curiosity.
"Of course I recognise you from the TV adverts and the glossy magazines. I'm thrilled to meet you," she said. Then added before Eve could respond, "I'd get up but I've been on bed rest and Nico won't even let me stand."
"Is everything oka y, you look wonderful," Eve told her and meant every word.
Bronte Ferranti was one of the most stunning women Eve had ever seen. And in her job she'd seen plenty. Slippy ash blonde hair was caught in a high tail and ran across her shoulder and down her breast. She was wearing a cashmere sweater the colour of new grass, which flowed over her bump and matching skinny pants. Her narrow feet were tucked into super thick socks the colour of clotted cream.
"This pregnancy's been a challenge. What would you like to drink?"
Eve turned to look at Nico who was holding an open bottle of champagne.
She opened her mouth to speak but Matt beat her to it.
"We're pregnant, too. A fresh orange or apple juice if you have it," he said.
Immediately Bronte caught Eve's hand and squeezed tight.
"Congratulations! How exciting. How many weeks?"
"Almost twelve ."
Eve found herself bei ng hugged by Nico and her cheeks bussed again before Matt endured another man hug before bending down to receive a kiss from Bronte.
Nico poured two glasses of champagne for the men and sparkly apple juice for the ladies.
He raised his glass. "Congratulations. I never thought I would ever live to see this day."
Matt settled a suddenly nervous Eve next to him on the couch and put his arm around her shoulders.
"We're thrilled."
He gave her big eyes and a happy smile.
She gave them right back at him.
"It was a surprise," she admitted wanting to be scrupulously honest to the lovely couple. "But it's beginning to feel real."
Bronte held up her glass. "Cheers, I think you look wonderful together and it's so sweet to see Matt finally settled. You've got yourself one of the good guys, Eve."
Matt grinned at Eve with a complacent told-you-so smile.
The sound of the doorbell pealed through the house.
Nico moved fast. "That will be the entertainment for the evening," he muttered.
Bronte just laughed at Eve's wide eyes. "What he means is that it's my brother Alexander and his wife Rosie. Rosie can't wait to meet Matt."
"A fan?" Eve guessed.
Bronte's emerald eyes danced with sheer mischief. "Oh yeah." She grinned at Matt. "I'll apologise ahead of time. Our Rosie 's mouth doesn't possess a filter."
Eve snuck a look to see if Matt was uncomfortable with the impending attention but when he caught her eye he shrugged, reached out to stroke her hair.
Sitting at the candle lit dining room table an hour later, Eve decided that the Ludlow's made an interesting couple. Alexander was tall and slim with an athletic build.
Matt handed him a carrier bag which held a couple of gaily wrapped boxes. "The pink one's for Sophia and the blue one is for Luca."
" Grazie ," Nico said in that deep rumbling Italian accent that made Eve grin. "They are asleep, thanks be to God. We spent the day making snowmen. I am happy to say they are exhausted."
He led the way into a gorgeous sitting room.
"Admit it, you had more fun than the kids," said a blonde woman, hugely pregnant and sitting in a chair next to the fire.
"Hello, gorgeous." Matt wen t over to greet her. She kissed him twice on each cheek.
"Hello, handsome," she said and beamed into his face. She ran her fingers through his hair. "Is this a new look or for a film?"
"I'm incognito ."
For some re ason the statement made the woman roar with laughter.
Matt took Eve's hand and brought her over to meet her hostess.
"Bronte Ludlow, Eve Langan."
Friendly emerald eyes met Eve's and she read humour and not a little curiosity.
"Of course I recognise you from the TV adverts and the glossy magazines. I'm thrilled to meet you," she said. Then added before Eve could respond, "I'd get up but I've been on bed rest and Nico won't even let me stand."
"Is everything oka y, you look wonderful," Eve told her and meant every word.
Bronte Ferranti was one of the most stunning women Eve had ever seen. And in her job she'd seen plenty. Slippy ash blonde hair was caught in a high tail and ran across her shoulder and down her breast. She was wearing a cashmere sweater the colour of new grass, which flowed over her bump and matching skinny pants. Her narrow feet were tucked into super thick socks the colour of clotted cream.
"This pregnancy's been a challenge. What would you like to drink?"
Eve turned to look at Nico who was holding an open bottle of champagne.
She opened her mouth to speak but Matt beat her to it.
"We're pregnant, too. A fresh orange or apple juice if you have it," he said.
Immediately Bronte caught Eve's hand and squeezed tight.
"Congratulations! How exciting. How many weeks?"
"Almost twelve ."
Eve found herself bei ng hugged by Nico and her cheeks bussed again before Matt endured another man hug before bending down to receive a kiss from Bronte.
Nico poured two glasses of champagne for the men and sparkly apple juice for the ladies.
He raised his glass. "Congratulations. I never thought I would ever live to see this day."
Matt settled a suddenly nervous Eve next to him on the couch and put his arm around her shoulders.
"We're thrilled."
He gave her big eyes and a happy smile.
She gave them right back at him.
"It was a surprise," she admitted wanting to be scrupulously honest to the lovely couple. "But it's beginning to feel real."
Bronte held up her glass. "Cheers, I think you look wonderful together and it's so sweet to see Matt finally settled. You've got yourself one of the good guys, Eve."
Matt grinned at Eve with a complacent told-you-so smile.
The sound of the doorbell pealed through the house.
Nico moved fast. "That will be the entertainment for the evening," he muttered.
Bronte just laughed at Eve's wide eyes. "What he means is that it's my brother Alexander and his wife Rosie. Rosie can't wait to meet Matt."
"A fan?" Eve guessed.
Bronte's emerald eyes danced with sheer mischief. "Oh yeah." She grinned at Matt. "I'll apologise ahead of time. Our Rosie 's mouth doesn't possess a filter."
Eve snuck a look to see if Matt was uncomfortable with the impending attention but when he caught her eye he shrugged, reached out to stroke her hair.
Sitting at the candle lit dining room table an hour later, Eve decided that the Ludlow's made an interesting couple. Alexander was tall and slim with an athletic build.
Similar Books
