glanced up at him with shock. “But what about your important meeting?”
He saw the fear in her hazel eyes and knew he would not leave her. He bent and placed a swift kiss on her lips. “Business will be there tomorrow. Tonight, my place is by my wife’s side.”
He watched her struggle for a few moments. He hoped she thought this was a show for Mrs. Taylor. He didn’t want Abby to know that he’d do anything to protect her, anything to keep the fear and pain out of her beautiful eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I won’t forget this.”
Before he did something foolish, like pull her into his arms, he smiled at Mrs. Taylor and said, “I won’t be long. They’ll be coming to prep you in fifteen minutes.”
…
“He loves you. I had my doubts, but it’s obvious.”
Abby swallowed back the response, not to me . “I’m not sure he does, but I have more hope for us this time. I’m more mature. I realize he’s just a man, not a fairy-tale prince.”
“You’ve grown up.”
She sat on the bed and hugged her grandmother. “It’s about time.”
“I’m glad you can finally see the man underneath.”
“He’s still the man I married. Stubborn, impossible—larger than life.”
“You never saw that before. I knew when you married him that you were in total awe. Who wouldn’t be? He’s rich, charming, exceedingly handsome, and impossible to resist.” She ran a finger down Abby’s cheek. “But that’s not love. Love is deeper, stronger. You see the flaws and love him anyway. All you saw before was perfection. That’s a recipe for disaster. No one is perfect.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. “You’re right. When the fairy tale dissolved, I ran away.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You were nineteen! It probably did your marriage good to grow up and come back to him as an adult. His equal. I wanted to give you that time.”
She felt her face heat. She was so not Dante’s equal. She’d never be as ruthless and cold. He wanted her for one reason only.
Her grandmother’s smile faltered. “Everything is all right, isn’t it?”
“I’m worried about you.” And the potential mess I’ve gotten myself in , she thought to herself.
Her grandmother patted her hand. “I now have the best heart surgeon in the world, and this hospital is the best in Italy. Dante’s generosity has ensured they have the best equipment and medicine, the best of everything money can buy. And if it’s good enough for Dante then it’s good enough for me.”
“For Dante?”
Her grandmother didn’t notice her flinch. “The nurse told me he comes in every few months for tests.”
Abby backed off the bed. Her legs turned to jelly and her chest struggled to draw breath. “What tests?”
“I don’t know. He sees Dr. Cavelli. He’s been tested regularly since his father died. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
The words echoed in her head and she doubled over as pain ripped through her. Dr. Cavelli had been Dante’s father’s doctor.
“Abby.” Her grandmother’s voice rose. “Abby?”
She put her hand out. “It’s okay, Nana. It’s that time of the month.” God, this was worse than anything she’d experienced before. She dropped to her knees and clutched her side, dizziness making the room swim.
Her grandmother pushed the buzzer by the bed and a nurse hurried in. She took one look at Abby and helped her to a chair.
“There’s no need to fuss. I just need some ibuprofen. I’ve got my period, that’s all.”
“How long have you been having such painful periods?” the nurse asked.
“For too long. I’ve told her to see a doctor,” said her grandmother.
“I’m fine.” She lied through her teeth. The pain was making her feel sick.
The nurse picked up Abby’s wrist and took her pulse. “No period should be that painful. You can hardly walk. If I were you, I’d see a gynecologist. Is there a history of endometriosis in your family?”
Abby could barely see through the pain.
He saw the fear in her hazel eyes and knew he would not leave her. He bent and placed a swift kiss on her lips. “Business will be there tomorrow. Tonight, my place is by my wife’s side.”
He watched her struggle for a few moments. He hoped she thought this was a show for Mrs. Taylor. He didn’t want Abby to know that he’d do anything to protect her, anything to keep the fear and pain out of her beautiful eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I won’t forget this.”
Before he did something foolish, like pull her into his arms, he smiled at Mrs. Taylor and said, “I won’t be long. They’ll be coming to prep you in fifteen minutes.”
…
“He loves you. I had my doubts, but it’s obvious.”
Abby swallowed back the response, not to me . “I’m not sure he does, but I have more hope for us this time. I’m more mature. I realize he’s just a man, not a fairy-tale prince.”
“You’ve grown up.”
She sat on the bed and hugged her grandmother. “It’s about time.”
“I’m glad you can finally see the man underneath.”
“He’s still the man I married. Stubborn, impossible—larger than life.”
“You never saw that before. I knew when you married him that you were in total awe. Who wouldn’t be? He’s rich, charming, exceedingly handsome, and impossible to resist.” She ran a finger down Abby’s cheek. “But that’s not love. Love is deeper, stronger. You see the flaws and love him anyway. All you saw before was perfection. That’s a recipe for disaster. No one is perfect.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. “You’re right. When the fairy tale dissolved, I ran away.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You were nineteen! It probably did your marriage good to grow up and come back to him as an adult. His equal. I wanted to give you that time.”
She felt her face heat. She was so not Dante’s equal. She’d never be as ruthless and cold. He wanted her for one reason only.
Her grandmother’s smile faltered. “Everything is all right, isn’t it?”
“I’m worried about you.” And the potential mess I’ve gotten myself in , she thought to herself.
Her grandmother patted her hand. “I now have the best heart surgeon in the world, and this hospital is the best in Italy. Dante’s generosity has ensured they have the best equipment and medicine, the best of everything money can buy. And if it’s good enough for Dante then it’s good enough for me.”
“For Dante?”
Her grandmother didn’t notice her flinch. “The nurse told me he comes in every few months for tests.”
Abby backed off the bed. Her legs turned to jelly and her chest struggled to draw breath. “What tests?”
“I don’t know. He sees Dr. Cavelli. He’s been tested regularly since his father died. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
The words echoed in her head and she doubled over as pain ripped through her. Dr. Cavelli had been Dante’s father’s doctor.
“Abby.” Her grandmother’s voice rose. “Abby?”
She put her hand out. “It’s okay, Nana. It’s that time of the month.” God, this was worse than anything she’d experienced before. She dropped to her knees and clutched her side, dizziness making the room swim.
Her grandmother pushed the buzzer by the bed and a nurse hurried in. She took one look at Abby and helped her to a chair.
“There’s no need to fuss. I just need some ibuprofen. I’ve got my period, that’s all.”
“How long have you been having such painful periods?” the nurse asked.
“For too long. I’ve told her to see a doctor,” said her grandmother.
“I’m fine.” She lied through her teeth. The pain was making her feel sick.
The nurse picked up Abby’s wrist and took her pulse. “No period should be that painful. You can hardly walk. If I were you, I’d see a gynecologist. Is there a history of endometriosis in your family?”
Abby could barely see through the pain.
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