CHAPTER EIGHT

‘FAIRY wings? ’ R IO’s tone was incredulous. ‘You’re sure? ’

Evie reached for a pair of pink gossamer wings which hung from a metal hook. She felt devastated. Ripped to shreds by the revelation that he’d lied to her. ‘Trust me, fairy wings are always a hit with four-year-olds. Better buy a spare pair, ready for when she breaks these. ’ It felt strange, having this conversation with this man. She had a sense that what she was saying was as alien to him as the Russian Vladimir spoke.

As if to confirm her suspicions, he looked at her blankly. ‘Why will she break them? She’s a little girl, not a Sumo wrestler—’

‘Yes, but she’ll want to sleep in them, ’ Evie explained patiently, ‘because that’s what little girls always do and sleeping in them will break them. When that happens you can either explain to her that they’re gone for ever or you can spoil her rotten and get her another pair. Normally I’d suggest it’s dangerous to spoil her but, given that she’s obviously had a completely rubbish time lately, I think an extra pair is probably in order. ’

Without hesitation, Rio cleared the shelves of pink fairy wings.

‘I meant one spare pair, ’ Evie said faintly, ‘not ten. ’

‘I’m not risking anything. As you say, she’s had enough trauma for one lifetime. ’ Rio handed them to his stunned bodyguard. ‘So we have fairy wings and spare fairy wings and spare spare fairy wings. What next? ’

Thrown by the sight of the normally taciturn Antonio struggling to balance a mountain of fairy wings, Evie managed a smile. ‘If you’re attacked now, this will be interesting. You’ll just have to bash them with your magic wand or something—’

Antonio’s mouth twitched. ‘I’ll remember that. ’

‘Don’t worry about Antonio, ’ Rio drawled. ‘He probably trained in the same unarmed combat camp as your grandfather. If the chips were down, he’d find a way to turn fairy wings into an assault weapon. ’ His gaze met hers. ‘It’s good of you to do this for me. ’

She felt frozen inside. ‘I’m doing it for her, not you. ’ She ignored the tiny part of her that questioned that claim, just as she ignored the commotion in her nerve-endings that told her he was even more lethally attractive when he was vulnerable. ‘Let’s go. We need dolls. ’

‘I’m not sure about dolls. Last time I saw her, I took her a doll. ’ He scanned the rows of toys with something close to despair. ‘I think I probably chose the wrong sort. There were millions. The one I picked had a very elaborate costume and she was very frustrated when it wouldn’t come off. ’

Evie’s heart twisted at that image—the arrogant, self assured tycoon taking a serious knock to his self-esteem as he struggled to choose a doll. ‘I expect she’d like a doll that can be dressed and undressed. They make one that cries and wets itself. ’

His expression was comical. ‘There is a market for that? ’

‘A huge market, ’ Evie told him, enjoying the look of shock on his face. ‘You pour the milk in one end and it comes out the other, just like real life. ’

Rio shuddered and he said something in Italian. ‘That is fun? ’

‘It’s role play. Didn’t you ever play mummies and daddies—? ’ Evie took one look at his face and shook her head. ‘Forget I said that. I don’t suppose commitment games were ever your thing. Take it from me, most little girls are a sucker for caring for a baby. Put a real baby in a room and the girls are all over it in minutes. Whatever anyone says about feminism, most little girls love pretending dolls are babies. ’

‘Did you? ’ Suddenly his gaze became disturbingly acute and Evie felt the slow burn of colour in her cheeks.

‘Yes. ’ She turned away from him and took the stairs two at a time. There were some things it didn’t pay to think about. Especially not around this man. She just wanted to get this over with so that she could go into hiding and lick her wounds. ‘Here—dolls. I’ll grab a shopping trolley. I don’t think poor Antonio can carry any more. ’

‘A whole floor of dolls? ’ Rio looked horrified. ‘How do you know where to start? ’

Evie tried to translate it into terms he’d understand. ‘Like any product, you have to segment your market. There’s a specific market for young children. Then they segment the market again—dolls that cry, dolls that—’

‘OK, fine. I get the picture—’ he interrupted her hastily ‘—so which is the market leader? ’

‘This one. ’ She pointed and Rio lifted it off the shelf gingerly.

‘How many spares do we need? ’

‘At least one. It’s very easy to leave a doll on a plane. ’ Suddenly realising what she’d said, Evie gave a wry smile. ‘On the other hand, you do own the plane, so you’d be able to retrieve it without long and fruitless arguments with unhelpful airline staff. You could probably get away without spares. ’

Clearly not prepared to take any risks, Rio added five identical dolls to the growing pile of toys in the trolley. ‘I have five homes, ’ he said by way of explanation. ‘It’s probably best to have a spare in each. ’

‘Five? ’ Evie blinked. ‘You have five homes? ’

‘You’re thinking that it will confuse a small child? ’ He added a small stack of accessories to the pile. ‘I’ve been thinking the same thing. In fact, I’ve been restructuring my business so that I can spend as much time as possible at my palazzo in Florence, to give her stability. My team have decorated a room exactly like the one she is in at the moment so that it seems familiar. It’s right next to mine and I have already appointed a very experienced English nanny who is ready to move in at a moment’s notice. ’

Evie felt the hot sting of tears scald her eyes and turned away in horror, blinking rapidly. For crying out loud, what was the matter with her? Why did the thought of him studying a child’s room and creating an identical version make her want to sob? Struggling for control, she picked up a doll from the shelf and pretended to examine it. Her insides were at war and, when she felt Rio’s hand close over her shoulder, the tears formed a lump in her throat. ‘This is a good one. ’ She thrust the doll at him and he studied it in silence.

‘Are you sure? I’m no expert, but I don’t think so. ’

Dragging her gaze from the dark shadow of his jaw to the doll she’d handed him, Evie realised that he was right. The doll she’d selected was completely unsuitable for a young child. Apart from the fact that the clothing was covered in intricate beading, there was a clear warning that it wasn’t intended for children under the age of eight. She wasn’t concentrating. Her mind was all over the place.

His hand still on her shoulder, Rio returned the doll to the shelf. ‘I’ve upset you again. ’ His voice was low and all Evie could do was shake her head, frightened by the intensity of her feelings.

‘No. ’

‘You’re trying not to cry. I know enough about women to recognise the signs. ’

‘I believe you. I’m sure you’ve made enough women cry in your time. ’

‘But normally they don’t try and hold it back. As usual, you have to be different. If you want to sob, then sob. I know I deserve it. I really have been a bastard to you. ’ He smoothed her hair away from her face but she moved her head away sharply.

‘Don’t touch me. And don’t use that word in a toy shop. ’ Evie almost wished she could cry. It would have been easier to hate him. The problem was, she didn’t hate him. She didn’t hate him at all. He’d used her, he’d lied to her, but she still didn’t hate him.

Ignoring her warning not to touch, he closed his hands over her shoulders. ‘Evie—’

‘Let’s just get this done. I’m tired. I haven’t had much sleep in the last few days. ’ She tried to pull away from him but he held her, his physical strength evident in his firm grip.

‘We were talking about where Elyssa would enjoy living most. Do you have an opinion on where a little girl would like to live? I assumed a child would rather live in one place as much as possible and Florence is a wonderful city, but if you think—’

‘I honestly don’t know. ’ Evie finally managed to pull away from him. ‘Why would I know? I’m not a mother. I probably know less than you do. ’ All she knew was that her mind was a mess. She’d told herself that he was totally the wrong man for her because he wasn’t the family sort. He’d emphasised that he wasn’t interested in commitment. And now she discovered he had a daughter he clearly adored and every decision he made, even the one to use her so ruthlessly to achieve his own ends, demonstrated the level of his commitment to his child. The fact that he was clearly struggling so hard to do the right thing somehow made the whole thing all the more poignant. He hadn’t chosen fatherhood, but he was determined to do it right. He was facing his responsibilities. Despite what everyone said, Rio Zaccarelli didn’t have a problem with commitment. His problem was with his own relationships with women. And that was hardly surprising, was it, given the women he’d met in the past?

Thinking about Elyssa’s mother, Evie’s throat was thick with emotion. Who would do that to a man? Or to a child? A solid lump seemed to have formed behind the wall of her chest. She kept seeing him removing that photograph from his wallet. Kept seeing him piling up fairy wings so that his daughter didn’t suffer any more trauma. Her arm brushed against his and an electric current shot through her body and, at that moment, the truth lit up in her brain.

She’d fallen in love with him. At some point during the glittering, glamorous charade, the pretence had turned to reality.

It was a thrilling, sickening feeling. A sudden whoosh of the heart and a sinking of the stomach. Dread and desire intermingled with a knowledge that the whole thing was hopeless.

How could that have happened?

In such a short time and with a man like him?

How could she have been so recklessly foolish?

Parading his faults through her brain, Evie turned sharply and walked towards the end of the store, hiding her panic. ‘You need books. Reading together is a great way to bond. ’ She blocked out an image of Rio sprawled on a bedcover covered in pink dancing fairies, reading to a small, dark haired girl who adored him. This was hard enough without making it worse for herself.

Her hands shook as she selected books from the shelves, conscious of his steady scrutiny.

‘What’s going on, Evie? When we came into this store you were hell bent on punishing me—you dragged me round pink fairy wings, handed me dolls and stuffed toys bigger than I am—and suddenly you look like the one who is being punished. You look like someone who has had a terrible shock. ’

‘No, ’ she answered quickly. Too quickly. ‘Not a shock. ’

‘I wish you’d tell me why you’re upset. Or is this still because you’re thinking about my daughter? ’ He sat down on a chair in the reading area. He should have looked ridiculous, stretching his powerful body and long legs amongst the small bean bags and tiny colouring tables, but he didn’t look ridiculous. Evie doubted Rio could look ridiculous anywhere. He had that ability to blend with his surroundings that came with confidence and self-assurance.

‘Of course I’m thinking of your daughter. ’ Picking another two books from the shelf, she flicked through them. ‘That’s what we’re doing here, isn’t it? ’ She wished he’d stop looking at her. Suddenly, she was afraid that everything she was feeling might show on her face. The feelings growing inside her were so new she hadn’t got used to hiding them yet.

‘So we’ve done fairy wings, dolls, stuffed toys, games—’ he listed them one by one, a trace of irony in his voice ‘—is there anything else you think she would like? What does a little girl really want? ’

What does a little girl really want?

Evie stared for a moment, the question opening a deep rift inside her. It was the one thing she was able to answer with complete confidence. ‘All a little girl really wants is her daddy, ’ she said huskily. ‘The rest is just icing on the cake. ’

‘You’re sure? ’ Rio tucked the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he opened the email. ‘Yes, I have it here…I’m reading it right now…I’ll make all the arrangements. ’

When he finally ended the call, he knew his life had altered irrevocably. It was done. The lawyers had finally confirmed it. Elyssa was going to come and live with him. The courts had awarded him custody.

His gaze slid to the small mountain of toys that had been neatly stacked in one corner of the Penthouse, a testament to Evie’s dedication to her task. His little girl would want for nothing, not that he was kidding himself for one moment that the future was going to go as smoothly as that one shopping trip. For a start there was his own inexperience to take into account, and then there was the inescapable fact that Elyssa had spent the past few years with a woman so self-absorbed that the needs of her child had largely gone unnoticed. Whichever way you looked at it, there was a rocky road ahead. Staring at the toys, he suddenly wished Evie was there to guide him through more than just his choice of doll.

But that was a crazy thought, wasn’t it? A selfish thought, because he had nothing to offer her. Not even a defence against her accusation that he’d used her.

He had.

He’d done what needed to be done, without a flicker of conscience. But he didn’t need to use her a moment longer. Their charade could end. Evie could get on with her life—could concentrate on making her grandfather proud.

She could go home for Christmas.

He sat there for a long moment and for once his phones were silent.

Through the wraparound glass of the luxurious Penthouse, he could see that the snow was falling again and immediately he thought how pleased Evie would be.

She loved snow.

Rising to his feet, he decided he needed to tell her, but when he searched the Penthouse there was no sign of her. At some point during his endless phone calls, she’d gone out.

Antonio entered the suite in response to his urgent call. ‘Miss Anderson has gone to the park, boss. ’

‘What do you mean, she’s gone to the park? It’s seven degrees below freezing and it’s still snowing—’ Rio prowled across the thick carpet. The snow was floating past the window, thick flakes that landed on the ground and settled. The streets were virtually empty of people and traffic, everyone trapped indoors because of the weather. For the first time in over a decade the pond in the park had frozen over. A few ducks waddled sorrowfully across the ice. Staring through the window, he peered through the swirling flakes but failed to spot her. ‘What the hell is she doing in the park? ’

Antonio cleared his throat. ‘She’s building a snowman, boss. ’

‘She’s—what? ’

‘A snowman. ’ Antonio was smiling. ‘It’s surprisingly good, actually. She’s managed to—’

‘Spare me a description of the snowman. ’ Rio spoke through his teeth. ‘Did she leave a message for me? ’

‘Yes. She said to tell you that she needed fresh air and that she’d be back when she was finished. ’

‘Where exactly is she? ’

‘The far side of the pond, sir. Shall I call your driver? ’

Rio strode across the room and snatched his coat from the back of the chair. ‘No. I’ll walk. ’

‘In that case, perhaps you would give this to Evie, sir, with my compliments. ’ Antonio dug his hand in his pocket and withdrew a carrot. ‘I went down to the kitchens and found it for her. She might find it useful. ’

Rio stared at it. ‘Call me stupid, ’ he said slowly, ‘but I can’t for a moment imagine what possible use she will have for a single raw carrot. ’

‘Then you’ve obviously never made a snowman, boss. It’s for his nose. I tried to get a slightly smaller one, but the kitchen—’

‘All right—I get the picture. ’ Feeling out of touch with everyone around him, Rio pushed the carrot into his pocket and strode across the room to the private elevator. As he reached the doors, he paused, his mind exploring an idea. His instinct was to reject it instantly, but for once he fought that instinct.

Why not?

It would please her and he certainly owed her a small bite of happiness after the way he’d treated her.

Having delivered his instructions to a bemused Antonio, Rio left the hotel and crossed the snowy street, wondering what on earth he was doing chasing a girl across a park in the freezing cold.

He found her kneeling in the snow, scooping snow into balls and adding them to a snowman, who was now wearing her hat. Her hair spilled over the shoulders of her quilted jacket and her cheeks were pink from the cold. Her lips were moving and at first he thought she was talking to herself, and then he realised that she was singing.

‘Five gold rings, four calling birds, three French hens—’

‘—and a girl with double pneumonia, ’ Rio drawled as he walked over to her. He pulled the carrot out of his pocket and handed it to her. ‘Here. Give the guy a nose so that you can come inside and warm up. ’

‘I’m fine. I’m happy here. Thanks for the carrot. ’ Without looking at him, she pressed it into the snowman’s face and sat back on her heels. ‘What do you think? ’

Rio decided that this was probably one of those occasions when honesty was not required. ‘Spectacular, ’ he said tactfully. ‘A real gladiator of a snowman. ’ Why wasn’t she looking at him? He changed his position so that he could get a better look at her face and saw that her eyes were red.

He’d made her cry.

Forced to confront the damage he’d caused, Rio gave a bitter smile. The fact that she’d still been prepared to help him despite her own personal agony made him feel about as small as the snowflake that landed on his hand.

She pulled off her gloves and blew on her hands to warm them. ‘There’s no need to go overboard. I know you think I’m crazy. ’

He thought she was astonishing. As brave as she was beautiful.

‘I’m no judge of snowmen. ’ He dug his hands in his pockets. ‘I’ve never seen anyone make one before. But you clearly find it an absorbing occupation so I’m willing to be converted. ’

‘You’ve never made one yourself? ’

‘Never. ’

‘Then you’re missing out. ’ She pushed two pebbles into the snow above the carrot and then sat back to admire her handiwork.

Rio fought the sudden desire to roll her in the snow and warm her up in the most basic way known to man. ‘You need to move the pebble on the left up a bit—they’re not even. He’s squinting. ’

Flakes of snow settled on her hair as she shifted the pebble. ‘What are you doing out here, Rio? Shouldn’t you be on the phone, brokering some deal or sorting out a crisis? ’

‘I left the phones in the Penthouse. ’

She managed a smile. ‘All three of them? Won’t the business world crumble? ’

Rio suddenly discovered that he couldn’t care less. ‘Come back inside with me. ’

The smile vanished. ‘I’m happy here. ’

‘You’re soaked through and freezing. ’

‘I love the snow. ’ Lifting her face into the falling flakes, she closed her eyes. ‘If I keep my eyes shut, I’m a child again. ’

Rio felt the tension flash through his body. ‘And that’s a good thing? ’

‘Oh, yes. ’ Clear aquamarine eyes looked into his. ‘One of my favourite childhood memories is going to the forest with my grandfather to choose a tree. I used to just stand there, breathing in the smell of pine. Have you ever stood in a forest and just smelt the air? It’s the most perfect smell—sharp and pungent—it gets into your nose and then your brain and suddenly you just feel Christmas all the way through your body. Smells do that to me. Are you the same? ’

He had no idea how to answer that question. ‘No, ’ he said finally. ‘I’m not the same. ’

The happiness in her eyes dimmed. ‘I don’t suppose you stand still long enough to notice smells. You’re always on the go, pushing another deal through. You don’t even take Christmas off. ’

Rio looked at her, torn between wanting to know more and wanting to change the subject. ‘So what did you do when you and your grandfather had chosen the tree? ’

‘We took it home and decorated it. That was the best part. We couldn’t afford fancy decorations so Grandma and I made stars out of flour and water, baked them in the oven and painted them silver. ’

Rio remembered the way she’d stared at the elaborate decorations on the Christmas tree at the ball. He found it all too easy to imagine her sitting at the kitchen table, a huge smile on her face, her hair like a burning bush. ‘How long have you lived with your grandparents? ’

She reached for a twig and snapped it in half. ‘Since I was four years old. My parents had gone away to celebrate their wedding anniversary and I was staying with my grandparents. I remember being really excited about sleeping in their spare bedroom. It’s a tiny attic room with a sloping roof and views across the lake and the forest. It felt like the biggest adventure of my life and I couldn’t wait to tell my parents every last detail. ’ She paused and there was a sudden hitch in her breathing. ‘And then my grandfather came into my room one morning and told me that they wouldn’t be coming to get me. Their car hit black ice. They didn’t stand a chance. ’

Rio stood still, feeling hopelessly inadequate. He watched in silence as the snow fluttered onto her shoulders. Her vibrant hair was the only warmth and colour in the place. Everything was cold, including him. Her revelation deserved a response, but he had no idea what that response should be. He wasn’t used to emotional confessions. People didn’t confide in him. They discussed stocks and bonds, mergers and acquisitions—not feelings.

He didn’t do feelings.

Wondering what had happened to all the smooth words that were always at his disposal, Rio stumbled awkwardly through foreign territory. ‘So you stayed with them? ’

‘My grandfather had just retired. They were looking forward to enjoying some time together. They’d even booked a world cruise—’ her voice was soft ‘—they cancelled it. They gave me a home. ’ She breathed deeply. ‘They became my parents. ’

And the love she felt for her grandfather was a living, palpable thing. He saw it in her eyes and in her smile. In everything she did.

‘You’re lucky. ’ The moment he said the words, he braced himself for a sharp comeback. She was going to tell him that he was the lucky one. She was going to remind him that he was a billionaire with five houses and a private jet.

But she didn’t say any of those things. Instead, she wiped snow from her cheeks with her gloved hand and nodded. ‘I know I’m lucky. That’s why I was so upset and worried about that photograph of me naked. After everything they did for me—all the sacrifices they made so that I could have a warm, loving home—I couldn’t bear that my grandfather would think I’d let him down like that. All I’ve ever wanted is to make them proud of me. ’ She bit her lip. ‘I’m still mad with you for not putting me out of my misery sooner, but I’m also just so relieved that Antonio intercepted the guy so quickly. It could have been worse. ’

Her pragmatic approach intensified his feelings of guilt and Rio swore softly under his breath. ‘I was wrong to do what I did. ’

‘No, you weren’t. You did what you needed to do for your little girl. ’ She rocked back on her heels and studied her snowman. ‘You were prepared to do anything to protect her. I like that. It’s good. It’s what families should do. They should stick together, no matter what. Family should be the one dependable thing in a person’s life. ’

‘Why is your grandfather so desperate for you to be married? ’

‘I’ve told you—he’s old-fashioned. ’ Picking up the other half of the twig, she pushed it into the other side of the snowman. ‘He believes that as long as you have family, everything can be all right with the world. ’

‘All right, now I feel seriously guilty, ’ Rio said gruffly and she smiled up at him, a sparkling smile that warmed the freezing air because it was delivered with such bravery.

‘If you’re capable of feeling guilt, then there’s hope for you, Mr Zaccarelli. ’

Was there? He’d lived without that emotion for so long he wasn’t even sure he knew how it felt.

‘Come back to the hotel. It’s absolutely freezing out here. ’

‘Are you telling me you’re cold? Big tough guy like you? ’ Her voice was teasing and her eyes danced with mockery as she looked up at him. ‘You’re a wimp. My grandfather will be relieved when I give you the boot. He wants me to find a real man, not some shivering, pathetic creature who can’t stand a shift in the weather. ’

She squealed with shock and laughter as Rio moved swiftly and tumbled her backwards onto the snow.

‘Are you calling me a wimp? ’ His mouth brushed her soft lips, tasting softness and laughter. He was about to turn the kiss into something less playful when she stuffed a handful of snow down the front of his sweater. Rio swore fluently as the ice froze his skin. ‘Is that your test of a real man? ’

‘That’s just one of them. I started with something gentle. I didn’t want to be too hard on you. ’ She was still laughing but, because he had her body trapped under his, he felt the change in her. Looking into her eyes, he saw something that sucked the humour out of the situation—something he’d seen many times before in a woman’s eyes.

For a second he couldn’t move and he wondered if she even realised what she’d revealed, lying there under him with her hopes and dreams exposed.

And then he sprang to his feet, his withdrawal an instinctive reaction pre-programmed by life experience and a bone-deep cynicism about the durability of relationships. It would be cruel, wouldn’t it, to hurt her more than he already had—this child-woman who still believed in happy endings.

‘You’re shivering. ’ Keeping his tone matter of fact, he hauled her to her feet and brushed the snow off her jacket. She was looking past him and for a moment he thought she was just avoiding eye contact, and then he saw her expression change. ‘What’s the matter? ’

‘Behind you, ’ she muttered. ‘Another photographer. Why are people so interested in your life? Everywhere you go there is a bigger, longer camera lens. We’d better look as though we’re in love. ’ The word tripped off her tongue as if it had no significance and Rio stared down into her sweet, honest face, wondering whether she’d tell him the truth.

But she didn’t say anything and he felt something tug inside him.

‘We don’t have to do that. We can end this charade whenever we like. It’s over. ’ He slid his hands into her hair, suddenly realising he no longer had a legitimate excuse to kiss her.

‘What do you mean? ’ Her eyes widened and then shone as she grasped the implications of his words. ‘Are you saying—? Oh, Rio—you have custody? I’m so pleased! That’s fantastic. ’ She flung her arms round his neck and hugged him tightly, whooping with joy and kissing him over and over again. Her eyes glistened with tears of joy and he brushed them away with his thumb, fascinated by the way she showed her emotions so freely; touched that her pleasure for his daughter could transcend her own pain.

‘There is still some red tape to play with, but my lawyers think that Elyssa will come and live with me the week after Christmas. For what it’s worth, they think that seeing me with you tipped the balance. ’

‘Well, I’m glad about that. So what does this mean? ’

What did it mean? Rio had been searching for the answer to that question.

When women had fallen in love with him before he’d always considered it to be a question of ‘buyer beware’. They should have known better.

But Evie lived her life by a different rule book.

‘Let’s go back to the hotel. I have a surprise for you. ’

It was over.

She no longer had a part to play in creating this happy family.

Evie stood in the elevator, trying to keep the smile on her face. It was selfish of her, wasn’t it, to feel so devastated? The whole reason this charade could now end was that someone extremely sensible had decided that a little girl should live with her daddy. As someone who had known that terrifying feeling of loneliness and abandonment, she should be thrilled that another little girl’s dreams were going to come true. And she was. She really was. But was she a wicked person to wish that she could have had just a couple more days?

Forcing her own feelings aside, she smiled at Rio, determined not to make a fool of herself. She didn’t want his pity. The only thing she wanted from him was something quite different. Something he wasn’t able to give. ‘You have plans to make. Just let me know what you want me to do. ’ She kept her voice brisk and practical. ‘How you want me to handle things. ’

He frowned. ‘Handle what? ’

‘I’m going to dump you, remember? And, boy, am I going to enjoy that part. ’ Evie rubbed her hands together, wondering whether her voice sounded just a little forced.

‘We’ll discuss details later. ’ There was a tension in his shoulders that she attributed to his reaction to the momentous news. Either that or his ego was struggling with the notion of being publicly rejected.

It seemed incredible to her now that only weeks earlier she’d been about to marry another man. What she’d shared with Rio had taught her that what she’d shared with Jeff had been bland and colourless, like existing on a diet of bread and water and then suddenly discovering the variety of colour and texture of real food.

She wondered if she’d ever find anyone else who made her feel the way Rio did.

Blinking rapidly, Evie reinforced her smile as the elevator doors opened. ‘Building snowmen is hungry work, so I certainly hope that—’ She stopped, the words dissolving in her mouth as she saw the Penthouse.

It had been transformed from an elegant living space into a sparkling winter paradise.

Silver snowflakes were twisted through boughs of holly and an enormous Christmas tree, even bigger than the one she’d decorated, took pride of place next to the fire. It looked like a child’s fantasy.

The only thing missing was Santa.

The moment the thought entered her head, Santa appeared from the second bedroom, complete with red robes and full white beard.

Evie blinked. And then she peered closer, through the clouds of ridiculous white beard, and started to laugh. ‘Antonio? Is that you in there? ’

‘Ho, ho, ho—’

Appalled to find tears in her eyes, Evie kept smiling. ‘That doesn’t quite work with an Italian accent. First fairy wings, now Santa—your job description seems to have shifted slightly over the past week. ’

‘I have a gift for you. ’ Overplaying his role like mad, Antonio reached into his sack with a flourish and pulled out a large square parcel. ‘This has your name on it. ’

Evie took it, wondering what all this meant. ‘Am I supposed to keep it until Christmas? ’

‘No, you open it, ’ Rio said immediately as he urged her further into the room, away from Antonio who discreetly let himself out of the Penthouse.

Evie looked around her, unable to believe what she saw. ‘But you don’t…you hate…’ She swallowed. ‘You’ve done this for your little girl. I thought Elyssa couldn’t be with you for Christmas. ’

‘I haven’t done this for Elyssa. ’ His voice was rough and held a touch of uncertainty. ‘I’ve done it for you. ’

‘For me? ’

‘Because you love Christmas and, this last week, I’ve deprived you of Christmas. I’m making up for it. Open the present. I hope you like it. ’ His eyes were wary and Evie wanted to say that the only present she wanted was him, but she couldn’t, could she?

He didn’t want that and it took two people to make a relationship work.

Dipping her head, she ripped the paper off the box and opened it. At first she thought there was nothing inside, and then she saw the envelope.

Puzzled, she discarded all the packaging and opened it. Inside was a printed ticket and it took a moment for her to understand what it meant. As the words sank into her brain, she gasped. ‘I can spend Christmas Day with my grandfather? ’

‘Because the snow is so bad and your roads are pathetic, I am going to fly you by helicopter to this place where your grandfather lives—’ Looking ridiculously pleased with himself, Rio outlined the plan. ‘We will all spend the day together. ’

Looking at Rio, with his sleek, expensive clothes and his taste for the best in everything, Evie gave a disbelieving laugh. ‘Rio, you eat in hideously expensive restaurants—your chefs are the best in the world—I’m sorry, but I can’t see you eating Christmas lunch in the Cedar Court Retirement Home. ’

‘Sì, I have thought the same thing myself, ’ Rio confessed, ‘which is why two of my top chefs are currently preparing to cook lunch in more challenging surroundings than usual. ’

‘You’re kidding. ’

‘It will be a true test of their talents, don’t you agree? ’

‘But who is cooking lunch in your restaurants? ’

‘Someone. I don’t know. ’ He spread his hands in a gesture that was pure Italian. ‘I don’t micro-manage every part of my business. ’

‘But if they don’t do a good job, they’re fired. ’

‘Very possibly. Are you pleased with your gift? ’

Evie found it hard to speak. The fact that he’d done this made everything all the more mixed up in her head. Would it have been easier if he hadn’t been so thoughtful? Would it have been easier to walk away cursing him? ‘I’m so pleased, ’ she said huskily, standing on tiptoe and kissing him. ‘Thank you. Can I phone him and tell him? ’

‘He might be rather busy. All the residents are currently with a stylist, choosing new outfits for Christmas Day. ’

Overwhelmed by his generosity, Evie swallowed. ‘Rio—you didn’t have to do this—’

‘I wanted to. As a thank you. ’ He slid his hands into her hair and brought his mouth down to hers and Evie immediately responded, wrapping her arms around his strong neck and pressing her body against his.

As a thank you. Of course. What else?

And she knew it was also a goodbye.

After tomorrow, it would be over. She wouldn’t see him again.

He hadn’t said what he wanted to do about ending their relationship in public, but presumably he’d chosen to wait until after Christmas Day so that her grandfather wasn’t upset.

Rio pressed his mouth to her neck and gave a groan. ‘We probably shouldn’t be doing this—’

‘I want to. ’ Evie spoke without hesitation, her eyes closing as he slowly unzipped her coat and trailed his mouth lower. ‘I want to spend tonight with you. ’ If this was their last night together, then she wanted something she could remember for ever. She wanted memories to keep her warm.

She couldn’t have him for ever, but she could have him for now.

‘You’re sure? ’ His voice was deep and husky and she nodded.

‘Completely sure. ’

It was only later, much later, when she was lying in the darkness, cocooned in his arms and sleepy from his loving, that she asked the question that had been hovering on her lips for days. ‘Will you tell me why you hate Christmas? You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but—’

‘It was never a good time of year for me. ’ He tightened his grip on her. ‘Every Christmas was a nightmare. I’m the product of a long-term affair between my mother and a very senior politician who was married with his own family. Christmas Day was the one day he always spent with them. I was eight years old when he finally found the courage to tell her he was never going to leave his wife. I found her body lying under the Christmas tree when I got up in the morning. ’ He spoke the words in a flat monotone, the same voice he might have used when discussing the share price.

Evie lay immobile, shock seeping through her in icy rivulets, like melting snow. The vision played out in her brain in glorious Technicolor. An excited eight-year-old dashing downstairs to see if Santa had left presents under the tree and discovering death in all its brutal glory.

She wanted to say something—she wanted to find the perfect words that would soothe and heal—but she knew that such words didn’t exist. She knew from experience that there weren’t always words that could smooth the horrors of life, but she also knew that human comfort could sometimes warm when the temperature of life turned bitter cold. So she tightened her grip on him and pressed her lips against his warm skin, her muffled words intended to comfort, not cure.

‘The doctor had given her tablets for depression. ’ Now that he’d started speaking, he seemed to want to continue. ‘She’d swallowed them all, along with a bottle of champagne her lover had given her for Christmas. I called an ambulance but it was too late. ’

Evie’s eyes filled with tears. ‘So what did you do? Where did you go? ’ She thought of her own loving grandparents and the tears streamed down her face and dampened his skin. ‘Did you have family? ’

‘I gave the hospital the number of my father—’ he wiped her tears with his fingers and gave a humourless laugh ‘—that must have been quite a Christmas lunch, don’t you think? I believe it was his wife who answered the phone so he probably had some explaining to do. ’

‘Did he take you into his family? ’

‘Yes, on the surface. As a senior politician he had to be seen to be doing the right thing and I was effectively an orphan. In practice, they sent me to boarding school and tried to pretend I didn’t exist. His wife saw me as a reminder of her husband’s lengthy infidelity, his daughter saw me as competition and my father saw me as nothing but a bomb ready to explode his career. He told me I’d never make anything of myself. ’

‘He should have been ashamed of himself—’

‘His career disintegrated soon after that, so I don’t think life was easy for him. ’

Evie pressed her damp cheek against his chest. ‘So now I understand why you were prepared to fight so hard for your little girl. Why you wanted to be a father to her. ’ And she understood why every Christmas tree slashed at the wound he’d buried so deep. And yet he’d put his own feelings aside in order to decorate the Penthouse for her. She wanted to ask why he’d done that—why he’d put himself through that. ‘I love you, Rio. ’ Suddenly it seemed terribly important that she tell him, no matter what happened when the sun rose. No matter what he thought of her. ‘I love you. I know you don’t love me back—I can understand why you’re so afraid to love after what you learned about relationships as a child, but that doesn’t change the way I feel about you. I want you to know you’re loved. ’

He gave a low groan and pulled her onto him, wrapping his arms around her. ‘I know you love me. I saw it in your eyes when you looked at me in the park. ’

‘Oh. ’ Embarrassed, she gave a tiny laugh. ‘So much for hiding my feelings. Just don’t ever invite me to play poker. ’

‘Evie—’

‘Don’t say anything. ’ She pressed her mouth to his. ‘This has happened to you a load of times before. I know it has. It’s fine. Don’t let’s think about tomorrow. Let’s just enjoy right now. Right now is all that matters. ’

She lay awake in the darkness, holding him, wishing she could hold the moment for ever and stop dawn breaking.

It was the end, she knew that.

For the first time in her life, she didn’t want Christmas Day to come.

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