Michelle Douglas - Surrender To The Single Dad

“I know.” A boulder had lodged in her throat.

“Fulvia phoned your mother early this morning. We were surprised to learn you’d taken him to see her. It made her very happy to see you while she’s recovering.”

But the visit had turned out to be devastating for Alessandra. Once again her world had been destroyed. This time she knew she’d never be able to put it back together.

Alessandra took a quick breath. “Since the weather kept us from making another dive, I decided to pay her a visit. She was tired, but seems to be getting along fine.”

“She was very impressed with Rinieri’s honesty.”

Honesty? What on earth did that mean?

Feeling ill, she got up from the chair. “I’ve been away from my work too long, so I’d better get busy or my editor will lose his patience. I’ll be in the library if you need me.” She hurried over to give him a kiss on the cheek before leaving the office.

When she reached her desk, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Several messages came in on her phone, all from Gino wanting to know if she would be joining them for the afternoon dive. None were from Rini.

Alessandra texted him that she couldn’t make it, then left the castle in the Land Rover and drove to the mainland. After grabbing some food, she drove to the ridge where she’d taken Rini on that first day. The recent downpour had greened up the fields. She walked around, playing back their conversation in her head. Alessandra was convinced that the excuse he’d given her father not to drill wasn’t the real reason he’d backed off.

Deeply troubled, she returned to the castle and got busy on the historical biography she was writing on Queen Joanna. But by Saturday morning she couldn’t stand it any longer. Rini had been cruel not to have contacted her, if only to say goodbye. After what they’d shared scuba diving, she wasn’t about to let him walk away until he’d listened to a few things she had to say.

If this was how he ended every relationship with a woman, no wonder he was still a bachelor. He’d been clever to abort their growing attraction before it burned out of control. Rini had been every bit as hungry for her as she’d been for him when they’d kissed. So why had he done this?

He’d been the one to pursue her, to want to scuba dive with her. There’d been no stopping him getting his way because she’d wanted to be with him so badly, too, and still did. So what had changed everything? Alessandra needed answers and she wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

After telling her parents she’d be home late, she drove the Land Rover to Metaponto and took a commercial flight to Positano. Without her father’s knowledge she’d looked up Rini’s home address on his computer.

She could have gone to the Montanari office in Naples, but figured he’d be home on the weekend. If she walked in on him entertaining another woman, that was too bad. She needed answers.

Three hours later the limo she’d hired wound around the lush vegetation of his property. It stopped in front of a magnificent two-storied, ochre-colored villa, probably built at the turn of the century. Good heavens, the hilltop town above the Amalfi Coast was gorgeous beyond belief!

Alessandra marveled to know that Rini lived in this flower-filled paradise. The exterior was drenched in purple and red bougainvillea, robbing her of breath. So did the view of the sea from such a dizzying height.

A warm midafternoon sun shone down on her as she got out of the back. “Stay here, please,” she said to the driver. She walked past several cars in the courtyard on her way to the front entrance. Alessandra hoped that meant Rini was home.

After using the bell pull, she waited for someone to answer and heard female voices inside. One said, “I’ll get it, Bianca.”

The moment the door opened, Alessandra knew she was looking at Rini’s sister, who was a real blond beauty. Even though their coloring was different, the extraordinary family resemblance brought Rini to mind with a pang.

“Buon pomeriggio, signorina. Can I help you?” She’d answered the door in a bathing suit covered by a short lacy wrap.

Her heart was pounding too hard. “I hope so. I’m here to see Rini.”

She studied Alessandra for a moment. “Aren’t you the famous Diorucci model?”

CHAPTER FIVE

THIS WAS DÉJÀ VU all over again.

“That’s my sister, Dea. I’m Alessandra Caracciolo.”

“Well, you’re both absolutely stunning.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m afraid my brother isn’t here. I’m Valentina Laurito. Was he expecting you?”

“No.” She swallowed hard. “I wanted to surprise him.”

A mischievous smile broke the corners of his sister’s mouth. “So did I. Bianca informed me he went fishing this morning and hasn’t come back yet, but she’s expecting him soon so I stayed.”

Fishing...

While she took in the disappointing news, an older woman appeared in the foyer carrying a darling blond baby boy, the image of his mother. She made the introductions. “Have you come far?”

“I flew in from Metaponto.”

“That’s quite a ways. Won’t you come in and wait with me while I give my son a bottle? We’re out by the swimming pool. Vito loves his Zio Rini and keeps waiting for him to walk out.”

Alessandra knew the feeling well. “If you don’t mind, I’d love to.”

“Tell your driver to come back for you later.”

She did the other woman’s bidding, then walked through Rini’s elegant villa. The patio furniture included tables, chairs and a large swing. Alessandra saw plastic toys in the water. Valentina took the baby from the housekeeper and settled him in his baby swing with a cover to shield his eyes.

“We have extra bathing suits if you’d like to change and take a dip.”

“Thank you, but no.”

“You might like it after your flight.”

“It didn’t take that long. Besides I get in plenty of swimming.” Valentina was so easy to talk to, Alessandra needed to be careful what she said to her. Rini was a private person who wouldn’t appreciate her getting too familiar with his family. Especially not after he’d left the castle permanently.

She found a lounge chair close to the swing to watch the darling baby. In a minute she heard rotors overhead and her pulse leaped. What would Rini think when he found her out here with his family? Maybe she shouldn’t have come, but it was too late now because moments later her gaze darted to the tall, dark figure striding toward them from the other end of the pool wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

“There’s your zio!” Valentina cried.

“Vito—” Rini called to him. The baby turned his head toward his uncle and lifted his arms.

That’s when Rini saw her and his eyes narrowed. “Alessandra,” he murmured.

Without missing a beat he came close and picked up the baby in his arms, kissing him. “What a surprise. Two visitors in one afternoon.”

“Alessandra has flown here from Metaponto, but I can’t persuade her to take a swim.”

“That’s because she scuba dives for the archaeological institute from Catania and probably enjoys a break from swimming.”

Valentina’s head swung toward her. “Rini’s a master diver, too!”

“I know. Your brother was instrumental in helping me make a find the other day. I’m indebted to him.”

“Rini,” his sister virtually blurted with excitement. “You didn’t tell me about that.” Her eyes took in the two of them.

With enviable calm he explained, “While I was looking for new oil fields, I tagged along with Alessandra. She lives on an archaeological treasure.”

“Zio Salvatore called me when he couldn’t find you at the office. You know how upset he gets.”