Rebecca Winters - New Arrivals - His Expectant Mistress - Accidentally Pregnant! / One-Night Pregnancy / One Tiny Miracle...

She kissed the back of his hand. “He or she will adore you, too, Vincenzo.”

They’d made the Disneyland Hotel their base. Dino had slept in his father’s room containing two queen beds. Irena stayed in the adjoining room on another queen. Both she and Vincenzo had made that decision on the flight over. After their speedy wedding they felt it was important for Dino that she be eased into his father’s life in increments.

In a few minutes, Vincenzo came back with a luggage cart and they left the hotel for the airport. Later on during the flight back to Italy, Vincenzo insisted she sleep in the bedroom while he and Dino bedded down on the fold-out bed in the club section.

It was Thursday when they landed in Milan. Two weeks had been but a minute. Irena found it difficult to let Dino go. Ahead of time they’d decided she would stay on board the jet. As soon as Vincenzo delivered him to his mother, he’d come back and they’d fly on to Genoa.

Vincenzo stood at the door of the plane. Irena walked Dino toward his father and hunkered down in front of him.

“We’ll see you next Wednesday after school for your overnight with us.” Vincenzo had worked out the new parenting arrangement: every Wednesday night, three weekends a month, eight weeks in summer, every holiday shared and nightly phone calls just before his son’s bedtime.

Dino nodded. Tears filled those brown eyes, but he didn’t let them fall. “I’ll bring my new Indiana Jones game.”

“Good. And this time I’m not going to fall in the snake pit.”

He giggled, causing one tear to dribble down his cheek.

“I’ll miss you, Dino,” Irena said, “While we’re apart I’ll study my Italian and you can test me. Is that a deal?”

Vincenzo helped with that word because he didn’t know it. “We have to go now, son.”

“ Ciao, Irena.” He followed his father out the door and down the steps to the tarmac. The steward joined them with all his luggage.

Irena walked back to the club section. Before she could even sit down, she dissolved into tears for Vincenzo and Dino, for Mila, for herself.

Years down the road she might have to face partings like this with her own child. Vincenzo had to do it all the time, already. How would he feel if the baby she carried was Andreas’s? Would he feel the pull as much? Irena didn’t know how he coped so well with the separation. He made a magnificent role model who was a superhero to his son. The baby just had to be Vincenzo’s!

But whilst her heart hoped, another part of her tried to accept the possibility that it was Andreas’s child she carried, because to think otherwise, the joy would be too much!

She wiped her eyes and pulled out her cell phone. It was time to stop dwelling on her own worries and ask Deline how she was doing. With both of them pregnant, they had a lot in common.

“At last!” her friend cried after picking up. “It’s been a week since you called me. Are you still on your honeymoon?”

“We’re at the tail end. I’m waiting in the plane for Vincenzo to take Dino back to his mother’s house before we fly to Genoa.” She could hear a lot of noise in the background. Children’s voices laughing and screaming. “Where are you?”

“On Milos. Leon took the day off and we flew out here until tomorrow. All the families are in or around the pool.”

“Then you can’t really talk.”

“Actually, this is the perfect time. Leon’s causing most of the havoc.”

“You’ve both needed a break. How are things between you?”

“Believe it or not, we’re doing much better. Tell me about you and Vincenzo.”

“We’ve had a wonderful time with Dino.”

“Naturally, but I’m talking about the two of you, if you know what I mean.”

Irena sucked in her breath. “We haven’t had a real wedding night yet. I guess we already had it two months ago, but didn’t realize it. Right now it’s important to make sure Dino’s secure.”

“You’ve taken on a stepson. That’s a huge responsibility.”

“True, but he’s adorable. If I’d given birth to him, I don’t think I could love him any more.”

“I believe it.” There was a silence. “And what about the baby you carry…have you thought any more about that? Andreas isn’t back from his honeymoon. Leon thinks it will be another few days at least.”

She lowered her head. “Tomorrow will be my first appointment with my new OB. She’ll draw blood for some tests. The CVS test I’m having done won’t take place for another two weeks.

“I’ve made up my mind that if it’s Andreas’s baby, I’ll tell him the truth as soon as I have the DNA result in hand. I don’t want to think about that scenario too much, but if it does happen I was hoping I could call on Leon to help. I thought he might know the best way to handle it. He and Andreas have such a bond. However if you think that’s too much pressure…”

“Not at all. He’s been where you are now. If anyone will have insight in how to break the news, it’s my husband.”

Irena almost broke the phone clutching it so tightly. “I’m so worried about Vincenzo, Deline. He doesn’t talk about it a lot, but I have a feeling he is hoping this baby is his. I’ve never wanted anything so much in my life. But I’m trying to face reality now.”

“I admire you for dealing with this situation as honestly and discreetly as you can. Now you’re married to an exciting man who has taken you on, warts and all.” Irena half laughed through the tears. “Is he still exciting?”

“You have no idea.” However, there was so much Irena hadn’t told her yet. Vincenzo had glossed over everything to do with his family background. Until she had a better understanding of why he’d dismissed his illustrious heritage and wouldn’t talk about it, she couldn’t discuss it with anyone, not even her best friend.

“Vincenzo’s so good to me, I can’t begin to tell you, but I’d better get off the phone now. He’ll be back soon. I’ll call you again before I have the test. Thank you for being the best friend on earth.”

“The feeling’s mutual.”

VINCENZO BOARDED THE JET and told the captain they could take off now. He found Irena in the club section, sitting back in one of the seats with her eyes closed. Even after the long flight she still looked fresh in her two-piece yellow linen suit. She had marvelous dress sense and a glow about her from being in the Californian sun, but some of it could be attributed to the fact that she was pregnant.

He’d had two weeks to think about the possibility that the baby wasn’t his. He still found it difficult to accept and knew he would find it hard to let the baby go to its biological parent, especially after Vincenzo had been forced to go through the same experience with Dino all these years. But at this point in time he was much more concerned for Irena’s health and the baby’s.

Sometimes when he allowed himself to believe the baby was his, the joy that filled him was almost too intense. He let out a ragged breath. Two weeks from now they’d know the truth and they would deal with it. Though she’d pretended everything was fine in front of Dino, Vincenzo sensed Irena’s anxiety was growing more acute.

Unable to help himself, he walked over and kissed her exposed throat, one of her many delicious parts.

“Vincenzo—” Her eyes flew open in surprise.

“We’re about to take off. Let me help you.” He fastened the seat belt for her, then took the seat opposite her and strapped himself in.

“How did it go? Was Dino happy to be home?”

“I’m sure he was glad to see his mother, but Leo was there and it made things less natural for him.”