Scandal and the Runaway Bride (Heirs to an Empire 1)

Perfect. He was perfect. Except that he was Stephen’s brother. That was starting to matter to her less and less, and it worried her. At some point she’d let her guard down and started to trust him. Was she wrong to?

Her wine was nearly gone and she’d helped herself to another crostini with truffle pâté when she heard her mother say, “Please, you must call me Lucia. Signora Baresi will not do.”

Gabi turned around to find her mother beaming up at William. “All right, Lucia. This was delicious.”

“Wait until later. My Lucia makes the best pollo arrabiata in Italy.” There was a world of pride in her father’s voice, and her throat tightened. He had to be okay. He just had to. She looked over at him and realized how exhausted he looked. His skin was pale and there were shadows beneath his eyes. Had the commotion of company tired him out so soon? He tired so easily now. And he’d lost more weight. It wasn’t a good sign.

“Maybe William needs a walk to work up his appetite,” Gabi suggested, putting down her empty glass. “Would you like me to give you a tour?”

“Very much,” he replied, turning his warm gaze from her mother to her. It made her a little weak in the knees, and the warm glow from the glass of wine wasn’t helping.

It was a little easier to establish some distance between them once they were outside. First she took him along the patio and pool, and then the gardens.

“Your father was getting tired,” William observed, his voice somber. “You suggested the walk to give him time to rest, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “I’ll be glad when the surgery happens and we can get on with his treatment. I can’t help thinking that every day we wait erodes his chances at recovery.”

“A few more days, that’s all,” William reassured her. He reached for her hand. “Stay positive. He’ll need that.”

“I know you’re right. And I don’t mean to bring down the mood. I’m supposed to be giving you a tour.” She smiled and removed her hand from his clasp, which had felt far too good. “These are Mama’s vegetable gardens. She used to tend them by herself, but now she has a local boy come in two days a week to look after the grass and weeds.” Most of the vegetables that graced their table came from their own gardens. It was a point of pride with Lucia.

“If that snack was anything to go by, your mother is a marvelous cook,” William said as they ambled along, graciously accepting the subject change. “And you’ve inherited her talents, haven’t you? The meal you made at the château was delicious.”

Gabi thought for a moment. “We’re not poor, and we’ve never been poor. This is a lovely villa and my parents have renovated it through the years as the business grew and things got easier. But we haven’t had staff or servants, either. Mama taught both of us how to cook and how to clean. By the time I was twelve I was doing all my own laundry. I’ve been helping in the kitchen since I was old enough to stand

on a little stool to see the counter. I’m glad of it. I have my own flat in Perugia, and I enjoy keeping it and cooking for myself. Even if cooking for one can be a bit lonely.”

Particularly since her relationship ended. At least once a week Luca had come over for dinner and...

Gabi didn’t like to think of it now. She’d been so foolish and trusting.

“Surely you haven’t been too lonely,” William ventured, chuckling. “You’re a beautiful woman, Gabi. And accomplished.”

“Since you’re prying, I’ll tell you that I was seeing someone for quite a while. It didn’t work out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not as sorry as I am.” The words were bitter and sharp.

He halted and faced her. “What happened?”

Gabi lifted an eyebrow. “Well, if I’m honest, I was a fool. I wanted forever. A wedding and babies and a family. I really thought that was where we were heading. But he already had those things...with his wife.”

She’d shocked him. His lips dropped open and his eyes widened with surprise. “Oh. From how you said that, I’m assuming you didn’t know.”

“No. But I should have, looking back. There were red flags I ignored. So I got my heart crushed and felt incredibly stupid all at the same time. Life lessons, you know?”

“When did this happen?”

“Last winter.”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this had happened only a few months before her engagement to Stephen. “I see,” he said quietly, and started walking again.

She caught up with him within a few steps and sighed. “Yes, I can see you do. I was bitter and jaded and Stephen and I had been friendly for a while by then. So fool me twice. Instead of being smart and using my head, I let my emotions carry me into another bad situation.”

“But for honorable reasons,” William added.

They were at the olive groves now, and out of view of the villa. “Perhaps. Or perhaps that was my excuse. Stephen was offering me what I thought I was going to have—a big wedding and a baby and security. And I was so angry and disillusioned that for a while I figured love didn’t matter. It got in the way. It...hurt.”