A Night of No Return

She’d heard the agony in his voice as he’d spoken to his friend. She’d felt his pain and now she had a lump in her throat because she knew how hard this was for him. Her instinct was to rush out there and give him support, but Cristiano had made her promise not to do that because it would make it too easy for Lucas to hand over responsibility. They’d agreed that this strategy was worth a try so she stood still and listened as Ella chatted away to him, pointing out all the different fish. And she understood now what Cristiano had meant when he had told her quietly that if any child could give Lucas his confidence back it was little Ella. She was outgoing and confident, fascinated by the world around her and not at all shy or intimidated by Lucas. Another child might have been asking for her daddy, but not this one. In different circumstances Emma would have smiled because the little girl had so much of her father in her. No doubt she would one day be running the business Cristiano and his brother had turned into a global corporation, but for now she was taking charge of Lucas, telling him what she wanted to play with and exactly what he needed to do to make that happen.

‘I brought my colouring pens. We can draw the fish. And I want you to draw me a playhouse for my garden at home. Daddy says you draw buildings so you’d be the best person to do that.’

‘I don’t think—’

‘I forgot to say please,’ Ella muttered, contrite. ‘Please. Please.’

‘Well … all right. We’ll design your playhouse together.’

‘Can we have a fish tank in it? That way I can charge people to come and look at them.’

Emma smothered a smile, wondering if commercial vision was welded into the Ferrara DNA.

She wanted to see Lucas’s expression but she didn’t want to intrude on what was undoubtedly an important moment for him. The question was, would Ella’s trust be enough to restore Lucas’s belief in himself?

To prevent herself from walking out there to see what was happening, she went to the bathroom and locked herself in and spent the next hour relaxing in the bath, ready to leap out of the water if Lucas called.

But he didn’t call. And when she’d dried her hair and dressed she just couldn’t hide away any longer and walked into the living room to find both of them eating bowls of ice cream ordered from room service. Scattered on the floor next to them were several large pieces of paper covered in pencil drawings.

Emma raised her eyebrows. ‘This looks fun.’

‘We’re playing tea parties. Lucas let me order from room service.’ Ella pushed a spoon towards her doll as she pretended to ‘feed’ her. ‘Guess what? Lucas has designed me a playhouse. I helped.’

Lucas, Lucas, Lucas. Every other word was Lucas.

Emma knelt down on the floor next to the little girl and looked more closely at the drawings. Like most architects, Lucas usually used computer software for his plans. In this case he’d used a ruler and pencil but the drawing was no less detailed for the lack of technology or the unusual nature of the ‘building’. Emma caught his eye and he gave a faint smile as he read her mind.

‘North elevation,’ he said quietly. ‘I didn’t see any reason not to do it properly. It’s a relief to know I can still use a pencil.’

A lump grew in her throat. This was a man who had designed some of the most iconic structures of recent years and there was something endearing about the attention he’d given to this project. Just one glance told her that Ella Ferrara was going to have the most beautiful playhouse any child had ever had.

Ella finished her ice cream and sprawled on her stomach, absorbed by the project they were creating together, oblivious to the significance of the encounter. ‘Can I colour it in?’

‘Colour away.’ Lucas handed her the coloured pens and she took them and stared hard at the drawing.

‘Lucas, can it have a chimney?’

He studied the drawing. ‘Now why didn’t I think of that? A chimney would be perfect. Where do you think it should go?’

‘Here.’ She stabbed her finger into the paper and Lucas handed her the pencil.

‘Good decision. Draw it on. And any time you want to join my company just let me know.’

‘You two have certainly been busy.’ Smiling, Emma sat down next to them and helped herself to ice cream. ‘Healthy breakfast, Lucas.’

‘One bowl of ice cream isn’t going to hurt her. We’ve ordered toast if you’d rather wait for that. You might want to move that chimney to the right a bit, Ella—’

Watching the little girl carefully drawing a chimney onto the plans while Lucas helped her, Emma wondered if he even realised how natural he was with the child and how much time had passed while the two of them had been designing their playhouse. At some point over the last few hours he’d forgotten the weight of responsibility and focused instead on just occupying her. And whatever he believed about himself, Emma saw the care he showed. It was evident in everything. From his infinite patience with the little girl, to the way he listened carefully to her every request.