The Italian's Unexpected Heir

The reporter’s questions were opening doors to Enzo’s past.

But would they be enough to change the course of the future?

Sylvie’s breath caught as she waited to see how this would play out. Luckily, both men were agreeable to a horseback ride. She let out the pent-up breath.

In the next breath it struck her that Enzo had planned the horseback tour on his own, without even consulting her. If he didn’t care about the estate and was so anxious to get rid of it, would he have gone to the bother? Would he have gone along with any of this?

She didn’t think so. As they all got saddled up, she was smiling broadly. Enzo might not be willing to admit it, but he was attached to the estate. Talking about selling it and doing it were two totally different things. When it finally came down to putting pen to paper, she didn’t think he could do it.

Once the reporter and photographer were seated on two of the most mellow horses in the stable, Sylvie mounted Duchess at the same time Enzo climbed on Emperor. Off they went. Enzo took the lead and she was curious where he would lead them. It didn’t take her long to figure out he was leading them to her favorite spot, next to the stream.

“You own all of this land?” the reporter asked.

“Yes.” Enzo didn’t expound upon the answer.

Sylvie had taken up the rear, sandwiching their two visitors in between so no one got lost, because there was a lot of land out here in which to wander off in the wrong direction.

“It’s very picturesque.” Sylvie admired the passing scenery. “I love to come out here when I have time just to take in the quiet beauty and unwind.”

“How long have you worked here?” Jameson asked.

“I just started working here this year.” And yet, it seemed so much longer. “I immediately fell in love with the estate.” And she was pretty crazy about its owner, but she kept that part to herself.

It seemed like she’d been keeping more and more to herself these days. In the beginning of all this, she and Enzo could talk about most anything. It was like they had an immediate rapport—

Whinny!

The next thing she knew Duchess came to an abrupt stop. Before she could think to react, the horse reared up. Sylvie clung tight to the reins and tightened her legs. But gravity was too much for her. She thought she heard Enzo call out her name.

She went airborne.

A scream tore from her lungs.

And then she landed on the hard ground with a thud. The air whooshed from her lungs. And as her head hit the ground, blackness engulfed her, swallowing her whole.

* * *

She just had to be all right.

That was all Enzo could think when he saw Sylvie motionless on the ground. And that was what he thought when she came to and insisted that she was all right. She was more worried about the horse, who’d been spooked, than herself. Against his wishes, she’d gotten to her feet.

It was all he could do to convince her that they were going to the A&E. When he’d pointed out that she’d blacked out momentarily, she’d grudgingly conceded but insisted that no ambulance was necessary. And so he drove her. She was so stubborn.

And now, as they waited in a hospital cubicle, Sylvie grew restless. He couldn’t blame her. This place was boring but necessary.

“This is silly to wait around here,” Sylvie said. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“That bump on your head would indicate otherwise.”

She sighed as though giving up the fight. Because there was no way she was getting out of the hospital until the doctor cleared her.

A few minutes of silence passed between them. In that time Enzo’s mind went to a dark place as he thought about how close he’d come to losing her. The thought of his world without Sylvie in it—well, he couldn’t imagine it. Never seeing her bright, sunny smile again or being able to pick up his phone and hear her soft voice and infectious giggle. He halted his troubling thoughts. Thankfully, none of that had happened.

“I’m sorry.”

The words were so soft—so faint—that he wasn’t sure he heard her correctly. “Sorry?” When she nodded, he asked, “For what?”

“For ruining your interview with the magazine. I can’t even imagine what they must think.”