They? Did he love Ava? The thought was too huge to compute. He couldn’t have let that happen. Would never again subject himself or another to the vagaries, the complexities, the misery that love engendered. If he had been fool enough to let love slide, glissade under his skin, he had to get rid of it now. Before it took hold.
He saw Karen look at him and a small smile played across her lips. ‘Why is this so bad? You and Ava make a great couple. You could do great things together. Like James and I did. You could end up on the board of Dolci—that would have made your father happy, wouldn’t it? Your children could end up at the helm. As it should be.’
Liam wanted to shout, wanted to make the words cease. ‘I wouldn’t use Ava to win Dolci. I built up Rourke Securities on my own and my father would be proud of that.’
‘But you are using Ava now. To win a contract.’
Oh, God. She was right. He’d used Ava, manipulated her need to make amends for her father’s actions. Had forced her into faking a persona to the world. Just as she’d done all her life. For years she’d played the part of Ava Casseveti, perfect daughter, and now he’d made her play the role of perfect girlfriend, instead of allowing her to be herself. Worse, he’d done it whilst she was grieving and at her most vulnerable.
He pulled himself together. No matter what, he wouldn’t be the reason this fundraiser failed, nor would it be because of him that the charade was exposed. He would not bring humiliation onto Ava. ‘Mrs Casseveti, I think you have simply underestimated your daughter’s acting abilities. In any case, I have no intention of influencing Ava, even if I could. I trust her to make the right decisions for Dolci. Perhaps you should consider supporting Ava and working with her. I know how important you are to her. Maybe it’s time for a fresh start?’
Karen Casseveti shook her head. ‘It’s too late for that. The Petrovellis won’t just disappear.’
‘No. They won’t. But you don’t have to remain enemies—maybe you can all have a fresh start. The past can’t be changed but you have a choice in the here and now.’ Those had been Ava’s words and they held good. ‘Think about it,’ he added.
The older woman said nothing, then unexpectedly she smiled. ‘Perhaps I will.’
Liam nodded and with that he turned to find Ava. As he made his way across the room, with a smile and a word for the guests, he told himself Karen had got it wrong. Ava did not love him and he did not love Ava. As he reached her he saw the shade of worry in her amber eyes but before either of them could say anything Leonardo Brunetti approached them. ‘I wanted to congratulate you, congratulate you both. This was an excellent event. Did you organise it yourselves?’
‘Yes, we did.’
‘Can I ask why you did it?’
‘I wanted to do something good, Signor Brunetti. As you know, Dolci is in a complicated place and I wanted to achieve something positive. Something that has nothing to do with shares or profit and loss. Something that shows what I want Dolci to become. An ethical, good company. I believe in our products and I’ll never skimp on quality but I must make sure we are doing our best for the climate, for future generations. I want to use potato-starch plastic instead of what we use. If we export to Europe—’ and now she smiled at him, with a hint of mischief ‘—then I plan to do it in as environmentally friendly a way as possible. Perhaps start a manufacturing plant in Europe once we have enough interest, though I would also work on keeping our product exclusive. There’s a lot to think about.’
‘Indeed there is. But it sounds as if you have many ideas. Once I was like that. Now my wife tells me I am too hidebound. She has read all the documents here, she listened to your speech and she says I should stop being so set in my ways, should move with the times. You have done a good job, Ava. Accept an old man’s congratulations.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Now we will take our leave. I will be in touch. And thank your brother for his donation—this is my favourite painter.’ An old-fashioned bow and Leonardo Brunetti turned and made his way back to his wife.
After that there was little chance for conversation until all the guests had departed. The whole time Liam ensured he stayed in role, kept the smile on his lips, but for the first time in a long time he knew the smile to be fake. The practised smile that Ava had taught him how to achieve. Then finally the last lingering guest had departed, the final preparations for pick-up of the auction items had been squared away. For a mad second Liam wanted to chase after them, tell them to stay longer, wanted to put off the moment he and Ava would be alone.
The knowledge streaked sadness through him as he remembered how easy, how comfortable, how happy they’d been earlier. The intimacy, the banter, the talk, the anticipation of the night to come. All torn away by Karen Casseveti’s words. Words that might hold no truth—yet he couldn’t shake the sense of doom, the belief that the worst-case scenario was about to blow up in his face.
‘Shall we go up?’ Ava came and stood by his side. ‘I think we deserve a glass of bubbly to celebrate.’ Her tone was bright, strove for their earlier ease, but he could see the strain in her smile.
‘Absolutely. This was an incredible success. You should be proud.’ He paused. ‘And whilst I know this wasn’t the purpose, I believe that Leonardo Brunetti will sign on the dotted line.’
‘What about Ray Beaumont?’
‘I think he will give me a fair shot now and that’s all I could ask for.’
Somehow each and every word felt like a prelude to goodbye, to the end he knew had to come.
As they’d talked they’d made their way up the grand staircase with its plush carpet and oak bannisters. He pushed the door open and allowed Ava to enter, careful—oh, so careful—not to touch her even by mistake. Saw the question, the insinuation of doubt and hurt in her eyes as she turned to him. Once inside their room he looked round, wondered that it looked exactly as they’d left it and yet everything seemed different.
Ava stopped, put a hand out to stop him as he headed for the champagne.
‘Wait. Tell me what’s wrong. What did Mum say?’
Now was the moment. He’d tell her, she’d scoff and they could...could what? Keep going with the charade that was no longer a charade? That was no longer a possibility—that he knew. Because even if Karen wasn’t right the danger was too great. How had he been so blind? Had he really believed they could live together, sleep together, wake up together and it mean nothing?
Yes. He had. Because he was a fool, a man who did not understand how emotions worked. That was how he’d ended up in a marriage he’d had no idea how to navigate.
But this time he knew what to do, knew he had to tear all the fledgling, confusing emotions out before they took root and constricted and suffocated Ava. This time he would do the right thing. Wouldn’t let the fallacy of love in. He’d mistaken other emotions for love—he wouldn’t let Ava do the same and neither would he. Love was not in this.
‘Liam.’ Now she stood right in front of him, though he noted she was careful not to touch him, and once again he marvelled how soon their closeness, their ease and comfort together, had vanished. Perhaps he should take hope from that, that all these unwanted emotions would fade away with equal bleak rapidity. ‘What did my mum say?’