Happy Mother's Day! - By Sharon Kendrick Page 0,58

had heard she was pregnant, Gianluca had marvelled at how quickly life could change. That it could be transformed in a heartbeat—by life, by death and by love. Everyone knew that deep down, but most people chose to ignore it. They carried on with their lives, blinkered and unseeing. It was easy to forget that the important things were all around if only you had the courage to reach out for them.

Something had happened when he had first held his newborn son and Gianluca was experiencing something similar now. It was love. Like something which had always been just around the corner and out of sight—only now it had stepped out into the daylight at last, dazzling and transforming.

And along with the breathtaking leap of his heart came the feeling of liberation. That just as Aisling had opened up her heart to him—he was free to do the same. Having Claudio had taught him that expressing emotion did not make a man weak—indeed, that love could empower you with a strength which made you feel you could conquer the world.

Gianluca had been protective of his emotions because women had always wanted more from him than he had been prepared to give, but for the first time in his life he had met someone who had not pushed him for emotional commitment or declaration. And love given freely was so much more powerful than love which was demanded.

He felt infused with the same kind of power which could make an eagle soar over unimaginable heights. ‘You may not believe me when I tell you that I love you, Aisling,’ he said fiercely. ‘But believe me when I tell you this, mia bella … bella—that I will spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I do.’

Afterwards, Aisling couldn’t remember which of them had moved first—whether he had crossed the room or she had. Or maybe it had just happened like osmosis—one flowing into the other without really trying. Just two people with aching hearts who had found a healing remedy in each other.

EPILOGUE

‘SO WHAT’S it like working with your wife, Signor Palladio?’

Gianluca smiled at the reporter. ‘I’ve worked with her before. It’s how we met.’ And then he shook his head to negate any more questions before climbing into the back of the limousine beside Aisling.

The car gathered speed and she snuggled in next to him. To huge international fanfare, they had signed on theVinoly hotel that very morning and were now going home to the vineyard, to where Claudio was waiting for them.

‘I can’t wait to see him,’ Aisling murmured.

He smiled. ‘Me, neither.’

‘Though I feel a little guilty sometimes, caro,’ she admitted softly. ‘For leaving my child.’

‘All women seem to feel that guilt,’ Gianluca observed thoughtfully as he traced his finger around the sensual curves of her lips. ‘But you work such limited hours—it’s a perfect arrangement.’

It was indeed. Secure in Gianluca’s love, Aisling had been able to make the decision about what her working future would entail, and it had been deliciously easy. She wanted her family—her precious little family—to be the number one priority.

So she had sold her share of the business to Suzy—and acted as Gianluca’s part-time Human Resource Consultant in Italy. It suited them all very well—though the press found it endlessly fascinating that such a famous bachelor should have embraced such a close partnership with his wife, and with such enthusiasm.

Aisling adored her new life—with her darling Gianluca and adorable baby. Sometimes she woke up in the morning feeling as though she were still in a wonderful dream of living in the soft, Umbrian countryside and experiencing its simple values and community closeness. But she and her successful husband were able to pick up their metropolitan existence any time they liked.

In order to appease all their disappointed friends who hadn’t been invited to the wedding, they were throwing a huge house-party at the vineyard this weekend and people were flying in for it from all over the world.

‘Just find us a hunk like Gianluca!’ Suzy and Ginger had begged.

‘I’ll try,’ Aisling had promised, laughing—knowing deep down that there was no other man in the world who could hold a candle to him.

Gianluca was watching her as the fields passed by in an emerald blur. ‘Happy?’ he murmured.

‘Blissfully.’ She turned to him as he began to unclip her hair with that look of sexy intent which had her stomach dissolving with anticipation.

‘So, why,’ she giggled as it began to spill down over her