Page 72 of Giorgio

Juliana stared at the two men staring at each other and decided they looked like opponents facing each other in the boxing ring. She had called her brother to let him know they would be coming over first thing in the morning. She had also made arrangements for the senior member of her staff to carry on today.

“I am not certain what time I will get there Marjorie, so please take charge.”

There was no hesitation of course. The biggest worry was the two men in her life getting along. Her brother already made his mind up about Giorgio and Giorgio sensing the hostility was being defensive. He was also being proprietary, his hand nestling the small of her back as he kept her close to him.

“If you think you are going to fly here in your damn private jet and whisk my sister off, think again.” He was already dressed for work, his three-piece suit tailored to perfection.

“Julian…”

“In case it has escaped your attention, she is carrying my child, and I intend to marry her before my son is delivered.”

“How noble of you.” Julian sneered. “If only you weren’t six months late.”

“If I had known…”

“Let me guess, you would have taken time off from your whoring and partying to pop over and be there for my sister. Accompany her to doctor’s appointment and make certain she has healthy food stocked in the house. You would have been here to rub her back when it stiffened up as her pregnancy advanced”

Standing close to him, Juliana felt his body tense and tried to head off the argument.

“Julian, please!”

Seeing the look on her face, he backed down immediately and offered up a terse apology.

“Look, for my sister’s sake, I am going to keep the peace.” He spread a hand. “You are free to stay here for – how long are you planning on being here?”

“As soon as I can get your sister to come back home with me.” Giorgio looked at her, a question in his eyes. “I would like us to get married in Italy.”

“You arrogant entitled bastard! Have you even asked her? You are taking her away from everything she knows, everything she is familiar with…”

“Julian!”

“I love her.” Giorgio turned to face her. “I will love her for the rest of my life and if she is not happy in Italy, if she wants to spend half the time here in her country, then that’s what we’ll do. I know her parents are buried here and…,” he turned only his head to look at the man who was determined to oppose him.

“You are here, and she loves you. The only thing I ask, is that our son be born in Italy, but any time you feel homesick, or if you want to continue running your business, the jet is available for you.

Anything you want.” His hands gripped hers. “You gave me a life.” He smiled gently. “I have never been this fulfilled before, never been this happy before and I owe everything to you, so yes, I am prepared to do whatever it takes to make you happy.”

He lifted his head again to look at Julian. “And whenever you feel the urge to come and visit, just say the word. Please know that I love your sister, with my heart, body and soul and I will always love her.”

Julian stared at the man and knew without a doubt that he was sincere. The devotion and adoration were naked on his handsome face. There was nothing else he could say, no other objections, he could voice. His gaze shifted to his sister’s face, and he felt his heart contracting.

“Welcome to the family.” He said gruffly. “You have my complete blessing.”

*****

He was true to his word. He made a call to his father who was so happy with the wonderful news of the upcoming nuptials and the fact that very soon he was going to be a grandfather, he wanted to fly over immediately. But Giorgio finally persuaded him that he should stay.

“You are going to have to start making the arrangements for the wedding. I am staying put for a while until we sort out some details.”

He went with her to the next doctor’s appointment and, to her delight, stayed at her brother’s place.

“It does not make any sense paying for a suite and I have a feeling you would want to spend all the time you can with your brother.”

His intuitiveness and sensitivity to her situation made her love him even more if that was at all possible. He also went with her to put flowers on her parents’ grave and for the first time since losing them, especially her dad, she had closure. He held her hand, ignoring the intrusion of the press who had somehow gotten word of his stay in America.

And he stayed right in her brother’s study and made arrangements for their wedding, which was going to be in the spring.

She would continue to run her business for now but was going to put Marjorie in charge.

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