Page 214 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

‘They like what they see,’ Nell said, beaming at her through the screen. ‘It also doesn’t hurt that your name is quickly becoming one of the hottest new names in bridal design. And they don’t just want to stock your dresses, Rae. They want to have your designs exclusively and offer their brides a custom service with you. It will be like having your own boutique within their store.’

Rae gave a gob-smacked laugh and lifted her hands to her mouth. ‘That’s incredible. I can’t believe it. I... I’m speechless.’

‘It’s a huge opportunity, Rae. An unbelievable one. And with all the hard work you’ve done recently, you really do deserve it. So how do you feel about coming and living in New York for a while?’

Rae opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. Because the reality of the offer was only just sinking in, the understanding that accepting it meant relocating. To New York.

New York.It had always seemed like such a frenetic and overwhelming place to her, never a city that she’d longed to visit, but that wasn’t the foremost thought in her mind. No, at the centre of her mind was Domenico. The heart-slowing realisation that if she was in New York, she wouldn’t,couldn’t, be with him because his life was in Venice.

And although excitement was absolutely what she should be feeling, how could she feel any excitement in her heart about being somewhere he wasn’t, when her heart so completely belonged to him?

‘I don’t know,’ she stammered on a nervous laugh, realising her silence had dragged on a little too long. ‘I guess I’m a little taken aback. It’s a lot to take in.’

‘I know.’ Nell nodded sympathetically. ‘It would be a big change for you. But they wouldn’t be looking for you to be in New York until some time after the New Year, so nothing would happen immediately. You and Domenico would have plenty of time to figure things out,’ she offered as an attempt at reassurance. ‘But, if you are interested, the owners would like to meet with you as soon as this week, just to talk through all the particulars and start the process moving. So think about it. It really is an incredible opportunity for you, Rae.’

‘I know,’ Rae managed, her throat growing tighter by the second. ‘I’ll talk to you later, okay.’

Ending the call, she dropped the phone onto the desk and sat back in her chair, her teeth nibbling on the inside of her lip as thoughts sifted through her mind at a mile a minute.

It was, as Nell had said, an incredible offer. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And it would give Rae everything she wanted. Success. Security. Something that could sustain her should the worst ever happen. There would be no need for her to worry any longer about falling into that black abyss. She should be thrilled, overjoyed. A month ago, she knew she would have leapt to accept it without a second thought, but now...now there was Domenico to think about too.

There was her and Domenico.

They had finally reached the place in their relationship that she had always wanted, she thought, her heart racing with renewed feeling. They were poised on the edge of their own opportunity to start over and, as frightening as that was, as much as she had spent all day fretting about it, there was a part of Rae that wanted exactly that. To spend her life with him. To build a family with him. To be there when he was struggling, to share in his success and share hers with him. Everything meant so much more with him. Just last night she had fallen asleep with images of the life they could build together swimming before her eyes.

She believed wholeheartedly that they could make their marriage successful this time. They had both grown so much, changed in so many ways, big and small, that she had no doubt that they could make their lives together work, managing their marriage and their careers.

But if she went to New York, none of that would be possible. Everything between them would be severed. The possibility, the hope, the connection they had both fought to forge.

But you wouldn’t have to live in fear of losing him, you wouldn’t have to feel scared and vulnerable. You’d feel strong and safe and successful.

Her heart skipped several beats, tempted by that possibility, except...

She wouldn’t have Domenico and if she didn’t have Domenico, she wouldn’t have her heart. She would only be half alive.

A glimmer of movement caught the corner of her eye and Rae looked up, her heart ramming straight into her ribs as she saw Domenico’s reflection in the mirror, standing in the doorway.

For the longest moment she was frozen, a thudding fear pulsing behind her breastbone as she stared at him, trying desperately to read his face, to gauge how much he had heard and what thoughts were running through his mind. Had he already jumped to the conclusion that he was being abandoned again? Was that why his face was set that way, so flat and unreadable, his eyes as dark as night? Were his wounds tearing themselves open again?

She turned quickly. ‘How long have you been standing there?’

He didn’t move, and that stillness strummed at her nerves, making them jangle with ominous feeling. ‘Long enough.’

She swallowed. ‘Did you hear all of my conversation with Nell?’

‘Most of it, yes.’

It was difficult to speak over the panic hammering in her throat and chest, but she managed to do so. She took a slow step towards him, scared of moving too quickly, as if he were an animal that could startle.

‘Then you know I didn’t commit to anything. I wouldn’t do that without talking to you.’

‘Nell said the job wouldn’t begin until the New Year,’ he said without any inflection and that flatness made her unease mount even higher. ‘Our arrangement ends well before Christmas, Rae. You don’t need my agreement on whatever you do after that.’

She blinked, stunned by his words. Why he was saying that? As if her future was no concern of his, of no interest to him? It made no sense to her, especially not after everything they’d shared last night, after the beautiful way they had given all of themselves to one another and in doing so blasted open a door to their future.

‘I don’t need it, no,’ she agreed, frowning and picking her following words with care. ‘But I would like it. I would like to talk about it with you. To know where you stand, how you feel.’

To know that you love me as much as I love you. To know that you are in this as deeply as I am and that you want me to stay and be your wife. To know that you believe we can make our relationship work this time, that you too believe we are stronger and better than the people we were before.

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