Page 78 of Hard Lessons

“Help yourself.” Luca shrugged.

Paulo went into the kitchen.

“Luca.” Serena rushed up to him and took his hands. “Do you have to go?”

He frowned. “You know I do. I don’t want to, but I have to.”

“I thought we’d have some time here and—”

“So did I.” He swept his lips over hers. “I’m sorry. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He glanced at the kitchen. The kettle was rumbling and Paulo was banging cupboard doors. “Promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“You’ll be here.” He cupped her face and lowered his voice. “Please, Serena. Be here when I get back. I love you. I want to be with you forever.”

She stared up into his face. “On Hebridon? Do you want to be with me on Hebridon?”

“I don’t know.” He swallowed, his throat was tight and his chest ached.

Her hopes sagged.

“Not because you haven’t painted a damn beautiful picture of what life could be like,” he said, “it’s just...”

“Hey, is this all you got? This instant shit?” Paulo shouted.

“Yep, that’s it,” Luca called back. “All we got.”

Serena’s heart was thudding, her thoughts clattering into each other. Luca liked the idea of them living away from all the chaos that had glued their lives together up until this point. That meant they had a chance. It had to mean that. Surely.

“Got food?” Paulo called.

“There’s bread and cheese,” Serena directed at the kitchen.

“Why can’t we leave all this behind?” She frowned. “Men like Paulo turning up. Giovanni demanding your services. We don’t need it.” She paused. “I don’t need it and I don’t like it.”

He was quiet.

“When you went away it was like my brain rewired. And when it was put back together I still loved you, I always will, but I didn’t want the lifestyle of my family, going back generations. I wanted to break the mold. So much so that I was prepared to leave you, the love of my life, Luca. You have to see how much this means to me.”

“Of course I do.” He rested his brow on hers. “I promise I do.”

“So if I’m here when you get back—because let’s face it, I could be on the other side of the world by the time you are—you’ll give me an answer. Yes or no to the new way for us to be?”

He closed his eyes, his long dark lashes almost resting on his cheeks. “Si, I will give you an answer.”

“Then I’ll be here.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

Serena watched Paulo’scar slip into the distance and then become swallowed up by the rolling landscape. The hours alone stretched out before her, but she was used to that. Used to her own company.

It was strange though, this time yesterday she’d have paid good money, lots of it, to send Luca packing. Now her heart was aching.

It hadn’t taken the handsome, infuriating, overbearing man of her dreams long to worm his way back into her heart, her bed, and her future.

Their future.

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