Page 33 of The Venetian One-Night Baby

‘Oh, Max, that’s so thoughtful of you. But I don’t mind if you have a glass of wine or two.’

‘It’s not a problem.’ He passed her the selection of fruit. ‘Here, have one of these peaches.’

After a while, she finished her peach and sat back with a contented sigh. ‘That was delicious.’

He got up to clear the table. ‘Time for bed?’

She smothered a yawn. ‘Not before I help you clear this away.’ She pushed back her chair and reached for the plates.

‘I’ll sort it out. You go up and get comfortable.’

She was halfway to the door when she turned around to look at him with a small frown wrinkling her forehead. ‘Max?’

‘What’s up, sweetie?’

‘Have you brought anyone else down here? Another woman, I mean?’

‘No. I’ve only just finished the renovations.’ He picked up the plates and cutlery and added, ‘I wasn’t going to share it with anyone, to be perfectly honest. Even my parents don’t know about it.’

‘Why haven’t you told them?’

‘There are some things I like to keep private.’

She chewed at her lip. ‘I’ve been thinking... It must have been hard for Lydia, knowing your parents didn’t think she was right for you.’

Funny, but Max could barely recall what his ex-fiancée looked like now. ‘Yes, it probably was hard for her.’ He frowned and continued. ‘I sometimes wonder if I only got engaged to her to stop them banging on about you.’

Something flickered through her gaze. ‘Not the best reason to get engaged.’

‘No.’

‘Have you seen her since?’

‘No. What would be the point? We’ve both moved on.’

She gave him a thoughtful look. ‘But have you?’

‘Have I what?’

‘Moved on.’

Max turned and loaded the dishwasher. ‘You can rest easy, Sabrina. I have no lingering feelings for Lydia. You’re my priority now.’

‘But in a way, it’s the same, isn’t it?’

He closed the dishwasher with a snap. ‘What’s the same?’

‘The way you felt about her is similar to how you feel about me. You weren’t in love with her and you’re not in love with me.’

Max didn’t like where this conversation was heading. He wasn’t incapable of love. He just chose not to love in that way. It wasn’t called ‘falling in love’ for nothing. You lost all control when you loved someone to that degree. He was worried that if he fell in love he would eventually let the person down. Hadn’t he always done so? His parents? His baby brother? Even Lydia had been short-changed and had gone off looking for someone who could love her the way she wanted.

‘Sabrina.’ He let out a long sigh. ‘Let’s not have this discussion this late at night. You’re tired and—’

‘What are you afraid of?’

He gave a short laugh to lighten the atmosphere. ‘I’m not afraid of anything. Now, be a good girl and go upstairs and I’ll be up in a second.’

She looked like she was going to argue, but then she let out a sigh and turned and headed upstairs.

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