Page 34 of The Venetian One-Night Baby

Max leaned his hands on the kitchen counter and wondered if this was always going to be a stumbling block in their relationship. But he assured himself that Sabrina wasn’t in love with him so what was the problem? If she had been, wouldn’t she have said so? No, they were two people forced together because of circumstance and they were both committed to making the best of the situation. They had put their enmity aside, they liked each other, desired each other and respected each other. If that wasn’t a positive thing, what was? Their relationship had a lot more going for it than others he’d seen. And it was certainly better than any relationship he’d had in the past.

Way better.

* * *

Sabrina spent the rest of the weekend with her mouth firmly closed on the subject of Max’s feelings for her. She didn’t want to spoil the relaxing time together because she could see how hard he was trying to do everything right by her. Her feelings weren’t the top priority right now. They had a baby on the way and she had to somehow reassure Max he would be a wonderful father. She knew it still troubled him and she ached to ease that painful burden for him.

She consoled herself that in time he might relax the guard around his heart, open himself to loving her once he fell in love with their baby. Didn’t most new parents say the experience of bringing a child into the world was a defining moment? A time when overwhelming love flooded their beings? It was her hope, her dream and unceasing prayer that Max would feel that groundbreaking love for their child and include her in it.

A few days later, Max left for a brief trip to Denmark, where he had a project on the go. Sabrina could sense his reluctance to leave her but she assured him she would be fine as she had work aplenty of her own to see to. Most days her nausea was only mild and if she was sensible about getting enough rest she was able to cope with the demands of her job.

Living at his house had far more benefits than she had first realised, not least the warm protective shelter of Max’s arms when she went to sleep each night and when she woke each morning. Staying at his house was like living in a luxury hotel but much less impersonal. There were reminders of him everywhere—books, architectural journals he was reading, one with a feature article on him—and even the house itself with its stylish renovation that perfectly married the old with the new.

There was that word again—marriage.

But she couldn’t bring herself to regret her acceptance of his proposal. She had to concentrate on what was best for the baby and put her own issues aside. Max cared about her otherwise he wouldn’t have made such a fuss over her, looking after her, insisting on her living with him and doing a hundred other things for her that no one had ever done for her before.

The evening he was due to come back, Sabrina found a photo of him with his family in the study, taken before his baby brother had died. She had seen the photo at his parents’ house in the past but somehow she hadn’t really looked at it in any detail before. She traced her finger over Max’s bright and happy smile as a seven-year-old boy and wondered if the birth of their baby would heal some of the pain of the past. There was no doubt in her mind that he would make an excellent father.

The sound of the doorbell ringing almost made her drop the photo frame. Max was due home any minute, but surely if it was him he would use his key rather than the doorbell? She placed the photo back on Max’s desk and went out to check the security monitor in the foyer to see who was at the door. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she saw it was her mother standing there with Max’s mother Gillian. She had thought her mother would be away for another week in France...or had she got the dates wrong?

Sabrina stepped backwards away from the monitor, hoping Gillian Firbank and her mother hadn’t heard her footsteps on the black and white tiles of the foyer, but in her haste she stumbled and bumped against the hall table. She watched in horror as the priceless vase that was sitting there wobbled and then crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.

‘Max?’ Gillian said, rapping firmly at the door. ‘Is that you? Are you okay?’

Sabrina stood surrounded by the detritus of the vase, her heart hammering faster than that of a rabbit on the run. Should she open the door? But how could she explain why she was at Max’s house? They were supposed to be keeping their relationship a secret. But if their mothers found her in situ at Max’s home...

‘Perhaps it’s a burglar,’ Sabrina’s mother said. ‘We’d better call the police.’

Sabrina had no choice but to open the door before her mother summoned half of London’s constabulary to Max’s house. ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘I’m...erm...housesitting for Max.’

Gillian’s and Sabrina’s mother’s eyes widened and then they exchanged a twinkly-eyed glance.

‘Housesitting? For...Max?’ Her mother’s voice rose in a mixture of disbelief and hope.

‘Yes. Just while he’s in Denmark. He’s coming back tonight. In fact, I thought he would be home before this. Perhaps his flight’s been delayed.’

Gillian’s mouth was tilted in a knowing smile. ‘I knew something was going on with you two at my party.’

‘Nothing’s going on,’ Sabrina lied, not very well by the look on the two women’s faces.

‘I wanted to show your mother Max’s new renovations,’ Gillian said. ‘We were in the area and saw the lights on and thought we’d pop in. But if Max isn’t home we’ll come back another time.’

‘You told me the other day you were staying at a friend’s house.’ Her mother’s expression was one part accusatory, one part delighted.

‘Yes, well, that’s sort of true,’ Sabrina said.

‘So you two are friends now?’ Her mother’s eyes danced like they were auditioning for a part in La Cage aux Folles.

‘Mum, it’s not what you think—’

‘Actually, it is what you think,’ Max said as he came up the path to the front door carrying his travel bag with his laptop case slung over his shoulder. ‘Sabrina and I are getting married.’

‘Married?’ The mothers spoke in unison, their faces so aglow with unmitigated joy they could have lit up the whole of London.

Max put his arm around Sabrina’s waist and drew her close to his side. ‘Yes. We haven’t set a date yet but we’ll get around to it soon.’

Sabrina glanced at him with a question in her eyes but he simply smiled and bent down to kiss her. ‘Miss me, darling?’ he said.

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