Page 45 of The Italian's Marriage Bargain

Felicity frowned as Luca started to walk more purposefully now, turning into the driveway of a massive sprawling property that adjoined the resort. The field was laden with vineyards, the huge rambling home in desperate need of some TLC, but the elderly couple who owned it were too old and too tired to get around to it. She bit back her irritation. This was supposed to be a romantic walk, time to take five before Jo’s evening bath and her parents’ farewell dinner, not a get-to-know-you session with the neighbours.

‘Doesn’t seem like anyone’s at home.’ Luca frowned, knocking on the massive doors and peering through the dusty window.

‘Maybe they’re at the resort.’ Felicity shrugged. ‘A lot of the locals are going there for dinner now that the place has picked up. Oh, look…’ A small sigh escaped her lips as she eyed the table on the veranda, the clean white tablecloth and breathtaking flower arrangement out of place amongst the clutter. Two long-stemmed glasses just begged to be filled from the bottle of red wine open beside them. ‘I hope we’re that romantic when we’re in our eighties.’

‘We will be,’ Luca said assuredly, smiling unseen as she fingered the petals on the flowers.

‘Imagine sitting here in fifty years, drinking our own wine, watching our grandchildren and great-grandchildren running around.’

‘Careful what you wish for…’

Felicity looked up. ‘I didn’t mean here,’ she said quickly. ‘I’m happy in Moserallo. I just didn’t realise the Murrays had it in them, that’s all.’

‘Oh, the Murrays are romantic all right,’ Luca said, picking up the bottle and pouring two deep glasses. ‘They’ve decided to sell up and move to a resort in Queensland. They want a pool they don’t have to worry about cleaning, wine they don’t have to worry about bottling, and a house they don’t need to think about cleaning. They just want to enjoy each other.’

He looked at her bemused face, handing her a glass. After a moment’s hesitation Felicity took it, colour mounting in her cheeks as Luca led her to a chair.

‘I’m handing the hotel chain over to my brother.’ For an age he didn’t elaborate, just stared at the view—the sun bobbing on the horizon, shadows stretching across the vineyard, a cooling welcome breeze soothing the dry hot land. ‘I can’t do it any more. Can’t fire up like I used to, can’t leave for work at six and not get home till ten any more, when the only place I want to be is with you and Jo. I know how hard it is for you, leaving your parents, and I know you’ve never once complained about the hours I put in. But I know it hurts you.’

Finally he dared to look at her, relief flooding his features when he saw that she was smiling. ‘We won’t starve. I’ll still be on the board of directors. But it’s too much for one person—things were starting to get missed, look what happened to your father…’

‘Luca.’ Her soft voice cut into his well-rehearsed speech. ‘You don’t have to keep apologising for that. It wasn’t your fault, and anyway it’s over now. My father is happier than I dared imagine he could be. You don’t have to justify cutting back to me, and you certainly don’t have to give up your career to keep me happy. I’m not so reliant on you I can’t amuse myself.’

‘I know you’re not,’ Luca grumbled. ‘Sometimes I wish you were.’

‘Well, I’m not. I love you, Luca. I love being with you, being married to you, but I’m not going to collapse in a heap if you’re not home by five each night.’

‘You miss your parents, though?’

‘Yes,’ Felicity admitted. ‘But it’s not as if I don’t see them.’

‘Remember when we got married? Remember sitting on that plane when I said I’d never hurt you?’

Felicity nodded.

‘Leaving here hurts you each and every time, and in turn it hurts me. I understand where you’re coming from, Felice. There’s no shame in wanting your family near—it’s what we Italians do best.’

‘What about your family, though? If we relocate here, aren’t yours going to be just as upset as mine?’

Luca shrugged. ‘We’ll go home and see my mother all the time. Anyway, there’re hundreds of Santannos—countless grandchildren vying for her attention. It’s kind of nice here when Jo’s the only one. We can make this work, Felice, with my business sense and your accounting skills. Ricardo has taught me a lot about wine over the years. I have discussed it with him and he’s happy to offer advice. From what the doctors said at his last check-up,’ Luca said with a teasing smile, ‘he’ll be around to offer advice for the next twenty years or so.’

‘Anna’s going to have a long wait for that inheritance.’ Felicity grinned back, her smile fading as Luca’s expression grew more serious.

‘I really believe we can make a go of this.’

‘So do I,’ Felicity murmured, dreams and plans dancing in her mind. She surveyed the familiar land with new eyes now, imagining Jo and his brothers and sisters yet to come running along the veranda, Luca beside her each and every day…

Facing the future together.

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