Page 180 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

Dante didn’t care for rubies. He had two in his safe that no one knew about... He pushed that thought aside. ‘Perfect.’

‘I thought so too.’ He was suddenly defeated. ‘However, Susie said no.’

Dante frowned. For a second he wondered if he’d given himself away by reacting to Susie’s name.

‘She said I should get a new stone for Mimi—something I chose myself, that is just for her.’

‘Why?’ Dante asked, and he wasn’t just being his usual unromantic self. It was because he was happier to pursue the conversation when the topic was Susie. ‘You have more jewels than you know what to do with. I am sure Mimi would love this.’

‘I said the same. The ruby is spectacular. But Susie seems to think Mimi would want a new stone.’

‘It wasn’t Nonna’s,’ Dante pointed out, but he saw Gio flinch, and knew it was still a delicate matter for him. ‘It’s a beautiful ruby...it’s been in your family for years.’

‘Yes.’ Gio nodded. ‘That’s what I thought. I was going use the gold from the chain I used to wear when I was younger, but Susie said even the gold should be new.’

‘New?’ Dante frowned. ‘When it’s melted down gold is gold.’

His grandfather gave a low laugh at his wry response. ‘I said the same, but I’d invited her opinion and she suggested I choose something new and special, just for Mimi.’

‘It’s a ring, Gio. I don’t know what Susie’s going on about.’

‘Susie has twin sisters,’ Gio told him, and then added, ‘Identical.’

‘And...?’

‘They’re very close in age—just a little over a year older than Susie is.’

‘And?’ Dante said again, a little perplexed as to what that had to do with anything, but curious. ‘Is one of them a master jeweller?’

‘No.’ Gio laughed, and Dante was pleased to see the sparkle in Gio’s eyes had returned. ‘Susie was always getting things handed down to her. Clothes, toys...’

‘That’s hardly the same as jewellery.’

‘She seems to think so. Apparently, she always felt left out—their birthdays were always grouped together, and their presents were similar. I have to make this just about Mimi.’

‘Mimi’s not a twin, and she doesn’t have any sisters who are twins...’ Dante didn’t get it.

‘No, but she is unique.’

And then Dante got it a little bit more. Susie ached to be the talk of the town, for attention, for the spotlight to shine briefly on her, to stand out rather than fade into the background. And he felt a twisting ache in the black hole that existed where his heart had once been.

‘Yes,’ Dante agreed. ‘She is.’

And he wasn’t really talking about Mimi—he was thinking about Susie, and how he was now determined to make this day a little special.

Susie was ready on time, and when a dark car slid up outside she wondered if perhaps she was meeting Dante there.

She slipped on her coat and was just tying up her scarf when Dante came rushing through the door.

‘Two minutes,’ he said.

‘How was Gio?’

‘Come up,’ he said, stripping off and dashing into the shower. ‘Talking about the jewellery helped.’

‘Good.’

She sat on the edge of the bath, enjoying watching him quickly wash, then frowning when he dashed out and lathered his chin to shave.