Page 213 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

‘No, I think you were right about the colour,’ she said. ‘I do look pale in it.’

‘Because you are pale,’ Mimi said. ‘This plays it up.’

Mimi lifted Susie’s hair, as if trying to decide if it should be worn up or down.

‘Please think about going...you’d be the belle of the ball.’

There was the sudden threat of tears. But Susie hadn’t cried since she’d first torn off her apron and demanded a trial in the kitchen. And she was not going to cry now.

‘It’s gorgeous,’ Susie said, ‘but...’ She shook her head. ‘I really can’t.’

‘Surely your parents would love to see you all dressed up and enjoying yourself?’

‘Not if they’ve flown over to see me!’ Susie laughed, though it wasn’t just the fact that her parents were coming that held her back. It was the thought of attending the ball alone when she’d have given anything to attend with Dante.

He hadn’t messaged, and certainly there hadn’t been any flowers.

Susie wondered if he even thought of her at all...

CHAPTER NINE

DANTEWASDOINGhis level best not to think of Susie.

His vague plan to send her a gift and some flowers once the court case was over kept changing.

Perhaps a handwritten card, rather than one written by the florist...

But even that seemed too impersonal.

She had her parents visiting that weekend in the middle of his court trial, but perhaps he’d send something after that?

Then he would snap himself out of it, tell himself that the hollowed-out feeling he seemed to have acquired since he’d returned to Milan would be gone by then.

Certainly there was enough work to bury himself in. Both the client and his soon-to-be ex-wife seemed determined to have their day in court, and there were plenty of other clients...

And there was always family.

‘Dante!’

Gio was sounding chirpy this morning, and had been for several mornings prior. Dante was starting to rue the day he’d showed him how to use that smart phone.

‘Hey, Gio,’ Dante said. ‘How are you?’

‘Good,’ Gio said. ‘I know we spoke yesterday, but I have good news—Mimi and I are getting married.’

‘Congratulations.’ Dante found that he was smiling. ‘Did she like her ring?’

‘She’s not wearing it until the wedding. We want to keep it very small; most people can find out about it once we’re married. Just you and Sev... Mimi’s sister...’

‘When are you looking at?’ Dante asked, pulling up his calendar.

‘Valentine’s Day.’

‘Gio...’ Dante frowned. ‘That’s two days away. You mean next Valentine’s Day?’

‘I’m eighty-four, Dante,’ Gio snapped. ‘Of course I don’t mean next year.’

Dante screwed his eyes closed in exasperation. He had honestly thought any wedding would be a couple of months away, when Susie had gone.