Page 242 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

‘Marriage,’ he said.

‘Don’t say that.’

‘I am saying that,’ Dante told her. ‘That’s what I want. Okay, I’ll tell you my ideal and then you can tell me what you want.’

‘We don’t know each other,’ she argued. ‘We only met a few weeks ago, and you’ve been in Milan most of the time.’

‘And miserable without you.’

‘My God...’ She looked at him then, her eyes angry. ‘You couldn’t even commit to a ball, you didn’t even invite me last night, and now you tell me you want marriage?’

‘I love you.’

‘Okay,’ she amended. ‘Now you tell me that you love me and want to marry me.’

‘I do.’ He nodded. ‘I’ve told you what I want—it’s your turn now.’

‘A pause,’ Susie said. ‘To let the news sink in and so you can get used to the idea.’

There was more silence, and then he arrogantly broke it. ‘That’s your pause—I’m used to it now.’

‘You can’t be...’

‘Are you?’

‘No!’ she shouted, and then she heard her own voice and heard her lie. ‘Yes...’ She was bewildered. ‘I’m not Zen with it, or anything, but...’

‘Let’s talk about us,’ he suggested. ‘The baby’s fine—we’ll work it out. What about us?’

It wasn’t the baby that was the issue now. He would take care of their child, however she wanted to play it, and she loved him for that.

She loved him.

Susie looked at the man she loved, at his chocolate-brown eyes and his unshaven jaw, and she didn’t want himtryingto build a future with her just because he felt it was the right thing to do.

‘I think it’s too soon for it to be love,’ she told him.

‘So you want to wait? See what happens? How you feel in a few months? How I feel is not going to change.’

‘I don’t believe you love me, Dante. I think you’re trying to do the right thing...make up for what happened with Rosa.’

‘Do not bring her into our bed.’

‘Or you’re trying to make Gio happy.’

‘Do you know what I do for work? I sit with men and women who have married for the wrong reasons, or stayed together for the wrong reasons, or who are breaking up for the wrong reasons. I am not going to lie about love.’

‘So when did you decide you loved me?’

‘You’re annoying me now,’ Dante told her. ‘I’m the one looking like a fool here. I just told you I love you. Now, if you don’t love me, say so. I can take it.’

‘I do love you.’

‘Good!’ he said. ‘When did you know that?’

Susie thought back, and it was a hard thing to pinpoint... Given their short time frame, she could hardly say it had crept up on her.

‘Always,’ she admitted. ‘I didn’t realise it, but...’ She nodded. ‘Always.’ Then she thought that might be a bit much. ‘Maybe a couple of days in.’