The Italian's Touch (Promotional Presents) Read online

  ‘Australia will be our home,’ he whispered gently, chasing away any last shadows of doubt as golden rays of hope shone in. ‘After all, wasn’t it you, Fleur, who taught me that home is where the heart is?’

  * * * * *

  EPILOGUE

  IS THERE a master plan to it all? Do the ones we love live on after they’ve died, sending us signs, letting us know that it is OK to go on living, to go on loving, even after they’ve gone?

  It was a question Fleur had pondered long and hard. Only this night when she awoke the questions ran deeper. Glancing over to the alarm clock, she watched as the hands crept past midnight and her birthday dawned. Her fourth without Rory and her first with Mario, her husband, by her side.

  She felt Mario’s hands pull her nearer, instinctively reaching for her swollen stomach and caressing her gently in his sleep. Massaging their unborn child, reassuring the anxious mother. How lucky she had been to find him, to go to bed each night beside him, to wake up each morning feeling held and cherished. Under his loving care she had watched Alex blossom, herself, too. A happy, contented family awaiting the newest addition in just three short weeks.

  Restless, unsettled, she tried to relax, to drift back to sleep, but she couldn’t. Slipping out of his embrace, she levered herself slowly out of bed. Perhaps some warm milk might help her unwind.

  Passing the lounge, Fleur hesitated. Padding over to the photo of her and Rory, she stood a moment. How she wished he could see how Alex was doing, the fine boy he was, growing in confidence each day as the world opened up for him. Rory was Daddy, Mario Dad. Alex had been the one who’d suggested it, and Fleur had agreed to it, but it had been Mario who’d cried with love and pride the first time he’d heard Alex shyly say the magical word.

  ‘I’m happy, darling. Alex is happy, too. You’d be so proud of him.’

  How many times had she stood there waiting for a sign, for something to indicate that her Rory was feeling safe and loved, too? Maybe it was just a coincidence, maybe it had nothing to do with the date, but Fleur knew as the first contraction gripped her that the stars had somehow aligned, and that finally, after all this time, her message had been heaven-sent.

  ‘Fleur?’ Mario’s voice was uncertain. Watching his precious wife doubled up, at first he thought she was crying. He didn’t want to intrude, he knew this day was for her and Rory, yet he couldn’t bear to see her crying alone in the dark.

  ‘I think you’d better ring Kathy.’ Straightening up, Fleur looked to where he stood, watching as realisation dawned.

  ‘But you’re not due for another three weeks.’

  As another contraction gripped her he crossed the room. Taking her weight, he held her against him, rubbing her shoulders until it had passed.

  ‘Try telling that to the baby.’

  ‘Can I do anything? Tell me what you want me to do.’

  She heard the anxiety in his voice and the tremor of excitement, too. They had waited so long for this moment yet still it had managed to take them by surprise.

  ‘Turn on the shower for me and then ring Kathy. Greg’s not working tonight, so Kathy can come over. We won’t have to wake Alex. And ring the hospital to let them know.’

  As meticulous as ever, Fleur had been ready for this moment for weeks now. Her bag was packed and waiting by the bedroom door. Kathy had been briefed that she would either be coming here or they would go to her, depending on Greg’s shift. The car was constantly topped up with petrol. Nothing had been left to chance, nothing had been overlooked. Except, that was, that this baby might want to make a rapid appearance, a very rapid appearance.

  As Fleur stepped under the shower she felt the tightening of another contraction, growing in intensity. Gasping, concentrating, she turned so the hot water hit her lower back, the strong jets providing welcome relief. And just when she thought it had passed, Fleur felt a gush as her waters broke. It all happened so quickly, but, just as she knew the shower would have to wait, that they needed to get to the hospital quickly, Fleur was suddenly hit with an overwhelming urge, a desperate need to push.

  ‘Mario,’ she called urgently. ‘Mario.’ And she sank to the floor. As he rushed back into the en suite, for a second she wished she had a camera handy so she could capture his terrified features as he watched his wife grimacing with the effort of not pushing.

  ‘It’s coming,’ she gasped. ‘We’re not going to make it to the hospital.’

  Terror was in her voice this time and Mario heard it. He stood, stunned, for a second. Never mind the hospital. They weren’t even going to make it back to the bed! Already he could see the thick, dark hair of his child.

  He was beside her in an instant. ‘Who needs the hospital when we have each other?’

  Turning off the shower, he knelt before her. His hands reaching down, he felt a rush of love as he watched nature unfold. All he had to do was guide the tiny head and tell Fleur over and over how wonderful she was, how well she was doing.

  ‘I want to scream,’ she said through clenched teeth. ‘I’ll scare Alex.’

  ‘Scream, darling,’ he reassured her. ‘Alex will be fine.’

  She let go then, gave in to the urge, listened to her body. As her scream filled the night air it was replaced in a moment with the lusty cries of their daughter, yelling with indignation at her rapid entry into the world.

  They held each other for a moment, crying, gazing in awe at the miracle of birth.

  ‘Fleur!’ Kathy rushed into the room. ‘Oh, my God!’ Whipping the doona off the bed, she wrapped it around the stunned trio.

  ‘What took you so long?’ Fleur asked, her eyes not leaving her infant.

  Only when Alex stumbled in, his pyjamas creased, his blond hair sticking up, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he took in the scene before him, did Fleur look up, holding an arm out to her son.

  ‘Come here, darling, come and meet your baby sister.’

  ‘I heard screaming,’ he said, utterly bewildered.

  Mario pulled him in, wrapping his arm around his entire family as Kathy cried openly.

  ‘That was because she arrived so quickly, Alex,’ he said gently. ‘She was in a rush to meet her big brother.’

  They had a cuddle, but not for long. When Fleur started to shiver and the impracticality of the four of them huddled in the shower started to surface, Mario gave her a kiss. ‘How about we settle you into bed and I’ll ring the hospital?’

  Fleur nodded gratefully.

  ‘Will she still have to go?’ Alex asked, his eyes looking anxiously from his sister to his mother.

  ‘I think it would be better,’ Mario said gently. ‘Mum needs a little time to rest, and you and I can get the house ready for when they both come home. We still need to set up the crib.’

  It wasn’t till they were tucked up in bed with a welcome cup of tea and a swaddle of warm blankets that the date suddenly registered.

  ‘It’s your birthday, Mum.’

  ‘So it is.’ Fleur looked down at her new daughter, her eyes as blue and knowing as her father’s. ‘Which means it’s this little lady’s birthday, too.’

  Was it a sign? Was it Rory’s way of giving his blessing, of telling her that he understood, that it really was time to finally be happy?

  Over the years Alex had seen his mother’s pain on this day, however hard Fleur had tried to hide it. But today, as he lay in his mum’s and dad’s arms with his new sister sweet and warm next to him, he reached over and kissed the newborn baby and then his mother. ‘It really is a happy birthday this time, isn’t it, Mum?’

  The tears that rolled down Fleur’s cheeks held no grief or sadness. They were tears of pure joy.

  ‘Yes, darling,’ she whispered, as Mario held her tighter. ‘This time it really is a happy birthday.’

  * * * * *

  ISBN-13: 9781460377789

  THE ITALIAN’S TOUCH

  Copyright © 2015 by Carol Marinelli

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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  Table of Contents

  Back Cover Text

  About the Author

  Title Page

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Copyright