Luca didn’t say any of that, though. He simply loaded the bags, returning to the house to pick up a few more before waiting on the sidewalk for her judgment. “Will it suit?” he asked at last.
Claire turned to look at him with a sort of befuddled expression on her face. “Yes, it’s perfect.”
“Don’t look so surprised, Claire. I manage a billion-dollar corporation. I can buy and install a car seat.”
Her mouth dropped open in protest. “I didn’t— I mean, I don’t think that—”
“Are there any more bags that need to go?” he asked, saving her from herself.
“No, that’s all of them. I’ll put Eva in the car seat, and then I’ll lock up.”
From there, it wasn’t long for them to get on the road. Once they got out of the city congestion and onto I-95, it was a smooth, albeit longer, drive. He’d been tempted to book a charter flight out of the heliport, but he knew better than to spring something like that on Claire. She said she didn’t want to fly with Eva, and that meant she certainly wouldn’t want to take a helicopter.
Claire spent the first part of the trip in the back with Eva. When they stopped for a break and some food, Eva had just fallen asleep, so Claire moved to the front. They passed the time chatting about his restaurants and her exhibits at the museum. By the time they drove off the ferry onto Martha’s Vineyard, Luca was anxious to be there already.
“Finally,” he said as he turned into the driveway and stopped to let both of them get a good view of the house. It was a two-story gambrel-style home with strong Dutch influences on the design. It had gray shake siding with white columns and a deck that extended off the second floor. It was charming for a beach cottage. He pulled up beside the front walkway and they got out of the car to investigate further. “Well, what do you think?”
Claire’s mouth was agape as she took in the house, then turned to admire its views of Katama Bay and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. “It’s beautiful. And huge. I can’t believe this is just for us. Your friend doesn’t need it for a whole month?”
Luca shook his head and opened the back of the Range Rover to start unloading. “Gavin works as much as I do. He bought the place so they could spend some time here in the summer. This is early season for the Vineyard, so he wouldn’t be up here for at least a month anyway.”
Claire returned to the car to unlatch Eva’s carrier and take her toward the front of the house. Luca followed with a piece of luggage and the keys to the front door. He unlocked it, swinging the door open for her to go inside ahead of him. They stepped into a small den area with a fireplace and an office. To their left was a staircase. “Gavin says the main living area and master bedroom are upstairs to take full advantage of the views.”
They climbed the stairs ahead of them until they revealed an open concept living area. It really was a stunning place. It had arched white ceilings with wooden beams and windows that gave floor-to-ceiling views of the bay. The furniture was soft and comfortable with the rustic sort of country charm that city people gravitated to while on vacation. While someone in Manhattan wouldn’t think of having a pillow with a rooster on it in their trendy Greenwich Village loft, it was somehow more acceptable out here.
Claire wandered through the large, bright living room to the kitchen that was big enough for a large family to pile in and cook a feast. Six barstools lined the kitchen island, with copper pots hanging overhead. Beyond it was a dining area with French doors that opened out onto the deck and showcased the view of the water.
“I’ll be right back.” Luca headed downstairs and made several trips to bring all the bags inside before parking the car in the garage. By the time he came back upstairs, Claire had Eva out of her carrier and perched on her hip. They were standing on the deck, enjoying the sunshine and letting the cool spring breeze blow over them.
Luca wanted to join them, but he was hesitant to interrupt this moment between a mother and her child. There was an expression of absolute joy on Claire’s face as she looked down at her baby. Her dark gold hair whipped around in the wind, the sunlight making her porcelain skin almost glow. She looked like an angel standing there in her sundress. He felt a tightness in his chest as he watched her cradle his daughter and point out birds flying overhead.
Learning of Eva’s existence had been a shock, but until a few days ago, she’d been more of an idea than a reality. Seeing Eva for the first time had changed everything. When he held her in his arms, he felt something flip inside of him. A protectiveness was roused in him, almost instinctual in its ferocity. After only a few moments together, he would’ve done anything for his little girl.