He flinched inwardly as the words slipped from his mouth. Claire seemed to stiffen in her chair beside him, and he knew it felt strange for her to think of him that way, as well. He’d never considered what it would be like for Claire to meet the rest of his family. And really, bringing Claire to the house wasn’t the same as bringing home a girlfriend. It was far more complicated.
Claire finally relaxed when he didn’t push the subject and just shook her head. “I can’t even imagine,” she said. “How did your family take the news about Eva?”
“I haven’t told them yet,” Luca admitted.
“Why is that?”
Luca sighed, exhausted by the mere idea of telling his family, much less doing it. “Well, as I told you before, I have a big family. I also have a loud, pushy, smothering family. I think my mother has very nearly given up on me ever having children. Finding out about Eva would be earth-shattering. They would swarm on us like bees on a honeycomb. I wanted us to have a little space first. Getting away from Manhattan was a part of that. They’ll find out soon enough.”
As far as Luca was concerned, they were already on borrowed time. He’d been very careful, but he awaited a leak any day now. Every time his phone buzzed at his hip, he expected to see his mother’s number on the screen.
“Where do they think you are now? I mean, you had to get someone to run the company while you’re gone all these weeks, right?”
“I told my brothers that I was taking a beautiful woman away on a vacation. They agreed to handle things and not tell anyone. Probably because they’re as desperate as Mama to see me find a woman.”
“Do you feel bad about lying to them?”
Luca’s brows drew together in confusion. “No. I’m not lying.”
“But you said—”
“I said I was taking a beautiful woman on a vacation.” Luca looked at her across the table. “That’s absolutely true.”
That rose blush spread across Claire’s cheeks again, distracting him from his plate. “Quit it. You don’t have to butter me up.”
Luca set his fork down. Claire might be a fierce competitor in their lawyers’ offices, but when it came to romance, she seemed almost broken by the idea of it. “I’m not flattering you, tesorina. I’m serious. Are you not aware of how attractive you are?”
Her mouth fell open, a flustered conglomeration of nonsense words coming out of her as she tried to gather her thoughts. “I mean, I think I’m pretty enough. I’m no supermodel or polished Upper East Side housewife.”
“Fake,” he said. “All of that is fake, crafted by makeup artists, plastic surgeons and photo-altering software. I will take a real, soft, naturally beautiful woman over one of those fantasies any day.”
“I think you’re in the minority, Luca.”
Luca couldn’t stand the uncomfortable expression on Claire’s face. Was this just Jeff’s doing, or had every man in her life treated her poorly? “Did your husband never tell you how beautiful you were?”
Claire looked down and anxiously moved her food around on her plate for a moment. “Not really. I mean, he chose me, so he must’ve thought I was pretty, but he wasn’t the type to lay on praise. Especially near the end.”
Luca sat back in his chair for a minute and tried to absorb everything she’d just told him. He would never have a wife of his own, but he knew if he did he would cherish her. “I’m sorry,” he said at last.
Claire’s eyes widened with surprise. “You’re sorry for what?” she asked.
“I’m sorry that your husband didn’t treat you the way he should have.” Just hearing her talk about Jeff had made his blood boil. Not only had he been reckless with his marriage, he’d been reckless with his life when he had a child on the way. Then to find out that he’d never given his wife the love and praise she deserved even in the early years of their relationship... It was inexcusable in his eyes.
“We were having trouble,” Claire argued. “I was so wrapped up in the idea of having a baby that I forgot about having a marriage. I think he was lonely.”
“That is no excuse,” Luca said, leaning in to her and covering her hand with his. “It is natural for a woman to want a child. When there are difficulties, her husband should be more attentive and supportive than ever. To stray from your bed because he felt like he wasn’t getting enough attention is absurd. I was always raised to believe that a woman is meant to be treasured. She is a gift, an angel sent into your life from the heavens. To treat her as anything less is an abomination.”