‘That’s far too generous an offer. I just…couldn’t.’
‘Yes, you could. And you will.’
‘Having me around will cramp your style.’
‘What style is that?’ His eyes gleamed with irony. ‘Liv, you’ve seen my life. I work. When I get home, I sleep. You won’t be cramping anything. I want you to move in.’
She couldn’t believe he was making this offer. ‘You’ve never let a woman move in with you.’
‘That’s because I don’t like anyone tracking my movements. And I hate anyone asking what time I’m finishing work. You won’t do that because the chances are that you’ll be stuck at work, too. Now stop arguing and just say yes.’
It was such an overwhelming gesture that she felt her throat close. ‘Max is a very lively little boy,’ she said thickly. ‘He’ll break something. They say that trouble comes in threes. My car is dead, my flat is no more—perhaps the third thing will be Max breaking something valuable that I can’t afford to replace.’
‘He can break anything he likes. It’s a home, not a museum.’ Visibly exasperated, Stefano raked his fingers through his hair. ‘Liv, for once just say yes.’
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‘Why?’ She looked at him helplessly. ‘Why are you doing this?’
‘Because I like you.’
‘You…do? You like me?’ Her car was dying, her house had just burned down. But the way Stefano was looking at her made her feel as though something amazing had just happened.
‘I like you.’ A muscle flickered in his jaw. ‘And I like Max.’
Overwhelmed, she took a step backwards. ‘Don’t do that,’ she said hoarsely. ‘Don’t be nice to me, Stefano, or I’ll bawl all over you again and you know how much you enjoyed it the last time.’
‘I’m not giving you sympathy. I’m giving you a solution to your problems. Take it.’ He paused as a nurse hurrying past shot them a curious look. ‘Liv, Max is still waiting in my office. He’s upset and worried. He needs to know where he is sleeping tonight and he doesn’t need some anonymous hotel room. Go and talk to him. Explain that we’re going to buy his Christmas tree. We can sort out where you’re going to live permanently when Christmas is over.’ Stefano pulled his phone out of his pocket. ‘You fetch Max and meet me by the car. I’ll do the rest.’
* * *
Stefano’s apartment was in an exclusive red-brick building overlooking the wide expanse of Hyde Park.
Feeling as though she was living someone else’s life, Liv held tightly to Max’s hand as Stefano negotiated the tight security that formed an apparently impenetrable cordon at the base of the building.
Still shocked by everything that had happened, Max barely spoke until they were through the glass doors.
Then his youthful curiosity gradually reasserted itself. ‘Wow, that scanner thing is amazing,’ he breathed as Stefano gently urged them across the gleaming marble floor towards the lift. ‘Like something out of a spy movie.’
‘I smell of smoke.’ Liv wrinkled her nose in distaste and Stefano flicked some debris from his long coat.
‘It clings, doesn’t it? As soon as we get upstairs, you can take a bath.’
And then what? She didn’t have any clothes to change into but Liv didn’t say anything. Presumably the insurance would eventually cover most of what they’d lost, but in the short term it was going to cost her a fortune.
A fortune that she didn’t have.
Perhaps she would have to work Christmas Day after all, she thought miserably. Just for the money.
Suddenly it all seemed like too much.
She’d been holding it together for Max, but the sheer size of the problem she was facing made her want to curl into a ball and give up.
How was she going to cope?
The lift purred soundlessly upwards and when the doors finally opened Liv gave a gasp.
Max spoke first. ‘Which bit is your house?’ He spoke in a soft, awed voice and Stefano smiled and took his hand.