‘Si. But he is not here. And it is time you stopped living in the past which you cannot change.’
‘I do not live in the past.’
‘You do. But what is this lie you speak of? I did not see a lie between you and Poppy.’
‘You thought we were a couple.’ And they had been for a short while. ‘We weren’t.’
His grandfather frowned. ‘When did I say you were a couple?’
‘In my office. You said...’ His eyes narrowed. What exactly had his grandfather said? ‘You told me to bring her here for the party. To meet Nonna.’
‘Si. Why would I not? She is a beautiful young woman. I saw something between you and I thought she was the one to bring you alive again. And I was right. She did. Now your stubborn pride is going to ruin everything.’
Sebastiano stared at the man who had taken over the job of raising him after his parents had died. Then he shook his head.
‘Dio, you’re right.’
‘I usually am.’ His grandfather laid his hand on his shoulder. ‘How long are you going to keep punishing yourself for what happened fifteen years ago, nipote mio?’ he asked quietly.
For ever.
The words jumped into his head, startling him. Was he really going to blame himself for ever?
And how could he have treated Poppy the way that he had? How could he have thought she was after him for his money? His status? She, the woman who had baulked at him buying her a small figurine, and who had refused to let him have the Guggenheim opened because she hadn’t wanted to wake the curator. Cristo. Any other woman he had dated would have simpered about how important he was.
He stared down at the photo he’d unconsciously picked up again. He swallowed heavily. ‘Here,’ he said gruffly, handing to his grandfather the photo he’d found facedown in a drawer. ‘This belongs on Nonna’s photo wall, doesn’t it?’
‘Si,’ his grandfather said thickly, his gaze riveted to the photo of Sebastiano and his parents taken the day before their fatal accident.
They looked at each other a long time, understanding flowing between them. The abominable weight Sebastiano had carried around for too long slowly easing.
‘What about Poppy?’ his grandfather prompted.
Sebastiano took a deep breath. With the clarity of how much he had held himself back came the realisation that it had been easier to let Poppy walk away than to face his own feelings. ‘I stuffed up.’
Because without a doubt in his mind he loved her. Completely and totally.
‘I told your grandmother that this time I was not going to respect your privacy and let you try and work this out for yourself. You are too thick headed.’
Sebastiano shook his head. ‘I should be angry with you.’
‘Si.’ His grandfather waved him off, his eyes suspiciously moist. ‘You can thank me later.’
* * *
‘It sounds like a Cinderella story!’ Maryann sighed.
Yes, it did, Poppy thought. Even up to her leaving the silvery gown and shoes behind as if they’d never existed. ‘It’s not a Cinderella story. Cinderella wasn’t studying law, and she had magic mice to help her along.’ And the Prince had searched the land for Cinderella afterwards, but already a week had gone by and she’d not heard a word from Sebastiano. She didn’t even know what country he was in. ‘And there are more important things to worry about. Like you. How are you? What did the doctor say today?’
‘I’m fine. My tingling wasn’t so bad yesterday and my hands aren’t numb at all today. And I start the new drug trials next week, which should reverse that even more.’
‘That’s great.’
Every day since she had walked out on Sebastiano Poppy had expected someone to come knocking on her door and take back the trainers and the keys to Maryann’s apartment. So far they hadn’t. But deep down she knew they wouldn’t. It was what she had asked for after all and Sebastiano was definitely a man of his word.
Poppy glanced around at the large bay windows that looked out over a small front garden and the wonderful green parkland opposite. Maryann’s apartment was beyond the scope of Poppy’s expectations and she didn’t know how Sebastiano had managed to organise such a perfect place so quickly, but then maybe she did. When he wanted something, there wasn’t much that stood in his way.
But she wasn’t supposed to be thinking about him any more.