“Ciao, Nico.” The blonde doctor moved to him, kissing him on one cheek, then the other, then the original cheek for good measure. It was a standard greeting in these parts but it did little to ease the green-eyed monster taking up space inside Maddie. In his hand, Nico held a tea towel which, she presumed, contained an ice-pack.
They spoke in rapid-fire Italian for a moment – too rapid-fire for Maddie to follow in her present state of mind – and then the doctor was crouching beside Maddie, a warm smile on her face. So the jealousy appeared to be one sided. Either she didn’t perceive Maddie as a threat or she didn’t realise that she and Nico were – what? Sleeping together? So what? By their own agreement, the sex thing was casual and temporary. A permanent fixture in town such as Alessia would have no need to feel jealousy towards Maddie.
She was being ridiculous, and letting her over-active author’s imagination run wildly away from herself.
“Let’s have a look.” She lifted the ankle so Maddie winced. “Sorry. It will hurt a bit.” She moved the limb carefully, watchfully, back and forth, in small circles, and then nodded.
“Your patient is right.” She shot Nico a wink. “Just a sprain.”
“It’s so swollen,” he pointed out and Maddie’s heart throbbed, because his over the top concern was obvious and adorable. It had been a long time since anyone had taken that degree of care for her. Even her mother – who was a doctor – had failed to realise Maddie had broken her collarbone for four days as a child.
“That’s normal. It’s the body’s reaction, but it will heal.” She reached for the ice pack, placing it carefully over the ankle. “Ice will help.” She turned back to Maddie. “You need to rest it as much as possible. Keep it elevated, and wrapped.” Back to Nico: “You still have bandages?”
“Of course.”
“You want me to –,”
“I’ll do it.”
Anticipation sparked inside Maddie. She liked the idea of playing doctor and patient with Nico. Colour spread through her cheeks and when her eyes clashed with Nico’s a moment later, his smile showed he was thinking a similar thing. “Thanks for coming,” he put a hand on the small of Alessia’s back, guiding her from the sofa. “I’ll be right back,” he shot the last to Maddie.
At the door, Nico paused, looking at Alessia carefully. “How have you been?”
Her smile was beautiful, but Nico could detect the falsity to it. “Fine.”
“Have you spoken to Max lately?”
Her smile dropped. She turned away from him, looking towards the ocean. “No.”
Nico shook his head slowly, wishing he could do something to shake Max into sense, but knowing his cousin – Fiero’s brother – was every bit as stubborn as Nico was. “You could call him?”
Alessia swallowed. “It’s too late. I’ve moved on.” She lifted a hand, pushing the hair from her eyes, so it was impossible to miss the engagement ring on her hand. Something dropped through Nico like a stone.
“You’re getting married?”
She jerked her gaze back to his face, her eyes showing hurt, and Christo knew she had every right to feel that. He didn’t like to criticise his cousin, but their separation had been bad, and he couldn’t believe Alessia was capable of what Max had accused her of, despite the photos that had run in the press – photos of Alessia in a passionate embrace with another man. Then again, Nico had no real sense when it came to women, if his blind trust of Claudette was anything to go by. Except Maddie? She redeemed him, surely.
“Si.”
“When?” A grim line formed a gash on Nico’s handsome face.
“Around Christmas.” Her voice was thin. “Don’t tell him, Nico.”
Nico stiffened. “He doesn’t know?”
“He’s lost any right to know anything about my life.”
“Damn it, Alessia, you know –,”
“I know nothing.” She reached a hand out, pressing her fingers to Nico’s wrist. “Leave it, bene?”
He shook his head. “I can’t do that. He’s my cousin, but more than that, he’s one of my best friends. He’s going to want to at least know that you’re planning to marry some other guy.”
Her spine straightened, her eyes clashing with his. She was completely still, her features locked into a determined mask, and then she shrugged. “Suit yourself. I don’t think he’ll care one bit, and if he does, kindly make sure he knows better than to contact me. I love you and your family, you know that, but to me, Massimo Montebello is as good as dead.” She pressed a kiss to Nico’s cheek then stepped away from him, her head held high. He watched her cross the lawn and step onto her Vespa, pulling a helmet onto her head so a curtain of blonde hung loose down her back.
Alessia and Max’s marriage had been five years ago, and it had lasted only months. That they’d married had surprised everyone – Max was a confirmed bachelor and Alessia little more than a teenager, studying her medical degree. Not only that, she was the much adored daughter of one of Gianfelice’s oldest friends. Though she’d always had a crush on Max, that he’d returned her feelings had completely shocked Nico. Oh, Alessia had been stunning, but so innocent and youthful, nothing like the sophisticated women Max generally spent time with.
Perhaps that was why their marriage had been doomed? Alessia had been devastated. Max had been – Nico frowned, trying to remember. He’d been much the same as before. More determined in business, more ruthless, but otherwise, you wouldn’t have known he was going through a divorce. It was business as usual for Massimo Montebello.