Angelo always found it restful here, but seeing her admiration made him view it with new eyes.
Maybe he should listen to his family, who urged him to take more time off to enjoy the luxuries he’d worked so hard for, like this estate on an exclusive, sought after island. Perhaps there were changes he needed to make in his life.
‘Is this your permanent home?’
‘Sadly no. I spend more time in Rome and elsewhere.’
Ally frowned. ‘But you spend a lot of time here, surely?’
She might have read his mind. Angelo shrugged, stifling discomfort. Because she was right, the place was special but he rarely allowed himself the downtime to enjoy it as he should. ‘Not as much as I’d like.’
Her head tilted to one side. ‘Why?’ Then her eyes rounded. ‘It’s not because of me, is it? Because coming here reminds you of what happened—?’
‘No!’ She looked so aghast he had to cut her off. ‘Nothing like that. It’s still a retreat for me, the place I come to get away.’
Strange that, though this was where he’d been with Alexa, it wasn’t here that the painful past usually haunted him. It was when he was with his mother and sister, seeing the damage his fiasco of a marriage had inflicted on them.
The fact that the villa didn’t usually evoke memories of Alexa showed how little she’d meant to him as a person. They’d never connected emotionally and there’d been no depth to their relationship. Just physical attraction then a sense of duty when she’d announced her pregnancy.
In fact, Angelo realised abruptly, he cared far more for her now than he had when they’d been lovers. He surveyed her sun-kissed features and rumpled hair and felt none of the anger he’d harboured so long.
‘So why not visit more often?’ When he didn’t immediately respond she said, ‘Not that it’s any of my business.’
‘It’s a fair enough question.’ He stared into those bright eyes and wondered why he didn’t mind talking about it with her.
Because she was like a stranger? They said it was easier to talk about personal things with people who didn’t know you.
He shrugged. ‘Ever since I took over from my father I’ve devoted myself to business. I rarely take time off.’
When he did his time was punctuated with video conferences, calls and emails. Even his weekends here were interrupted by work.
‘Ever since?’ A tiny frown creased Ally’s brow. ‘Was there a problem when you took over?’
‘It wasn’t easy to begin with. My father died suddenly and—’
‘I’m sorry. That must have been tough.’
Sympathy glowed in her eyes and to Angelo’s amazement he felt his throat tighten. It was a long time since hispapà’s death, yet he still missed him. Nor was he used to sympathy. He was the one who’d held everything together for his family. The one they looked to for support.
‘Thank you. He was a special man.’ He paused. ‘I’ve worked hard to live up to his standards and, yes, there were lots of people who doubted I could fill his shoes. I was seen as inexperienced. But I’ve proved them wrong. The bank is an even bigger, more successful enterprise now.’
‘I’m sure he’d be proud of you.’
Again she surprised him. Her empathy and insight were unexpected. Five yearshadchanged her.
‘I hope so.’ Some thought ego had prompted him to try to outdo his father. Instead he’d worked to live up to his father’s memory and provide for his mother and sister.
Later, after his divorce, his drive had been fuelled by the need to harness negative emotions and direct his energy somewhere positive. The failed marriage had dented his ego and confidence in his judgement, inflicting a burden of shame at not protecting his family, at letting his father down.
He’d been determined not to fall for any woman’s wiles and had reinforced his policy of confining himself to brief hook-ups that were sexually satisfying and didn’t interfere with his well-ordered world.
Strange that having his ex here made him wonder what a permanent relationship would be like. To make this place a home rather than a part-time retreat.
To be here with his wife and children.
He hadn’t thought in those terms because thinking about starting a family was like probing an unhealed wound. Instinctively he’d retreated from the idea of making himself vulnerable to love, having seen loss devastate his mother. Then the debacle with Alexa had shut down a part of him. Was he a lesser man for that?
‘But if the business is so successful, surely you can delegate and take more time off?’