by Anne Fraser
‘Just as well. Although you have many talents, my dear sister-in-law, cooking isn’t one of them.’
‘I can make pasta. And toasted sandwiches,’ Katie protested, before answering the smile in Suzy’s eyes. ‘Okay, so he’s had a narrow escape.’
‘He likes you,’ Suzy said.
Katie’s heart kicked against her ribs.
‘You don’t know that.’
‘I think I do. What’s there not to like? You’re beautiful and kind—okay, you can’t cook but, hey, we can’t all be perfect.’
Katie turned away. ‘He’s just being a caring colleague, that’s all. Anyway, he’s not for me.’
Suzy studied her thoughtfully as if she knew Katie was lying. ‘He’s gorgeous, rich, a great doctor, and he cooks. What’s not to like?’
Katie sighed. There was no point pretending with Suzy. She’d always been able to read her like a book.
‘He does make me laugh. More than that, he turns me to jelly. But he’s reckless and a womaniser. He’s made it crystal clear he’s not interested in a serious relationship. I don’t want to fall in love with someone like him. One way or another, he’ll end up breaking my heart.’ The words came out almost like a wail. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from. I’m just so emotional these days. I’ve had enough grief in my life without inviting more.’ Katie picked up some toys and baby odds and ends from the floor and dropped them into a basket.
‘Something tells me it might be too late,’ Suzy said, so softly Katie couldn’t be sure she’d heard right. ‘Why not just go with the flow? Have a fling. Have fun. God knows, you could do with some of that in your life right now.’
‘But I work with him, Suze. It’s not a good idea to have a fling—as you so quaintly put it—with a work colleague. And you know me. I’m not the fling type.’
Suzy smiled. ‘Maybe it’s about time you were.’
After Suzy had left, Katie finished tidying up before showering, taking the time to shave her legs and wash her hair. Whatever Suzy said, she was so not going to have a fling with Fabio. This was dinner with a colleague. What could possibly happen when there was a child in the house? Katie had to smile at the thought of using her nephew to keep Fabio at arm’s length. What kind of wimp did that make her? But she’d do whatever it took. Ricky was sleeping through the night now and was unlikely to wake up, but just in case she was careful to keep the baby monitor switched on and close by.
Now, what should she wear? Something that didn’t scream date but that she felt good in. Eventually she settled on the sundress she had worn that night on the yacht.
She had only finished putting the finishing touches to her make-up when Fabio arrived back, carrying bags of shopping. Judging from the faint scent of spice and lemon, somehow he too had found time to shower and change. He was wearing tight, faded jeans and an open-necked white silk shirt. Katie’s throat went dry at the sight of him.
‘Just put the bags over on the worktop,’ she said, leading him through to the kitchen. ‘Would you like something to drink?’
Fabio shook his head. ‘I don’t drink and anyway I’m driving, but feel free to have one yourself.’
Katie poured herself a glass of cold white Pinot Grigio from the fridge and took a bigger gulp than she’d intended, spluttering as it went down the wrong way.
‘Are you all right?’ Fabio asked, patting her on the back.
She nodded. Great start. Here she was with the most sophisticated man she had ever met and she couldn’t even manage to take a sip of her drink without choking.
‘Okay,’ he said, pointing to a bar stool by the counter. ‘You sit there, well out of danger’s way, while I get cooking.’
‘Don’t you want a hand?’ she asked.
His mouth tipped in a smile. ‘I can cope. I hope you like Brazilian food.’
‘Can’t say I’ve ever tried it, but I’d like to.’ She squinted at him. ‘Tell me more about Brazil. What’s it like? Do you go there much?’
‘Not as much as I should, but I’m thinking of taking a trip there in a week or two to see my mother.’
Katie felt a thud of dismay. She hated the thought of not being able to see him most days.
‘And as for as what it’s like, you should visit one day.’
A glow spread through Katie. Did he mean that? Impossible though it seemed, was he envisaging a future for them? She dismissed the thought. Hadn’t she told herself repeatedly Fabio was not for her? Why couldn’t her heart keep in tune with her head?
‘We have the greatest footballers in the world,’ he continued as he assembled the ingredients he’d brought.
Katie hid her disappointment. Was she always going to be reading more into his words than he intended?
She rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t tell me you’re one of those men who can’t bear to miss a match.’
‘You are kidding! Unless I can’t help it, I never miss a game.’
‘There must be more to Brazil than football.’
‘A lot more. You’d love it. Think of the clearest seas, white sands, palm trees, and you’ve pretty much got it.’ He paused his stirring and looked at her. ‘Not that it’s paradise. As I told you before, there’s a huge difference between the rich and poor that is almost scandalous.’
‘How did your parents feel about you becoming a doctor?’
‘They were a little surprised, I think, but doctors are held in high esteem in Brazil so they didn’t think it was too much of a drop in status,’ he said with a twist to his lips. ‘Besides I suspect they thought I’d give it up sooner or later.’
‘Tell me more about your mother. I know she’s stunningly beautiful, but what’s she really like?’
Fabio placed the lid on the pot and leaned back against the counter, studying her through narrowed eyes.
‘My mother? Yes, she is beautiful. Even in her late fifties. But I guess I don’t really know her that well. She wasn’t around that much when I was a child. When she and Dad split up, they divided my time between them, but that didn’t work in too well with their careers so they found me a boarding school.’
‘That must have been difficult.’
Fabio’s expression darkened. ‘Not half as difficult as it was living with them both, witnessing them tear each other apart.’ Although he smiled, it didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘Enough of that. What do you mean, you don’t understand the rules of football?’
Katie was just clearing away the dishes from the dining table when she heard Ricky cry. ‘If you want to go to him, I’ll finish here,’ Fabio said.
Katie picked Ricky up and quickly changed his wet nappy. He was due a feed and Suzy had left a bottle in the fridge to be warmed up. Carrying the crying baby over her shoulder, she went into the kitchen, where Fabio was stacking dishes on the counter. Amused, she noticed he wasn’t quite domesticated enough to put them directly into the dishwasher, but that was okay. His cooking had been a treat.
‘You couldn’t hold him while I warm his bottle, could you?’ she asked.
‘Sure,’ Fabio said, taking Ricky from her. ‘How are you, little man?’ As she set about warming the bottle she looked over at Fabio and her heart lurched. His dark head was bent over Ricky, who had grabbed Fabio’s ear and was tugging it as if he wanted it to come off. Her heart splintered. There was something about this man, who radiated masculinity on the one hand yet wasn’t scared to show a gentler side, that she couldn’t resist.
Having warmed the bottle, Katie took Ricky back from Fabio and made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs. As the baby sucked greedily on his bottle, she looked up to find Fabio’s eyes on her. He was watching her with a strange, inscrutable expression.
‘What?’ she asked.
He shook his head. ‘Nothing.’ He turned away and looked out of the window. ‘I think it’s time I was going,’ he said.
Katie was disappointed, but who could blame him? Fabio wasn’t someone who would be comfortable in a scenario of domestic bliss. He was more at home in a pos
h bar. When she saw him glance at his watch she wondered if he was planning to drop in at some club before going home. That was much more his scene.
‘Thank you for dinner,’ she said. ‘I had a lovely time.’
‘I’ll let myself out, shall I?’ he said, and before Katie could respond she heard the soft click of the door as it closed behind him.
Fabio paced his flat. This was becoming a habit, he thought grimly. The more time he spent with Katie, the less the idea of late nights and bars appealed to him.
The image of her sitting in the armchair with Ricky in her arms just wouldn’t go away. It had looked so right, so natural.
Then again, everything about her was so natural. Whenever he was with her he felt as if he were in an oasis of peace and calm, and when he wasn’t, he felt like this; restless and out of sorts.
In another life, he would have wooed her, but what did he have to offer? No doubt one day she’d want children of her own and it wasn’t as if he could give her a family. And as for being dependent on someone else to make him happy—well, since he’d been a child and had had to get used to dealing with life on his own, he’d promised he would never rely on anyone and, more importantly, not let anyone depend on him. He was happy the way he was. Wasn’t he?
He drained his orange juice in a gulp. For a second he thought about phoning Fern but only for a second. These days other women had lost their appeal. His mind kept returning to Katie and the sight of her with the baby. He had never given children much thought, knowing it was almost certainly impossible. But, for the first time, he wondered whether there was a chance. Things had moved on since he was eighteen. The way his mind was going jolted him. Thinking of babies and families. All because of one grey-eyed woman. Had he lost his mind?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AS THE days continued to pass, Suzy and Katie settled into a routine. Suzy and little Ricky were her family now and Kate felt closer to Richard just by being with his wife and child.
Fabio remained friendly but distant and every time Katie caught a glimpse of his dark head her stomach would flip. He hadn’t asked her out again and she wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved. However, it was better this way.
One day as she was tidying up her treatment room he sought her out.
‘Mark and Amelia are hoping to take Lucy with them for Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul and were wondering whether you and I would go with them.’
Katie kept her back towards him. More time with Fabio wasn’t really what she needed. On the other hand, this was why she’d been employed by the practice.
‘When?’ she asked. ‘I’ll have to check my patient list.’
‘This weekend. I know it’s unfair to ask you to give up your free time, but Amelia and Mark would appreciate it.’ Fabio said. ‘You could take time off at the beginning of the week to make up for it. Jenny would be happy to shuffle your diary around.’
Katie hesitated and then gave herself a little shake. She couldn’t let personal feelings get in the way of her doing her job.
‘I don’t mind about working over the weekend and I was a little worried about Lucy’s chest the last time I saw her. Do you think it’s wise to let her go?’
‘You know how Lucy feels about being able to do things with her parents. I’ll be there to keep a close eye on her and you’ll be there to do her physio. In many ways she couldn’t get better care, even if she was in hospital. Amelia and Mark would be really grateful if you could go. Amelia only decided to go yesterday. Apparently, if Mark wins this one, and there’s a good chance he will, then he’s in the lead. They really want to see him do that.’
Boy, did Fabio know which buttons to press. He knew she couldn’t refuse Lucy the opportunity to see her father. ‘In which case, I can’t say no, can I?’ She was mortified to hear a touch of bitterness in her voice.
He placed a hand on her elbow and turned her so she was facing him. ‘What is it, Katie? Something’s up. Is it Suzy?’
How could she tell him that she didn’t want to spend more time with him than necessary? How could she tell him that seeing him every day was torture?
Of course she couldn’t.
She forced a smile. ‘Nothing’s wrong, honestly.’ She should cross her fingers behind her back. ‘Istanbul it is.’
And so, once again, Katie found herself ensconced in Mark’s private jet. As before, they would be staying on board the yacht that Mark’s sponsors had put at his disposal. Despite her reservations, Katie was excited. And, she had to admit, happy knowing that she would be with Fabio for a few days.
‘Have you ever been to Istanbul?’ he asked as they took off.
‘To be honest, I’ve never been very far. I travelled around Europe with friends from university, but that’s it really. What about you?’ She smiled at him. ‘I guess you’ve been everywhere.’
‘Most places, but not Turkey. It’s always somewhere I wanted to go, though.’ He studied her from under his long, dark lashes. ‘Maybe you and I could see some of the sights together?’
Katie’s heart thrummed. She wanted to be with him, even though it was bitter-sweet. She hauled out her guide book and flicked it open. ‘As a matter of fact, I’ve earmarked a couple of places I would like to see. The Haghia Sophia, of course, the Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace—and that’s just for starters. I’ve been reading up about the Ottoman Empire since I knew I’d be making this trip and I’d like to see as much as I can squeeze in. I guess it depends whether Lucy wants to go too, or if she’d prefer to hang out with her parents.’
They chatted about what Katie had learned in the guidebook for a while, then she yawned.
‘I think I’ll nap for a bit, if you don’t mind. Ricky was a bit unsettled last night. He’s teething, we think, poor lamb.’
She rested her head and closed her eyes, wondering if she would be able to sleep. Despite her tiredness, every nerve in her body was intensely aware of Fabio next to her. She wanted to ask him to go and sit on the other side of the plane, but that would be ridiculous. She could hardly explain that his close proximity unnerved her to the point of not being able to think. Her thoughts drifted. She and Fabio were somewhere alone, a picnic perhaps, he was looking at her as if he loved her …
As Katie’s breathing slowed to a regular rhythm Fabio studied her. Her long blonde hair had fallen over her face and she had a small smile on her face as if she was having happy dreams. She made his heart ache.
He loved the way everything excited her. She couldn’t feign boredom if she tried. He still found it difficult to sleep at night. Every time he closed his eyes, her image would appear. Either laughing at some idiotic joke he’d made in an attempt to keep the sparkle in her eyes, or her face awash with sadness as if she was remembering her brother.
He was tempted to brush back the stray lock of hair that had fallen across her eyes, and only just managed to restrain himself. However he felt about this woman, it wouldn’t be fair to start anything. Katie wasn’t the kind of woman to fall in love easily and somehow he knew with unshakable certainty that when she did, it would be for ever. She would want children one day and if the thought that it wouldn’t be with him made his stomach clench, that was too bad. He was many things, but selfish wasn’t one of them.
The yacht was moored in the Bosphorus. By the time they stepped on board it was dark and the river twinkled with a thousand lights.
The sights, sounds and smells of Istanbul hit her the moment they arrived. It was as if she had been transported to the Ottoman period when the sultans had lived in palaces.
‘I can just imagine the sultans and their wives living here,’ Katie breathed, as Amelia pointed out the Blue Mosque.
‘You should visit the harem in Topkapi Palace if you want to see what it was like for the women at that time. I’m not so sure it was all that great for them,’ Amelia said, before kissing her. ‘Thank you both again for coming. I know you didn’t have to, but it means so much to Mark that Lucy and I ca
n be here.’
Amelia looked more relaxed than the last time Katie had seen her. Lucy had been keeping well and she knew Amelia put that down to the care the little girl received.
‘I intend to see as much as I can squeeze in. Maybe tomorrow? Do you think Lucy would like to come too?’
Lucy was in bed when they arrived, having travelled with her mother the day before.
Amelia laughed. ‘I’m not sure going around museums is my daughter’s cup of tea. But you can ask her yourself tomorrow. Maybe we’ll all go while Mark is practising.’
In the end, as her mother suspected, Lucy had decided not to come. ‘'S boring,’ she said. ‘But you can go, Mum. I’ll be all right by myself.’
‘Of course I’m not going to go without you. Anyway, I’ve seen it before.’
‘Then I’ll stay too,’ Katie offered. She’d already carried out some physio on Lucy and had been pleased to see that her home routine was working well. Lucy’s chest was clear. At least for the time being.
‘No. You and Fabio go off for the day. At least if you’re both seeing something of Istanbul, I won’t feel too bad about dragging you out here on your weekend off.’
‘I’d hardly call it dragging,’ Katie protested.
‘Still, I insist you go. Enjoy your day and we’ll see you back here for drinks before dinner.’
The tender that belonged to the yacht dropped Katie and Fabio off at the harbour. It was thronged with tourists thumbing through travel guides and locals selling every imaginable delicacy from small stalls. In every way it was different from the sophisticated glitz of Monte Carlo, but Katie decided she liked it better. It was more authentic.
‘Okay, where do you want to go first?’ Fabio asked.
‘I don’t know—anywhere. Everywhere.’
‘Okay, put yourself in my hands,’ Fabio said, taking her by the hand. Katie felt herself go crimson. Whether it was because of the image that popped into her head of her in Fabio’s hands, or whether it was because the feeling of her fingers in his was so deliciously secure, she wasn’t sure.
Fabio steered her across the road. The cars made no attempt to slow down for them and Katie was relieved when, after dodging the traffic, they made it to the other side in one piece.