Secret Match

by Victoria Pinder

“Answer the phone when I call you back.”

  Kiwi’s driver pulled into the international terminal and stopped. Kiwi swiped her card to pay for her fare and stepped onto the white sidewalk. “I’ll be on the plane.”

  Serenity then said, “Okay, that’s reasonable. But don’t ignore me.”

  She’d told someone her plan, and now she needed to find her way. She stepped inside and stared at the departure board to find an airline with a flight to Miami. “Never, Serenity. Talk to you later.”

  Once she hung up the phone, she figured out the counter. She needed distance from Gio to discover how they’d raise their daughter without getting married.

  She’d been a fool to think he might one day love her and that they could live happily-ever-after. But now she needed to be an adult and model good behavior. Love was something she deserved and it was worth more than any amount of dollars.

  Chapter 16

  Gio’s hand was pressed against his son’s car seat strapped into the passenger side of his two-seater.

  Tom cried the entire time.

  The sports car was toast once he made it back home. He’d order a string of SUVs and sedans for his needs from now on.

  However the entire ride home he kept imagining Kiwi with him and his blood turned cold with disappointment whenever he saw the empty head cushion of where she should be seated.

  He arrived at the villa and parked, his son still crying. He freed him from the car seat and scooped him up, rushing up the stairs. Caro directed him and Tom into the library like she was the woman in charge. She crossed her arms and asked, “Where is Kiwi?”

  Everything was a whirlwind of sights but all he could focus on really was that his son had his square chin and his blue eyes were way darker than his mother’s. He also noticed Caro texting people on her phone and he saw the words “baby emergency” clearly while he juggled baby Tom.

  The diaper had felt heavy so he probably needed to clean this baby without breaking him.

  If Caro knew anything about calming Tom, he was all ears. Once she finished with her phone, she took the boy from his arms and made a sound with her tongue.

  Tom calmed and Gio answered her question about Kiwi. “She left me once she met my son.”

  Caro’s chin lifted but one of the staff brought in a bottle. She directed him to sit and handed it to him, and then gave him his son. “That doesn’t sound right at all. Kiwi is usually the queen of organized.”

  Gio held the bottle to Tom’s small mouth and the baby sucked at the formula. Relief settled over him as Tom at last stopped crying. Gio’s heart still beat fast but he said, “This is Tom. Piper had my baby and never told me.”

  The staff returned with a diaper and a bowl of water with a cloth. Caro knelt down while he fed the boy and she unfastened the diaper. “Oh, wow. But Kiwi is so good with the kids. I don’t understand.”

  The diaper looked really wet. No wonder Tom had cried hysterically. The bottle was half gone already. How long had it been since Tom’s last meal? Gio’s adrenaline eased as things calmed around him. But Caro had asked about Kiwi. As she finished with the diaper change, he said, “I walked out of the bedroom to introduce her and ask for her help and she bolted.”

  “She’s having your baby. That doesn’t make sense.” Caro took the soiled diaper, cloth and water bowl, leaving it on the silver tray on the floor and then washed her hands with a clean towel. “There has been a lot of change in both your lives these past few days. Kiwi takes a while to open up, but once we figured out how to work together, she was the leader of organizing us.”

  “I was there. It happened.” He remembered how Kiwi had stormed past him, like she was so angry she was on fire.

  Caro stood and took out her phone again, answering texts. “Something else must have happened. Why didn’t Piper tell you about Tom?”

  Good question. The baby stopped sucking but his eyes were closed now. Dark lashes on a tiny face. If Gio moved, would he wake Tom? He decided to hold the baby and himself still just to be sure. “I have no idea. Piper could have talked to me when I answered—she’d called twice. She didn’t speak. I don’t know why, but she didn’t need to send out the sex tape to prove what we’d done. Kiwi said Jennifer heard a message on the kitchen phone.”

  “I’ll ask Jennifer what she heard.” Caro met his gaze, her eyes kind. “Is that why she put out the sex tape? Why didn’t she just tell you she couldn’t handle her own baby?”

  “She had cancer.” He said though he had trouble ever seeing Piper as sick. But he quickly said a quick prayer to himself that she was in a better place.

  “Oh.”

  Her husband, Luke, came into the library as Gio gently rocked his son. “I’m guessing Piper went back on drugs. Cancer is a good reason to call me, but she never said anything. I don’t know for sure, but she quit when we were together, or so she claimed. Either way I need to find a pediatrician to ensure Tom is fine.”

  Caro stopped her fast and furious texting. “What did the police say?”

  If he knew, he’d tell. He had the urge to shrug, but stopped and instead just said, “They’re going to investigate but had already decided it was a suicide.”

  Caro dropped the phone in her pocket. “Is it possible Kiwi thinks you loved Piper?”

  Love? He stood slowly and Tom, his son, stayed asleep. His hand tingled from how he was holding Tom but he hated to disturb the baby. “She asked me if I’d have married Piper, knowing she was pregnant. I don’t understand and don’t have time right now to figure out why she left me.”

  “And you answered that yes, you would, to protect your son?”

  “Yeah.”

  His staff entered in a stream of efficiency; one carried a small rocking contraption and the second removed the tray. Caro directed the rocker be put next to him. “Okay, we’re helping. Victoria is already on the phone to find you that pediatrician. But Luke can check Tom’s general health now if you want.”

  “Good.” He carefully passed Tom to his half-brother.

  Luke silently took the baby but smiled brighter as Tom woke and flashed those deep blue eyes. He brought him toward the couch.

  Caro tapped Gio on the shoulder to get his attention. “Serenity and Damien have twins, so they are with your staff to get you what you need for diapers, toys or formula. Maybe there is a woman in the village who can nurse, whatever you want.”

  “That sounds medieval.” Though breast milk was probably healthier than store-bought.

  She shrugged. “Formula it is. I put Peter in charge of finding you a nanny and ordering you baby furniture.”

  “If I had a way to give Tom good for him food that will help him be stronger, I’d prefer that.” Caro’s texts had all been on his behalf. Good. He needed help and he’d wrongly assumed Kiwi would stay. He’d been ready to give his heart to her and she’d bailed because he had a son.

  But he couldn’t think about that right now without falling apart so he buried the emotion. “Thank you, Caro.”

  She pressed her lips together and he turned toward his son. Luke examined Tom’s tiny chest with his stethoscope as he made the boy laugh. Caro stepped beside him and crossed her arms. “I can’t ask Jennifer about what she heard. Anthony is packing to go to the airport, possibly with Jennifer.”

  His brother couldn’t be leaving because of Tom—Anthony hadn’t even met the baby yet. “Why?”

  Caro squeezed the bridge of her nose and said, “Jennifer wants Peter to marry her.”

  Not important right now. Gio waved his hand in front of both of them as he said, “I don’t have time for that drama.”

  Caro’s phone pinged and she quickly read the message. “One of your part-time maids, Francesca, is nursing. If you up her to full-time, she’ll nurse your son. The health benefits have been proven.”

  At least one small prayer had been answered today. Everything else was still spinning in the air. “Done. Send her up and from now on she can bring her own baby to work so she’ll handle both f
eedings. We’ll figure out a nursery room upstairs. He’ll be hungry soon enough.”

  Caro texted his response as Serenity walked into the nursery. Luke finished buttoning Tom’s onesie.

  Serenity said, “I talked to Kiwi.”

  “Where is she?” Gio couldn’t move a muscle—she’d left him.

  He’d imagined their life together here at the villa, raising their family. Not going to happen now.

  Granted Tom wasn’t their child, but soon they’d have a daughter too and he thought they were closer than this.

  Serenity joined them and smiled down at Tom. “At the airport. She seemed scared.” She glanced at him. “Kiwi takes a while to open up. But she’s a loyal friend and relationships terrify her.”

  His American brothers had chosen wives who had good heads on their shoulders. He’d clearly missed out on family day when their dear old father had taught that lesson. All he remembered from childhood was his father telling him to take whatever he wanted in life. He couldn’t imagine being like his brother Anthony but this didn’t make Gio inferior. His father had no power over him anymore.

  Luke finished with Tom and stood up with him. Gio immediately reached for his baby, settling him in the crook of his arm. “That solves that then. She left me when I needed her the most.” He turned toward Luke and asked, “How is he?”

  “I’d say he was healthy.” Luke patted Gio on the back. “Everything seems normal, but it’s good to get blood tests to see if anything is in his system and to make sure he’s as perfect as he seems.”

  “I will.” Gio rocked his son, memorizing the button nose, and dark brows. He had so much to make up for. Was there ever such a cute baby?

  Serenity’s heel tapped on the carpet. “Kiwi said you would have married Piper to get your son, and that you don’t love her.”

  Doubtful, but if he could have kept Tom safe sooner, he’d have done just about anything. Piper could have left their son on his door with a note if she didn’t want to talk to him. They could have talked about her cancer treatment. Gio kept all his thoughts to himself and just asked, “What?”

  “It’s why she left,” Serenity said. “She thinks you wanted to marry Piper. And I’m guessing she thinks you only want to marry her because of that same honor.”

  Piper had been the wrong woman for him, and while he would have provided for Tom in any way, that didn’t include marriage. Piper had been a lover, that was all, a relationship between consenting adults.

  Gio shook his head but then his son started to whimper. Caro directed him to put the baby on his shoulder and tap his back gently as he told Serenity, “Kiwi could have said that to me.”

  A moment later, Tom let out a little burp.

  “I thought she had.” Serenity crossed her arms like she was thinking. “And if she didn’t I hope she figures that out soon.”

  “I don’t know.” He lowered the boy back to a cradling position. “She asked if I’d have married Piper and then stormed off.”

  Caro asked, “What did you say?”

  “That I would want my son.” He held the boy closer.

  The only thing in the world that made sense right now was Tom. If Gio had a clue about him months ago, he’d have never spent a day without this baby.

  Serenity let out a small sigh. “Hopefully, she’ll calm down and realize that.”

  Kiwi was emotional. He understood that. She was pregnant. He held the baby to his heart and met the gaze of both women. “I can’t chase her. I need to make sure Tom is good.”

  Luke walked over and took his wife’s hand. Serenity sucked in her lip and once she released it, she said, “I think she was in love with you and that scares her. She never had a dad and her mom taught her to rely on nobody. Did you tell her how you feel?”

  Love? If Kiwi loved him, they’d have dealt with today, together. She didn’t have to mother his son, if she didn’t want. She didn’t have to do anything, but all she’d done was leave. He shook his head and bounced his baby. “I don’t have time for this.”

  Serenity stepped back but kept her gaze on Tom. She then looked up at him and said, “Kiwi might still have her phone on. If you do love her, call and at least leave her a message before she runs across the globe.”

  Absolutely not. He said, “I-” But then he wasn’t sure how to say that Kiwi left on her own which meant there was no possible future. She didn’t want his child in her life.

  Serenity seemed so unsure that he held his tongue and instead said, “Thanks for helping me today.” He looked at all three of them. “All of you.”

  “We’ll leave you alone now to get to know your son.” Caro tugged Luke by the hand and waved at Serenity to join her.

  Gio returned to the chair and sat so he could rock Tom while studying him. He looked up at them briefly. “Tell Victoria, I’ll sign the contract with her company. I’d rather work with family. We can make our brand stronger together.”

  Caro held the door and the others filed out. “I’ll be sure she knows when she gets back.”

  Perfect. They left, and he rocked his son.

  Kiwi had left because she thought he was in love with Piper? He supposed he could tell her that and clear the air.

  If she’d left because she didn’t want Tom, then he’d never see her again.

  Right now he wasn’t sure so he picked up the phone and dialed Kiwi’s number. The call went directly to voicemail so it must be off. He let out a small sigh, kissed his son’s forehead and said, “Kiwi, this is Gio. I don’t know why you left, but I never would have wanted to marry Piper like I wanted to marry you. I don’t know why you ran when I needed you, but if you want to come back, I’ll send the car or the plane for you, wherever you are.”

  There was nothing else to say. He hung up the phone and held Tom closer. He’d just lost the only woman that mattered to him, but he’d never give up Tom. His son deserved the best in life and he’d ensure Tom had everything he might possibly need. He’d ensure no more tragedies ever happened in this boy’s life again. He’d been through enough. And if that meant forgetting about Kiwi, he’d do his best, though he’d like his daughter to be safe and protected too.

  Chapter 17

  After racing through security of the huge international airport, with no luggage, Kiwi made it to her terminal. She followed the letters and numbers blindly and easily found where she was supposed to get her plane. Adrenaline rushed through her and she was slightly sweaty from her fast pace. But she slowed down once she made it to her gate. Kiwi stared at the plane headed to Miami and then down at the boarding pass she held in her hand.

  The last of the customers in line now filed on board.

  Clutching the paper in her hand, Kiwi looked at the boarding agent. In a few steps, she’d be on her way home, far away from Italy.

  But if she left, was she throwing away her chance at happiness? The thought kept floating in her mind.

  Her subconscious nudged at her that she wasn’t listening to her heart right now.

  However, the word married on that suicide note was burned in her memory.

  If Gio truly just wanted his children and didn’t care who he married, she was making the right choice. She took a step forward as the boarding agent announced, “Final boarding.”

  And she handed over the pass. In a few feet she’d be on the jet way and then the plane. Maybe later she could figure out whatever her heart was whispering that she wasn’t listening to.

  Gio’s face was also embedded in her memory and if she boarded, she’d never be in his arms again. The agent handed her pass to her and pointed toward the door.

  Kiwi clutched it and her heart raced.

  One more step and she lost Gio forever.

  One more step and her heart lost out to whatever it was trying to tell her.

  One more step and she’d have ruined everything.

  The idea kept her frozen place and she shook her head.

  The gate agent waved for her to come forward. Kiwi stepped back and pressed
against her temple as she said, “I can’t.”

  The gate agent motioned her out of the line and turned toward the next passenger. “Ticket please.”

  Nothing was stopping her from a chance at happiness but herself. She turned on her heels and powered on her phone.

  She needed to head back and talk to Gio. Her heart soared. Her phone dinged that she had a message.

  Her pulse pounded as she clicked to hear it and asked the agent behind the desk her question, “Where is the exit?”

  She pointed toward the picture of the luggage and said, “Follow the signs to baggage claim, señora.”

  Gio’s voice sounded deeper as she stopped in her tracks and listened to his entire message. The way he said, “like I wanted to marry you” was like a bullet to her heart that now screamed she needed to listen.

  Wow. She’d almost screwed up everything. Kiwi glanced outside and saw the sun about to set. It would soon be evening. Near the gate she had no phone service but as she ran past the baggage claims that were mostly empty, she made it outside and saw the line of cabs. Her shoes clapped against the pavement as she made her way toward the line of folks waiting for a taxi and the orange vest of the man who directed traffic.

  Finally Gio’s phone rang and she said out loud as she went to the back of the line, “Pick up the phone, Gio.” But the phone clicked to voicemail. She took a step forward knowing she was next as she said, “Drat.” She took another step as the beep sounded for her to leave a message. She held the phone close to her cheek. “Gio, I’m sorry I left. I’m coming back. We need to talk.”

  Finally she made it to the valet and said, “Taxi?”

  “Si. Where to?” He typed in his tablet and then stared at her like he needed an answer.

  She knew what the villa looked like but didn’t know the exact address. She bit her lip. “Um, Morgan manor?”

  “Address?” He showed his tablet needed an actual address.

  “I don’t-” She pressed his phone number again and ignored how her breathing came in short pants as she lifted her phone to her ear and said, “hold on.”