by Kate Hardy
‘Good. Because he sounds like a totally selfish idiot and he wasn’t good enough for you.’
Jenna rather liked the fact that Lorenzo was fighting her corner. ‘Thank you for—well, for understanding why I did it.’
‘You’re amazing.’
‘I love my sister. And, as I said, Ava was always hers. Lucy was there every step of the way, from holding my hand in the clinic when the eggs were harvested, and later when the embryos were transferred and during the thirty-minute waiting time afterwards, through to taking the pregnancy test, every single scan, and the birth itself. Lucy was the first person to hold Ava after she was born, the person who cut the umbilical cord, the person who did the first feed with the milk that I’d expressed. As far as I’m concerned, she’s Ava’s mum—biologically, morally and legally.’ She grimaced. ‘I know it’s a bit complicated, but they’re my family and I love them. Ava’s eighteen months old right now. When she’s old enough to understand, we’ll explain to her that her birth was a little bit complicated—but my egg was genetically identical to Lucy’s, so her mum is still her mum and her dad is still her dad, and nothing has changed apart from the fact that her mum borrowed my womb so Ava could grow.’
‘Eighteen months old. The same age Florence was when I last saw her.’ His eyes were sad. ‘It’s a lovely age.’
‘It is. She chatters a lot. And she loves dancing and messy play and making cookies—obviously the baking bit is with her mum rather than with me, but if I’m off duty I get to go swimming with her and Lucy, and it’s just magical watching her grow up.’ She smiled. ‘And the best bit is seeing my twin so happy and fulfilled. With the life she always wanted—the life she deserves.’
Lorenzo put his arms round her. ‘Someone very wise once said to me that sometimes this works better than words.’
‘It does.’ And knowing that this time she’d picked one of the good guys—one who was as far from Danny as you could get—was like a weight lifted from her shoulders. She held him close. ‘So now you know.’
‘And I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I guess what happened with Georgia has made me a bit paranoid. I thought you were keeping some deep, dark secret.’
‘I kind of was,’ she said. ‘And I’m sorry, too. I know you’re nothing like Danny, but I was so scared you’d judge me. Especially because you lost Florence, and I didn’t want you thinking that I’d just blithely had a baby and given her away. Ava was never mine to start with.’ She smiled. ‘I might be a tiny bit biased, but she is the most gorgeous niece.’
‘You’re not the first who hasn’t wanted to tell me about a baby,’ Lorenzo said. ‘My little sister didn’t want to tell me she’s expecting—but I guessed when she was helping me clear up after Sunday lunch and she was gagging at the kitchen smells.’ He grimaced. ‘She didn’t want to tell me because she felt as if she was rubbing it in. I told her not to be so daft—and I’d better be the first person she asks to babysit.’
Jenna pulled back slightly. ‘Has anyone ever told you how nice you are?’
He laughed. ‘You’re nice, too. You’re a hustler and you’re bossy—but there’s a sweetness about you. Not cloying and sickly, but lovely. You make the world feel as if it’s certainly full of sunshine.’
‘That’s how you make me feel, too,’ she said.
‘That,’ he said, ‘sounds almost like a declaration of intent.’
She wasn’t ready to say the three little words. But she was ready to think them. ‘Maybe,’ she said instead, ‘you’d like to meet my sister? And actually you’d get to meet the whole family, because we’re close and they’ll refuse to be left out.’
‘I’d like that,’ he said. ‘And maybe you’d like to meet my family, too. It’s large, Italian and noisy—and close, like yours sounds.’
She nodded. ‘Let’s call them.’
‘We’ll call them now,’ he said, ‘and then we’ll get some food.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
PREDICTABLY, BOTH FAMILIES jumped at the chance to meet. So, the following Saturday morning, Lorenzo met Jenna at her flat, carrying wine and flowers.
‘You really don’t need to bring anything just for lunch with my family,’ she said.
‘Yes, I do,’ he corrected. But part of him felt ridiculously nervous. Would Jenna’s family like him? In a way, meeting them would be like the most important job interview he’d ever had.
Once they’d taken Charlie for his run in the park, Lorenzo and Jenna caught the Tube to Lucy’s house.
‘Lucy’s obviously my twin, this is Will, and Ava, my mum, Rosie, and my dad, Greg,’ Jenna said, introducing them swiftly. ‘Everyone, this is Lorenzo Conti.’
‘Please call me Renzo. And it’s lovely to meet you,’ Lorenzo said, shaking Will’s and Greg’s hands, kissing Rosie and Lucy on the cheek, and smiling at little Ava—who went all shy on him and clung to her father. ‘Lucy, thank you so much for inviting me to lunch.’ He handed her the flowers and wine.
‘My pleasure—and thank you for these,’ Lucy said, smiling back. She glanced at the label. ‘Conti? Is that as in your family?’
‘It’s from my family’s vineyard,’ he explained.
‘And Renzo helped pick the grapes for that particular vintage,’ Jenna chimed in.
‘That’s impressive,’ Lucy said. ‘Come and help me put the flowers in water, and you can tell me how you like your coffee.’
In other words, he was in for a grilling. He glanced at Jenna, who just spread her hands and smiled. Well, if it was OK with her, it was OK with him.
‘I know Jenna’s told you about Ava,’ Lucy said, when they were in the kitchen and she was putting the flowers in a vase.
‘Your sister,’ Lorenzo said, ‘is an amazing woman.’
‘I’m glad you realise how special she is.’
‘I do, and I’m not Danny,’ he said, though he was pretty sure that Lucy would know her twin had told him about her ex.
‘Danny!’ Lucy grimaced. ‘The less said about him, the better.’
‘Agreed,’ he said. ‘And you obviously already know she’s meeting my family tomorrow.’
‘That means it’s serious, for Jen.’
‘And for me,’ he said softly. ‘I really want this to work.’
‘Me, too. She deserves someone who’ll be good to her.’
‘That would be me,’ he said. ‘And I assume she told you everything about me?’
Lucy nodded. ‘I’m sorry you’ve been through something so hard. Even the idea of not being able to see my daught—’ She caught her breath. ‘Well. Are you sure you’re okay with Ava being around?’
‘Apart from the fact that my entire working life is spent with children,’ Lorenzo said, ‘I have a niece and nephew I adore who are almost the same age as Florence. I’ve been looking forward to meeting Ava. But thank you for asking. I appreciate it.’
‘It can’t be easy for you. I know how bad it felt when I was told about the hysterectomy. Will and I were planning to try for a baby, the following summer. And when the adoption people turned us down...’
He could see the tears sparkling in Lucy’s eyes. ‘But Jenna was there.’
‘And she gave me the most precious gift of all.’ She blinked the tears away.
‘Let’s change the subject to something that’s not going to make you cry,’ Lorenzo said. ‘Something smells very good. What can I do to help?’
‘Just tell me how you like your coffee.’
‘White, no sugar, please.’
‘That’s easy—the same as the rest of us. I’ll bring it out in a second. Now go and chat to the others.’ Lucy shooed him out of the kitchen.
It was surprisingly easy to fit in with Jenna’s family, Lorenzo found. He enjoyed talking history with Will and medicine with Greg and Rosie; and he could see for himself how close Jenna was to Ava. They clearly adored each other, as aunt and nie
ce, and Jenna was right at the heart of her family. Jenna Harris was a woman who would never betray the man she loved or take his child away.
But there was still a tinge of sadness in his heart. Jenna was very much part of Ava’s life, whereas he was completely blocked out of Florence’s. He shook himself mentally. Today was about getting to know her family, not fretting about his past.
Finally he ended up on the floor with Ava, helping her make a tower of bricks she could knock down and then patiently reading a series of board books she brought over to him from the lowest bookshelf.
‘Ezzo ’tory,’ Ava said imperiously for the fourth time, toddling over and thrusting another book at him. ‘Ezzo ’tory, peese.’
‘Hey, missy, he’s already read you three stories. Enough, now. His coffee will get cold,’ Lucy said.
‘I really don’t mind,’ Lorenzo said with a smile. He’d always loved reading to Florence, his nephew Jack and his niece Emily; and he was charmed by the way Ava had pronounced his name when she’d asked for a story. Ezzo. His family would love that, too. ‘I think your sister will tell you, on the ward, you take your coffee at whatever temperature you can get it.’
‘I know, I know, it’s a medic thing. Mum and Dad say the same. Even so.’ Lucy scooped Ava into her arms and kissed her. ‘How about Daddy reads you the duck story? Then it’s time for lunch.’
‘Unch,’ Ava said, and clapped her hands. ‘Dada ’tory. Duck!’
‘They’re gorgeous at this age,’ Lorenzo said. Ava was the same age Florence had been when he’d last seen her; and at the same stage, starting to put words together and making tiny sentences. He loved this and feeling part of the family, even at the same time as it squeezed his heart with a reminder of what he’d lost.
Lucy lived up to her reputation as a great cook, because lunch was fabulous—roast chicken with all the trimmings, followed by strawberries and home-made caramel ice cream.
‘I didn’t dare make lasagne for you, especially when Jenna told me that not only are you Italian, your cousin is a Michelin-starred chef who taught you to cook,’ Lucy said. ‘In fact, I was a bit worried about even cooking you roast chicken.’
He laughed. ‘Apart from the fact that this was amazing—and, yes, I did notice that you put fresh tarragon and butter under the chicken skin—I have it on good authority that you make the best lasagne in the world, and I’m very much looking forward to sampling it.’
‘Perhaps the next time we have a meal together,’ Lucy said.
‘The time after,’ he corrected, ‘because next time it’s my turn to cook.’
‘As long as it’s that scallop and pasta thing,’ Jenna said. ‘It’s amazing.’
Lorenzo couldn’t help being amused. ‘It does have a proper name, you know.’
‘Scallop and pasta thing sounds good enough to me,’ Lucy said with a grin. ‘Be kind. Jen burns water, remember.’
‘And offers people her special granola for dinner,’ Lorenzo teased, and everyone laughed.
Will patiently helped Ava with her meal; and when they’d all finished eating Lorenzo shared the washing-up duties with Will before they all took Ava to the park.
Ava insisted on holding hands with Lorenzo and Jenna, and wanted Lorenzo to push her on the swings.
‘You’re a natural with children,’ Lucy said.
And how he missed his little girl. ‘I like kids.’
As if she’d guessed what he wasn’t saying, Lucy said gently, ‘Maybe when Florence is older she’ll come looking for you.’
‘If she does, I’ll welcome her with open arms,’ Lorenzo said. ‘Biology has nothing to do with being a parent.’
‘I’m glad you feel that way. Not everyone does.’
Lorenzo knew exactly what Lucy was telling him. ‘Danny needs to take another look at his priorities.’
‘Danny had better keep a million miles away from my sister, or I’ll take him to pieces with a rusty spoon,’ Lucy countered.
‘I can assure you that you won’t need a rusty spoon for me,’ Lorenzo told her.
‘Good.’
‘Ava’s adorable.’
Lucy grinned. ‘I won’t argue with that.’
‘And so,’ he said, ‘is your sister.’
‘I won’t argue with that, either.’ She patted his arm. ‘I reckon you’ll do, Renzo.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ He smiled, and continued pushing Ava until she’d had enough of the swings.
* * *
‘I like him,’ Rosie said, keeping her voice low, when they were back at the house and Will and Lorenzo were settling Ava in her cot for a nap.
‘He’s definitely a family man. And I notice he puts other people first. That’s a good thing,’ Greg agreed.
‘Will said he likes him, too. So you can tell Renzo he has four yeses from us,’ Lucy said with a grin.
Jenna rolled her eyes. ‘This isn’t a TV talent show, you know.’
‘We know. But you knew we were going to check him out when you brought him to meet us. And he gets extra points for the way he played with Ava and read her those stories,’ Lucy said. ‘You picked the right one this time, Jen.’
‘But I haven’t met his family yet,’ Jenna said. That could possibly be a sticking point. Bearing in mind how much Georgia had hurt him, no doubt they’d be very protective of him.
‘They’ll love you,’ Rosie told her, patting her shoulder.
‘They’ll see the way you both look at each other and they’ll adore you,’ Lucy added. ‘Just as we noticed the way you look at each other.’
‘We don’t look at each other like anything,’ Jenna protested.
‘Oh, you do, love,’ Rosie said gently. ‘And that’s a good thing.’
Later that evening, Lorenzo and Jenna walked back to her flat with their arms wrapped round each other.
‘I like your family,’ Lorenzo said. ‘A lot.’
‘Good. They liked you, too.’ Jenna took a deep breath. ‘One hurdle down, one to go.’
‘You’ll probably get a grilling from Chiara,’ he warned.
‘Like you did from Lucy?’
He smiled. ‘That’s what siblings are for. And I didn’t mind. I knew she did it because she loves you and she’s worried about you. Which is exactly why you won’t mind getting a grilling from Chi.’
* * *
On Sunday, after they’d taken Charlie for a run in the park, Jenna picked up some fresh flowers to go with the chocolates she’d bought earlier in the week. ‘I’m so not taking wine to a family who owns a vineyard,’ she said. ‘And, actually, maybe the flowers are a mistake, given that your sister is a florist.’
‘No, it’s not. Stop worrying.’ Lorenzo kissed her. ‘They’ll love you.’
‘Didn’t you worry about meeting my family?’
He squeezed her hand. ‘Of course I was worried. I wanted them to like me.’
‘Exactly. And Italians are even more protective of their family than the English.’
‘They’ll know immediately that you’re not like Georgia. They won’t give you a hard time,’ he reassured her, clearly working out what she was worried about.
Jenna wasn’t so sure; but, when they arrived at Lorenzo’s parents’ house, the warmth of their welcome melted her worries away.
‘Jenna, this is my mother, Luisa, and my father, Enrico,’ Lorenzo said. ‘My sister, Chiara, my brother-in-law, Mark, and their son, Jack; and my brother, Riccardo, my sister-in-law, Helen, and their daughter, Emily. Everyone, this is Jenna Harris.’
‘Pleased to meet you,’ she said, and handed the flowers and chocolates to Lorenzo’s mum.
‘How lovely—grazie, bella,’ Luisa said, and hugged her.
‘I didn’t bring wine because—well, the vineyard, and Renzo absolutely hates the wine I buy,’ she said. ‘Sorry if that seems rude.’
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‘It’s not rude at all, bella. You didn’t have to bring anything, just yourself. Welcome to our house,’ Enrico said, and hugged her warmly.
After that, Jenna lost track of who was saying what because everyone was talking at once, and she lost count of all the hugs, too.
The Contis were clearly a very tactile family. And she liked that.
‘I’ll put the flowers in water, Mamma,’ Chiara said. ‘Come with me, Jenna, and I can get you a glass of wine. The men can go and light the barbecue.’
In other words, Jenna thought, this was her turn to be grilled, just as her own sister had grilled Lorenzo yesterday.
‘Good choice of blooms,’ Chiara said as she put the flowers in water.
‘Bringing flowers to a florist...’ Jenna winced. ‘I knew it was stupid. Sorry.’
‘You brought the flowers to a florist’s mother, if we’re being picky. Mamma loves flowers, and I’m not in the least bit territorial,’ Chiara said with a smile. ‘Now, wine. Red, white, rosé?’
‘Whatever’s open,’ Jenna said politely.
‘Chiaretto, then.’
‘The wine your family won an award for.’
‘Lorenzo’s told you a lot about us?’ Chiara paused. ‘Did he tell you...?’
‘About Florence?’ Jenna nodded. ‘That was so hard for him. And I assume he’s told you about Ava.’
‘What you did for your sister was amazing,’ Chiara said softly. ‘The most precious gift you could ever give someone.’
‘I love my sister and I was the one person who could make her world right.’ Jenna shrugged. ‘Anyone would’ve done the same in my shoes.’
‘Not everyone.’ Chiara looked closely at her. ‘You have a good heart, and I think you’ll be good for Renzo.’
‘Just as I think he’s good for me. So are you hoping for a girl, this time round?’ Jenna asked.
Chiara’s eyes widened. ‘Renzo told you about the baby?’
Ouch. Jenna didn’t want to drop Lorenzo in it, so she fibbed slightly. ‘Just that he was about to be an uncle again. But I remember what the early days are like. Plus I noticed you didn’t have a glass of wine and Helen did.’