Free Billionaire's Second Chance (sam, bella and Kate Book 2) by Marie Kelly

Holding her arm Sam squeezed her comfortingly, rewarded with a small tremulous smile from her friend.  Catching up with them, Dante looked over at Bella.  “Philippe is going back to New York tomorrow .”  Sam looked at Bella who remained tight-lipped, her face blank – revealing nothing, her tear-streaked face impassive as she kept walking.
    Philippe sat in his office, the whisky in his hand cold comfort as hurt tore through him.  He looked up in surprise seeing Dante enter, a frown on his face as he dropped his head to hide the tears in his eyes.  “Shouldn’t you be enjoying your homecoming with Sam?”  His voice had been bitter despite his efforts to sound calm.
    “That can wait... Wanted to make sure you were OK”, his friend responded softly.  Dante pulled a chair close to Philippe, his eyes rested on the bottle of whisky, already one quarter empty.  Silently, he pulled a glass over to himself and filled it from the same bottle.  “What’s going on Philippe?”
    After a pause, Philippe raised his head to look back at him, despondency etched deep within his features.  In all his life Dante had only ever seen that look on his friend at one other time, when his mother died, and he was filled with concern, concern which must have shown on his face.
    “I screwed up Dante”, a moan of pain leaving him, “Allisa is pregnant .”
    With his lips drawn into a thin line , Dante nodded softly, “I see... Are you sure it is yours?”
    Philippe gave a small snort, a self-deprecating sound as he took another long drink from the glass .  “Yeah.  I am sure, that plus...”, his voice trailed off as his hand once more closed over his eyes.  “Why the hell did I have to meet her now Dante?  I feel cheated.  All the years I played the field, and finally I meet someone like her... It’s not right”, his voice raised with anger, “It’s not damn fair!” 
    He felt the comforting hand of his friend on his shoulder as the tears once more slid down his cheek, Dante’s voice gentle, “What did Bella say?”
    Philippe’s tone held respect and admiration along with the pain.  “I told her I wanted her”, Dante frowned beside him, the look softening as his friend continued.  “But she told me that I had to do the right thing... That a baby was more important.”  Dropping his head again, he moaned, “I know she feels the same way Dante – I know it, but she told me to do the right thing.”
    Beside him Dante patted his back, his voice full of respect for Bella Smith.  Just as Sam impressed him, so too had Bella.  “You know that she is right... There is a child involved Philippe... And nothing is more important than a baby.”
    Beside him, Philippe nodded, gulping down another mouthful of the golden liquid.  “Then why do I feel that I am losing something so special?”
    With a sigh, Dante lifted his glass, his tone gentle, “To bewitching English girls.”
    Philippe gave a half-laugh full of pain as he clinked glasses with his best friend , “To bewitching English girls”, he repeated.
    With only four days left of their holiday, the girls spent the days sunbathing and in the evenings Sam would meet up with Dante, their friend falling deeper and deeper in love with the Greek.  Kate had been a tower of strength for Bella, not once demanding to know what had happened, just keeping her friend busy.  On their last night on the island, Sam dropped the bombshell that she was moving back to New York with Dante, Bella smiling happily for her even as her heart cried for the man who still filled her every thought.  It was clear to see how much Dante loved Sam, both Kate and Bella crying, both with joy and sadness that their group – together since high school – would be breaking up.  For the first time since they were children the three amigos would not be together, it was the end of an era.
    Returning to the UK had been a relief for Bella.  She hoped that some normality might stop the hurt that