Free From Venice With Love by Alison Roberts Page B

ring. What on earth did Nico Moretti think he was playing at, walking around with an engagement ring in his pocket?
    Words floated into through the sludge in her head. His grandmother’s ring.
A long story
.
    No story could be long enough to rescue her from this escalating nightmare. What was that saying Gran used to deliver with a wagging finger? Something about the complicated web you weave when first you practise to deceive. Charlotte shook her head to clear the mist. This had to end. Now.
    ‘This isn’t what is seems, Gran. I’m not engaged. This is…ridiculous.’
    ‘Oh, I know, darling.’ The grip Lady Geraldine still had on her increased a notch. ‘You weren’t expecting this, were you?’
    ‘Of course I wasn’t.’ A snort of something like laughter escaped her throat. ‘Nico and I have only just met. We’re not even…’ Charlotte raised her gaze as she searched for the right word to explain the total lack of a genuine relationship between them. It brought her line of vision directly over her grandmother’s shoulder. And it locked with Nico’s gaze.
    He had one eyebrow raised and a curiously disappointed stillness to the rest of his face. What dismissive word was she going to come up with here?
    That they weren’t even
friends?
    That they weren’t connected in any way, shape or form?
    Except they were, weren’t they?
    They’d become connected totally by chance when they’d formed a united medical team to help the man who’d had the cardiac arrest and fallen from the scaffolding. Having him present when she had been floundering in front of so many distinguished symposiumattendees this morning had been what had given her the strength to give any kind of presentation at all. The thought that he might have been impressed had made her feel like she hadn’t failed.
    Having him right there when she had been already starting to grieve for Gran had been what had given her the strength to try and make whatever time her beloved grandmother had left as happy as possible.
    And the way she’d felt when he’d looked at her like that at the table. As if he was in love with her. As if he’d wanted to kiss her.
    Oh, yes…she couldn’t deny a physical
and
emotional connection to him even if she didn’t want it to be there. Somehow Nico had broken through her safety barriers. Despite the short time they had known each other—less than a day, for heaven’s sake—he was already enmeshed in her personal life in a way that no man had ever been.
    ‘I know, darling.’ Lady Geraldine’s soothing words took her back. Way back to when it had seemed that nobody could ever understand. Or put things right. And yet the words had always been sincere. And Gran had always put things right, no matter how long it had taken. ‘People will think it’s too soon.
You
think it’s too soon.’
    ‘Of course I do. It’s…it’s…’
Ridiculous
. But Charlotte’s gaze was still holding Nico’s as she tried to read the silent message he was sending. It was a reassuring message, whatever it was. How was she supposed to interpret that? Or believe that this was somehow okay.
    ‘It’s love at first sight, that’s what it is,’ Lady Geraldine said happily. ‘The best sort. Wearing Nico’s ring doesn’t mean you have to get married next week, darling.It’s just a promise of commitment. You can take all the time you need to make sure that it’s perfect.’
    All the time they needed to keep Gran happy for as long as she lived?
    Time.
    That’s what Charlotte needed.
    ‘It will take time.’ Nico’s voice was strong. Amazingly calm, considering. ‘And you’re right, Jendi. I have…what’s that expression? Jumped the gun.’
    Something about the way he recited the phrase made Charlotte think his choice of words was deliberate. He was reminding her of the euphemism she’d used about kicking the bucket. Reminding her of what was important here. And maybe it was a warning, too.
    If she destroyed this illusion she would