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THE ROOM IS too quiet, thought Eden Kingsley as she looked out the window at the city street below. It was quiet because Bronte wasn’t in the room playing, laughing and talking. Bronte had learned so many new words over the past six months, and Eden loved listening to her talk about her day and talk to her stuffed toys. Having Bronte with her was what kept Eden going every day since Gabri carried Rafe out of the house, and then out of the country. With Bronte gone, it felt like her reason for holding it all together was gone too, and she was struggling.
The note Gabri and Rafe sent said Bronte would be back later tonight, but she still worried about the possibility they might change their minds about returning her. Even worse, though she had expected Rafe to want to see Bronte and not her, was that it still hurt.
Eden could tell Gabri didn’t want her to be in Italy. She also knew he was angry about what had happened last night when they saw Rafe as they were having dinner. Eden was still worried about the woman Rafe had been with, even though Julia said it was probably just a friend. She worried about who she was and why Rafe seemed so happy with her. Eden was concerned Rafe had found someone else to start a family with. Though she knew Rafe would always be there for Bronte, she wondered how much they would see each other if Rafe was focused on a new baby.
Julia took another sip of her tea trying to calm herself as she watched Eden look yearningly out the window where she had observed the hulking, burly Italian man get in the car and drive away with Bronte. Eden had stopped crying, but Julia could tell she was still upset. Julia was upset for Eden, but her primary feeling was deep anger toward Rafe, something Julia had never felt before. She included Gabri in her rage.
How they could do this to Eden was beyond her. The other thing making Julia angry was the fact Eden had read their note demanding Bronte, and she actually packed a bag for the baby, helped put the car seat in the car, and sent her with the hulking driver. It was as if Rafe thought she had to send a huge hairy bodyguard because Eden might make trouble. Julia never thought she would see Eden send Bronte off as she did. She wasn’t sure if it was a testament to how desperate Eden was to see Rafe or if she really felt threatened by the driver. Maybe she was more afraid of Gabri because of him calling her cruel and selfish.
“Eden,” Julia said softly feeling a surge of protectiveness for her, “come and sit down. Are you sure you want to wait in the room all day? They said she wouldn’t be back until tonight.”
“I don’t know what I want to do,” said Eden as she sat at the table and wiped the traces of tears from her eyes and face. “I just want to be sure I’m here when she comes back.”
“Maybe we should do something to take your mind off everything,” she suggested as she reached out to hug Eden. She wished she could hold her and comfort her in a more personal way but knew it would be inappropriate right now. She let her go and sat back in her chair. “We could go to a museum or go shopping, or we could even take a cooking class if one’s available.”
Eden sighed and put her head in her hands. “I can’t think about doing anything right now,” she said softly then looked up at Julia. “Did I make a mistake coming here?’
“No,” said Julia as she shook her head. She had to stop thinking of herself and help Eden get through this nightmare. There would be plenty of time to think about where things might go with Eden once the relationship with Rafe ended. It looked from where she was sitting that their relationship was over and Eden just had to finally accept the hard truth. Now she only had to try to be helpful and positive and let Rafe be, well, Rafe. “At the very least, Rafe got to see Bronte, and you made it happen,” she pointed out. “Plus, we’ve only been here two days. Maybe after spending time with Bronte, they’ll change their minds about talking to you.”
“I don’t think Gabri will change his mind,” Eden said sadly. “I’m pretty sure he would prefer I leave as soon as possible. It’s probably why he asked for Bronte today.”
Julia sat her teacup down in frustration. She just couldn’t hold in her feelings any longer. “It makes me so angry Rafe’s allowing you to be treated this way. She must know what he’s doing,” she insisted. “The note was in her handwriting.”
There was a knock on the door, and they looked at each other in surprise. “Did you order more room service?” Eden asked as she looked from Julia to the door.
“No.” Julia got up to answer the door. “Just stay there,” she told Eden, “I’ll see who it is.” If it was anyone else delivering a note full of demands, she was going to give them a piece of her mind. She went to the door and opened it a crack. “Si?” she asked through the opening.
“I’m looking for Eden,” said a woman’s voice in English. “I’m not sure what her last name is. It may be Salvaggio.”
Julia jerked the door open and stared into the eyes of a blond woman heavy in her pregnancy. “Who are you?” she asked in surprise as she recognized her from last night. She looked tentatively over her shoulder at Eden then back again, worried this woman had come with bad news.
Nora stood her ground wanting to speak directly with Eden. “I’m looking for Eden Salvaggio. I’m sorry if I have the wrong room, but this is the number I was given by our driver.”
“Her name isn’t Salvaggio,” Julia snapped with irritation at Rafe and the situation. At this moment, she also didn’t like Eden being given Rafe’s last name. “Her name is Eden Kingsley,” she said firmly.
“Oh,” said Nora, aware by calling Eden by Rafe’s last name it was upsetting to the woman with the British-sounding accent. “I really wasn’t sure. I just knew the baby’s last name was Salvaggio, so I thought maybe hers was too.”
“Who is it?” Eden asked as she approached the door. She stopped in her tracks as she saw the woman from last night.
Over Julia’s shoulder, Nora saw Eden and recognized her from Rafe’s drawings and by her light golden blond hair. “Eden,” she said with a friendly smile and held out her hand. “My name is Nora De Angelis. I hope I’m not intruding, but I’d like to talk with you.”
Julia looked from Eden to Nora then opened the door and stepped aside so Nora could come into the room. “I’m Julia Hawthorn,” she said with authority. “What is it you want?”
Nora took a moment to gather herself, understanding the platinum-blond British-sounding woman was who Rafe thought Eden was in a relationship with now. The protectiveness and the anger the woman was showing could mean Rafe was right, but it wasn’t why she was here.
She glimpsed at Eden who stood silently looking back at her. “Hello.” She put out her hand, but Eden didn’t take it. “I’m here to talk to you about the things my husband has said to you,” she said as she put her hand down. “I talked to him today, and I don’t think he handled things well with you. Do you mind if we sit?” she asked and put her hand on her stomach and smiled kindly. “Standing for long periods is getting difficult at the moment.”
“Of course,” said Eden as she snapped out of her shock. “Come in. We were having some tea. Would you like anything?”
“No, thank you,” said Nora as she followed Eden to the table and sat down with the two women. She could tell Eden had been upset and knew it was because of Gabri and Rafe’s idiotic stunt this morning. “This is probably very strange for you,” she said trying to find common ground. “It’s strange for me too. It’s a bit surreal to meet a woman who has had my husband’s child but doesn’t really know him and never actually had sex with him. When Gabri told me about Rafe and you, before we were married, I never thought about if I’d actually meet you until Gabri brought Rafe home. Then I thought Rafe would get better, go back home, and I’d never meet you. But, here we are,” she said looking at each woman in turn.
Julia could see Eden was anxious. Eden could barely look at the woman sitting across from them. “You said you wanted to talk to Eden about what your husband said to her,” Julia reminded her, wanting the woman to get to the point.
“Yes,” said Nora. “First, I want to let you know the baby is at the villa with Rafe and Gabri. They’re playing, and she should be fine,” she revealed and saw a small amount of relief settle on Eden.
“Thank you,” said Eden softly.
Nora took a breath sure she would feel just as bad as Eden looked if someone had done to her what Gabri had done. “I’m sorry about the way Gabri treated you. He cares deeply about Rafe and is very protective of her. After getting to know her, I care about Rafe just as much as he does. She’s a wonderful person. But,” she added, “we don’t really know anything about your relationship or how you might feel about Rafe.” She watched as Eden shifted in her seat, and Julia just glared at her coolly. “Still, it’s no excuse for how he treated you. I told Gabri he had no right to interfere in your relationship with Rafe, and he won’t do it again.”
“So, what exactly do you mean?” Julia asked suspiciously.
“I mean Gabri won’t be deciding if Eden can see or talk with Rafe,” she said firmly. “Only Rafe will be making those decisions from now on.”
“Was it Rafe’s decision to send a hairy minion and demand we send Bronte to her this morning?” asked Julia trying to hold in her anger.
Nora grimaced because she could see they were angry about this morning, and she didn’t blame them. Fausto did look intimidating, but he was a gentle man. “It was the two of them together,” she admitted. “Sometimes, when they’re together, it’s like they revert back to being twelve-year-olds.” She sighed at the truth about the two childhood friends. “They somehow think what they did was polite.”
“How the hell was it polite,” asked Julia annoyed to the point her voice raised an octave.
“The way they explained it, they sent a personal note showing Rafe was appreciative of Eden bringing Bronte for her to see. By sending Fausto with the car, they think they made everything convenient for you because you wouldn’t have to take Bronte out to the villa or pick her up yourself,” Nora explained. “I know, it’s idiotic, but, like I said, when they get together, sometimes they have strange ideas of what’s polite or even what’s reasonable at times.”
Nora wasn’t sure why Eden was not talking or responding. “I think, since Gabri and Rafe went through so much with each other when they were young, they sometimes regress a bit when they’re together. At times, since they were only children, they can seem very entitled, and sometimes even their good intentions come out wrong to everyone else because of it.”
“Don’t let Rafe hear you say those things,” Julia scoffed. “I know she was entitled, but she believes she has had some sort of hard life.”
Nora frowned at Julia’s comment. “She actually did have a hard childhood,” she said in defense of Rafe. “But maybe you don’t know much about it. Gabri told me you didn’t know a lot about her history. Even I don’t really know everything because Gabri has a hard time talking about things without getting emotional, but from what he’s told me, Rafe has been through a lot.”
“She has,” Eden agreed softly finally able to speak as she worked to control her anxiety and shyness.
“I know it may be hard, but try not to be too angry with them,” Nora said gently. “Rafe was so happy to see the baby, and I know it means a lot to Rafe that you brought her all the way here. I think this will be good for Rafe. She’s been working so hard on things and has made some vast improvements from when she first came.”
“She looked happy when we saw her last night,” said Eden softly.
“She was.” Nora smiled as she nodded. “Gabri and I were performing last night, and Rafe was enjoying the music and had quite a lot to drink. It was wonderful to see her feeling good for a change. I just wish she were so happy all the time.”
Nora scrutinized Eden but couldn’t see what Rafe apparently saw in her. It seemed like the woman was so unresponsive and must be extremely shy while Rafe was the complete opposite. Maybe Eden was acting like this because Rafe was right—Eden was here for closure.
“She wasn’t so happy all night,” Nora informed Eden. “She had a hard night after we got home. She tries to act like she’s fine, but if you really look, you can see she isn’t. This is why Gabri is so protective of her, and I guess I am too.”
“Eden had a hard night, too,” said Julia curtly. She didn’t want this woman to think Rafe’s feelings were any more significant than Eden’s were.
“Oh, I’m sure she did,” said Nora as she looked from Julia to Eden. “It’s one of the reasons I’m here. After what happened last night, and what Gabri told me about your meeting, not to mention this morning, I thought it would be a good idea to come and let you know what was happening. Gabri will be giving you an apology in person if you meet with him again.”
Eden nodded nervously as she tried to meet Nora’s eyes. She felt relief knowing Nora was Gabri’s wife and not someone Rafe was in a relationship with. She was grateful the woman was showing her the first kindness about the situation she had experienced since they had come to Italy.
“Can you tell me how she’s doing?” Eden asked nervously. “I haven’t been told anything about her and what’s been happening with her medical treatments. You said she was getting better. Does it mean she might be coming back soon?”
It was Nora’s turn to shift uncomfortably. She heartily disagreed with the way Gabri treated Eden, but she did not think he was wrong not to discuss Rafe’s medical issues with her. For all they knew, she was here to get information that could lead to taking the baby away from Rafe, or she could want information so she could sue Rafe for more support. Gabri treated Eden the way he did because he didn’t trust her. Besides all those things, Nora really didn’t know anything more than what Rafe and Gabri were willing to tell her, and it wasn’t much.
“I just know she’s doing better,” Nora said sympathetically. “They don’t talk a lot with me about her medical treatment. I think it’s a matter of pride for both of them, so they handle things privately.”
“Oh...” Eden sighed, feeling a bit deflated. She shouldn’t have been surprised. Rafe hadn’t shared what was going on with her therapy at home either.
Julia watched Eden and knew she had to help her. For some reason, Eden wasn’t asking the questions she needed to ask. Julia turned her gaze on Nora, determined to get answers. “Rafe has responsibilities at home,” she said firmly. “Eden needs answers to a lot of questions. She can’t live in limbo forever. They really haven’t been fair to her. They don’t answer her emails or send her any real information at all. It’s not unreasonable to want to know something, anything. Then, when she comes all this way, they are rude both times they see her.”
Nora could feel the anger coming from the English woman, but she couldn’t do anything about what information Rafe gave to Eden. She was only here to make sure Eden knew Gabri would not be interfering in their relationship. After meeting them, she was beginning to see why Gabri might feel he should interfere.
“I’m sorry you feel Rafe hasn’t been taking care of her responsibilities. Gabri has been making sure Rafe is well taken care of, and all her financial obligations are taken care of as best he can. I would hope, if you needed anything, he would help you if it’s in his power. Is something wrong Gabri should know about?” she asked with concern. “If there is, I’d like to help if I can.”
“No,” said Eden and put her hand on Julia so she would keep silent because it was clear she was too angry with Rafe right now. “Everything’s fine. I just need to talk to Rafe. Do you know if she’ll meet with me? Has she said anything?”
Nora watched the two women and the way Eden touched the other with familiarity. She felt a lot of tension in the room and wondered if they really were here to deliver bad news to Rafe. If they were, maybe it would be better for Rafe to get the news sooner than later so not to get her hopes up. She felt guilty for the conversation with Rafe last night because she might be wrong about this woman being in love with Rafe.
“I talked to her last night,” she said softly. “She told me she would meet you and listen to whatever you have to say.” She watched as the two women quickly glanced at each other. “Listen,” she said hesitantly, “why don’t we go out, and I’ll take you to a few sights, and we can get lunch. Then, after Rafe has spent a few hours with the baby, I can take you to the villa. This will give you a chance to talk to Rafe, and you can ride with Bronte back to the hotel afterward. What do you think?”
“You,” Eden stammered, “you would take me to see her?” She flicked her eyes toward Julia then back to Nora as her heart beat hard.
Eden’s reaction and the red flush blooming over her face surprised Nora. It was the most responsive she had been since she got here. “Yes,” she nodded, “after Rafe gets to spend some time with the baby.”
Eden turned to Julia. “I want to go,” she said shaking with anticipation. “Do you want to go?”
Julia wasn’t sure what to think of Nora’s offer. On the one hand, it was what Eden had been asking for, but on the other, she was worried about the shape Eden would be in when she returned if the meeting didn’t go well. “How do you think she’ll feel about me being there?” she asked Eden. “The last time I saw her, she wasn’t exactly glad to see me.”
Eden had no idea what to tell Julia. The last thing on her mind was how Rafe felt about Julia. She was too focused on her own feelings and the possible feelings Rafe might or might not be having for her. “I-I don’t know,” she stammered and looked at Nora then back at Julia.
Julia could see Eden wanted to go no matter what she decided. She reminded herself Eden was here because she wanted Rafe to come home. Julia knew it was a possibility. If it was going to happen, then Rafe might be more receptive to Eden if she didn’t tag along.
“I think I’ll stay and go out on my own and do some shopping,” said Julia. She knew seeing them reconcile would be hard for her to watch right now. “Maybe after you talk with her, she’ll want to meet us all together.” She gave what she hoped was a confident smile. Julia’s vision for keeping Eden for herself was in the balance and letting Eden go alone was a significant risk. She hoped all the time they had spent together and things she had said to Eden would mitigate her susceptibility for allowing Rafe the chance to hurt her again. Julia felt she had spent enough time picking up the pieces Rafe had left behind and didn’t relish the idea of doing it again and waiting longer for Eden to see the truth about who she should choose.
“Okay,” said Eden and squeezed Julia’s shoulder in appreciation as she got up. “I just need to gather my things.”
