Read Online Italian Marriage: In Name Only by Kathryn Ross - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kathryn Ross
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were all keeping their jobs and even getting a pay rise.
And they deserved it, because they had all worked so hard for her, had become like a family to her over the past few years, helping her through the tough times, covering shifts for her when Nathan was ill, helping keep an eye on him on evenings when she’d had to work and he was tucked safely up in his little cot in the annex room off the kitchen.
She glanced down at the little boy on her knee and kissed the top of his silky dark hair.
How could this not be the right thing? The money that Antonio had placed in her account would mean things were going to get easier from now on, she told herself fiercely. There would be no more having to lift Nathan from his slumber at midnight to carry him through to his other cot in the apartment when she’d finished a shift.
He’d never complained, always gone easily back to sleep. Her heart squeezed a little as she looked down at him.
She’d bought him a new outfit for today and he looked adorable in the white shirt and navy-blue trousers, teamed with a navy-blue waistcoat.
She loved him so much—surely anything that made his life better was the right thing.
The limousine was slowing down now and she glanced out of the window. They were nearing the registry office.
She swallowed hard. This was just a business deal…just a means to an end, she repeated the words fiercely. But they weren’t helping. For some reason every time she pictured herself saying her wedding vows, pictured Antonio putting a ring on her finger, her heart seemed to dip somewhere down into her stomach and dissolve.
Get a grip, Victoria, she told herself angrily.
The limousine pulled to a halt at the curb and the chauffeur got out to open the car door for her. She was aware as she stepped into the sunshine that a few passers-by turned to look over at her—probably expecting a traditionally radiant, beautiful bride in a white dress, she thought. Well, they were out of luck today. There was nothing traditional about this wedding.
She hadn’t even bought herself anything new to wear.
Antonio’s comment about not caring how she looked had stopped her from even trying to make a special effort. Why should she care if he didn’t? And anyway, she didn’t feel comfortable spending his money on her clothes—had decided that the money he’d advanced would only be used for either the business or Nathan.
So she was just wearing a plain navy-blue suit and white blouse that she wore for work sometimes. And it was perfectly adequate, she reassured herself, because as he’d pointed out quite succinctly, this was just business.
Holding Nathan tightly in her arms she thanked the driver and then slowly made her way inside.
She passed a young couple, obviously just married and very much in love, a group of friends surrounding them waiting to throw confetti. Their joyful laughter seemed to echo down the hallway as she stepped past them.
She’d told no one about her wedding. Her friends and colleagues had drawn their own conclusions when she’d told them she was going away for a few weeks. Most of them thought she was just going with Nathan on a well-deserved holiday. Emma, her receptionist, had taken it one step further and assumed she had a man in her life!
‘About time you indulged in a bit of romance and happiness,’ she’d said solemnly when Victoria had taken her leave of the restaurant earlier. ‘You spend far too much time working. Go and enjoy…make mad passionate love to this guy, whoever he is…’
The memory swirled uncomfortably now with the laughter from outside.
She didn’t know what on earth had put such an idea in Emma’s head. But the more she’d tried to deny it the more convinced Emma had become. She wondered what she would have said if Victoria had told her the truth, that she was being forced into a marriage of convenience with Antonio Cavelli—now she definitely wouldn’t believe that!
As she rounded a corner she saw
And they deserved it, because they had all worked so hard for her, had become like a family to her over the past few years, helping her through the tough times, covering shifts for her when Nathan was ill, helping keep an eye on him on evenings when she’d had to work and he was tucked safely up in his little cot in the annex room off the kitchen.
She glanced down at the little boy on her knee and kissed the top of his silky dark hair.
How could this not be the right thing? The money that Antonio had placed in her account would mean things were going to get easier from now on, she told herself fiercely. There would be no more having to lift Nathan from his slumber at midnight to carry him through to his other cot in the apartment when she’d finished a shift.
He’d never complained, always gone easily back to sleep. Her heart squeezed a little as she looked down at him.
She’d bought him a new outfit for today and he looked adorable in the white shirt and navy-blue trousers, teamed with a navy-blue waistcoat.
She loved him so much—surely anything that made his life better was the right thing.
The limousine was slowing down now and she glanced out of the window. They were nearing the registry office.
She swallowed hard. This was just a business deal…just a means to an end, she repeated the words fiercely. But they weren’t helping. For some reason every time she pictured herself saying her wedding vows, pictured Antonio putting a ring on her finger, her heart seemed to dip somewhere down into her stomach and dissolve.
Get a grip, Victoria, she told herself angrily.
The limousine pulled to a halt at the curb and the chauffeur got out to open the car door for her. She was aware as she stepped into the sunshine that a few passers-by turned to look over at her—probably expecting a traditionally radiant, beautiful bride in a white dress, she thought. Well, they were out of luck today. There was nothing traditional about this wedding.
She hadn’t even bought herself anything new to wear.
Antonio’s comment about not caring how she looked had stopped her from even trying to make a special effort. Why should she care if he didn’t? And anyway, she didn’t feel comfortable spending his money on her clothes—had decided that the money he’d advanced would only be used for either the business or Nathan.
So she was just wearing a plain navy-blue suit and white blouse that she wore for work sometimes. And it was perfectly adequate, she reassured herself, because as he’d pointed out quite succinctly, this was just business.
Holding Nathan tightly in her arms she thanked the driver and then slowly made her way inside.
She passed a young couple, obviously just married and very much in love, a group of friends surrounding them waiting to throw confetti. Their joyful laughter seemed to echo down the hallway as she stepped past them.
She’d told no one about her wedding. Her friends and colleagues had drawn their own conclusions when she’d told them she was going away for a few weeks. Most of them thought she was just going with Nathan on a well-deserved holiday. Emma, her receptionist, had taken it one step further and assumed she had a man in her life!
‘About time you indulged in a bit of romance and happiness,’ she’d said solemnly when Victoria had taken her leave of the restaurant earlier. ‘You spend far too much time working. Go and enjoy…make mad passionate love to this guy, whoever he is…’
The memory swirled uncomfortably now with the laughter from outside.
She didn’t know what on earth had put such an idea in Emma’s head. But the more she’d tried to deny it the more convinced Emma had become. She wondered what she would have said if Victoria had told her the truth, that she was being forced into a marriage of convenience with Antonio Cavelli—now she definitely wouldn’t believe that!
As she rounded a corner she saw
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