Page 36 of Twin Surprise for the Italian Doc
CHAPTER SEVEN
ITWASOVER.
The wedding guests followed the bridal couple down to the castle’s entrance where a taxi was waiting to whisk them off to the luxury hotel they had chosen to celebrate their first night together as husband and wife.
Matteo was apparently staying in Luke’s apartment for the night before he flew back to Italy tomorrow.
Georgia was going to drive back to the cottagethat would feel very empty without Kate.
Her final hug with Kate was a fiercely tight one. The house wouldn’t just feel empty for the three weeks that her best friend was on honeymoon.
Kate would never live with her again. Even if they weren’t planning to emigrate to New Zealand in the near future, she would be living with Luke for the rest of her life, hopefully with the addition of childrento complete their family.
Georgia was happy for them, she really was.
It was completely selfish to feel sad at the same time, wasn’t it?
‘I’m going to miss you,’ she said.
‘Same.’ Kate had tears in her eyes as she finally let go.
Georgia found a smile. ‘No, you won’t. You’ll be too busy living happily ever after.’
‘That’s not true and you know it.’
‘What’s not true?’ Luke was beside Katenow. Holding her hand and about to urge her into their taxi.
‘Kate doesn’t think she’s going to live happily ever after.’
‘Oh?’ Luke’s glance at his new wife was so full of love it took Georgia’s breath away. ‘We’ll see about that.’
Kate gave Georgia a long-suffering look. ‘You’ll keep. We’ll talk soon, okay?’
Another quick hug and then the taxi pulled away, the rattle of the traditional tincans tied to the back of the car almost drowned out by the cheers of the guests.
And then there was a moment’s silence before the murmur of people taking their leave.
‘Where are you parked, Georgie?’ Dougal McGregor asked. ‘I’ll walk you back to your car.’
‘I can do that.’ Matteo’s voice came from behind them.
‘I’m fine,’ she said firmly. ‘It’s not far and there’s plenty of people around.Thank you both, but I’m quite safe.’
Dougal smiled. ‘See you at work tomorrow, then.’
‘You will.’ Georgia turned, intending to dismiss Matteo just as politely.
‘Didn’t Luke have a word with you?’
‘Um...about what?’
‘Giving me a lift to his apartment. He said it was on your way home.’
Georgia hadn’t noticed the old leather satchel that Matteo must have had with him when he’d arrived. He adjustedthe strap on his shoulder.
‘No matter. I can get a taxi.’
They both looked at the empty street in front of them. Georgia closed her eyes for a moment. She had been too aware all evening of how the air around her changed when Matteo was present and her coping mechanism had been to keep as much space as possible between them. They were outside right now and the awareness was stronger than ever.Could she cope with being shut inside a small car with him?
