Ella opened her mouth to contradict him but she hesitated because, whilst she had initially been utterly unable to equate Jose with Rocco, the lines were becoming blurred. She had seen him in that boardroom and shock had catapulted her into a reaction that had been fast, spontaneous and unforgiving.
And then his outward sophistication—the expensive suit, the hand-made shoes, the priceless watch—meant he was no more the laid-back, charming guy but a cool, self-assured man with the confidence of someone accustomed to being obeyed.
Yet hadn’t he been self-assured when she’d first met him? He’d strolled into her office and looked around him as though he owned the place.
‘Not quite.’
‘So I’m not what he’s expecting on a number of fronts. What, exactly, have you told him about me?’
‘I haven’t said much…’
‘Your idea of not saying much and my idea of not saying much are probably at opposite ends of the scale,’ Rocco said truthfully.
‘Maybe.’
Rocco slid a sideways glance at her. Outside, leaden, yellow sky was gathering snow. Christmas was all around them, in the lights everywhere and the excitement of shoppers stocking up.
He started the engine, the powerful motor roared into life then he edged out of the parking space.
‘Can I say something, Ella?’
‘You’ve already said quite a lot.’
‘You must have been distraught when you couldn’t locate me, when you realised that I’d given you a false name, but you were strong, and you still are, and I admire that. Whatever road this takes us, you can be guaranteed, always and for ever, of my complete support.’
For her, what had happened was as huge and as life-changing as it was for him, and she had dealt with it admirably even whenshe’d assumed that she’d be dealing with it on her own. Through all of that, she’d still had it in her to be concerned for the store that would for ever change the face of the town when it was converted into flats and offices.
‘Do you get why the offices and apartments are going to work for the town? I’m going to be sticking around to answer any questions the staff might have, but I’d like to find out what exactly your thoughts are, bearing in mind that you’re sentimentally attached to the place.’
‘I was upset when the news first broke but…okay, yes. And I appreciate what you’re doing…with trying to keep everything as sustainable as possible.’
‘Think we might be making headway in breaking down some of the barriers between us?’
Ella shrugged.
‘Because it’s important, as we’re going to be in one another’s lives for a very long time, in one way or another.’
‘One way or another?’
‘Be it if I marry or if you do…’
Ella’s lips thinned as she was forced to confront once again the idea that he would find someone else. She hated the thought of it. She wanted to ask him what his parents might think of her and then wondered whether he would even bother introducing her to them if she wasn’t actively involved in his life. What would be the point? They probably lived in Spain. That would be where the family business was. A haughty, aristocratic couple, parents of a treasured only son who would meet a haughty, aristocratic wife who would be the sort of woman he would choose to marry.
Her imagination refused to be reined in. She feverishly imagined her child in this scenario and went cold inside. Having earlier scoffed at him for introducing a layer of complication that wasn’t necessary because their baby hadn’t even been born, Ella now found herself dwelling on all manner of unpleasantscenarios that somehow involved her being sidelined as a parent in the years to come.
She snapped back to the present. He’d programmed her address into the satnav but the going was slow because of the weather.
‘So…’
His lazy drawl made her half-turn so that she could look at his sharp, aristocratic profile.
‘You were going to give me the low down on what your father might be expecting.’
‘Okay.’ She sighed. ‘I may have said that I had feelings for you.’
‘Come again?’
‘You heard me.’
