Page 202 of Modern Romance June 2025 5-8

Addie leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the little girl’s forehead. ‘Night-night, precious.’

CHAPTER EIGHT

Addie came downstairsa short time later to find Vic in the main sitting room, talking to someone on the phone in Italian. He was pacing the floor and frowning as if the conversation was a difficult one. He glanced at Addie and grimaced and then finished the call soon after. He slipped his phone in his pocket and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

‘Is Katerina down for the night?’ he asked.

‘Yes, sound asleep.’ Addie said. ‘Is Lucia about? I was going to see if I could help her with dinner.’

‘I sent her home a few minutes ago. She wasn’t feeling well.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she’s okay.’

He pushed one of his hands through his hair in a distracted manner. ‘I think your observation was right—she’s too old to keep up with Katerina. But hopefully Marcus and Isabella will be back within twenty-four hours.’

Addie perched on the arm of one of the sofas, studying his tense expression. ‘We can manage by ourselves until they get back. Katerina is completely at ease with both of us and only asks for her parents now and again. I think it helped when she saw them on the video call earlier.’

‘Yes, Marcus told me he’d called. I just hope there aren’t any further delays.’

Addie rose from the sofa arm and smoothed her hands down the front of her linen pants. ‘Was that a work call? You sounded a bit stressed.’

‘No, it was my mother.’

‘Is everything all right?’

He gave a shrug. ‘According to her, everything is fine, but I can’t help feeling she’s not telling me everything about her relationship with my stepfather.’

‘Perhaps she doesn’t want to lose face by proving you right about him after all this time?’

Vic appeared to take on board her speculation, frowning as if deep in thought. ‘Who knows? We’re not particularly close these days.’

‘When did you last see her? Alone, I mean, without your stepfather there?’

He rubbed at his face with one of his hands and released a sigh. ‘I really can’t remember. Years probably.’

‘Maybe you could ask her to lunch or something when your stepfather is at work?’

He picked up a marble paperweight and turned it over in his hands. ‘I’ll give it a go, but she doesn’t do much without him knowing about it.’ He put the paperweight down again and looked at Addie. ‘When was the last time you had lunch with your mother?’

Addie rolled her eyes like marbles. ‘Arrgh. Sharing a meal with my mother is a form of mental torture. She tells me the calorie value of every single morsel I eat, or she tells me she thinks I’ve put on weight, or my skin needs a special type of anti-aging facial—the list goes on. It’s excruciating.’

‘You do realise all of that comes from her own insecurity?’

Addie frowned. ‘Insecure? She’s the most confident person I’ve ever met.’

‘People who are secure in themselves don’t need to pull other people down. You probably threaten her with your natural beauty. I’d bet it takes her hours with a makeup artist and hair stylist to look as good as she does. You don’t have to do anything to look gorgeous.’

Addie could feel herself glowing from his compliment. He thought her gorgeous? Naturally beautiful? She had spent her entire life feeling ugly and inadequate and yet Vic Jacobetti was telling her she was beautiful. ‘I don’t know about that…’

Vic gave a crooked smile. ‘And you look even more beautiful when you blush.’

Addie could feel her face blushing all the more and quickly changed the subject. ‘I—I guess you’re keen to get back to work.’

‘Yes, you are too, I imagine.’

‘I miss it, but I’ve really enjoyed being here,’ Addie said. ‘I know most people wouldn’t describe looking after a toddler as a holiday, but I can’t remember the last time I had a proper holiday, so it’s been fun. And this place is so beautiful.’

Vic came over to where she was standing, his gaze hooded, his expression now inscrutable. ‘So, it’s not been too much of a trial stuck here with me?’

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