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Frankie turned to hide his face against her shoulder with a tiny squeak of a whimper. She supposed she couldn’t blame him. He’d only just turned one the last time they’d been here at Mont Coeur. His visits with his papà had been in Milan, close to the main offices of Cattaneo Jewels, or the villa the Cattaneos owned near her parents’ estate. For all that the place and its people stirred up constant memories for Maria, for Frankie this must all seem so new and strange—and a little scary.
Seb’s hand flinched away, the pain clear in his eyes.
‘It’s been a long day. We’re both a little tired,’ Maria said, trying to ease it for him, as she always had.
Seb’s sad smile told her he appreciated the lie. They both knew that Frankie’s real reluctance had far more to do with hardly having seen his father in a year, and then mostly on a computer screen, if Seb had managed to video chat when his son was still awake.
Maria forced the guilt to the back of her mind. It wasn’t her fault that Sebastian had never lived up to his promise as a father—or as a husband. Just like she refused to feel guilty about leaving and seeking her own happiness.
How could she have possibly stayed, when staying had meant accepting that the love of her life could never truly love her back?
Knowing that Sebastian had only married her because his father had told him to was one thing. Hearing him throw it in her face that awful night before she’d left was another.
‘Come on, Maria. You knew what you were signing up for when you agreed to our fathers’ plans. You married me to save your family business, just like I married you to get the merger between our companies. And now you’re complaining that I’m spending too much time working at that same business?’
Except she hadn’t, of course. Yes, she might never have gone along with her father’s insistence on the merger if the family hadn’t been in such dire straits. But she’d had other plans, other ways to save it—if only they’d let her.
Instead, she’d left her business degree, come home, and married Sebastian to give her family a physical stake in the newly merged business, taking the name Cattaneo as the name Rossi had disappeared from the company letterhead.
It hadn’t been how she’d wanted to do it. But she never would have done it if she hadn’t already been in love with Sebastian Cattaneo—and if she hadn’t believed that one day he might come to love her back.
Accepting that the love she had given him so freely and fully would never have been more than a convenience for him...that had been by far the bitterest pill to swallow. But swallow it she had—even if it had taken several years and a child to do so. She couldn’t go backwards now, not when she’d worked so hard to move on.
‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be keeping either of you on the doorstep in this cold.’ Sebastian stepped back, ingrained politeness obviously kicking in. He opened the door wider until the light from inside the chalet flooded out to encompass them all. ‘Come in, both of you. Everyone’s waiting to see you. And...welcome home.’
Maria’s chest tightened just a little more as she stepped over the threshold. Mont Coeur could never be home again, even if she wished it could be otherwise.
As soon as Christmas was over, she and Frankie would be on their own again. Sebastian could keep the company—she had something far more important. Their son. And together she and Frankie would concentrate on building their own lives, far away from the Cattaneos and Mont Coeur.
And that was the best thing for all of them.
However much it hurt.
* * *
She’d cut her hair.
Seb was sure there were other changes in his wife—and heaven knew he could see the incredible difference in his son, from the one-year-old baby he’d been when Maria had left to the two-year-old toddler in Maria’s arms now.
But the only one he could focus on right now was the fact that she’d cut her hair.
Those long, long ribbons of jet-black waves that had hung almost to her waist were gone. Now her hair sat neatly on her shoulders, curled under at the ends. Still thick and glossy and vibrant as always, just...shorter.
And he was staring. He had to be, because Maria was starting to actually look concerned about him, which she hadn’t been at any other point in the last year, not even when his parents had died and he’d acquired a new sibling out of nowhere and lost control of the business and—
Hell, now he was rambling. In his mind. Which he supposed was slightly better than doing it out loud.
What had happened to the calm, collected businessman he’d been a year ago? Oh, yes, his entire life had unravelled, that was what.
And it had all started the day he’d come home to find Maria packing sleepsuits and her favourite pyjamas into the suitcases he’d bought for their honeymoon years earlier.
‘Sebastian?’ Maria placed Frankie on his feet on the floor as Seb shut the door behind them. Across the large, open living space of the chalet stood his sister and surprise brother, along with their new partners. More new people in his life to replace all those he’d lost.
But he wasn’t ready to share Maria and Frankie with them just yet.
Maria began stripping off Frankie’s bulky snowsuit. But her questioning eyes stayed on Seb, and he felt the weight in them.
‘You cut your hair,’ he said, with an apologetic half-smile. ‘It suits you.’
‘My life now suits me,’ she said simply. The life in which she avoided him at all costs, managing to be elsewhere even when he arrived to collect Frankie from her parents’ house. That life.
He was so glad it suited one of them, at least.
Then, as Frankie—free from his confining winter wear at last—wriggled free of his mother’s grasp and took a couple of steps forward to investigate the antique nativity crib scene set up on a console table, Maria straightened and looked him in the eye.
‘I want to be clear about one thing,’ she said. ‘Before we join the others or unpack or settle in or anything.’
Sebastian ignored the growing feeling of dread in his stomach as she spoke. ‘Go on.’
‘This is a visit. Nothing more. Once Christmas is over, Frankie and I will be heading home again, back to my parents’ estate.’ The emphasis she’d placed on home cut deep. This had been one of her homes once.
He had been her home.
‘We’re not staying, Sebastian,’ she went on. ‘I want that understood from the start.’
Seb forced a smile. ‘Of course.’ Maria’s expression relaxed, and he knew he should leave it there, that to push it further would only ruin the fragile peace they seemed to have achieved.
But he couldn’t help himself. He always had to try a little harder, a little longer. That was who he was. Who his father had raised him to be.
Oh, Papà, I wish you were here now to tell me what to do.
‘But if you change your mind,’ Seb said, ignoring the look on Maria’s face, ‘I wasn’t just being polite when I said you always have a home here.’
‘Seb...’ Maria groaned.
‘I know Noemi would love to have you around more. She misses you.’ They’d always been close, his sister and his wife. He’d taken it as a sign that Maria was a rightful part of his family, as much as any of them.
But now Maria had gone and they had Leo in her place, which, as much as he’d reached a sort of truce with his unexpected brother, wasn’t at all the same thing.
And apparently he’d said something wrong again, as Maria had frozen and was staring pointedly at where Frankie was about to denude the stable of sheep.
‘I miss Noemi, too,’ she said stiffly. ‘We should go and say hello.’
Then, without looking back, she crossed the room with swift steps and removed Frankie from the antique ornaments, and carried him over to where their family was waiting instead.
At least she missed one of them, Seb supposed. It was too much to hope that she might have missed him, too, when she’d made it so clear she didn’t. If she had, she’d have wanted to see him on one of his few visits. The same way he’d spent them hoping to get just a glimpse of her.
Noemi rushed forward to greet them, a huge smile on her lips, and embraced Maria immediately. Sebastian trailed behind, watching as his wife greeted his sister with considerably more enthusiasm than she had greeted him.
Then Noemi knelt down in front of Frankie. As he moved to their side, Seb could see that his son’s eyes were wide as he glanced around the large room and all of the people that he didn’t know. Including his own father, it seemed.
‘Hey, Frankie,’ Noemi said, trying to gain his attention. When he looked at her, she said, ‘Can I have a hug?’
Frankie glanced up at Maria, apparently for permission.
‘It’s okay,’ Maria said.
That was all it took for Frankie to release his mother’s hand and let Noemi draw his little body to her. ‘I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve missed you tons.’
Seb’s heart felt heavy in his chest. Maybe Frankie didn’t truly remember his aunt Noemi either, but he’d still allowed her to hug him.
He’d been almost afraid of him. How could he have let that happen? He’d hoped his visits and video calls would have kept his memory fresh in Frankie’s little mind, but apparently they hadn’t been enough.
And Seb knew that those few stolen days hadn’t been anywhere near enough for him. He’d missed so much already. How could he let Maria go again, knowing how much more he would miss? Just like his own parents had missed Leo’s childhood when they’d sent him away for adoption.
Frankie pulled back and returned to his mother’s side, and Noemi stood again, turning her attention back to Maria.
Unable to watch any longer, Seb moved away to join Leo and the others. Hopefully Noemi would get to the point of whatever it was she’d called them all there to talk about soon, and then he could pour himself a large drink and feel depressed about his life choices again. That was always a good time.
‘Noemi,’ Sebastian said, ‘why did you call us all here? We weren’t supposed to meet for another week. Is it the attorney? Does he have news for us?’
Noemi shook her head. ‘This isn’t about the will.’
‘Then what is it about?’ Sebastian’s gaze moved to the man who had his arm around his sister, and then back to Noemi. ‘You know I don’t like guessing games.’
A sharp elbow in his ribs told him that Maria had come to stand beside him. Oh, good. She’d retained one wifely habit at least.
‘Maybe we shouldn’t be here,’ Leo said, presumably meaning him and Anissa.
‘Of course you should,’ Noemi said. ‘You are my brother as much as Sebastian is. Our separation as kids was a horrible mistake, but I hope that in the future there will be no distance. Because I’m going to need all of you.’
Oh, God. What now? How much more disaster could this family take?
But then Noemi smiled. ‘It’s nothing bad. I promise. I... I’m pregnant. You’re going to be uncles.’ And then glancing at the women, she added, ‘And aunts.’
For a moment there was silence as everyone took in the news.
His little sister. A mother.
‘And we’re having twins,’ Noemi added. As if one baby wasn’t enough of a shock.
But she was still his sister. Stepping forward, Seb stared her in the eye and tried to think what their father would have said. Salvo Cattaneo had always known what to say.
‘Are you happy?’ Because, in the end, that was what mattered, wasn’t it?
Noemi smiled at him. ‘I’ve never been happier.’
He studied her face for a moment to make sure she was telling him the truth. And then he put his hands on her shoulders, like he remembered their father doing. ‘Then I am happy for you, too. Congratulations.’
He pulled her into his arms and gave her a tight hug—something he wasn’t sure he’d done since they’d learned of their parents’ deaths. His relationship with Noemi hadn’t always been without tension or frustration but he did love her, even if he didn’t always understand her, or what she wanted from him.
When Sebastian released her and backed away, Leo stepped up to her, and Seb watched to see how the new brother would deal with the news. ‘You do know that I have no idea about children or how to be a cool uncle, right?’
She smiled and nodded. ‘I think you’ll figure it out. In fact, I’ll insist.’
She reached out and hugged him, too, which seemed to take Leo by surprise.
When they pulled apart, Noemi moved to Max’s side. She placed her hand in his, lacing her fingers with his. ‘Do you want to tell the rest?’
‘You’re doing fine,’ Max replied, sounding laid-back about the whole twin situation. Really, at this point, what more news could there be?
‘First, I should probably introduce Max by his proper name,’ Noemi said. Sebastian frowned. ‘I’d like you to meet Crown Prince Maximilian Steiner-Wolf. He is the heir to the throne of the European principality of Ostania.’
A prince? His baby sister was pregnant by a prince? Seb knew he’d been distracted lately, but how had he missed this much?
Noemi drew in a deep breath and then slowly expelled it. ‘And he has asked me to marry him.’
Well, that was something, otherwise Max and he would have had to have words.
Then Maria said, ‘You’ll be a princess,’ and the reality of the situation set in fully. His wife always saw to the heart of a matter first.
‘Wow,’ Anissa said in awe, which pretty much covered Seb’s thoughts on the subject.
‘Yes, she will.’ Max spoke up. ‘She will be the most beautiful and compassionate princess. And I couldn’t be luckier. I promise you that I will do my best to make her happy.’
Sebastian looked between Noemi and Max. ‘So you’re moving to Ostania?’ He wasn’t sure how he felt about her being so far away. On the one hand, maybe they’d argue less. On the other, without Maria, and with his parents gone, and no commitment from Leo to hang around past Christmas, Seb would be on his own. Completely alone, for the first time ever.
His head spun at the thought.
‘I’m afraid that my duties are increasing and after Christmas I will need to spend the bulk of my time in Ostania,’ Max explained. ‘I’m sorry to take your sister away from you all, but you will always be welcome at our home.’
‘Don’t you mean your palace?’ Maria asked.
Max nodded. ‘Yes. And it has a lot of guest rooms.’
‘Guest rooms that I expect all of you to use regularly,’ Noemi said firmly. ‘Wait until you see this place. It’s beautiful. And they have great skiing. But I wanted you all to know that we will be here for Christmas. It’ll be a family Christmas just like Mamma and Papà would have wanted.’
With all them together—including Maria and Frankie. Even if it might be the last time it ever happened.
No. He wouldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t.
He had to fix things. And without his papà there to guide him, he was going to have to figure it out on his own.
‘Now you all know everything, we can concentrate on celebrating,’ Noemi said, clapping her hands together. ‘Max, I haven’t even properly introduced you to Sebastian’s wife. This is Maria.’
‘Mrs Cattaneo,’ Max said, with princely suaveness as he took her hand.
‘Not Cattaneo,’ Maria said, too fast. ‘I’m going by Rossi again now.’ Wait. She’d given up his name now, too? They weren’t divorced; legally she was still a Cattaneo. But the fact that she’d chosen her maiden name over his stung. Even worse was the way she’d said it so matter-of-factly, as if it were obvious.
