Page 69 of His Housekeeper's Twin Baby Confession
Massimo paced back and forth in the reception hall. He’d tried calling Carrie, but her phone was off.
He shouldn’t have left her alone on the street.
He shouldn’t have told her he loved her.
He’d spooked her.
It had been hours now. She could be anywhere.
The thought that he’d spooked her so much that she’d run away sent a chill down his spine. The thought of never seeing her again was terrifying.
It was getting dark outside.
Massimo was almost in full panic mode. He’d only been like this once before, when he’d seen his brother spin off that race track in Monte Carlo.
He was about to find his keys and get into his car to go and look for her when the gate intercom rang.
The butler appeared and Massimo snapped at him. ‘I have it.’
He answered.
‘Hi, it’s me. I forgot my keys.’
Carrie.
Relief made Massimo feel shaky.
He pressed the buzzer and saw her slip through the gate. He could see her on the security monitor by the door. When she approached the front door he opened it—as she had done countless times for him.
The irony wasn’t lost on him.
He tried to curb his panic when she came through the door. ‘Where were you?’
She looked at him, and she had an expression on her face he couldn’t decipher.
‘Can we talk?’ she asked.
Massimo nodded and closed the door and led her to his study. His relief was tempered now with the frustration he’d felt earlier, and anger at himself for saying what he had.
It was too soon.
She came in behind him and slipped off her coat, draping it over a chair. She looked wind-tousled. She looked beautiful.
The memory of her reaction earlier made him say, ‘Look, Carrie, I don’t want to pressure you into anything. I just—’
‘Did you mean it?’
He looked at her. She was standing behind a chair and her hands were gripping the back of it. Knuckles white.
He went still inside. ‘Did I mean what?’
‘That you love me.’
Massimo knew that this moment counted for everything. If he couldn’t convince Carrie of this, they didn’t have a chance.
‘Yes,’ he said simply. ‘I did. I would not use that word to manipulate anyone. I have avoided using that word my whole life. I didn’t even tell my brother I loved him, and I’ve always regretted that.’
Carrie’s eyes looked suspiciously bright. ‘I’m sure he knew.’
