Though his words were brief, they belayed a wealth of experience. But then, he had been living like this for years now. The realization shouldn’t have been such a surprise to her, and yet it was. Yesterday Alec said he knew a diversion when he saw one. But Lottie had completely missed the one right in front of her: a smooth, unflappable, and mildly flirtatious man. Even now, Alec’s neutral expression betrayed absolutely nothing, but she began to think beyond their shared past. And what, exactly, he had been doing while they were apart.

“I—I need to pack my paints. And canvas.”

“Already done.” Alec gestured to the cart where the canvas was expertly wrapped, with her case of paints and brushes tucked beside it.

That he would have bothered with such a thing, while planning everything else, was an even greater surprise. “Thank you,” she said. “I’ll get my hat.”

Alec nodded. “And I’ll be here.”

As she retrieved her hat, gloves, and parasol, Marta came charging out of the kitchen with a basket.

“For signore and signora,” she explained, with that wide smile on her face yet again. Lottie hadn’t seen her so pleased during her entire stay.

“Grazie, Marta. This is lovely.” Lottie accepted the heavy basket.

“The signore is a good man,” Marta pronounced seriously. “You will be happy now.”

Lottie’s smile tightened. “Grazie.” Even if she had been fluent, there was nothing more she could possibly say.

They both walked outside but as they headed toward the cart, Lottie gasped. “Signore Ernesto! He should be here any minute!”

“Parlerò con lui. I will tell him,” Marta waved a dismissive hand and continued to move Lottie along. “Ti stai stressando e non va bene per il bambino.”

There was one word that Lottie absolutely picked up on.

Bambino.

As she turned to gape at Marta, she tripped over a crack in the path, sending the basket and parasol flying. Marta shrieked and reached out but she was too far away. Just before Lottie hit the ground, a pair of strong arms gripped her. She looked up straight into Alec’s hazel eyes.

“Careful now, or our journey will end before it can even begin,” he murmured, giving her an easy smile, but his arms tightened around her.

Beside them Marta clasped her hands to her chest and let out a slew of words Lottie could only assume were testaments to Alec’s superior reflexes.

“Thank you,” she breathed and straightened. Alec wordlessly pulled her hand through his arm and led her the rest of the way to the cart, where Lorenzo perched patiently on the driver’s seat.

Alec introduced her as his wife, then carefully handed her up into the rear seat. He watched closely as she settled herself.

Lottie raised an eyebrow. “I’m fine. Really.”

Alec’s brow puckered and his lips parted but then Marta hurried over with the hastily repacked basket and the parasol. She handed both to Lottie and then exchanged a few words with Alec before warmly embracing him like a long-lost son. He murmured something that made her laugh like a schoolgirl.