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And with his dad being a model, it was easy to see why Romeo was so ridiculously handsome.

‘Would you like another sausage roll?’ Linda said. ‘I made plenty. They make me feel at home.’

‘Don’t you get homesick?’ I asked, then instantly regretted it. From what Romeo had said at lunch yesterday, it seemed like a sore subject.

‘All the time,’ she sighed. ‘But my husband is here and look at this place.’ She gestured towards the sea. ‘It’s like paradise. Brighton beach just doesn’t compare.’

‘Too right!’ I laughed, thinking about the famous beach a couple of hours away from London. It was nice enough, but the rocky beach with greenish, murky water was miles apart from the white sand and crystal-clear waters here.

‘Mamma.’ Romeo reached into his bag. ‘I have the surprise for you that I mentioned on the phone.’

That was probably Romeo’s way of changing the subject. He’d already been kind enough to let me gatecrash his special lunch with his mum and adorable Labrador, Biscotti, so I hoped I hadn’t put my foot in it, again.

‘You didn’t have to bring me anything.’

‘I wanted to.’ Romeo squeezed her hand and my heart melted.

Romeo was already a catch, but seeing how much he adored his mum and how they talked and laughed together made him a million times more attractive.

After pulling out the bowl that was in brown protective paper he handed it to Linda. As she unwrapped it, I gasped. I hadn’t seen the finished version but Romeo had painted it orange.

‘It’s beautiful!’ she said, tears filling her eyes. ‘I love it so much! And it’s my favourite colour. Thank you.’

‘It was a team effort. Sammie helped me…’ Romeo’s voice trailed off like he was embarrassed.

‘She did?’ Linda looked at me and her face broke into a wide smile. ‘Well, thank you, Sammie.’ She leant forward and kissed my cheek. ‘And thank you, my darling. I shall treasure this. I’m so proud to have raised such a thoughtful son. You’ll make a lucky woman very happy one day…’

Linda’s eyes flicked to mine and she smiled again.

‘Romeo, darling, I’m feeling a little tired. Would you mind taking me and Biscotti home?’

‘I thought you wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon on the boat?’ He frowned.

‘We shouldn’t keep Biscotti out for too long and I’m not feeling up to it.’ She fanned herself dramatically. ‘Perhaps you can take Sammie instead.’

‘I am sure that Sammie has other plans,’ Romeo said quickly.

‘Um.’ My brain froze. I knew I was supposed to come up with an excuse to say no, so that we wouldn’t be alone together, but I couldn’t think of one. ‘Actually, I don’t have plans.’

‘That’s perfect!’ She winked at me before wiping her forehead which was already bone dry. ‘Shall we go?’ She jumped up. ‘The sooner we leave, the more time you’ll get to spend on the boattogether.’

Never mind the matchmakers at the Love Hotel.

Looked like I’d just been set up by Romeo’s own mother.

And considering the filthy thoughts that had been running through my head ever since I spotted a sexy, shirtless Romeo on the beach earlier, and how much my shameless vagina had been begging for a repeat performance of our time together on the pottery table, I wasn’t even sorry about it.

36

ROMEO

‘Ciao, Mamma.’ I waved from the car window.

‘Ciao, Linda,’ Sammie added. ‘Lovely to meet you and hope you feel better soon.’

I was about to say that I hoped Mamma felt better soon, but when she winked at me, my earlier suspicions were confirmed.

Mamma was not ill. She was pretending to be unwell, so she could push me and Sammie together.