Page 151 of Modern Romance December 2025 5-8

And when she had told him about the baby, what had he done? He’d blown any chance of them being together, of having a family together. A look of shock flickered across his face as he turned his back on the ocean. Hewanteda family. He wanted a family with Amy. He loved her to distraction—he always had and he always would—but he’d been too much of a coward to admit it to himself, let alone to tell her. He’d been emotionally cut off and she had…she had given everything and asked nothing from him in return.

He walked back across the beach, realising that he was in danger of becoming just like his grandfather, alienating everyone he loved.

‘What time are you heading off to mingle, Chef?’ Jamie teased when the party was in full swing and they were enjoying a lull.

‘I’m going to give it a miss.’

‘No, you have to go, to represent us.’

Jamie’s voice died at a nudge from someone.

‘You not feeling too good, Amy?’

‘Not really,’ Amy admitted. ‘But I’ll be fine,’ she said, producing a grin that didn’t fool anyone.

‘Why don’t you head off, have an early night?’

Like a drowning man, she clutched at the suggestion even though she wasn’t sure where it came from. ‘I think I might. I’ll just… Oh, dear!’

She could hear voices, see faces, but then she swayed and only saw black dots dancing before her eyes.

‘Leo!’ she cried before the blackness encompassed her.

It was a graceful faint and, luckily for her, a good catch.

‘Jamie, find a doctor!’ one of the other chefs ordered.

She came to and groggily tried to lift her head. ‘I need to…’

‘You need to lie down.’

‘I am,’ she said, her hands warm against the stone of the floor she was lying on. ‘I should get up.’ Then she felt pain and realised she couldn’t.

His grandfather looked at the glass in Leo’s hand and raised a brow.

‘That isn’t your first drink tonight.’

Leo flashed a sardonic smile at his grandfather. ‘And it probably won’t be my last, but don’t worry, I won’t disgrace the family name.’

‘So where is our chef?’

‘I don’t think she’ll be coming. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a new chef.’ He waited but there was no reply.

‘What, no lecture on the reckless disregard for social structure or even the dangers of sleeping with the help?’ he mocked, sliding deeper into his chair.

The old man’s expression didn’t change, despite the languid pose and the provocative attitude of his heir. ‘So, I take it you’re just going to sit there feeling sorry for yourself all night.’

Leo surged to his feet. The action and his fierce masculinity combined with the air of danger he was projecting, drawing stares.

‘You’re an idiot, this I already knew, but I had no idea until this moment that you were also a coward, Leo. I am ashamed.’

His eyes flashing fire, Leo towered over the older man, but he only held the pose for a split second before his shoulders drooped.

‘So am I,’ he said with a lopsided smile before he drained his champagne glass. Guilt had made him lash out at her—the knowledge that she had needed him and he hadn’t been there for her.

It was fear that had stopped him from following her, from begging for her forgiveness. Fear that she would reject him for the last time, and he wouldn’t blame her if she did.

‘I can change.’