Page 225 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8

‘No,’ Allegra said, gently. ‘It was my mother’s. She wore it, I wore it, your mother borrowed it—and would no doubt own it, by now, had they not—,’ she tapered off, blinking quickly. ‘I would like Charlotte to have it.’

‘Nonna, I know she won’t accept it,’ he said.

‘Then you must make her.’

‘I don’t know if you’ve met Charlotte, but I haven’t got a hope in hell of making her do anything she doesn’t choose.’

‘Then make her choose to wear it. For me, Dante.’

He stared at it, his heart pounding. He couldn’t say why, but somehow, it just felt so meaningful.

‘Why don’t you give it to her?’

‘It should come from you.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you have the other half of her heart,’ Allegra pointed out.

His lips parted in surprise. ‘My mother’s story.’

‘Yes,’ Allegra’s expression softened in memory. ‘She told me about your question. You were such an observant, literal boy, darling. We giggled about it, at the time, but the more I’ve thought about it over the years, particularly after that day, the more truth I’ve seen in her words. This is one half of a heart and whomever wears it should always be reminded that someone else is in their heart just as much as the reverse could be said.’

He squeezed his palm over the necklace and tried to think straight. Tried not to let emotions colour his judgement—because he was torn between acting like himself and the man he was supposed to be—a desperately in love fiancé.

‘It’s a beautiful gesture,’ he said, clearing his throat.

‘The necklace has always meant so much to me. On my darkest days, when I am missing them most of all, I have worn it and your mother’s story has brought me such comfort.’

‘Then you should continue to have it, to wear it.’

‘I don’t need it now. Don’t you see, Dante? Charlotte is my comfort and my hope. All things I didn’t have, until so recently.’ Her smile dazzled him, or perhaps it was the lie he had dragged his grandmother into that was blinding him with shame. ‘Seeing the two of you together—I know now that you are loved just as much as you deserve. More than that, I know you love. I cannot tell you how relieved I am.’

‘Nonna,’ he began. But what could he say? Deny it? Tell his grandmother that he’d only ever loved one woman and that had been an unmitigated disaster?

Only, even if he’d wanted to say that the words wouldn’t form in his mouth. He couldn’t make his tongue cooperate.

‘Thank you,’ he said, simply, pushing the necklace into his pocket.

‘You’ll give it to her tonight,’ Allegra insisted. ‘Promise me.’

He ground his teeth. ‘Of course,Nonna.’ He leaned down and kissed her cheeks. ‘Sleep tight.’

Chapter Twelve

Allegra San Marinohadn’t just pulled strings to have their dinner served at the pool house. She’d spooled a whole ball of yarn.

Rosaria was overseeing matters, but there was a team of other people, dressed in formal black tie. A table had been placed on the edge of the water with a long white tablecloth draped over it. Candles sat not only atop the table, but also on the tiles surrounding the pool, glowing golden against the dusk sky. And there were more candles still, somehow floating on the surface of the water, bobbing and flickering like little magical sparkles. A string quartet was over the other side of the water, playing the soft strains of a modern acoustic song, but without the lyrics, and the air was heavy with the intoxicating fragrance of garlic and cheese.

‘Ah, you’re here,’ Rosaria clapped her hands. ‘Sit, sit.’ Her smile beamed.

Charlotte glanced up at Dante, her heart in her throat.

It had been...a week. At every turn, she’d done her best to both perform like a superstar, showing herself to be just the kind of fiancé his grandmother would think worthy, whilst also remembering, and reminding them both, that this was just make believe. Which was not particularly easy, given how romantic and stunning this part of the world was.

But this was the cherry on top of the impossible pie she’d been managing all week.

She thought she’d hidden her groan but a bemused glance from Dante showed her that in fact, she’d audibly revealed her disbelief.