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He would never, given the choice, have been a father…

And now he was.

He took her hand and felt her little fingers close around his and he knew he’d been good to Beatrice, had done all that he could.

And now he would for his own baby.

‘Oh!’ Maria startled in surprise as she popped her head around the nursery door. ‘I was just checking.’

‘She’s fine, I just fed her.’

‘You?’

‘Me.’

She came over and stared down at the sleeping infant and, hearing Maria sniff, he knew she was thinking the same.

‘I know you loved Beatrice, so very much,’ Gabe said.

‘She was sunshine.’

‘Yes,’ Gabe agreed. ‘And now the sun shines again.’

‘Does it?’

‘Always,’ Gabe said. ‘Signora Maria, could I ask you to watch Sophia for me?’

Perhaps he had failed on his first night alone with the baby, for he had left his post, yet when he walked into a very exclusive VIP party as only a Rinaldi could, he stopped because Damon was giving a speech.

But he was looking at Stella, not that she knew.

Tired but smiling, sipping champagne and laughing at Damon’s jokes, as he spoke about a film he’d made more than a year ago.

He thanked people that were here, people who weren’t.

The new ones, the ones leaving.

God, he wanted to get across the room to Stella.

‘And thank you to our permit queen, Stella,’ Damon said, and he watched her turn from pale to red, noticed her shocked expression as Daisy and Sir Charles cheered.

Then her eyes drifted to him, and she did a quick double take.

* * *

There were certain things only a lover could see.

As he’d seen the changes to her body…

She could see the very slight puffiness of his heavy-lidded eyes, and that they were a little glassy.

Necessary tears, and she smiled as he helped himself to a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

‘Signora Maria is back…’

‘I would hope so.’ Stella smiled.

‘I fed her,’ he said. ‘I do know how to warm a bottle.’