enjoyed it and knew what she liked—and understated was it!
‘This one,’ the assistant said, holding up a dress in pale coral. It was a very sheer fabric with a slip dress beneath and it was very feminine and floaty and really not the sort of thing Abby would choose.
‘What about this,’ Abby suggested and held up a similar dress in grey, but the assistant shook her head.
‘Try the coral one on.’
Oh, Abby hated this.
It felt as if she was dressing up for a family photo, she thought as she stepped into a large changing room. But reminding herself it was business, she put the dress on.
‘You look very elegant,’ the assistant said after she had asked Abby if she could see it on.
‘It’s a bit much.’ Abby shook her head, thinking of it with high heels, but the assistant was far more used to this type of thing and disappeared.
‘Try these,’ she said when she returned and handed Abby a pair of flat strappy sandals. They were thin jewelled straps and yet somehow very neutral, and when she tried them on the assistant was right—the dress looked more sophisticated than it would with high heels.
‘I like it,’ Abby admitted.
‘You need to get your hair smoothed out and then tied back,’ the assistant said and, remembering Matteo’s comments last night, Abby wondered if people in Dubai just spoke their mind.
‘I really don’t have time to get my hair done,’ Abby said, given that it was well after nine.
‘I can ring over to the salon,’ the assistant pushed, ‘if you are pressed for time.’
‘Sure.’ Abby gave a tight smile as she paid.
She then went into the hairdresser’s and had her hair smoothed and there she bought a lipstick that would go better with the dress.
Abby didn’t have time to be nervous; she was far too late for Matteo for that. But even so, she managed to be as she stepped into his hotel and saw him waiting in the foyer.
‘Wow!’ he said. ‘You’re worth the wait.’
Somehow he both welcomed her and told her off for keeping him waiting.
‘We need to get going,’ Matteo said.
He really had no idea of the effort she had gone to in order to get her looking like this and Abby kind of liked that about him.
Still, she wasn’t so much nervous as they walked to the car; rather she was incredibly aware, not of her unfamiliar attire, more of the man she was with.
Very, very aware.
That was the best way she could describe it.
She was aware of the dry warmth of his hand on her arm as he led her to the waiting car.
And aware of him as he stretched out beside her and then popped a couple of painkillers and took them without water.
‘Do you have a headache?’ Abby asked, guessing he must have hit the clubs after he had dropped her off last night.
‘My shoulder,’ Matteo said.
‘You should have worn the sling.’
‘I know.’ He just shrugged and obviously it hurt to do so because he winced, but then he turned the conversation to work as the car moved through the magnificent streets. ‘How’s Pedro?’
‘He’s being moved to a better suite as we speak,’ Abby said. ‘He’s much happier than he was this time yesterday.’
‘And if Pedro’s happy, we’re all happy.’
‘Thank you,’ Abby said. ‘Whether or not it makes a difference...’
‘Oh, it will make a difference,’ Matteo interrupted but then he saw the anxious dart of her eyes and guessed she was worrying what would happen if they didn’t place fifth. ‘Just enjoy the buildup to the race,’ Matteo said. ‘We’ll see what happens on race day and then we’ll speak after.’
The charity gala that his sister had organised was a huge event and must have taken a lot of work to plan.
There were beautiful people everywhere and no, Abby didn’t feel overdressed now; in fact, she was very relieved that she hadn’t gone for grey.
It was just such a beautiful summery day and they headed off to find his sister.
‘What’s she like?’ Abby asked.
‘Who, Allegra?’ Matteo checked and rolled his eyes. ‘She’s a goody-two-shoes. Don’t mention to her that I’ve hurt my shoulder.’
‘Why not?’
‘She’ll worry,’ Matteo said. ‘There she is.’
He called out and waved with his good arm, and an attractive woman came over and they greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek. ‘This is Abby,’ Matteo said. ‘My latest venture.’
‘Matteo,’ Allegra scolded.
‘Business venture.’ Matteo grinned. ‘How are you?’
‘Busy,’ Allegra admitted. ‘What have you done to your eye?’
‘I just knocked into a door.’
‘I don’t believe you for a moment,’ Allegra said. ‘And I can’t believe you’ve been here for more than a week and I haven’t seen you.’
‘Well, you had this to arrange.’
‘It’s been crazy...’ Allegra admitted but didn’t finish her sentence—someone was calling out to her and she gave Matteo and Abby an apologetic smile. ‘I really would love to stop and speak but I think it’s going to have to be later.’
‘Allegra,’ Matteo said. ‘I need to speak to you about Grandfather.’
‘Now?’
He nodded and Abby saw that his expression was completely serious. ‘He’s not doing too well.’
‘I know that,’ Allegra said. ‘Bianca and I have already spoken to him.’
‘I think you need to take some time and go and see him,’ Matteo said. Allegra closed her eyes and it was clear that she was upset.
‘I know he’s not well but...’
‘Come on,’ Matteo said to his sister and he took her by the elbow. ‘I won’t be a moment,’ he said to Abby as he led Allegra somewhere a little more private. Abby tried not to watch but she glanced over once and saw Allegra put her hand on Matteo’s shoulder and give it a squeeze.
His sore shoulder.
Oh, poor Matteo!
He didn’t wince; Matteo just took Allegra’s hand from his shoulder and gently let it go.
They were far from gushing with each other but Abby could tell, even from this distance, that they cared about what was being discussed.
It was so different from her family.
Annabel and Abby could go months without so much as a brief catch-up, and as for Abby and her father...
Maybe she should make the effort, Abby thought.
Yes, he had hurt her a lot when she had told him about Hunter’s attack but, trying to be fair to her father, though he hadn’t handled it well, maybe he had been grieving.
Never more than at that time had Abby wanted her mother, but she had been dead for three years by then.
Perhaps it was time to try and be family again?
She jumped a little as Matteo came back to her side.
‘Sorry about that,’ Matteo said. ‘Allegra already knows