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had enough time to grieve.”
    Carolena could tell him seven years had been more than enough time to grieve. At this point, grief wasn’t her problem. Guilt was the culprit. But all she said to him was, “Maybe.”
    “It might be therapeutic to confide in someone. Even me.”
    His sincerity warmed her heart, but confiding in him would be the worst thing she could do. To remain objective around him, she needed to keep some barriers between them. “You have enough problems.”
    “None right this minute.”
    He stared hard at her. “Was his death intentional?”
    “No.”
    “I didn’t think it was. Have you gone for counseling?”
    “No. It wouldn’t help.”
    “You don’t know that.”
    “Yes, I do.” In a panic, she started to get up. He helped her the rest of the way. “Thank you for being willing to listen.” It was time to change the subject. “Your uncle would be so happy to see how he guided you on your particular path, and more especially on how you’re putting that knowledge to exceptional use. If I’d had such an uncle, I would have made him take me with him, too. What you do can be dangerous, but it is thrilling.”
    “You’re right about that,” he said, still eyeing her speculatively. “Shall we head out? By the time we reach the palace, hopefully Vincenzo will have good news for us about Max and we can all eat dinner together.”
    “I hope so.”
    They mounted their horses and took a different route to the stable. A limo was waiting to take them back to her wing of the palace. When they arrived, she opened the car door before he could. “You don’t need to see me inside. Thank you for a wonderful day.”
    He studied her through veiled eyes. “It was my pleasure. I’ll call you when I’ve spoken with Vincenzo.”
    She nodded before getting out of the limo. After hurrying inside, she took a quick shower, applied her makeup and arranged her hair in a loose knot on top of her head. For the first time in years her thoughts hadn’t been on Berto. They’d been full of the prince, who’d brought her alive from the moment he’d appeared at the side of the pool.
    No matter that he had a girlfriend at the moment, it was hard to breathe every time Carolena thought of the way he’d looked at her. She could understand why any woman lucky enough to catch his eye would be willing to stay in a relationship as long as possible to be with him. There was no one like him.
    Needing to do something with all this energy he’d generated through no fault of his own, she got dressed, deciding to wear a short-sleeved crocheted lace top in the same egg shell color as her linen pants. The outfit was light and airy. She toned it with beige ankle-strap crisscross espadrilles.
    While she was waiting for a phone call, she heard a knock on the door and wondered if it might be the prince. With a pounding heart she reached for her straw bag and opened it, but it was the maid, and Carolena was furious at herself for being disappointed.
    “ Signorina? His Highness has asked me to accompany you to dinner. He’s waiting on the terrace.”
    What about Abby and Vincenzo? “Thank you for coming to get me.”
    No shortcuts through the grounds this time, but it gave Carolena the opportunity to see more of the ornate palace. By the time she arrived at the terrace, Vincenzo had already joined the prince, but there was no sign of Abby or Max. The two men stood together chatting quietly.
    She had the impression this terrace was a recent addition. It was a masterpiece of black-and-white marble checkerboard flooring, Moorish elements and cream-colored lattice furniture in Italian provincial. A collection of exotic trees and flowering plants gave the impression they were in a garden.
    Valentino’s dark blue gaze saw her first. He broke from Vincenzo and moved toward her wearing jeans and a sand-colored polo shirt. “ Buonasera, Carolena. You look beautiful.”
    Don’t say that. “Thank you.”
    His quick smile was a killer.