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our child, and I won t let you ignore our child so you can spend all your time
at work. I already know what it feels like, and I won t do that to my baby.
She spread protective fingers across her stomach.
Leonardo s gaze followed the gesture.  Your pregnancy isn t the only
reason I returned. It just caused me to return sooner. He lifted his eyes to
her face.  My work is important to me, but you re more important. When I
moved to Rio three months ago, I wanted nothing more than to take you
with me, but I realized I would be subjecting you to the same treatment as
before. I had to spend the time necessary to launch our Latin American
headquarters.
 Before our first separation, I was working like a man who wasn t
married, and that wasn t fair to you. It s all I know, querida. It s what I saw my
father do all his life. I was five when my parents divorced, so I didn t fully
understand why my mother left.
He stepped closer to her.  I ve spoken to my mother, and I understand
now. I ve changed. I don t work the same hours, and I ve been making
preparations for you to come live with me. Everything isn t ready, but I had
to come get you as soon as I found out about your pregnancy. I m not giving
you a divorce, and I m not leaving without you.
Leonardo took her face in his hands and looked down into her water-
filled eyes.  Meu amor, he murmured, pressing his lips against her cheeks to
kiss away her tears.  How could you doubt how much I love you, when I
can t even sleep without you beside me?
80
The Arrangement Delaney Diamond
Alexa s eyes widened in her face.
 Eu te amo, querida, he whispered.  I love you so much, that if you don t
come back to stay, I think I ll die this time.
Alexa couldn t believe it. Finally, the words she longed to hear were
released from the lips of the only man she d ever loved. Getting up on tiptoe,
she flung her arms around his neck.  I ve waited so long to hear you say
that.
 I ll say it every day for the rest of our lives. Leonardo rained little kisses
across her eyelids, down her nose, and across each cheek, warming her
insides.  Eu te amo. Eu te amo. Eu te amo.
Alexa looked up into the eyes of her husband. She believed him. He d
changed, and she would, too. She had been afraid of turning into her mother.
She had been worried her marriage would mirror the unhappy mess her
parents had been.
She would no longer hide her feelings, and she would let Leonardo know
if she felt neglected. She couldn t expect him to know what was wrong if she
wasn t vocal about her needs.
She pulled down his head and pressed her lips against his.  I love you,
too.
81
The Arrangement Delaney Diamond
Epilogue
Alexa s bare feet padded softly across the tile covering the rooftop patio
where Leonardo was reclining, the cell phone glued to his ear as he
conducted business in Portuguese. The sun was low in the sky, but it was still
warm in Rio de Janeiro, where they d been living for the past year.
Their daughter, Lucélia, was born in Brazil, where Leonardo was
successfully spearheading the launch of Radiant Communications into the
Latin American market. In a couple of years, they planned to return to the
United States once the business was established.
As Radiant Communications flourished, so did Second Chance Closet.
There was now a smaller store in DeKalb County, and the larger one in
Atlanta had grown by taking over empty retail space next to it. Additional
staff was hired and more volunteers recruited to help Edna, who became the
general manager and oversaw the running of both stores. She and Alexa held
weekly meetings via Skype and communicated via e-mail.
Alexa set a glass of caipirinha on the table next to Leo. She was proud that
she had become an expert at fixing Brazil s national drink just the way
Leonardo liked it. However, she was unable to indulge herself at this time,
settling for a glass of the Brazilian soda guaraná, since they d gotten the good
news just days before that she was pregnant again.
Alexa cleared her throat loudly, settling a hand on her hip. It was a few
minutes after seven. Business was cutting into her time. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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