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‘I’m learning how to hop on one foot, and the villa bedroom and bathroom are well equipped with grab bars and railings.’

She was so freakin’ beautiful and tempting that she was testing my resolve.

I lifted her slender frame back into the wheelchair, and we went out for an early dinner.

We sat on the stone terrace and ate grilled sea bass with garlic greens while laughing with Raff and Christine.

‘So there we were staring down the barrels of several AK-47s,’ Ana said, gesturing with her fork while Raff grinned. ‘Salim negotiated, and Luka offered the soldiers cases of orange soda like they were high-stakes currency. The lead Surma warrior was eyeing the Fanta labels like he was deciding if sucrose beats cash.’

‘Did he like the pop, Mom?’ Raff asked, leaning forward on his elbows, intrigued.

‘He used a long sword to snap the glass rim off one, took a sip, and his eyes widened at the sugar rush. Then he grinned, and his men scooped up their loot, and they all vanished into the bush,’ Ana laughed. ‘I got terrified they’d reject it, but Salim, Luka and your dad kept calm, and it paid off.’

‘The crew members were all pros,’ I drawled, catching her eye. ‘But you were the queen, handling a volcanic eruption, a crazy fall and breaking your leg, all that pain and a helo transfer, mama.’

‘I had to,’ she murmured, her tone softening. ‘I had a lot to come back to.’

Raff beamed, his eyes darting between his mother and me even as Ana’s gaze locked with mine.

It hit me that this was the first time we had spent quality time together in years.

A surge of sadness swept me, but I shook it off and focused on enjoying each other’s company.

The sun dropped into the Mediterranean, bleeding brilliant shades of amber and violet over the distant beach.

The evening was the best I’d experienced in months.

Sipping my wine, I caught Ana sneaking another not-so-secretive glance my way.

I took a slug of my beer and ignored her scrutiny, keeping my cool and hiding my heart, my hopes, and my dreams.

Chapter 16

ANA

Massimo’s continued silence was wearing me down.

After brunch, I got into a wheelchair Deacon got delivered from a local Spanish health supplier.

I wheeled myself onto the villa’s terrace and made a call.

As Deacon taught Raff a few surfing tricks on the beach, I FaceTimed my mother, seeking comfort and advice.

She picked up, and the video flickered on, revealing her in her Nashville kitchen.

After some chitchat, I brought up what was troubling me.

‘Mum, I’m worried,’ I said, propping my phone against a ceramic vase on the outdoor table. ‘Max hasn’t called me back. We haven’t spoken since before I left the US for Addis.’

Théa paused her stirring and raised one eyebrow, her mouth tightening.

‘Still? Not even a text message, mon amour?’

I shook my head.

‘He’s gone off-grid, disappeared. Not even the news channels running clips of the volcanic eruption got him out of hiding, as you know. How has he not checked on me yet?’

‘Est-il mort? One can only hope.’