Miracle for the Girl Next Door Read Online Free PDF Page A

teased him about not visiting her once in the last nine years, he’d probably decided to stop and say goodbye on his way out of town.
    While everyone was reeling from the shock of their home-town celebrity showing up here, she rose from the table and walked out the back door. After rounding the corner of the house she spied the black super-car parked further down the drive.
    Valentino levered himself from the front seat and strolled toward her, wearing bone-colored chinos and a black, open-necked sport shirt. He looked so fantastic she could hardly swallow. His sensuous mouth curved into a half-smile. “ Buon giorno , Clarissima! Forgive me for coming by this early?”
    Her assumption had been right. He was on the verge of leaving.
    His eyes lingered on her soft curves before scrutinizing her from her sandaled feet to the roots of her hair. It didn’t surprise her. Three years ago she and Bianca had finally taken off the weight that had plagued them most of their lives.
    The diet plan she’d chosen had been part of an article by a film star featured in a celebrity magazine with a photograph of her and Valentino on the front cover. A section had been dedicated to the woman who had claimed to stay thin on the prescribed regimen and swore by it. Naturally there were no pictures of fat girls inside the pages of that magazine or any others.
    For some reason seeing Valentino smiling at the slender beauty who’d kept her weight off had annoyed Clara. Out of anger she had started dieting and Bianca had joined her. Once they began to see results, they became local wonders for a while, but now everyone was used to the way they looked, except for Valentino, of course.
    “There’s nothing to forgive. You know we’re a farming family, up with the sun.”
    His expression sobered. “I could have called your house, but thought I might have more luck talking to you if I came in person.”
    She was so glad he did. No doubt he was remembering how Silvio used to run interference and decided not to take the chance of her brother answering the phone. It was a good thing. Silvio’s jealousy of Valentino had been over the top then. If he should see him now…
    “Your car gave Tomaso a big thrill.”
    “But not you?” He sounded intense again, as he had yesterday.
    “Of course it does!”
    “It’s the only transportation I have at the moment,” he murmured in a voice deeper than she remembered. The eighteen-year-old Tino had become an incredibly attractive male. “Come for a drive with me. I need to talk to you.”
    With that silken tone, Valentino had a way of getting under her skin, but the last thing she wanted was for him to know about what was going on in her life. To spend any time with him when he was no doubt leaving town again would be like standing too near a white-hot conflagration. No more pain…
    She shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t have the time. When you drove in, you saw Tomaso opening up the stand for business. I’m running it today.”
    “Give me five minutes.”
    Clara got this suffocating feeling in her chest. “Can’t we talk right here?”
    His striking features darkened with lines. “What are you afraid of?”
    The blood hammered in her ears. She backed away from him. “Nothing! I just can’t imagine what’s so important you would come all this way. It’s been years.”
    “Nine, to be exact. That’s too many between old friends. I’m here to atone for my sins.” His lips smiled, but for a brief moment his dark eyes looked haunted. “Surely you wouldn’t refuse me as easily as you did yesterday when I offered to drive you home—”
    “The bus was there. I saw no reason to put you out, but I meant no offense,” she added to appease him.
    “None was taken.” He cocked his head. “Since you’re busy now, I’ll come by later in the day when you’re ready to close up the stand.”
    Later in the day? “Please don’t—” she cried, working up to a panic. After a full day’s work,