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bank charges and interest over the years. But all they would look at now was the fact that her takings were down and her expenditure was significantly up, thanks to her new landlord—Lancier. So she had a horrible feeling that her visit to the bank today wasn’t going to be pleasant. And given the present economic climate the odds were against them extending her loan.

      Which meant she either sold up to Lancier or went bankrupt.

      The very thought made her feel sick. She’d rather have sold to a flesh-eating monster than to the company who had deliberately tried to squeeze her out. But if the bank said no, then Lancier’s offer was her only alternative.

      Unless.

      She moved back to the kitchen door and glanced out of the round porthole window towards Antonio Cavelli’s table.

      He could be her salvation.

      She’d devised a whole new business plan around the fact that the Cavelli hotel was opening up next to her. The simple fact was that her premises would be an ideal access point for his hotel. She got a lot of passing trade on the busy main road, whilst his hotel was set back in secluded gardens. She’d been trying to get in touch with Antonio Cavelli for the past three months to tell him this and to run a few ideas by him—ideas that would give his customers a side access to his hotel, in return for her still being able to operate her business under the umbrella of his. They wouldn’t even need to make any structural changes; there was already a connecting small patio garden off the back of her restaurant. They could just open the doors and walk through.

      She’d emailed both him and the chairman of the company, Luc Cavelli, practically every week. Had even sent spreadsheets and business projection figures. But to no avail—they hadn’t replied to one of her emails.

      But now here he was, sitting in her restaurant about to have lunch.

      Maybe it was fate. Or maybe he’d read her ideas and liked them. After all, he had enquired about the owner of the restaurant—he had known her name.

      ‘Berni, take special care with the order for table thirty-three, will you?’ she murmured absently as she moved to get a jug of ice water. Berni glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow.

      ‘I take special care with all the orders,’ he said gruffly.

      She smiled. ‘Yes, I know—it’s just that this lunch might be the most important of the year.’

      CHAPTER TWO

      ANTONIO looked up as Victoria put the jug of water down on his table. He’d finished his phone call and was now browsing through some papers from his architect’s office regarding the plans for the new boutiques that were to replace this restaurant.

      ‘Thanks.’ He acknowledged the water with a nod, and returned his attention to the papers. But after a moment he became aware that she was still standing next to him.

      ‘Was there something else?’ He looked back up at her enquiringly.

      ‘Well, actually, yes. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment?’

      He didn’t make an immediate reply, just sat back in his chair and regarded her with that cool dark gaze of his.

      It took all of her courage to continue. ‘You’re my new neighbour, aren’t you? Antonio Cavelli, the hotel magnate?’

      He inclined his head.

      ‘I can’t tell you how pleased I am to meet you. Do you mind if I sit down for a moment?’ She didn’t wait for him to reply but pulled out the chair opposite and sat down. OK, he terrified her to death—and she didn’t want to do this—but she was desperate.

      ‘Actually, I have been emailing you with some business propositions. I wonder if you got any of them?’

      One dark eyebrow rose. ‘No, I can’t say I have.’

      ‘It’s just that as my restaurant is practically attached to your hotel, I thought we could do some business together.’ She leaned forward and poured them both a glass of water as she spoke.

      Despite everything Antonio found himself intrigued. When she talked about business he noticed there was a complete transformation in her manner. Her green eyes were bright with enthusiasm, her body relaxed. And she was very eloquent. It seemed she had identified the fact that a side entrance to his hotel would be of benefit to him, and had put together some kind of proposal to incorporate her restaurant within his hotel. In fact, she had worked out a whole business strategy, which did sound surprisingly competent. She obviously had a good head for figures and was very bright and very astute, but it wasn’t something that he would want.

      As soon as she paused for breath he held up a hand.

      ‘Ms Heart.’

      She smiled expectantly. ‘Call me Victoria, please.’

      ‘Victoria. I’m sorry, but I’m not interested—’

      ‘But you would gain by having this entrance and—’

      ‘Even so, I’m still not interested,’ he cut across her firmly.

      He could see the disappointment in her eyes.

      ‘Really?’ She paused. ‘It’s just that I thought maybe you’d got one of my emails and it was why you’d come in here today for lunch.’

      ‘I haven’t received any of your emails,’ he told her honestly. ‘I was inspecting work that’s being carried out next door. And the only reason I came in here for lunch was that it was convenient.’

      ‘I see.’ She bit down on her lip for a moment. She had very soft lips, he noticed; in fact, she had a nicely shaped mouth. ‘Well, seeing as you are here, maybe I could leave my business plan with you?’ She looked over at him hopefully. ‘I have it all printed out in the office. I can put it in a folder and leave it at the reception for you to take.’

      He had to hand it to her, she was tenacious. ‘You can leave it if you want and I’ll take it. But it’s a no-go as far as I’m concerned.’

      ‘Well, you never know—you might think differently when you look at it.’ She smiled at him.

      The waitress brought his food and Victoria pushed her chair back from the table and got up. ‘Thanks for taking the time to listen to me,’ she said politely. ‘I hope you enjoy your lunch.’

      After her appointment at the bank, Victoria picked Nathan up from kindergarten. And then following their usual routine she pushed him through the park in his stroller.

      The sun was sending dappled light onto the path through the tracery of green branches and there was a fragrant smell from the eucalyptus trees. Hard to believe that on such a beautiful September day her life was falling apart. But it was. Because the bank had said no to her and that was her last hope.

      Deep down she’d known that they wouldn’t extend her credit, but it was still the most dreadful disappointment. Now it seemed that everything she had worked so hard for was slipping away.

      And what on earth was she going to tell her staff? They all seemed to have the utmost faith that she would sort the business out.

      How had this happened? she wondered in anguish. How could she be the owner of a successful restaurant one moment and be staring bankruptcy in the face the next? The situation had crept up on her so gradually as to be almost insidious.

      Nathan wriggled impatiently in his stroller. He wanted to get out and although he didn’t talk much yet he was making the fact very clear.

      Victoria stopped and went around to unfasten his safety harness. ‘OK, honey, you can toddle for a while now,’ she told him softly, and he gave her a winning smile, his dark eyes sparkling up at her full of life and mischief.

      At least she had Nathan, she thought, her heart swelling with love. He was the most important thing in her life. Everything else could be worked out.

      But

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