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Nick
It hadn't taken much to deter him from taking Madeleine on a real date the first time -- that little boy had proved just large enough a barrier for him.

The next day, he'd really meant to call her ... but the hotel maid had been making eyes at him all day, and it was really very rude to deny someone who was making your bed in only one of those lacy hats and a waist-apron, wasn't it? He'd felt guilty for no particular reason (or so he told himself) afterward, but she'd been very ... hospitable and he couldn't fault the young woman for that. It was after seeing Madeleine from out his window that he understood it just had to be fate that was guiding him. He slipped out the door of his hotel room and pushed down the street in the direction he'd seen her go and had just caught sight of her when he had the misfortune of discovering that he hadn't been paying attention -- by having a car stop just short of hitting him too hard.

The jolt (and the resulting swearing in Italian, of which he knew very little) was enough to keep him from pursuing her further, and the sore ribs had him reeling back to the hotel. Maybe it was karma for sleeping with the maid.

It was also what had him laid up in the hotel for the next few days, telling the maid about this mysterious Italian woman he'd taken an interest in -- and finally called that morning. Really, he should have known better -- when he slipped out onto the balcony for a short thirty minute nap and woke up four hours later to a lobster-red front and a backside that was pale as the day was long, he fount out that Maria had been more vindictive than he'd thought she was.

He couldn't very well show up to dinner with Madeleine looking like that, could he? Certainly not. At least he had the good sense to cancel on her like a gentleman instead of just standing her up. A few spells covered up the worst of the damage in a day or two and he'd been picking up the phone to call her once more until a rather noisy owl barreled through his window and crashed onto his table.

It was a letter from Adamina, telling him about how she missed him and she hoped his vacation was going well. That was really the first time he thought about what might happen if he dated Madeleine at all -- his parents wouldn't stand for it, he knew -- was it really worth the risk, ruining his family life completely? He dropped the phone after he'd dialed until a rather worked-up Italian voice broke him out of his thoughts and he slammed down the phone in a hurry.

Madeleine visited the hotel twice before she happened to catch Nick in the hall, and admist her screaming about the evils of leading a woman on and why should such a handsome man be so cruel ... he pulled her close to him and kissed her.

He probably shouldn't have, since he never wanted to let her go again. He knew things were never going to be the same, but why did they have to be? At least his favorite sister would understand, wouldn't she?