Billionaire's Second Chance (sam, bella and Kate Book 2) by Marie Kelly

insisting.  “Bella I am phoning you because Sam knew that you would refuse to be paid.  This is your business and we are going to work you like a dog.  Believe me, this is not going to be easy.  But we both know you are the perfect person for the job.”  Giving another small chuckle she finally agreed, Dante telling her of the plans he had put into effect for when she arrived in New York to meet with them the following week.  After several more moments talking, he agreed to send her details of the venue and any ideas they already had so that she could make a start.
    Replacing the receiver, Bella stared at it for several shocked seconds before bursting into laughter, her eyes shining - Dante and Samantha were getting married!  Hugging herself, she remembered how she thought them the most perfect couple she had ever met, saddened when they broke up.  Gasping, she sat up stiffly, giving a small groan, another thought filtering through.  If Dante was the groom, she knew who would be best man, her stomach flip-flopping alarmingly.
    For the rest of the week Bella surfed the web, finding out as much as possible about the venue, gasping at how beautiful it was, smiling at his words that he booked it the moment he saw Samantha again.  Dante had always gone that extra mile, sadness once more filling her as she wondered if Philippe had been the same with his wife.  Giving herself a shake she again chastised herself for thinking such thoughts.  He was in her past – the best place for him to remain, Bella not prepared to ever allow him to hurt her again.
    When she phoned the exclusive hotel , which he had also booked ahead, and identified herself, she quickly found herself talking to Dave Sinclair the manager, Dante already having given her name as the contact for the wedding.  She found him most helpful, quickly setting up a meeting the day after she was to arrive. Dave agreed to send her contact details for all their preferred contractors, Bella smiling hearing the relief in his voice that she did not already have her own unknown people.
    When Samantha phoned a couple of hours after Dante, she seemed subdued, Bella frowning with concern before her friend laughed , telling her that she was still trying to take it all in.  Chuckling, she nodded, knowing what a whirlwind Dante could be.  “Sam... I know that you never told us what happened, but one thing I always thought was that the two of you belonged together”, real feeling in her words as there had been silence for several seconds as Samantha seemed to be struggling to hold on to her emotions, giving a half-laugh half-cry.
    “Yes... I guess you are right.  Destiny – this day was almost meant to happen.”
    The news that she was to spend the next three weeks in New York came as a surprise to Bella’s boyfriend Tim, Bella telling him that night as they met for dinner.  Tim was handsome , with a keen sense of humour, a computer science professor at the local university.  The two had met at a friend’s wedding, Bella smiling at the irony of the fact that so many people met their future partners at friends’ weddings, smiling dreamily at Dante’s words once more.  It had only taken him to see Samantha again at Kate’s wedding for him to decide that she was the woman for him, for him to overcome whatever obstacles there had been in his and Sam’s past and win her back.  Absently, she wondered again about Philippe, frowning as she pushed his image from her thoughts. 
    “Penny for them?”  Looking up she gave a grin,
    “Just thinking about my friend Samantha... Dante is so perfect for her.”
    Tim gave her a return smile before his features became more wary as he looked keenly at her.  “The university is on break for the next three months.   Perhaps I could come with you.  Give us a chance to really get to know each other.”
    Bella lifted her glass, gulping the water nervously.  The two of them had been seeing each other for nearly a month, Tim