had been dumped by your fiance. less than a month

before your wedding because he had fallen in love

with someone else, it was not somewhere anyone with

any pride could possibly want to be. And Jodie had

as much pride as the next woman, if not more. So

much more that she longed to be able to prove to

everyone, but most especially to John and Louise

themselves, how little John’s treachery mattered to

her. Of course the most effective way to do that would

be to turn up at their wedding with another man — a

man who was better-looking and richer than John, and

who adored her. Oh, if only…

In your dreams, she scoffed mentally at herself.

There was no way that that scenario was likely to

happen.

"Jodie, you can’t possibly go to Italy on your own,"

David had protested, whilst he and Andrea had exchanged

meaningful looks she hadn’t been supposed

to see. It was probably just as well they were now in

Australia on an extended visit to Andrea’s parents.

"Why not?" she had demanded with brittle emphasis.

"After all, that’s the way I’m going to be spending

the rest of my life."

"Jodie, we both understand how hurt and shocked

you are," Andrea had added gently. "Don’t think that

David and I Don’t feel for you, but behaving like this

isn’t going to help."

"It will help me," Jodie had answered stubbornly.

***

It had been John’s idea that they spend their honeymoon

exploring Italy’s beautiful Amalfi coast.

Jodie winced as the hire car hit another pothole in

the road, which was so badly maintained that it was

becoming increasingly uncomfortable to drive.

Her leg was aching badly, and she was beginning