Chapter Nine
Messing with a strong woman is always a mistake.
Rachel marveled at the sparkling moonlight shimmering off the ocean. The waves slammed against the sandy shore just below the restaurant Marcello had chosen for their date. It was supposed to be THE PLACE to be seen, and boy, were they being seen. The packed restaurant had a long line waiting to get in. She’d felt guilty when they were whisked past all the people waiting patiently and shown to their table overlooking the ocean.
The thin gold ropes that separated their section from the rest of the restaurant wouldn’t hold back anyone serious about invading their privacy, but so far, all had been peaceful. The other two couples nearby were television actors.
“I can never get over how beautiful it is in California, Marcello.”
Seated beside her in their booth, he turned his gaze to her. “I can’t get over how beautiful you are, amore. I’m the luckiest man in the world right now. More wine?”
“No, thank you.” She laid her hand over the rim of the glass. “You have a heavy hand when pouring. I learned my lesson on the plane earlier.” She leaned closer and whispered, “Besides, I’m the lucky one here. Who’ll need her wits about her if she’s going to seduce her handsome date later.”
“That dress is doing the job just fine.” He poured another glass of wine for himself, then his gaze wandered the front of her dress. His angle from above probably gave him a fine peek. “You’re pushing me to my limits, Rachel.”
“Then my plan is working. What’s good here?” She picked up her menu that had no prices.
“I have no idea. I’ve never been here. But you can never go wrong with lobster or steak, sì?” He took a long drink from his glass.
Rachel laid her menu down. “You’ve never been to the hottest celebrity hangout in LA?”
He shook his head. “I spend most of my time hiding from the press, not looking for them. It was great Stella could get this private table for us on such short notice.”
“It was.” She perused the menu again, deciding on a crab-and-avocado salad. It was so nice to be out on a relaxing date for the first time with Marcello, but Trent’s words kept niggling in the back of her brain. They needed to figure out how to make their relationship work, for the kids’ sakes too. “Want to do our homework while we wait for our food?”
The waiter arrived before Marcello could answer. “Excuse me, but I have a bottle of champagne for you, compliments of the owner. We’re so glad you’ve finally joined us, Mr. Romano. Have you decided?”
The waiter poured them each a glass as he listened to their orders without taking a single note. It’d be interesting to see if the order came back right, the waiter was so obviously awed by Marcello.
After the server moved on, Marcello took her hand in his. “I’d be happy to do homework, especially if it means getting a better score on your love scale. Where are we now? Three or four?”
She wasn’t sure where they were, but she was definitely moving in the right direction after spending the day with him. She’d forgotten what it’d been like to just be with him. To sit with a handsome man over dinner who listened to her every word. And whose face had lit up like the sun when he’d seen her in her new dress. The massage and hair and makeup hadn’t hurt either. “We have to answer some stage three questions.”
He frowned. “Only three? Out of six?”
“If we get the first three right, Trent says the rest falls into place easier. So, we’re supposed to tell each other how we’d like to be treated.” She turned and faced him more squarely. “I, for one, would like you to make love to me tonight. It’d definitely push me up to a four.”
He chuckled. “I don’t think that’s what Trent had in mind.”
“Probably not. But it’d be nice.” She kissed him. “You can go first. Do I do things that hurt you? Annoy you? Or do you have expectations for our relationship that I’m not meeting?”
Marcello’s brow furrowed as if he were deep in thought. “Most everything is fine. I know you’re trying to fix the things that aren’t, so I don’t want to say.”
“That I’m having trouble trusting you?”
He nodded. “That, and you’re holding your heart back from me. I’m not sure what else I can do to prove how much I love you, bella.”
That sent a sharp pang to said heart. “You don’t have to do another thing to prove your love, Marcello. It’s not you. It’s me. I’m afraid of the life you live. Afraid of the lack of privacy, and the demands your job will put on our family. I want a real marriage. Not a man I see once or twice a month.”
He nodded in understanding. “All things I can make better. I’ll tell Lance to cut back my schedule.”
Easier said than done.
Her heart began to pound with dread, but she needed to take the risk she’d avoided so far and tell him everything. “It’s not just that. If things don’t work out, I don’t know if my heart can take you leaving me again like you did before.” There. She’d said it. The thing that held her back the most.
He winced. “I’m sorry. That was me being a coward. I think you’d understand better if I could tell you the whole story, but I can promise it won’t happen again.”
A coward? What had he been afraid of? “Telling me your secret and letting me help you might go a long way to helping me trust my feelings for you.”
He lifted her chin with his knuckle. “So you do have strong feelings for me?”
Tears burned her eyes. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. Won’t you let me help you? So there won’t be any secrets between us?”
His expression grew determined. “I’m going to meet with someone tomorrow and hopefully put an end to things. Make the problem go away. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll ask for your help. Okay?”
“Thank you.” Relief washed through her. Maybe they could clear up the secrets and move forward.
The waiter showed up with their food. They must’ve moved their order up in front of everyone else’s. Marcello thanked the man, and then they both dug in.
She asked, “So there’s nothing else that bugs you about me?”
“Well, there is one more thing.” He laid his fork down and stared into her eyes. “Your obsession with sex. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep you satisfied.” His big grin made her laugh.
“Says Mr. Insatiable. Except when he makes up silly no-sex rules.” She ate another bite of her salad, happy he’d eased the tension between them. “It’s been a long year, though.”
Still pinning her with his stare, he whispered, “For me too, Rachel.”
“Are you telling me you haven’t slept with anyone else either? We were broken up. You’d have every right.” He could have a willing woman with the snap of his fingers.
He shrugged, then took another bite of his steak. “When you’ve had the best, it’s hard to settle for less.”
“Okay, that just moved me up to a five.” She reached out and squeezed his hand. That he’d had no desire to sleep with anyone else went a long way in overcoming her doubts.
A different waiter approached them. “Excuse me, Mr. Romano, but there’s a young lady named Brittany here who would like an autograph. Would you mind?” The waiter slipped a piece of paper and a pen beside Marcello, then pointed to a cute teenager. She and her parents smiled in anticipation.
Marcello’s eyes cut to hers, silently asking permission. He’d promised there’d be no interruptions tolerated for the entirety of their date. But it was clear from his pleading expression he wanted to do it.
“Go. Take a selfie with her too.” Who could refuse a cute kid?
“Thank you, Rachel.” Marcello quickly crossed the room to chat with the girl and her parents.
She finished her salad as one selfie turned into eight more from the tables surrounding the family. She might as well get used to eating alone. Marcello was too polite to turn anyone down. His kindness was one of the things she admired most about him.
A guy slipped into the booth next to her, startling her. “You must be Rachel. We’d heard Marcello was here on a date.”
“I’m sorry. Who are you?” Probably the press. She scooped up her purse and started to slide out of the booth, but he grabbed her arm to stop her.
The guy leaned closer as three more men crowded around her table. All of them took pictures of her with cameras and phones. “What’s your last name? Are you from around here?”
What was going on? And where was Marcello?
Rachel tugged her arm from the man’s grasp. “No comment.”
Another man said, “Come on. Don’t be like that. We’re just after your story. How long have you been dating Marcello, Rachel?”
She tried to leave, but when she got to the end of the booth, none of the men would move. “Excuse me, please.” She started forward again, but the group had grown even larger. They stood their ground, taking pictures. She searched for some help but couldn’t see around the men. Looked like she was going to have to take care of it herself.
She dug for her salvation inside her purse. “I’m asking politely, one last time, for you to move out of my way, gentlemen.”
Ignoring her plea, all the men shouted out rapid-fire questions at her. So, she lifted her can of pepper spray. It was probably five years old and didn’t even work. But they wouldn’t know that. “Move!”
The biggest guy trapping her in the booth laughed. “Calm down, lady. You don’t have to shoot. We’ll move.”
“Thank you.” She slid her legs out and stood, but a massive wall of bodies still stood between her and the front door. She pushed her way through the best she could. She made eye contact with their waiter, who tried to break through the men surrounding her, but he got pushed away too.
“Where ya from, sweetheart? How long have you known Marcello? Who designed your dress? Love the shoes.” The questions and the flashes in her face overwhelmed her. Where the hell was Marcello? Were they mobbing him at the same time too? Maybe the driver, Dave, would help if she could make it outside. Marcello said he doubled as muscle.
She kept moving slowly forward, yanking her arms and shoulders from hands that tried to slow her progress. Waitstaff shouted and tried to break things up but were ineffective against the determined press. Would she ever get to the front door?
When someone tried to take her purse while another grabbed her shoulder, she panicked. Holding up her can, she yelled, “Back off. All of you!”
A ring of men with their hands lifted took a step back. When someone wrapped a hand around her arm and tugged hard from behind, she’d had enough. “I said, back off!” She swung around so fast, her finger set off the spray.
Marcello screamed out in agony, covered his face, and dropped to the floor.
The next morning, Marcello blinked his eyes open in bed. His face, eyes, and hands still felt slightly sunburned. But what hurt worse were the memories of Rachel manhandled by the press at the restaurant. It wasn’t going to help convince her that his life was one she wanted to share.
Merda! He should have made sure Stella had the press under control. She’d promised they wouldn’t bother them. That they were used to celebrities at that restaurant and knew to behave. That was the last time he left the house with his family and no security by their side the whole time. He wouldn’t blame Rachel if she’d snuck home during the night.
He slowly moved his head to see if she was still in bed beside him, relieved to see her studying him.
Rachel grimaced. “Good morning. How do you feel?”
“I’m fine.” The guilt lingering in her eyes killed him. He needed to cheer her up. “Remember our homework last night? You asked if you did things that bug me? Blasting me with pepper spray is definitely going on that list.”
Rachel closed her eyes and moaned. “Can you just punch me in the arm or something to pay me back for hurting you? Please?”
Punch her? “I’d take another blast to the face before I’d ever lay a hand on you. Please don’t give it another thought, amore.”
“That’s not going to be easy.” She held up her phone. “Did you see the wonderful impression I made? The media are calling me ‘Quick-Draw Rachel.’”
He accepted the phone. “It could be worse.”
“Really?” She leaned closer and scrolled through more pictures. “Look at this one. I looked so possessed, they titled it Demon Girlfriend.”
He studied the picture. “You don’t look possessed. You looked consumed with guilt as I writhed in pain.”
“Because I was! Look at this side-by-side shot. You’re smiling with an adorable kid, and I’m in full-on spray mode, blasting everyone’s hero. Your fans on social media are questioning your judgment for being with me.”
“Well, after last night, I might be wavering a bit too.” He smiled so she knew he was kidding.
She poked him in the ribs. “It’s not funny, Marcello.” Rachel rolled on top of him. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. What can I do to make you feel better? I hated seeing you in pain, babe.”
Babe? Rachel didn’t use terms of endearment. Ever. Maybe getting sprayed had been a good thing. “You being here makes me feel better. Thank you for not packing up and leaving last night. That had to be frightening for you.”
She shrugged. “A little.”
“I’ve decided we’ll have security by our sides from now on. Especially if the kids are with us. I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Okay. That’d make me feel a ton better. But are you sure you want to still have the party tonight? With all the press Stella said she invited? We can easily say you’re still recovering and cancel.”
He shook his head. “I want the party. I’m going to tell Stella to dress you like a princess tonight so the press can see how you really are. And I’m going to make a statement this morning condemning their behavior last night. I won’t tolerate another incident like that.”
“Thanks for sticking up for me.” Rachel’s smile slowly faded. “But maybe it’d be best to let it go rather than fuel the flames. You have such a great relationship with the media. Your fans love your good-guy image. Let me be the bad guy. I don’t care. Why sully your good reputation over one incident?”
“Because you mean more to me than my relationship with the press.”
“Aw. My hero.” She kissed him so deeply, he closed his eyes to fully enjoy it. Then she whispered, “I’m sorry I messed up your daring rescue last night. Thanks for trying.”
“No, thank you. Now I know I’m completely safe with Quick-Draw Rachel by my side.”
She laughed. “I bet those paparazzi will think twice before messing with me again. I wonder if there is any such thing as a purse-sized cattle prod?”
“If there is, I’ll buy you one. Now can you please get off me so I can shower? I have that meeting I mentioned after my press conference.” Her honest concern for him, and her hot body on top of his, was making it difficult to keep his hands off her.
Rachel stayed right where she was. “Not all of you wants me to let you go.” She wiggled her hips, making things worse. “Is that a can of pepper spray in your boxers, or are you just happy to see me?”
“I’m always happy to see you.” He kissed her. “Let’s compromise. If you can get through the party tonight without spraying anyone, maybe I’ll reconsider the no-sleeping-together rule? Affare fatto?”
“Yes. Deal.” She grinned and rolled off him. “But I wanted to talk to you about something before you run off.”
“What’s that?” He flipped back the covers and stood, stretching out his arms above his head.
“Now you’re just taunting me with that hard body of yours. I can’t even look.” She threw her arm over her face. “I was thinking maybe we should talk to Ally about being our nanny while she figures out her life.”
“Really?” He dropped back onto the side of the bed. “Even after the way she spoke about you?”
Rachel moved her arm aside and nodded. “It occurred to me last night when I was getting ready that there’d be no one more loyal to your kids. And you said she’s smart and trustworthy. We wouldn’t have to worry about her selling out our lives to the tabloids. That goes a long way with me.”
He’d like nothing better than for Ally and Rachel to be friends. “Maybe I should ask her alone? She’s a little sensitive about you at the moment.”
Rachel sat up and leaned against the headboard. “I think I should ask her. She’d be living in Denver with me and the kids, at least for the short term, so we need to clear the air between us if it’s going to work. But if she says no, we’ll talk to the other nanny your assistant suggested.”
“We’ll do it your way, then. It means a great deal to me that you’d ask Ally.” He stood and started for the shower but stopped when he noticed the locket on the dresser. He’d meant to give it to her when she first arrived. He scooped it up and sat on her side of the bed. “I almost forgot. I have something for you, Rachel. And before you tell me no, this I didn’t buy.”
She sat up straighter and accepted the box. “I saw this yesterday and took a quick peek inside. Is it an antique?”
“Yes. It was my mother’s most prized possession. My aunt sent it to me a few years ago when she found where my mother had hidden it from my father. It’s been in her family for generations.”
“It’s beautiful, Marcello.” She opened the locket, and tears sprang to her eyes. “You put pictures of the kids inside?”
“I wanted you to have them with you while you were here.”
“Very thoughtful of you.” Rachel grinned as she made quick work of the clasp.
To see it resting on her chest brought back warm memories of seeing his mother wear it on special occasions. “It looks lovely on you, bella.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll cherish it.”
He could see that she would. “You are the only one worthy to wear it. I love you, Rachel.”
“And I lo . . . ” She leaned back and scrunched up her nose. “Am at five and three quarters.”
She’d almost said love before she’d stopped herself. “I’ll bet I can earn that fraction of a point tonight. After the party.”
She smiled coyly. “Maybe you can.”
He’d make it his life’s mission.
Rachel took a break from work and gazed at the ocean. To sit outside on a patio, in February, inhaling the salty breeze, was something she could get used to.
She stretched her arms over her head and cringed at the soreness in her shoulders from the paparazzi grabbing her. She’d never get used to being treated like that. What would she have done if the kids had been with them?
Shaking it off because Marcello promised they’d have security in the future, she got back to work. She wanted to catch up on a few things before he got back from his mysterious meeting. She would have given anything to be a fly on the wall at that gathering. As it was, it took everything for her not to call Avery and make her friend spill the deets now that they were both his lawyers. But she’d promised to let him try to solve things his way, and she’d keep her word.
“Hey, Quick-Draw.” Ally flopped onto a chair across from Rachel. “Or do you prefer Demon Girl?”
“It’s Demon Girlfriend. But I prefer Rachel.”
“I can’t believe you accidentally pepper sprayed Marcello.” Ally laughed so hard, she snorted. “I should’ve come along last night after all. Would’ve had a front-row seat.”
“Yeah. That was one for the record books. I still feel awful about Marcello, though.”
“My mom said he was fine this morning.” Ally cleared her throat. “And she reminded me that I wanted to apologize to you yesterday, but I didn’t catch you before you left. So, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said the things I did about you. At least not until I got to know you, anyway.”
It had to be hard for Ally to sort of apologize for protecting someone she loved. Points for her. “Accepted. And no hard feelings. What’d you guys do on your date last night?”
“Went to a party at a friend’s house.” The smile on Ally’s face faded, and she glanced away. “After that, Eric and I got into a huge fight because I wouldn’t sleep with him. My date was only marginally better than yours.”
Rachel closed the lid of her laptop to give Ally her full attention. Being eighteen made Ally an adult, but still a young one. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Ally finally looked Rachel in the eyes again. “I would’ve kneed him in the crotch if he’d tried to force me.” She shook her head. “He told me I was a tease, so I should get my own ride home. I used an app on my phone.”
She hated that Ally had been treated like that, but happy she’d stood her ground. “If Marcello hears about this, he’ll go teach that guy some manners.”
“He would. Marcello didn’t think much of Eric to begin with. But maybe I should send you to blast him instead.” Ally smiled weakly.
“I’m never going to live this down, am I?”
“Not anytime soon. But, seriously, don’t say anything about this, okay? Nothing happened, so I don’t want to upset Marcello or my mom. I can take care of myself.”
It was probably a test of some sort. What to do? If that had happened to her daughter, she’d want to lock her up forever. And make the guy pay. But Ally was an adult. “If you stop seeing him, then my lips will remain forever sealed.”
Ally rolled her eyes. “What am I? An idiot? He’s already deleted from my phone.”
“I know you’re not an idiot, Ally. That’s why I was going to find you later and ask you a question. About working for me.”
“Like as a legal assistant?” Ally sat up straighter.
“No. What would you think about being our nanny? Just until you figure out what you want to do. We need someone who we can trust.”
“Be your nanny?” Ally frowned. “I don’t think—”
“Just for the time being. You could still go to school online. You said it first, keep your enemies closer. You could see the real me and report back to Marcello.” Rachel quickly scooped up her phone and found pictures of the kids. “I should warn you, we have two brand-new puppies too.” She handed the cell to Ally. “Scroll away. There’re a ton of pictures and videos on there.”
“I guess it can’t hurt to see what they look like. To decide if I should make Marcello get that DNA test.” A frown line deepened on Ally’s forehead as she swiped through pictures of the kids and the puppies.
Ally watched the video Lori had sent the other night of Marcello tucking the kids into bed. After watching the other videos, her forehead smoothed out again, and she smiled. “Ian really does look like Marcello. Hannah looks like you. And those puppies are adorable too.”
“Yep.” Rachel withheld her grin. At least it wasn’t a hard no. “I work at home, so I’d be there to help until you figure out their routines. Marcello hired the last nanny at thirty-five hundred a month, so you’d get the same.” That was a lot for a college kid with no experience, but if it’d help Ally get a better start in life, Rachel was all for it. “But only if you’re enrolled in school. We both want you to finish college.”
Ally chewed her bottom lip. “That’s more than I’d make working at the mall or cleaning Marcello’s house. I was going to get some of the core classes out of the way online anyway.”
Rachel sat in silence, waiting as Ally pondered the idea, hoping she’d take the job. But she wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t want to relocate. It was asking a lot. “You don’t have to tell me now. You can think about it and ask your mom.” Throwing her mom in was bound to get a reaction from a barely legal adult like Ally.
“I don’t have to ask my mother for permission.” Ally handed the phone back. “Would I live in your house? Or have to get an apartment?”
Rachel’s hopes soared. “In my house, if you’d like. You’d have your own bedroom and bath on one side. The kids and I are on the other. I don’t have a ton of time to cook, but I’d provide meals too. You could save most of your salary each month if you choose to.”
“I know how to cook. My mom’s a chef, remember? How about a car? I can’t just be stuck in the house every weekend. And if I do the cooking, in return I’d want to quit early on Friday afternoons sometimes. Especially if I have plans or want to fly home for a visit. Can I use the plane to come home on the weekends occasionally?”
Ally drove a hard bargain. Rachel respected that. “I have a slick little Mercedes I used to drive before the kids came along and I had to get something bigger. It’d be all yours. And I can live with knocking off early on Fridays if you’ll cook sometimes. You’ll have to ask Marcello about the plane.”
Ally leaned back and crossed her arms. “Four-thousand a month and you’ve got a deal.”
Rachel tried to look indignant but had to respect the kid for asking. “Thirty-six hundred and all the prior terms, with the addition of a round-trip plane ticket home once a month if Marcello’s plane is too busy for you to use. Final offer.”
“Deal.” Ally’s expression turned smug. “I would’ve still done it for thirty-five hundred.”
Rachel opened her laptop to write up a contract. “I would have gone to four-thousand if you’d walked away. Being willing to walk is always the power play. I’ll have something in writing for you to sign in just a bit. You want to go home with me tomorrow? Or do you need more time?”
“Dammit!” Ally punched a fist into her palm. “You would’ve really gone to four?”
Rachel smiled. “Only for you, Ally, because Marcello trusts you. I don’t trust as easily as he does, so you’ll have to earn mine.”
Ally stood and crossed her arms. “Same goes for you.” She turned and walked away.
Rachel called out, “My trust happens to come with a bonus. Might even get you to four-thousand a month.”
Ally turned and walked backward down the path to the guesthouse. “I won’t kiss your ass for a bonus, Rachel. I’m doing this to ensure Marcello and his kids aren’t getting taken to the cleaners by some crooked lawyer.” She turned around again and continued toward the guest house.
Crooked lawyer? Was that better or worse than a gold-digging bimbo?
Rachel chuckled. That had gone just about as she’d figured it would. The sweet look in Ally’s eyes while she’d watched Marcello with the kids was all Rachel needed to know her children were going to be in good hands. The rest would work itself out.
If she and Ally didn’t kill each other first.