Valentina
Valentina slammed the squad car door harder than she intended. Her brother came out the front door, followed closely by Madison.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
They spoke at the same time and Madison enclosed her in a hug. It was hard to admit but she needed that embrace more than she could imagine.
“I’m just a little shaken up.” Valentina took a step back and gave a nod to Officer Ryan, who now stood by the front of the car. He looked so handsome in his uniform. The tie and hat were more formal than the fantasy she’d had of him but he was none the less for it. “I’m very thankful Ryan was there so quickly. I’m probably overreacting but it scared me.”
Her brother stepped over to the officer and held out his hand. “Thanks, Ry. Appreciate you coming to the aid of my sister.”
“Just doing my job.” They shook hands. A few crickets sounded and you could hear the soft waves of the water off the lake. “Well, I’d better get back. Take care, Val. Madison.” He nodded to both of them, got in his car, and drove off.
“That was odd,” Madison said. “We should have invited him in.”
“He’s on duty, dear.” Roman kissed her on the cheek. “But I love how thoughtful you are.”
Valentina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She loved Madison like a sister but sometimes they were too much. Way too much for someone with no love life. Her eyes focused on the taillights as they headed down the driveway. He appeared to hit the brake lights once and she could have sworn their gazes locked in the rearview mirror, but that would have been too much to hope for. It was clear that Ryan Donavan wanted nothing to do with her and her family. It was foolish to think there could ever be anything between the two with her family history. She couldn’t blame him. They were from two different worlds.
“Val?” Roman called from the front of the house, holding the door open for her. “Are you coming in?”
“Oh, yes. Sorry.” Her heels clicked on the cement sidewalk and up the stairs. “I guess I’m still a little shaken up.” If her brother knew about the daydream she’d had about Ryan just minutes before the crash, he’d be shaking her by the shoulders, trying to knock some sense into her.
Warmth surrounded her as soon as she stepped inside. Since Madison had moved in, Roman’s house had become more of a home. The mansion had always been impeccably decorated but now it had a lived in aspect that wasn’t there before.
The roaring fireplace drew her closer and she held her hands out to the flames. What did Ryan’s home look like? Dammit, there she was thinking about the handsome patrolman again. Was it possible she’d hit her head, because she seriously had Ryan on the brain.
“Here, I made you a hot toddy.” Madison held a mug out and Valentina eagerly wrapped her fingers around the warm ceramic. It smelled wonderful.
“What is it?” She took a sip. The heat and alcohol warmed her from cheeks to toes.
“It’s a new bourbon we’re trying out. Do you like it? Oh, and it has some lemon and honey in there too.” One of the new ventures Roman was involved in to make the family business more legit was a winery.
“I know you’re making wine, but bourbon too?”
“It never hurts to branch off in other areas.” Madison beamed as her husband wrapped an arm around her waist from behind.
Valentina took another drink to take her mind off the love birds. It did the trick, but soon Ryan’s smile flashed again in her mind.
“You must really like it.” Her sister-in-law’s eyes sparkled.
“Huh?”
“You have this dreamy look on your face.” Nothing seemed to get past Madison, and as Valentina sneaked a peek at her brother, it was obvious he noticed her reaction as well.
Roman’s phone sounded and he walked off to take the call.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Val?” Madison titled her head, worry lines crossing her forehead.
“Yes, yes. I’m just distracted. That’s probably one of the reasons I didn’t see that deer.” She exhaled loudly and scrunched up her nose. “Things didn’t go very well with my father today.”
“They never do with Roman and him either.” Madison motioned to her husband before embracing Val and whispering in her ear. “Tomorrow, you and me. We’re going to the spa.”
“That sounds heavenly,” she whispered back. A massage would be wonderful. Her muscles ached from being so uptight. Although she could also think of another, more pleasurable way to unwind, but that would involve a certain cop who seemed to want nothing to do with her. “It’s a date.”
“Great.” Madison glanced down at Val’s now empty glass. “Would you like another?”
“Ah, no. Another one and I’ll need help getting up the stairs.” She eased herself down into the nearest chair. “Oh no. I left my bags in the squad car.”
“It’s all taken care of,” Roman announced as he came back in the room. “Donavan realized he still had them. He came back and flagged one of the guards down in the driveway. Should be here any minute.”
“Ryan?” Her heart fluttered.
“No, your bags.” Her brother stepped in front of her and narrowed his eyes. “Madison, would you mind if I had a word with my sister alone?”
“Not at all.” She kissed his cheek. “I was about to turn in anyway. I’ll see you upstairs. Night, Val. See you in the morning.”
Valentina nodded and then crossed her arms in front of her chest. Roman wanting to speak to her alone was never a good thing.
“Yes?” She crossed her legs and cocked her head.
“Don’t yes me. What the hell happened?”
“What do you mean what happened? I hit a damn deer.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. You were supposed to stay in Chicago.” He stared down at her, his hands on his hips.
“So you’ve spoken to Father?”
“Yes, he wanted you to stay and work for the family.”
Valentina rose to her feet. “I can work for the family here. But that is the extent of my family obligation. I will not accept any personal arrangements, if you know what I mean.”
It was slight but Roman winced. Roman had been promised to marry the daughter of one of the other families. It was either that or be killed. Who would have ever in a million years thought that at the last minute the impending bride would end up being the one he really loved. Valentina, on the other hand, would not be so lucky. Ryan was on the right side of the law and he was Irish. There was no way her father would ever see him as anything but.
“You don’t have to remind me of what almost happened to me. You can stay here as long as you want.”
Val’s shoulders relaxed and she smiled. “Thanks, but I plan on getting a place of my own and starting my own law office.”
“What about your obligations to Firenza?”
“That’s another reason I had to leave. It’s going to take a while to build up a clientele so I’m only going to be at the law office a few days a week. That will leave plenty of time to keep up with things at Firenza.”
“Good. I’ll have Arlo find you a place to stay.”
“No.” She stomped her foot. It was childish but she was tired and cranky.
“No?” He lifted one eyebrow.
“No. Thanks for the help, but I need to start doing things on my own. I told Father I wanted my independence and I wouldn’t be very self-sufficient if I relied on you to do everything for me.”
Roman groaned and wandered over to stand by the fire. “Fair enough.”
Valentina gave her brother a quick hug and, after spying Arlo entering the front door with her bags, headed his way. Roman reached out, grabbed her wrist, and stopped her in her tracks.
“One more thing.”
“What?” The grip on her arm tightened.
“Keep your distance from Donavan.”
“What? Why?” She tried to shake off his hand but he held tight. “It’s a small town. We’re bound to bump into each other.”
“It’s dangerous,” Roman warned.
“Dangerous? He’s a cop. I would think I would be safer around him than anyone.” She avoided meeting his eyes. “Not that I would be around him or anything.”
“You are interested. I’ve caught you staring at him many times. Hell, I even saw on your Facebook page that you were following the Lake Genoa Police Department page.”
“I’m a lawyer. It’s important for me to stay on top of all things legal and what’s happening in the community.”
“Don’t lie to me.” A lesser man would be shaking in his shoes, but Val was his sister and knew he would never hurt her. Twisting out of his grip in a move Roman had taught her, Val turned and pointed her finger in his face.
“I’m not lying. You want the truth?”
“Yes.” He waved a confused-looking Arlo back out the door he came in.
“Am I intrigued with the man? Yes. Do I think he is handsome? Hell yes. Do I think he would ever date someone like me?” She frowned. “No.”
“And why the hell not?” Roman grumbled as he walked to the bar and poured himself one of those wicked strong bourbons.
“You know why.”
“No, I don’t. Any man would be proud to have you in his life. I just don’t want it to be him.”
“Well, I don’t think you have anything to worry about, then.” She picked up her purse and headed over to her bags. “It’s obvious that he isn’t interested in me.”
“Obviously, he’s smart but has piss pour taste in women.”
Her brother was trying to make her feel better despite the fact that he wanted her to have nothing to do with Ryan.
“Well, you and I both know the main reason he would die before having a relationship with me.”
Roman turned to face her. “Oh, yeah? And what is that?”
“Because our father would probably kill him if he ever touched me.”