Chapter Fourteen

 

“How many more of these godawful weddings are we going to be expected to attend before we die?” groaned Rafe Sabattini in a low voice. “This damned tie is cutting off my circulation.”

Dante grinned at his younger brother, who was clearly ill at ease whenever he had to wear a suit and tie like today. Unlike Dante, who considered such attire a requirement of his chosen profession, Rafe was a general contractor - the owner of a company with nearly forty full-time employees - who was used to wearing jeans, T-shirts, and boots to work every day.

“Well,” drawled Dante teasingly, “when you consider the number of cousins we have on both sides of the family, and then figure out how many of them are still single, you’ll have your answer.  Though, of course, by the time the youngest ones are all married off, it will be time for the kids of the older ones to have weddings of their own.  It’s called the Circle of Life, little brother.”

Rafe scowled, tugging irritably at his collar.  “I can think of a different term for what it really is - dolore nel culo.”

Dante snickered in response to his brother’s colorful language.  “Better not let Mom hear you describe attending her godson’s wedding as a pain in the ass.  He’s also her favorite nephew.”

Rafe shrugged.  “He’s also a wuss.  What self-respecting dude refuses to have a stripper at his bachelor party because he promised his fiancé he’d be a good little boy.  Brandon better be careful or he’s going to spend his entire marriage being pussy whipped.”

Dante held a finger up to his lips and shook his head.  “And you’d really better not let Mom hear you say something like that.  Otherwise, you’re going to be the one with a pain in your ass.”

The brothers shared a good-natured chuckle as they continued to mill around the flagstone courtyard where the wedding ceremony was due to start in just about fifteen minutes time.  Roughly half of the guests had already taken a seat in one of the rows of precisely arranged white wooden folding chairs.  But since the chairs were sitting out in direct sunlight, and it was still over ninety degrees at nearly four o’clock in the afternoon, the other half of the attendees had chosen to stand in the shaded courtyard for a little while longer.

The winery made a nice setting for an outdoor wedding, mused Dante, though this particular place was a bit too commercial for his tastes.  The winery was one of the newer, trendier ones in the area, less than fifteen years old, and lacked the character of many of the more established venues.  Dante thought fondly of the small, family-owned vineyard adjacent to the restaurant where so many parties and holiday celebrations had been held over the years.  Wines were only produced in small amounts, just enough to serve at the restaurant or distribute to family members.  The winery boasted a century old stone farmhouse, a grove of shady oak trees, and a pond where swans and ducks cohabitated in peace.  It would, he realized, make a much cozier, more intimate setting for a wedding than this ultra-modern facility he was presently at.

Cara would love the place, he thought, then just as quickly wondered why in hell he was thinking about her at this particular moment.

‘Maybe,’ he scolded himself, ‘because you can be something of a dick to her at times.  You always used to tell Nick that he treated Angela like shit the first time they were together.  Are you really behaving all that differently now with Cara - discouraging her from calling you, taking her places where you won’t run into anyone you know, not introducing her to the family when you know how damned happy that would make her?’

Dante reminded himself that he’d made it all too clear to Cara from the beginning what their relationship would be like, and that he had no intention of getting serious with anyone for the foreseeable future.  But the rationale that had formerly helped to assuage his guilty conscience had, as of late, been failing to do the trick.  It had been especially difficult not to feel guilty after seeing the hopeful look in her big eyes when he’d mentioned the wedding.  And though she had tried hard to paste a cheerful smile on her face and maintain a casual tone to her voice, she hadn’t been able to entirely hide the hurt she so obviously felt at not being invited along this weekend.

He blew out a sigh of frustration, realizing with a sinking sensation that he was going to have to do something about this situation with Cara very soon.  Things had become way more intense between them than he had ever envisioned, and he was starting to develop real feelings for her. It was the very last thing he had imagined happening the night of their first date, but it had been damned near impossible to resist someone as sweet and funny and kindhearted as she was for very long.

The problem, he reflected, was that Cara was too nice a girl to string along for very long.  She needed - no, deserved - someone who would take care of her, make a real commitment to her, bring her into his family.  And what he needed was to decide - soon - if he could possibly be that someone.  And if it ended up that he wasn’t, then he was going to have to figure out a way to break things off with her gently.

“There you are!  I’ve been trying to hunt the two of you down for the last half hour.  Rafe, quit pulling at your shirt collar, will you?  Once the ceremony is over you can get away with taking off the tie and jacket.  But leave it alone for a little while longer, okay?  Christ, you aren’t five fucking years old, you know!”

Dante chuckled at the sudden, whirlwind appearance of his baby sister Gia.  Though he supposed at twenty-five, with a college degree, and a job in the environmental studies field, he couldn’t really think of her as a little girl any longer - especially since she could frequently curse like a sailor.

“Hey, hey,” chided Dante, deliberately rumpling Gia’s raven curls because he knew it pissed her off.  “Let’s watch the language, shall we?  You’re lucky Nonna isn’t here to overhear you.  You remember what she did the last time she heard you swear.”

Valentina was not one of the invited guests today since Brandon was from Jeannie’s side of the family - the youngest son of her oldest brother.

Gia shuddered in recollection.  “Yeah, unfortunately.  I think my ears are still ringing from that time she boxed them.  But, hey, forget about that.  Dan, you are not fucking going to believe who’s here today!  I just saw her talking to Laine’s mother inside the tasting room.  Can’t believe she’s got the goddamned nerve to show up this way, and the bitch had better not even look my way after what she did to you ‘cause I won’t think twice about taking her down.  Fucking traitorous..”

Dante placed a palm over his sister’s mouth.  “Cool it with the swearing or this time I’ll be the one to box your ears.  Now, who exactly are you threatening to take down here, tiger?”

Gia’s stormy eyes flashed dangerously.  She had always been something of a tomboy, battling fiercely to tag along with her older brothers.  She’d practically idolized Dante, the only real father figure she had known, given how young she’d been when their father died.  Gia had grown up into something of a badass, and Rafe liked to tease that if she didn’t stop scaring off men the way she did she would never find one brave enough to marry her.  Gia more often than not simply flipped her brother off when he said something like that, and took great pride in projecting a tough girl image.  

And even though she was the youngest, Gia was fiercely protective of her siblings.  When Katie had ended things between her and Dante this past winter, Gia had volunteered - a little too eagerly for his liking - to “kick that skinny bitch’s ass if she ever comes near you again”.  She had been furious at Katie’s betrayal, while the rest of his family - except perhaps for his grandmother, whom Gia took after far too much for his liking - had only been supportive and understanding.

Gia’s normally loud voice lowered to a pitch barely above a whisper as she revealed her news to her brothers.  “It’s your ex - Katie.  Can’t believe the evil bitch had the nerve to show her face here today. She’s just lucky Nonna isn’t here, because she’d be the one getting her ears boxed this time!”

Dante stared at his sister in shock, unable to wrap his brain around what he’d just heard.  “You must be mistaken, Gia,” he mumbled.  “Why would Katie be here today?  Brandon would have told me if she had RSVPd.”

Rafe snorted.  “Seriously, Dan?  Our cousin has his head in the clouds half the time.  Even if Laine had bothered to tell him she was coming, how long do you think he would have remembered that fact?  Or thought that it might be cool to give you a heads up.”

Gia nodded in agreement.  “Brandon’s an airhead.  And he does whatever Laine tells him to do.  So it’s a surefire bet that if she made him promise not to say anything to you about Katie he kept his mouth shut.”

Dante shook his head.  “I don’t doubt that she’s here.  After all, she and Laine have known each other since they were kids, and their parents are close friends.  It’s just - well, surprising, I guess, that she’d attend knowing I’d be here.”

Gia looked as though she’d love nothing better than to spit in disgust.  “Nothing would surprise me about that witch,” she hissed.  “She probably just wants to show off to everyone, brag about how she’s some famous actress.”

Dante hesitated before asking his next question.  “Was she - is she here alone?  Or did she have a date with her?”

Gia rolled her eyes in disgust.  “Seriously, Dan?  Please do not tell me you still have it bad for that woman.  Please?  Because I remember like it was yesterday how depressed you were after she took off for L.A.  Every time I talked to you on the phone I wished I could give you a good slap and snap you out of it.  So if you’re even thinking of hooking up with that skank again, I’ll…”

“Just answer the question, Gia,” barked Dante.  “And knock it off with the insults, okay?  Don’t forget you’re talking about a woman I was seriously considering marrying.”

“I actually had forgotten that disturbing fact until you just reminded us,” replied Gia sullenly.  “But to answer your question - she was alone when I saw her chatting with Laine’s mother.  Doesn’t mean she didn’t bring a date, but I didn’t see anyone hovering nearby.  Now, can we stop talking about that - I mean, your ex and take our seats?  Mom saved a row of chairs for us.”

Dante acquiesced to his sister’s demands, and followed her and Rafe silently to take their seats beside Jeannie, Talia, and her husband Tony.  But it was nowhere near as easy to forget the startling revelation Gia had just shared with him - that the woman he’d been crazy in love with for almost a year, who might even now be wearing his engagement ring if she hadn’t broken his heart instead was here, possibly just a few yards away.  

Discreetly he glanced up every time another guest walked past their row to take their seat, but none of them were Katie.  He guessed that she was sitting in a row behind him, but knew that if he dared to turn around Gia would pinch him. Or kick him.  Or grind the deadly looking heel of her stiletto sandal into his instep.  He sorely regretted all the years he had spent teaching his baby sister how to defend herself, because she was now an expert at fighting dirty.

It was only when he stood along with all the other guests as the bride began to walk up the aisle on her father’s arm that he spotted her.  Katie was seated on the other side of the aisle from where he sat, and two rows back, and she looked so beautiful that his heart gave a little lurch despite his resolve to remain detached.  

She glanced his way then and their gazes met and held.  Katie offered up a tentative smile, her blue eyes looking both sad and hopeful.  She looked younger, more innocent, and even a little fragile, and he wondered somewhat scathingly if that had been intentional on her part. She was too thin for his liking, a fact that added to the image of fragility, but otherwise looked almost ethereally lovely. Her silky blonde hair was a little shorter than he remembered, tumbling in loose curls about her shoulders. Her makeup looked minimal from this viewpoint, her lips glossed over in a pale, pearly pink. Katie’s dress was nearly the same shade as her lip gloss, a slim fitting sheath of blush pink silk, and she wore pearls around her slender throat. It was a very sophisticated and undoubtedly expensive garment, but a far cry from many of the sexier, dramatic outfits she usually favored.

Dante continued to gaze at her for long seconds, until Gia poked him in the ribs with her elbow, calling his attention back to where the wedding ceremony was about to begin.

He resisted the urge to glance back at Katie again, half-afraid that Gia would notice where his attention was being directed and jab him again. Not to mention the fact that there was no way he was going to fall under Katie’s siren spell again, or allow himself to become so dazzled by her beauty and charm that he’d do whatever she asked of him. Her betrayal had cut deep, and it had really only been these past couple of months that he’d considered himself well and truly over her. Dante didn’t know what her purpose in being here today was, but he doubted it was strictly the desire to see an old friend get married.

Once the ceremony was over, it was time for cocktail hour.  Dante mostly ignored the silver trays of canapes bring passed around by the wait staff, being able to tell at a glance that the food wouldn’t come close to what was served at the family restaurant.  But he definitely availed himself of the open bar, downing two Tanqueray and tonics in quick succession.  He needed the alcohol right now as a way to fortify himself against the shock of seeing Katie again so unexpectedly, and, more importantly, to give himself the resolve to continue avoiding her.

Two hours later the wait staff was beginning to clear dinner dishes from the individual tables that had been set for eight guests each.  Joining Dante and his family at their table was Laine’s widowed uncle and his elderly mother.  The uncle - a distinguished, gray-haired man named Keith - was in his early sixties, and had taken an instant liking to Jeannie, even switching seats with his mother so they could sit next to each other.  Jeannie, who had dated only sporadically since becoming a widow all those years ago, seemed to return Keith’s interest.  There was a twinkle in her dark brown eyes that Dante couldn’t recall seeing there very often, and she was certainly laughing and smiling more than usual.  And he didn’t know if seeing his mother openly flirt with another man made him happy for her, or cause his protective instincts to flare up big time.

Rafe nudged him, none too gently, leaving Dante to wonder why in hell two of his siblings seemed intent on causing him bodily harm today.  “Mom sure looks like she’s enjoying herself there.  Think this means we’ll be getting a new stepfather for Christmas?”

Dante scowled at his brother.  “Do you go out of your way to sound like an asshole, or is that just second nature for you these days?” he groused.  “They just met like two hours ago, hardly know anything about each other, and you’re already hearing wedding bells.  Relax, kid.  Mom’s been a widow for over twenty years and seems pretty content with her life the way it is.”

Rafe shrugged, topping off both his and Dante’s wine glasses with the admittedly excellent Zinfandel that was produced here at the winery.  “I’m just saying, Dan, that Mom must get pretty lonely these days with all of us grown up and living on our own.  Granted, she still has her job at the restaurant to keep her busy, and when Talia finally pops that kid - Jesus, is she positive she isn’t having twins ‘cause she is fucking enormous - Mom will no doubt be doing a lot of babysitting.  Other than that, she doesn’t have much of a social life.  Can you blame her for craving some action once in awhile?”

Dante made a sound of disgust.  “Christ, do you really want to think about our mother having sex with this guy?  Or any guy?  I mean, she’s a good looking woman, kept herself in great shape for her age, but - ewww.  She’s our mom, Rafe.”

Rafe wrinkled his nose in distaste.  “I see your point. Okay, let’s try this.  Can’t you see Mom wanting to have a nice dinner and some pleasant conversation with a gentleman close to her age from time to time?”

Dante laughed, picking up his wine glass.  “That’s more like it!”

The two brothers sipped their wine in silence for a few minutes, content to savor this time together. The evening was far from over, with the dancing still to come, and Dante was glad he didn’t have to worry about driving back to San Francisco tonight, given the amount of alcohol  he’d already imbibed.

Rafe’s voice broke the silence first.  “So you’ve done a helluva job avoiding your ex so far, but do you honestly think you can keep that up for a few more hours?”

Dante paused with his wineglass halfway to his mouth.  “I have no intention of approaching Katie for this entire evening,” he replied icily.

Rafe shrugged.  “Okay.  Whatever.  Though you have to admit she looks great, probably the best looking woman here tonight.  A little on the skinny side but still with those amazing legs.  And in case you didn’t notice, she’s here alone, no date.  And she keeps looking over here at you every few minutes.  I’d say that’s the sign of a woman who wants to get her man back.”

“Too bad for her,” answered Dante sarcastically.  “She should have thought about that before prancing off to L.A. and telling me to have a nice fucking life.”

Rafe ran a finger around the rim of his wine glass.  “All I’m saying is that you could at least say hello to her.  How many times did you tell me that she was the one for you, the love of your life.  And then,  after she broke it off, you called her the one that got away.  She’s here tonight, though, isn’t she?  Why don’t you swallow all that macho male pride and talk to her for a few minutes?  How could that possibly hurt anything?”

Dante hesitated, unwilling to admit to his brother - and to himself - that he simply didn’t trust himself to be around Katie for even a few minutes.  He was afraid that being close to her again, hearing her voice, smelling her perfume, would bring back all the memories of their time together.  And that those memories would threaten to chip away at the protective wall he’d erected around himself ever since she’d left for L.A.

“I think under the circumstances that Katie should be the one to approach me, don’t you think?” he challenged.

Rafe threw his hands up in the air.  “Hey, do whatever you think best, Dan.  But there’s no way Katie’s going to approach you with your little guard dog by your side.  Especially since Gia’s been giving her dirty looks all evening.”

Dante finished his glass of wine, then reached for the bottle only to find it empty.  “I’m going to get a real drink.  Want anything from the bar?”

Rafe shook his head, holding up his mostly full glass of wine.  “I’m good for now, thanks.”

Dante made his way to the bar that had been set up at the opposite side of the courtyard from where he’d been sitting.  He ordered a brandy, and had just stuffed some bills in the bartender’s tip jar when he heard a high-pitched, achingly familiar voice just behind him.

“Hello, Danny.  Could - could we maybe talk for a few minutes?  Please? I’ve been waiting for the chance to say hello all evening.”

He froze in place , the brandy snifter halfway to his lips, as he struggled with the right way to respond. If Gia had been around, she would have demanded he give Katie a scathing look before striding away without a word. His mother, on the other hand, would have insisted he do the polite thing and exchange pleasantries with her for a few minutes.

In the end, his mother’s teachings won out, and he found himself turning around slowly to face the woman who had alternately been the love of his love, and the one who broke his heart. And though he was waging an internal battle with himself to remain emotionally detached and present a cool, distant image, the moment he gazed into Katie’s blue eyes and smelled the tantalizing scent of her perfume, Dante felt his resolve instantly begin to weaken.

She was smiling at him softly, almost sadly, as she extended a hand towards him somewhat timidly. “It’s - it’s good to see you, Danny. Really good,” she offered in that sexy, breathy little voice. “How have you been?”

He hesitated briefly before clasping her smooth, cool hand in his lightly. “I’ve been great, thanks,” he told her somberly. “And you look as though living in L.A. is definitely agreeing with you.”

Katie squeezed his hand, as though she sensed he’d been about to withdraw it. “Actually,” she admitted softly, “I left L.A. a couple of weeks ago. For good this time. I’m staying with my parents for awhile until I get myself settled, figure out my future. It - well, I’m finally done with show business. It hasn’t treated me very well, I’m afraid.”

Her announcement wasn’t all that surprising, given that he’d already known about her show being canceled. “I’m sorry that it didn’t work out for you,” he replied somewhat stiffly. “But I’m sure things will get better soon. Look, I’d better get back to my family. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“Wait. Please.”

Katie clutched his arm as though holding on for dear life, and her voice sounded desperate, almost tearful. Her blue eyes were, in fact, moist with unshed tears.

“Look, I know how angry you must be with me,” she ventured. “How hurt and upset. And I know I have no right at all to ask this but - well, I was really hoping you could spare me a few minutes to talk, maybe have a quick drink. I - I’d like the chance to apologize to you, explain a few things, and beg you to somehow forgive me for the horrible, selfish way I behaved in February. Please, Danny. I’ll beg if that’s what you want.”

He regarded her skeptically for long seconds, trying to determine from her vocal tone, facial expression, and body language if she was truly being sincere or merely trying to play him. But then he recalled what a poor acting job she’d done in those sitcom episodes he had watched, and quickly decided she simply wasn’t capable of deceiving him.

“Fine,” he agreed tersely. “One drink, that’s it. What would you like?”

He ordered her a mojito, then followed her silently to a small, secluded table inside the winery’s tasting room. He wondered if she had scouted out this particular location ahead of time, then dismissed the thought as inconsequential as they sat down.

Katie took a tentative sip of her drink, seeming uncharacteristically ill at ease. That particular behavior, more than anything else, gave Dante reason to believe that she was being sincere – because Katie had always been brimming over with confidence, the most self-assured woman he’d ever known.

“You look good, Danny,” she told him quietly. “Happy. Are you – I mean, I know that I don’t have any right to ask, but I was just curious if you’re seeing someone right now.”

His mouth tightened, not wanting to think about Cara at the moment, not wanting to wonder if even sitting across a table from Katie would be considered a betrayal of sorts of the woman he’d been dating. “I’ve been seeing someone, yes,” he muttered. “But I have no intention of discussing her with you, Katie. Now, what exactly did you need to say to me?”

Katie looked stricken at his coolness towards her. “I wasn’t going to ask you for details, Danny,” she replied somberly. “And I’m glad you have someone who obviously makes you happy. She’s a very, very lucky woman, whoever she is. And probably a whole lot smarter than I was. Breaking up with you was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, the worst decision I’ve ever made. And I’ve regretted it every single day since I left last February. You were the most wonderful man I ever met, and I was a complete idiot to let my so-called acting career get in the way of our relationship. I – I just wanted you to know that. And to maybe, possibly, see if you could one day find a way to forgive me for what I did.”

Tears were tracking down her cheeks as she spoke, but Katie was one of those rare women who looked beautiful even when she was crying. Dante swore softly beneath his breath, telling himself he was a fool for even listening to her, and handed her a paper cocktail napkin.

She dabbed at her tears daintily before taking a tiny sip of her drink. “Thank you,” she sniffled. “I’m sorry to be such a basket case, but these last few months have been so awful, Danny. I’d forgotten how horrible Los Angeles can be since the last time I lived there. Oh, not just the traffic and the smog and the crowds. But how shallow and spiteful and mean people can be, especially in show business. I’ve missed my family and friends so much, been so lonely. It’s hard to make friends in a place like that, you know? You don’t know who you can trust, if someone who swears they’re your friend is going to wind up stabbing you in the back the next week. It’s good to be home, and I’m home for good this time. I’ll never, ever, even think of returning to L.A. again. Or trying to make a go of it as an actress.”

“Hmm.” He tried like hell to sound disinterested. “I read that your TV show got cancelled, but I’m surprised you weren’t able to find other work.”

Katie shook her head. “It’s a tough business,” she admitted. “There are literally thousands of young women wanting to be an actress, and we’re all competing for the same roles. And, as my agent so kindly pointed out,” she added sarcastically, “I’m not exactly getting any younger. He also told me that I’m a terrible actress, and that I should demand a refund from the acting classes I took. I was hurt at first to hear that, but after doing some real soul searching I realized he was probably right.”

“He was an ass to say something like that to you,” offered Dante. “I’m sure you’re far more talented than he told you.”

She beamed at him. “You’re sweet to say so. But unfortunately, Doug was right. I’ve been trying for more than a decade to succeed as an actress, and it’s time to finally grow up and move on.”

He sipped his brandy thoughtfully. “So this is really it, huh? You’re really and truly retiring from acting?”

Katie nodded emphatically. “Absolutely. I’ve been talking to my parents about the future a lot since I moved back in with them, and they think I should go back to college and get my degree, pursue a whole new career. Trouble is, I don’t think I’m smart enough to do that, not cut out to be a student at this point in my life. And even if I was I have no idea what I’d want to do.”

“You’re plenty smart enough, Katie,” he assured her. “Don’t sell yourself short like that. What you need to figure out is what you might be interested in, do some research on careers in those fields, and then get some professional advice. There’s a firm in my building, in fact, that does career counseling and coaching. You should schedule an appointment with them – or someplace similar – and see what your options are.”

For the next few minutes, they discussed what sort of career she might be interested in, what she was best suited for. Dante texted her the website of the counseling firm he’d mentioned, and she told him she would check it out the next day and hopefully set up an appointment within the next week or so.

The conversation somewhat naturally transitioned into a discussion about their families, mutual friends, today’s wedding. After a time, Dante found himself forgetting that he was supposed to be furious with this woman, or that he’d promised himself to remain coolly detached and treat her impersonally. It just felt, well – natural to be chatting with her like this, like they had dozens of times before. And he could almost – almost – forget that several months had passed since they had seen each other, that she had chosen her career over a future with him, or that he was currently dating the sweetest, most kindhearted girl he’d ever known, even though he still insisted that there was nothing serious between them.

He checked his watch, surprised to find that more than half an hour had passed. “I should be getting back to my family,” he announced, pushing back his chair and getting to his feet. “It was good to catch up with you, Katie. And I wish you all the best with whatever you decide to do. Don’t underestimate yourself, okay?”

She nodded, rising from her chair slowly. “Thanks, Danny. I appreciate all of your advice. I always thought of you as the smartest guy I knew, as well as the nicest. And the best looking, of course!”

He smiled faintly. “Thanks. Look, take care of yourself, hmm? And enjoy the rest of the evening.”

“Wait.”

Katie placed a hand on his forearm as he turned to leave. Dante looked at her quizzically as she seemed to struggle with what she wanted to say next.

“I was just wondering,” she began. “Hoping, actually, that maybe we could keep in touch once in awhile? Oh, I know you’re dating someone, and I don’t want to interfere with that. But, well, maybe we could have coffee sometime? Or lunch? Or just talk on the phone occasionally. I’d love to get your advice about school and careers, since you know so much about business and such.”

He hesitated. “Katie, I’m not sure that’s going to work out.”

“Please.” Once again her blue eyes were moist with unshed tears, and her voice cracked a little. “Not a day goes by that I don’t regret what I did, Danny. That I don’t remember how good things were between us. And I know I’ve spoiled that, ruined things for good. But I’d really like the chance to make some of that up to you, to be your friend if nothing else. Please?”

Dante called himself ten different kinds of a fool for falling for what he sure as hell hoped wasn’t some sort of elaborate act. But then, he’d always had a weakness for sad, helpless women, had always felt the urge to protect them and look out for them. It went back, he supposed, to the time when his father had died, and overnight he’d become the man of his family. Over the years, he had appointed himself the protector of his mother and sisters, and most of his longer term relationships had seemed to be with women who were more than content to let him take charge. And for all of her other faults and past transgressions, Katie was incredibly vulnerable and sad right now, and he would have felt like a real jerk for kicking her to the curb.

“Why don’t you give me a call after you contact the career counselor?” he offered. “You can tell me what they had to say. And if you decide to set up an appointment with them, maybe we can grab coffee or a quick lunch if I’m free that day?”

Katie beamed, her lovely face aglow with pleasure. “That would be wonderful, Danny,” she enthused. “I can’t think of anything I’d love more. I’ll make sure to call the counselor right away, and let you know what they say. Take care until then, okay?

She pressed a soft, sweet kiss to his cheek, her breast brushing up against his arm, before giving him a little wave good-by as she walked away.

The spot on his cheek where her lips had touched burned like a brand, and he rubbed at it angrily, as though to erase her touch.

And as he returned to his own table – certain to be grilled about his whereabouts by both Rafe and Gia – Dante told himself that just because he’d offered to have a casual cup of coffee with Katie didn’t mean that he was in any danger whatsoever of once again falling under her spell.