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“I figured it out at the worst possible time.” He offered a weak smile. “You were missing, and I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again. I told myself that once you were safe, I’d tell you.”
“You…” I wet my lips, trying to think despite the static in my head. “You love me?”
James laughed softly, the smile on his face widening. He nodded. “Yes. I love you. I think it started the night we met when you all but brushed me off.”
“I didn’t brush you off...okay, I guess I did.” I was smiling so widely it almost hurt. “But you were used to people giving you exactly what you wanted whenever you asked.”
“Brat.” He pushed my hair back from my face. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“I’m fine. I’m safe.” Echoing the words he’d used earlier, I leaned in to kiss him. “James?”
“Hmmm?”
“I love you, too.”
Sixty-Three
Maximus
“James.”Dina stood in the doorway and smiled. With a look over her shoulder, she waved me in. “Mom is still fussing over Tina. It might take another hour to get her out of here.”
“I can understand why.” Shutting the door behind me, I hesitated, studying Dina. “How are you? Your parents? Are you all okay?”
“We’re better now than we were a couple of days ago.” She grimaced. “I’m so glad your sister thought to call me and have me come over before telling my parents what happened. We were a mess, but at least we were a mess together.”
“Family.” The word slipped out, but I thought about how much Gianni had steadied me. “Having them around helps.”
“Yes.”
She moved closer.
I stiffened when she kissed my cheek. I felt my face turn red, and it was clear Dina saw my discomfort.
“And considering you asked Tina to move in with you, and not just because of the fire, but on a permanent level, you’re more and or less part ofourfamily.” She squeezed my arm before turning away. “Come on. We’re all out on the back deck. I came in for more ice, otherwise I wouldn’t have heard you knocking.”
“I called Tina to let her know I might get here earlier than planned but she didn’t answer.” Hearing the excited chatter of kids, I said, “I didn’t realize I was interrupting something.”
“You’re not.” She patted my arm. “You want a drink? We’ve got cold beers in the fridge, margaritas on the porch.”
“Some ice water, maybe.”
After a brief pause in the kitchen, Dina led me to the back deck.
Tina was crouching in front of a child, her face bright with a wide smile.
Seeing her was a punch in the chest. I stopped, taking a second to get my breath. I loved that woman. I’d gone most of my life thinking love was just a con that some guys used to get a girl in bed, and now here I was head over heels in love with a woman I met just this summer.
“If I could go back in time and tape my mouth shut, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
Confused, I looked at Dina.
She studied me with an amused look—and if I wasn’t mistaken, there was something almost…sister-like in her eyes. I had a lot of sisters, so I was familiar with that look.
“You’ve got a hook in your mouth, James.” She reached out and squeezed my arm. “Just seeing the way you look at Tina…you’re crazy in love with her, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” My face heated. I wasn’t comfortable discussing my emotions. I doubted I’d ever be. But I would never lie or hide my feelings for Tina.
“Good.” Dina looked over at her sister. “She deserves somebody who is absolutely crazy for her.”