Page 19

Her insistence on arguing with him drew a sigh out of him.

“You could have gotten up and left already, but you haven’t,” Santino pointed out.

“You could have had your lawyer ‘go nuclear’ on me like you said, but you haven’t.

I know you. When you set your mind to something, you do it.

If you really didn’t want to be married to me anymore, you wouldn’t be.

I think it means you want the same thing I do, even if you’re too stubborn to admit it. ”

Vanessa looked at the other patrons, at the scenery, and examined the vibrant blue of the sky. Then her gaze dropped back to his.

“So? What’s your answer?” he pressed.

Another long pause. Finally, she said, “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but okay. This is maybe one step below a wolf chewing its own foot off to get out of a trap but so be it. One week. Then we’re done.”

Ignoring the gory trapped wolf comparison, elation unfurled inside him and could have burst him open like a balloon. He smiled at her, but she wasn’t exactly smiling back. He understood full well this was arm-twisting, bribery, whatever she wanted to call it.

Did he care? Not one fucking bit.

“And just so you know, my brother and Zoe are coming up on Wednesday for a few days. To say Bobby won’t be thrilled to see you is an understatement.”

Shit. Well, that news wasn’t welcome. He thought he’d have the week with her alone to work things out. He wasn’t looking forward to Bobby’s anger and Zoe’s snotty remarks. She didn’t like him, and the feeling was mutual, ever since her and Bobby’s wedding.

“He’s your brother. It’s his job to want to kick my ass, I get that,” Santino said with a nod, suppressing the flood of nerves that arose at the mention of Bobby and Zoe. “But if I have to take a beatin’ from him, I think I’ll survive.”

Bobby might have issued his threats with the intention to carry them through, but he was most definitely a lover, not a fighter.

Unlike Santino’s calloused mitts, his long-fingered hands were designed for nurturing teeny sick babies into thriving children, not wielding an axe or pounding someone’s face.

“Be that as it may,” she said briskly, “I’m not changing my mind about getting you to sign no matter what happens.

And you are not going to like the place I’m staying at.

It’s kinda crappy and far from everything.

Even Jade, Travel Queen, couldn’t give me a good hookup so close to the festival.

” Vanessa lifted her chin in that almost haughty way she did.

He fucking loved that defiant little gesture and he grinned like it was demolition day. He was really going to enjoy breaking down all those walls she’d built against him, right down to the studs.

“That’s not a problem. I’ve got a place. It’s nice,” he assured her. “But I’m in charge now. What I say goes, and I say you’re putting that notepad away. No working.”

“Since when are you in charge? I seem to remember having to make the plans for us after we got married.” She said that with a smug expression. He was going to make sure that was gone too by the end of the week.

“No, you decided you had to, and you argued with me every step of the way when I tried. That’s over. Now put those notes away.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened again. “I promised Jace I’d work while I was away,” she argued, clutching the pad to her chest like it was one of Bobby’s vulnerable babies.

Oh yeah, Jace. That model-looking motherfucker at her job.

Santino had scoped him walking and laughing with her outside of court more than once or heading to a bar after hours with their colleagues.

No sign of him near the house, though. If he had shown up there, that pretty face wouldn’t have stayed that way.

Santino reached over and gently pried her notepad from her grasp. “Jace needs to find someone else to worry about that. No work and all play makes Vanessa a very dull girl. And I need you to be a very good girl.”

She rolled her eyes again at that. “Oh my God, you’re corny.”

“Come on, you love that shit,” he scoffed. He was swimming in excitement, hardly believing that this attempt had actually worked. He tried to lower his expectations, but it was next to impossible. “Anyway, the food here looks good. We should eat. I’m hungry.”

Vanessa folded her arms across her delicious round breasts, her face setting into that stubborn expression he knew too well. “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are,” he declared, then proceeded to order for them both. A skirt steak for him with fries and an herb-roasted chicken breast for her with a garden salad.

It was one of her favorites. She eyed the food when it arrived, then toyed with the silverware until finally, in the face of his voracious eating, she tried some.

Soon they were both eating, not speaking.

It wasn’t like them to sit in silence together, but he wanted to ease into the newfound truce with light footsteps.

The air was full as it was with the laughter of the other diners, the jazz wafting over from the nearby open-air venue.

When they were done, Santino slapped his palms on his thighs and leaned back. “Aw yeah. That was awesome. I kinda dug the fries. Never figured I’d like them with cheese and gravy.”

He knew it was called poutine from his short research. He was waiting for her to correct him with the right name as she would have in the old days. Vanessa remained silent while he settled the bill, dabbing at her mouth with her linen napkin.

Undaunted, he announced, “Alright. Let’s go see this dump of yours and get your things.” Her mouth twitched at that, whether from annoyance or amusement, he didn’t know.

“It’s a Metro ride and a long walk,” she warned as she stood. At least she was speaking again. That was positive.

“Forget the train. I rented a truck for the week when we need one.” Gallantly, he stood too and made a slight bow. “After you, madame.”