Melissa Schroeder - A Santini Takes the Fall (The Santinis Book #9) Read online

  A Santini Takes The Fall

  Melissa Schroeder

  Harmless Publishing

  Contents

  ABOUT SANTINI TAKES THE FALL

  Copyright

  DEDICATION

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  HAWAIIAN WORDS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  EPILOGUE

  THANK YOU

  THE SANTINIS

  A LITTLE HARMLESS RUMOR

  EXCERPT

  TASK FORCE HAWAII

  SEDUCTIVE REASONING

  THE FITZPATRICKS

  About the Author

  Also by Melissa Schroeder

  ABOUT SANTINI TAKES THE FALL

  A man avoiding his destiny.

  Anthony Santini is happy with life. The former Marine is now working a dream job for NCIS in a dream location: Hawaii. He’s watched his cousins and now his siblings fall into the Santini Curse and that is not for him. Not yet. He’s happy to play the field and enjoy life. It still doesn’t stop his cousin’s wife from trying to fix him up.

  A woman avoiding love.

  Lalani Hawkins has had enough heartache to last a lifetime. The professional dancer isn’t looking for love and she definitely doesn’t need a man like Santini in her life. After the worst blind date in history, she thinks she’ll never see him again.

  For two people who want to avoid each other, Lalani and Anthony can’t seem to achieve that. Each time they meet, Lalani falls a little more under the Santini spell, and for Anthony, he is drawn to the vivacious dancer. But when Anthony senses her hesitation to commit, he starts to formulate a plan. Because when a Santini man decides he’s found his mate, there is no stopping him.

  Copyright © 2015 by Melissa Schroeder All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Edited by Noel Varner Cover by Brandy Walker

  ISBN: 978-1-939734-29-7

  To Tim McGraw

  He will never read this book or even know I dedicated it to him, but his voice is the soundtrack for so much of my writing. He inspired this book and other books that I have written.

  Thank you, sir.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  No book is ever completed as a single effort. Many thanks to the Addicts for keeping me laughing and always being supportive. Thanks to Brandy Walker for always been there as an ear to bend and for her beautiful covers. I would never be able to get these books out as fast as I wanted if it weren’t for Noel Varner working so hard on the editing and my beta readers, Gina DeWitt and Sheri Vidal, who helped finish the project off.

  And thanks to my family, Les, Audrey, and Eliza, who often have to deal with a temperamental artist who thinks every conversation should be about the business.

  HAWAIIAN WORDS

  Brah…………………..Bro, Brother

  Da Kine………………The best

  Haole………………...Newcomer to Hawai

  Howzit?……………..How is it going?

  H-1, H-2, H-3…….main highway system On Oahu

  Tutu………………….grandmother, grandfather

  CHAPTER ONE

  With the sun breaking just over the water, Anthony Santini grabbed his towel and headed out the door for a swim. The moment he stepped out onto the stoop, the scent of salty water and plumerias grew stronger. It had been cool enough lately to sleep with the windows open, but he could only get that sweet/salty scent in full force when he was outside.

  He drew in a deep breath and started down the path to the ocean. For three months, he had been training for the triathlon. It had been awhile since he had left the Marines, and it had begun to show. Training had helped him get himself back on track.

  As he stepped past his cousin’s backyard, he saw Alana, Marco’s wife. Sweet as the Hawaiian day was long; she was hitting that last trimester of pregnancy. How she stayed so radiant looking after dealing with a toddler all day, mostly on her own, Anthony wasn’t sure; but there was a good chance if she bottled it up, she would be a trillionaire.

  She was standing there on the lanai, looking out at the ocean. The trades were soft and gentle, and they pulled at the long dress she was wearing. The expression on her face told him everything he needed to know. Even though he was returning today, Marco had been gone for a few weeks, and he knew she was thinking about him.

  “Hey, sweet lady, how are you doing?”

  She glanced over at him with a smile on her lips. She had her long, dark hair hanging loose, and the wind was playing with the ends of it. It was easy to see why his quiet cousin had fallen for the Hawaiian beauty. There was something so fragile about her at times it made him very protective. Of course, she was married to a Santini, so Anthony knew she was stronger than she might appear.

  “I’m doing fine. But if you want to sound more like a local, you need to say ‘Howzit?’”

  He rested his arms against the top of the fence. “Not sure if that is ever going to happen; although, we tend to adapt fast.”

  “You, as in Santinis?”

  “Partially, but partly because we’re brats. We all know how to fit in, pick up habits.”

  “Yeah, Marco picked it up well.”

  “Helps when he marries a pretty Hawaiian woman.” She blushed at that. “I thought you would still be in bed.”

  She sighed as she walked over to the fence. When she was closer, he could see the dark circles under her eyes and he worried. He hadn’t been around many pregnant women for any extended amount of time. One thing Anthony knew was that rest was extremely important.

  “I wish. Once I hit the halfway mark last time, I started having problems sleeping. Doesn’t help that this one is a kicker.” She rubbed her hand over her stomach. “I’ve grown so huge while Marco’s been gone.”

  He shook his head. She should know better, being a Santini wife. The men could never get enough of their women, and they loved them until the day they died.

  “Marco’s going to think you look sexy.”

  “Sweaty.”

  He laughed, enjoying her, and he wiggled his eyebrows. “Yeah, well, that isn’t always a bad thing.”

  She shook her head. “Go on, get out of here, and go do your swimming.”

  “You sure you don’t need anything?”

  She nodded.

  “And, just so you know, I’m okay with babysitting duties tonight.”

  “Oh, Anthony, are you sure? I know you’ve watched him for an hour here and there, but an overnight would be a little more involved. ”

  “Hey, I’m a Marine, and a very special agent with NCIS. I can handle anything. Also, I need to get some uncle time in. With Brando and Dante expecting their first kid
s, I think I need to learn how to handle the little suckers.”

  Her smile widened. “That would actually be wonderful.”

  “You sure you won’t leave my loser cousin and run away with me? Granted, I would have to be a kept man, but I think I could handle that.”

  “The last time you proposed that, Marco threw you in the pool.”

  “I let him. He needed to save face in front of his woman.”

  “Is that what that was?”

  He nodded. “He’s always needed that ego boost. Ask Vince.”

  She shook her head. “Yeah, I can imagine my brother-in-law will lie for you. All of you are horrible.”

  “When there’s a beautiful woman involved, we can’t help but try to gain her attention. It’s in our DNA.”

  She snorted. “Beautiful? Not sure I would say that. I haven’t seen my feet in the last two weeks.”

  He shook his head. The woman was one of the most beautiful he had ever met, but she didn’t realize it. Of course, having been with a multitude of his cousins’ wives during their pregnancies, he knew this had more to do with how she felt at the moment.

  “I have a feeling that Marco doesn’t care about your feet. Or, at least, whether you can see them or not. Although, I did notice you have pretty pink toes right now.”

  And she did. She’d gotten herself a pedicure the day before, said her friend insisted on it.

  “Yeah, well, it felt good to have my feet massaged.”

  “What did you do with Jon while you were there?”

  “Lalani took care of him.”

  The friend. He had yet to meet Alana’s friend, but he’d heard enough about her to be intrigued—not enough to date though. He knew that friends of the wives were off limits, if he wanted to stay sane. The moment he showed any interest, said wife would be planning a wedding.

  “So, does she know that my cousin has a foot fetish?”

  Her eyes widened. “What?”

  “I mean, you did get your feet done up.”

  She opened her mouth twice, then she laughed. “Every one of you is as bad as the next one. What would your mother say if I told her? What would Joey say?”

  He shivered. “Not sure, and I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know.” Both his mother Marcella and Aunt Joey would smack him upside the head for even suggesting such a thing, even while they laughed.

  “It never ceases to amaze me that you are all afraid of one little woman.”

  “Not just Joey. Sure, she gets more fear than the other moms, mainly because she’s been around longer. But no Santini man is stupid enough not to fear the wrath of a Santini woman. Having been raised by one and with one, I can tell you, all of them are scary.”

  Her lips twitched and her eyes danced. “Did you just call me scary?”

  “No, you’re the sweet one.”

  She laughed. “I bet you say that to all of the wives.”

  “Nope. Just you.”

  She rubbed her hand over her belly again. “So, if I should tell Madison what you said to me, she’ll agree?”

  “Okay, don’t tell Madison. She’s always been kind of scary, and now with the hormones…well, I just think making a woman who knows how to kill you with her bare hands mad—especially while she is pregnant—is a very bad idea.”

  “She doesn’t know how to kill someone with her hands, does she?”

  “She’s a Marine, of course she does.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You go on and take your swim. I have a little boy who will be down in no time at all. He’s very excited Daddy is coming home today.”

  “Remember, tell him Uncle Anthony needs some time with him. And, I have cookies.”

  “That’ll work. Be careful.”

  “Always,” he said as he started back down the path. Now he had to make sure he picked up some cookies today. Spending a night with Jon would give Marco and Alana some time to rebond. It had only been six weeks, but he knew how hard it was when the active duty spouse returned. Not personally, though, since he had never been married, but he had seen it. Even in the strong Santini marriages he had been around all of his life. It took time to get back into the rhythm with those you loved. Plus, Jon was fun. He reminded him a lot of Marco’s brother Gianni, who was a bit younger than most of them…or like Nando. His youngest brother used to tag along behind him for years. Of course now, he was a Marine and stationed in Germany for the moment.

  With a sigh, he pushed away the strange sense of melancholy that hit him. Since Dante had announced his wedding…not to mention Elena and JT hooking up, Anthony had been getting hit with it more and more. He didn’t want to think about it; because thinking about it would cause him to do stupid things…like find a woman to marry.

  And that was one thing he wasn’t ready for. He was still too damned selfish, and he gave himself points for admitting it. He wasn’t ready to change any time soon. He dropped is towel and started toward the water. There were just a few people on the beach this early in the morning and it made for a pleasant escape. The waves were low, even for this time of year, and he was in need of a good swim.

  CHAPTER TWO

  The next morning, Anthony decided that just maybe he owed his mother a big hug. And a kiss. And some diamonds. And definitely a million dollars. He had no idea how she had handled six kids.

  “Unca Ant, Unca Ant.”

  Oh, lord. He opened one eye and saw that the sun had just started to come up. The fact that the boy had run him ragged the night before was enough. How did Jon have enough energy to wake up now? Probably because he was a demon. Anthony was sure Demons had enough energy to stay awake for days. They probably sucked all the extra energy out of humans. It made sense in his sleep-deprived mind.

  He rolled over and had to swallow a scream when he found Jon within inches of his face. The little devil was fond of staring at him while he slept. If he remembered correctly, so did his father Marco.

  “Jesus.”

  Jon smiled. He was still wearing his Marvel Universe PJ’s. “Unca Ant, when you getting up?”

  “In about three hours.”

  “That is a long time. A really long time.”

  Suspicion licked through him. “Have you been up?”

  He nodded, telling Anthony that Jon really had worn him out. There was only one bed, and Jon had slept with him. Anthony hadn’t even felt him move off the bed. Of course, his father was a SEAL, so that might be bred into his DNA.

  “I went to the bathroom.”

  And apparently was proud of himself. “Good boy.”

  “Now, breakfast. I’m hungry.” He rubbed his belly.

  “Okay, give me a second. My bones are old.”

  Anthony sat up and Jon giggled. “You creak like Papa.”

  He slanted his little cousin a dirty look. He wasn’t talking about his father Marco. Jon was talking about his grandfather, known to one and all as Papa. Always great to be compared to a man in his sixties. Not that Papa wasn’t in good shape, but…damn.

  He sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face. He was used to early mornings. Couldn’t be a Marine, or raised by one, and not be accustomed to getting up before the sun. But, then, he had never dealt with a tiny Santini on his own. The boy never seemed to stop.

  “You sleep a really long time, Unca Ant.”

  He sighed, slipped out of bed, then cringed when he heard his bones creak again. Damn. Anthony glanced at the clock. Great. He’d had about five hours of sleep. Who would have known having cookies at nine at night was a bad idea? Jon’s mother, that’s who. Alana warned him when he carted the kid off for their sleepover.

  After taking care of the necessities, he pulled on a pair of shorts and headed out to the kitchen. His pint-size shadow followed on his heels.

  “So, Jon, my boy. What should we have for breakfast? Pancakes?”

  He hit the button on his coffeemaker. He’d been prepared and made sure to have a lot of it ready for his morning. Of course, he didn’t think the pot he had set to brew would be
enough. He scrubbed a hand over his face again. Fuck. Three pots wouldn’t be enough.

  “I don’t want pancakes,” Jon said, breaking into his thoughts.

  He turned to face the little boy and leaned against the counter. “No pancakes?”

  Jon shook his head and lifted his chin. “Cookies.”

  Anthony was now regretting the decision to bribe the toddler with goodies if he went to bed on time. He thought for sure the little guy would forget by the time he got up the next morning. But, then, when a Santini wanted something, they rarely forgot about it.

  “Cookies are for later.”

  He gave Anthony the legendary Santini grin. Anthony blinked. He was the perfect combination of his mother and father. Alana’s sweet round face and Marco’s charm.

  “Cookies.” This time, he had added a little sweetness to his tone. The boy wasn’t even in kindergarten, and he was already trying to charm things out of people. This Santini didn’t fall far from the tree.

  “Listen, bud. That smile works on women, not men. At least not on me. No cookies for breakfast.”

  The smile faded and the toddler’s lips quivered. He was either going to cry or throw a fit only a Santini could produce. He had seen it from afar, but never had to deal with one up close. Before Jon could lose it, there was a knock at the door.

  “Ah, saved by the knock. Let’s go see who it is, Jon boy.”

  Jon didn’t look happy about it, but he followed on Anthony’s heels.

  When Anthony saw his cousin’s face, he smiled and opened the door. “Didn’t think I would see you for awhile.”

  Marco laughed. “Letting Alana sleep.”

  “Daddy,” Jon yelled as he catapulted in Marco’s direction. He caught his son easily and hefted him up in his arms.

  “Having fun with Anthony?”

  The little boy shook his head and crossed his arms.