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

She laughed. “Oh, come on Aeden, it meant something.”

  “Nothing, just you fit in well. Military brats always seem be able to adapt.”

  “That’s true.” She took a sip of her tea. “So, Aeden Fitzpatrick, how do you feel about becoming an uncle for the first time?”

  “Well, now that Kaitlin has stopped barfing constantly, I’m starting to get excited.”

  “Oh, you are sweet,” she said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm even as she laughed.

  “I never said I was. I don’t know why people keep pointing that out.”

  She detected something else in his voice, something that he probably didn’t even notice himself. “Someone else did?”

  He muttered under his breath and took a swig of beer. She studied him for a second and leaned forward.

  “Wanna tell me her name?”

  He glanced up, surprise lighting his blue eyes. “Who?”

  “The woman who makes you look so grumpy.”

  “There’s no woman.”

  She shook her head. “Please. I know men.”

  “Is that a fact?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Doesn’t matter right now. She’s otherwise engaged.”

  “Oh, don’t tell me you were fooling around with a married woman.”

  “What?” he asked, suddenly comprehension slid over his face. “No. It’s… she’s out of the country and there are complications.”

  “My dad always says that a woman who presents complications is always the best kind.”

  For a second, he said nothing, then he chuckled. “She is definitely complicated.”

  “And she sent you running all the way over to Hawaii. She might just be worth it.”

  He looked out over the beach to the ocean. To have a man that would pine for her like that…it would be amazing. She had never found him though, and she was starting to have serious doubts she would. Most men saw her as fun, the kind of wild woman they liked to think about when they settled down later in life. None of them ever seemed to stick.

  When he looked back at her, he had pulled himself back under control. “I’ll have to figure that out when she gets back.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  He smiled again. Damn, it made her blink every time. “How about a tour of the island?”

  It took her a second, then she chuckled. “I know my way around. I don’t need a tour.”

  “No, how about you show me around?”

  She studied him a moment as she thought about the proposal. He wasn’t looking for romance, just a few laughs and the possibility to forget about a woman. She could entertain him and take a much-needed break.

  “I’m busy tomorrow and on Sunday, but how about on Monday?”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. Santini have to work?”

  He nodded. “I didn’t give him much notice. I got a good deal and knew he would put me up.”

  “Good to be related to the Santinis.”

  He laughed. “I guess so. Plus, I have a feeling Kaitlin called or had Brando call. They said I was being annoying.”

  “I’ll pick you up around ten in the morning. I know you’ll be up with the sun, but I won’t. Plus, the traffic around here on Monday mornings is insane.”

  “Up with the sun?”

  “Yeah, tourists from the mainland, especially the East Coast, tend to be up early. Your body has to adjust. Take it from me, stay on Baltimore time. Your body is going to be wrecked when you get back anyway.”

  “What nefarious things are you two planning?” Anthony said from behind her.

  She glanced over her shoulder, and wondered how long he had been standing there.

  “Nothing much. Lalani said she’d show me around the island Monday since you’re working.”

  “Is that a fact?” he asked, his voice lethally soft.

  She turned to face him. “Yeah. He said you had to work Monday, and that is the one day of week I don’t have any classes. So I offered. That is, if he’s allowed to come out with me.”

  He gave her a look that told her he wasn’t happy with the situation or her sarcasm, but she didn’t really care. Not really.

  “Hey, I have to get in and help with the food. If I don’t, Alana will be doing it all herself.”

  She hurried away; ignoring the knowing look Aeden was giving her. She didn’t like the way Anthony had made her feel guilty for just offering to take his family out for a tour. She was just trying to help, and she needed a break. It made no sense that he would be upset.

  She didn’t know what was worse about the situation. Him being upset with her, or how it affected her.

  She brushed those thoughts aside and made her way back into the house, reminding herself that Anthony Santini wasn’t any of her concern.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Good God, it’s cold up here,” Aeden said. She smiled at him as they walked up the long, steep pathway that led to the Pali Lookout. The wind whipped his newly bought Hawaiian shirt around as she walked beside him. “I didn’t know it got this cold in Hawaii.”

  “It is one of the things I love about this island. So many people just think of beaches, but there are a number of different climates here. Rain forests, volcanoes, landscape that looks like the desert. Then, you come up here and it feels like the Northeast in the fall. I come up here when I start missing New York.”

  “So, you just come up here and it does the trick?”

  She laughed. “Not always, but a little nip in the air is good.” There was a woman sitting at a table with painted pictures of Hawaiian scenes. “I do need to make a trip back there soon, but I’ve been busy.”

  “So you’re telling me you miss cold winters?”

  She nodded. “But then, there is snow on the Big Island.”

  He stopped, and it took her a few steps to notice. She turned and held back her hair, as a big gust of air whooshed through.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “They get snow on the Big Island?”

  She nodded. “On the upper elevations.”

  He shook his head and started walking again. “I didn’t know that.”

  “Every now and then, there’s a winter storm warning. I was there one time when they had one. It was odd to be on the beach that day knowing it was snowing on top of the mountains.”

  They reached the top easily. It was especially cool with high humidity, so there was a bit of fog in the area. The cool, clean air washed over her, and hopefully kept her awake. She’d not slept that well the night before or the night before that. She liked to blame it on the stress of work and the fundraiser she was planning with Alana, but she knew the real issue.

  How she wished she could have daydreams and fevered thoughts about the nice man beside her. He was tall, funny, gorgeous as the day was long, and he was easy. Complications were not something she was looking for.

  “Earth to Lalani,” Aeden said, snapping his fingers. She shook her head and brought her attention back to the matters at hand.

  “Sorry. My mind tends to wander when I am up here.”

  “Easy to do. Has that sort of reflective feel to it.”

  She smiled and turned to face the view. The ridge looked out on a view of the valley and then further out to the ocean. It was clear enough to see the sun dancing on the waves.

  She glanced at her companion. “So, have you been enjoying your time here?”

  He nodded. “I hate to admit it, but Chief might have been right. It’s not a good idea to have my mind on other things while at work.”

  “How long have you been a fireman?”

  “Ten years. It’s a family thing; although, our sister went into speech pathology, and we have a chef in the family.”

  “I always find big families a bit intimidating. When Marco starts talking about brothers and cousins, I can’t keep them all straight.”

  “I thought you had some family here?”

  “My father lives here, and I live in my uncle’s apartment rig
ht now. He’s got a job on the mainland, so he’s letting me stay there as long as I pay some of the fees and take care of the utilities. He doesn’t have any kids though.”

  “A bachelor for life?”

  She shook her head. “No, Uncle Adam and his partner Brett didn’t want to adopt or use a surrogate.”

  “Ah.”

  She laughed. “You handled that well.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Some men have issues with that.”

  He chuckled. “I was best man at my best friend’s wedding a couple years ago.”

  “And, what does that mean in this conversation?”

  “He and Mark are very happy.”

  She smiled.

  “So your uncle and his partner don’t want kids.”

  She shook her head. “They always said they already had a daughter with me, so they didn’t need another child.”

  “And you?” he asked.

  She turned to face him, leaning back against the stone wall. “Not yet. I like being Auntie to Jon and working with kids. But not sure I’m ready to settle down. And aren’t we getting a little too personal?”

  He laughed. “Sorry.”

  “No worries. I can deal with it, if you want to tell me about this lost love.”

  His smile faded. “She’s not lost, just an idiot.”

  “Oh, sounds like you two are a match made in heaven.”

  He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You’re as bad as Kaitlin. Of course, she probably wouldn’t be happy if she knew I was calling her best friend an idiot.”

  “If she left a catch like you, I would say she wasn’t that smart.”

  The lookout area was starting to fill with people, so she motioned to the path that led back to the parking lot.

  “She didn’t leave me, really. And I can’t fault her. She’s volunteering in Africa for a few months.”

  “Like a missionary?”

  He shook his head. “She’s a nurse working with Ebola patients.”

  “And she asked you to wait?”

  “No, because we don’t have a relationship.”

  She stopped next to the attendant who was still playing his ukulele. “I’m confused.

  Aeden glanced at the attendant and motioned with his head. She followed him. “We had one night…okay two.”

  She looked at him as she stood by the driver’s side door. “Ohh, wow. You’re pining over a woman you don’t even have a set relationship with?”

  He frowned. “I wouldn’t call it pining.”

  She laughed. “It’s sweet.”

  He said nothing else as he slipped into her car. She didn’t realize until she was backing out that he was blushing.

  “Oh, lord, and you blush.”

  “Fuck, okay, so I’m missing her, and it’s made me a pain in the ass, I know that. But don’t go telling Santini.”

  She had a good idea that most of the family already knew about it. There was a reason his sister had suggested a trip. And knowing the Santinis, they all gossiped about it. None of them could keep a secret from what Alana said.

  “I promise,” she said with a smile. “How about I take you to the best shrimp food truck on the island?”

  “Sounds like a great idea. I’m starving.”

  It was really a shame that she couldn’t find a sweetheart like this man. Oh, he was rough in his way, and she knew he had a bad mouth on him. After spending time with him, she knew Aeden was definitely a catch.

  If the woman who captured his heart didn’t treat him right, Lalani might just hunt her down and hurt her.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Anthony stalked around his tiny house thinking for the first time that maybe it was too small for him. He hadn’t been able to walk off his temper in the two hours since he’d arrived home. Aeden and Lalani were still out gallivanting around the island. He heard a car and went to look. He almost growled when he saw his cousin slipping out of the driver’s side. He and Jon had gone out doing boy things, as Alana called it. From the looks of it, they had a day of it, because Marco had to lift Jon out of the car. The toddler was dead asleep.

  He stepped out and jogged down the stairs. Marco was smiling until he saw Anthony’s face.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No. Other than I haven’t heard from Aeden all day.”

  Marco blinked, and Anthony couldn’t blame him. The comment had come out of nowhere. Even he could hear the irritation in his own voice.

  “He’s in his thirties, Anthony. I am pretty sure he can handle his day with Lalani just fine.”

  He grunted as he looked toward the road thinking he heard a car. He did, but it just passed by the entrance of the driveway.

  “Oh, that’s the way of it.”

  He settled his narrowed gaze on his cousin. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Nothing,” Marco said, laughter in his voice. The door to the house opened and Alana came out.

  “Hey, guys. What’s going on out here?”

  “Nothing.”

  Jon stirred on Marco’s shoulder. “Mama.”

  She took her son easily.

  “Apparently, Anthony is worried about Aeden.”

  She frowned. “Why would you worry about him? He’s an adult.”

  “It’s not what he’s doing, but who he’s with.”

  “That is not the fucking reason I am irritated. And I am not irritated. Not really.”

  Marco and Alana shared a look. “Are you hungry, Jon?” Alana asked as she started back to the house.

  When they were finally alone, Marco shook his head. “Anthony, I would think by the way you are acting, that you’re jealous.”

  Because it pricked a little too close to what he was feeling, he growled. When he was still on active duty, the people who trained and worked for him would run and hide when they heard it. Trained Marines had cowered. It just caused his cousin to laugh.

  “Look, I love Lalani. She’s been such a good friend to Alana, and on top of that, she’s sweet. So, if you really are interested, I am all for it. If you aren’t, you need to just stay away.”

  There was something in his cousin’s tone that drew his attention.

  “What happened?”

  Marco shrugged. “Not sure, but I do know she had a relationship go really bad at one time. She doesn’t trust easily; so if you want her, go for it, just be up front.”

  Before he could pester Marco for more info, Lalani pulled into the drive.

  “About fucking time, he said under his breath.”

  Marco laughed and Anthony frowned at him. “Sorry. It’s just funny. Remember what I said.”

  He didn’t respond, but waved his hand behind him as he made his way to Lalani’s car.

  “Hey, Anthony,” Aeden said with a smile.

  “Hey,” Anthony said, but he didn’t take his attention away from Lalani.

  The woman in question gave him a frown, then slipped out of her little red car. When he saw what she was wearing, most of the blood in his upper body headed south. Damn, the woman was going to leave him blubbering like an idiot. The blue bikini top covered all the particulars, but showed a lot of skin. She was wearing another pair of board shorts. He was sure she must have a pair in every color in the rainbow. She’d pulled her hair up into some kind of formation that looked like a tumble of curls. A few locks had escaped and danced as a gentle breeze blew by.

  “Thanks for the fun today, Lalani,” Aeden said. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. He whispered something in her ear and she laughed. When he turned around, Aeden was still smiling. He said nothing as he walked past Anthony whistling.

  “You spent a long time out today.”

  She crossed her arms beneath her breasts, which drew his attention. He used all of his willpower to raise his gaze to her face.

  “I didn’t know we had a curfew.”

  He made his way over to her and stopped within just a few inches of her.

  “I just didn’t know where
you were.”

  Damn, she smelled great. Like coconut and sweet, salty ocean air. And seduction. She definitely smelled of seduction.

  “I think Aeden and I took care of ourselves just fine.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  She tilted her head to the side and studied him as if he were some kind of strange creature. One of her freed curls slid over her bare shoulder. The need to touch it, to wrap it around his finger and feel how soft it was almost overwhelmed his better senses. He curled his fingers into his palms.

  “You have to help me here. You sound kind of upset that I entertained your guest for a day. I was just trying to be nice.”

  He knew she was. It was something he saw in her, that ability to put most other people at ease. He saw it in the way she had insisted Alana let her take over some of the fundraiser duties…and how she had helped with Jon. It made him feel even lower because of that.

  Dammit, he was jealous. He didn’t like to admit it, and he wasn’t sure he even liked her that much, but he was fucking jealous. Aeden’s attentions were directed on the cute nurse friend of Kaitlin’s. That much had been evident at the reception—and both of them disappeared about the same time.

  “It’s not like you have a right to decide what I should and should not do.”

  Dammit, she had to talk. The woman was always yammering, except when she was fuming at him. And just saying that was a challenge to his ego. It was stupid, juvenile even. His mother would be ashamed of the questions that danced on the tip of his tongue. In fact, there was a good chance she would smack him for just thinking that.

  Even knowing all of that, knowing he was being an ass, his temper took over.

  “Your idea of a good time and my idea of a good time might be a little different.”

  For a second she said nothing, but he knew the moment the implied meaning of his comment hit her. Her face paled, her eyes hardened. Without a word, she turned and started to walk back to her car.

  “Where are you going?”

  She said nothing, but she gave him a finger gesture to let him know what she was thinking. He waited only a second before he started after her.

  “Lalani.”

  She still said nothing as she grabbed the handle of her car door. He caught up with her just as she pulled it open.