Vanessa’s heart stuttered at her cousin’s words. Natalie was obviously joking, probably also trying to lighten the mood. But now Vanessa was picturing something she’d never pictured before. A white dress and beautiful roses, a long aisle with a handsome grump standing at the end.
She’d never thought about marriage. Not in the sit down and plan out every detail way that some people did. She’d been too busy daydreaming her modeling career into reality. Marriage seemed like a far-off prospect.
Jordan definitely didn’t seem like the marrying type. But she’d already misjudged him in many ways. None of that mattered. Jordan’s life was in Portland, and she was moving to New York in a week. That was still the plan, right? It was absurd to let the image even enter her head.
“Oh, shit!” Natalie threw her half-eaten muffin in the air and jumped up. “They’re here.”
“What?” Vanessa snapped out of her thoughts of rings and cradles. “How do you know?”
“I can hear them in the hallway.”
Sure enough, the chattering in Italian got louder outside the door with every passing second.
Vanessa shot up and frantically scanned the living room searching for anything worth criticizing: a sock on the floor, empty cups on the table with no coaster underneath, half-empty prosecco bottles, rabbit poop on the floor. “Shit!” Literally. “I have to clean this before they get in here. Throw me a napkin.”
Natalie threw her a handful of napkins, half of which fluttered in every direction. Vanessa grabbed the nearest one and scooped up the pellets, fisting the napkin in her hand as the door burst open.
“Vanessa, there’s a strange man at your door who won’t even let your mother in!” Maria Barone entered the apartment shouting in Italian.
Dex appeared behind her, towering over the older Italian lady, with a frown etched on his face. “She keeps yelling at me in a language I don’t understand.”
Natalie snorted. “Get used to it, big guy.”
Dex glowered at her, then glanced at Vanessa. “Look, I was told to ask every person who arrives if you’re expecting them, and she tried to hit me with her bag when I did.”
“Since when is your mother treated like a criminal justfor arriving to make sure you eat properly before your big show?” Maria sniffed in Dex’s direction before she walked calmly through the living room to the kitchen.
Dex raised his eyebrow in Vanessa’s direction.
“It’s fine.” She sighed. “I don’t think there’s a bodyguard in the world that could keep her away.”
“Fine,” Dex grumbled. “I’ll be in the hallway if you need me to disarm her.”
Vanessa bit back a grin as Natalie sidled up beside her.
“Who knew he could be funny?” her cousin said, casually draping her arm around Vanessa’s shoulder. “Bright side, at least we’re guaranteed a solid lunch.”
Vanessa shrugged. “True. If I must endure my mother’s intimidation, at least there’s food involved.”
As if on cue, her mother’s voice rang out from the kitchen. “Vanessa! Where’s thecucchiaio di legno?”
Natalie shot her a wide-eyed look. “Should we be concerned that the first thing she asks for is a wooden spoon?”
Vanessa sighed, shaking her head. “When it comes to mother dearest,alwaysbe concerned.”
Clasping hands, they bravely ventured toward whatever wooden-spoon mayhem awaited them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“Is everything in order for tonight?” Joel asked over the phone.
Jordan put his phone on speaker and set it on the desk in the office at Sean’s gym before grabbing a towel and wiping the back of his neck. Ten minutes ago, he’d gotten out of the ring after sparring with Donovan. With Sean out of town, the light heavyweight boxer was the only one who could give Jordan the workout he needed. Today he’d really needed it.
He could still taste Vanessa. Could still feel the soft, smooth flesh of her pussy against his lips as he feasted on her like a dying man. Could still fucking hear the way she moanedhisname when she came.
But he couldn’t afford to be distracted by fantasies of her right now. The big show was in a few hours, and he needed to be one hundred percent focused on security at the event. Tonight would be the perfect opportunity for anyone wanting access to her to make their move. She’d be vulnerable on stage for all to see. The crowd would make it easy to hide.
“Yeah,” he replied. “I hired extra guards for all the entrances and exits, and behind the curtain area. Personnel in plainclothes will be part of the crowd. I’ve even got two lookouts on the roof. We have it covered.”
