"Angelina Castellano. Of course I remember. You paid a quarter of a million dollars for her." I could hear the smile in her voice. "How's that going, by the way?"
"I'm going to marry her."
Silence. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Long story. I'll explain tomorrow. Right now I need your help with something." I took a breath. "I need to make Valentine's Day special for her. Really special. Can you help me?"
"Dez, it's late. Valentine's Day is basically over."
"I know. But it's not over until she wakes up." I looked back toward the bedroom where Angelina was sleeping. "Please, Gi. I need this to be perfect."
Another pause. "Tell me what you need."
I smiled. This was why Gianna was my favorite sibling.
"Flowers. A lot of them. And I need a jeweler to open their store at—" I checked my watch, "—six AM. And I need you to get me the contact information for Castellano & Co.'s biggest supplier. And?—"
"Dez." She cut me off. "Just tell me what you're trying to accomplish here. Let me work backwards from that."
I looked back toward the bedroom again, at the woman who'd asked me to be open to love if it happened.
"I'm trying to show her that I get it," I said quietly. "That I understand what she's asking for. That I'm willing to try, even though it terrifies me."
"You're in love with her." It wasn't a question.
"I barely know her."
"That wasn't a no." I could hear the warmth in Gianna's voice. "Okay. Give me three hours. Can you keep her busy that long?"
I thought about how exhausted Angelina had looked, about the physical and emotional toll today had taken.
"Yeah. I can manage that."
"Then go back to bed. Hold her. And when she wakes up, when the sun is actually up and it's properly morning, we'll make sure she knows you're serious."
"Gi?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"That's what family is for." She paused. "And Dez? I'm happy for you. You deserve this."
She hung up before I could respond.
I stood there for a moment, phone in hand, trying to process everything that had happened in the last twenty-fourish hours. I'd gone to that auction looking for a wife of convenience.
Instead, I'd found Angelina.
Smart, strong, beautiful Angelina who surrendered so sweetly in the bedroom but stood her ground everywhere else. Who ran a multi-million-dollar company but still believed in the possibility of love. Who'd asked me for honesty and then given me her own vulnerability in return. Who was currently asleep inmy bed, trusting me to keep her safe while she was at her most defenseless.
I walked back to the bedroom and climbed carefully into bed beside her. She immediately curled into me, seeking warmth even in sleep, and I wrapped my arms around her.
"I don't know if I can give you love," I whispered against her hair, knowing she couldn't hear me. "But I promise I'll try. I'll try to be open to it. Try to be the kind of man who deserves what you're offering. Try to be worthy of the trust you're putting in me."
She sighed contentedly, burrowing closer.
Then I did something I haven’t done since I was a boy. I let myself imagine a future that wasn't just about duty, responsibility, and maintaining the family legacy.
