She nods, another big yawn stretching across her face. I can tell she’s exhausted.
“You should probably get to bed,” I tell her. “We had a long day, and you have to work tomorrow night.”
“You know if I sleep now, I won’t be able to sleep during the day before my shift,” she says with a soft giggle. “But I am tired, so I’m going to take a nap and I’ll probably be up in a few hours.I hope you’re in bed by the time I wake up.” She steps closer and kisses me.
“Goodnight,” I say. There are three words sitting on my tongue, but I don’t let them out. I don’t think she’s ready, even if I am.
“Night,” she says, then smiles. “And I love you too.”
My breath catches. “How did you—never mind. You love me?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Well, yeah, but how did you know I was about to say it?”
“I saw it in your eyes.”
“I love you, Vanessa.”
“I love you too, Mateo.”
She walks out without hesitation, leaving me standing there with my heart in my throat. To hell with the contract in Italy. Still, that uneasy feeling sits heavy in my gut.
I spend most of the night going over the contract again. Just like she said, Vanessa wakes up and comes back into my office, quietly putting things away while I work. By four in the morning, I can barely keep my eyes open, and she finally forces me into bed.
A few hours later, I wake to the smell of bacon and eggs. We eat breakfast together and go over her schedule for the day, which means a lot of sleep before her shift that night.
Once I know she’s asleep, I head over to Gino’s. With our new place so close, it’s barely a five-minute drive. As I get into the car, I run through the plan that’s been circling my head all night. We have to send someone to negotiate this contract in person. I already know Gino is going to ask me. I’m the only one with the legal background, and the last thing we need is more violence.
When I pull into his driveway, I text Vanessa that I’ll be back in a few hours. Inside, the house is eerily quiet. NormallyI’d hear Juliet or one of the guys moving around, but today there’s nothing. I head upstairs to Gino’s office and find him behind his desk, looking just as exhausted as I feel.
“You look like you haven’t slept,” I say.
“Same to you.” He snorts. “You were right on the contract. After your text last night, I went through it again. We need to send someone to talk to them face to face. But it has to be someone who won’t make them think we’re looking for a fight, someone tough enough to set this straight.”
“Let me guess,” I say dryly. “That someone is me.”
“Bingo.”
“My wife isn’t going to like that.”
“Oh, your wife, huh?”
“Yeah. That’s what she is, and she’s your sister. You really want to explain to her how you had her get married and now you’re sending her husband to another country?”
“You won’t be gone more than a week. Tops.”
“Right. A week. Why does that sound like bullshit?”
“Come on, man. There’s no one else I can send, and you’re the best guy I have.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, but she’s still not going to like it.”
“I know,” he says quietly. “But what choice do we have?”
I don’t answer. He’s right. Now I just have to convince Vanessa this won’t be a big deal. First, I need to convince myself.
TWENTY-TWO
