Fabio was a mutt, plain and simple. His fur was a mixture of brown, black and white, and his teeth were sharp. He was so ugly that he became adorable.
I locked the door behind myself and looked around Bosco’s place. It was dusty and needed a good clean, and often I helped him out. Right now my brain was foggy, so I ditched my coat and boots, wandering to his sofa. Then I tugged off the jeans to hang over the sofa so they could dry. “How about a quick nap, and then we’ll go to Donna’s?” I asked Fabio. My head really hurt.
He wagged his tail happily and then lay down at the end.
I was asleep within minutes, waking sometime later when Fabio was barking at me. I opened one eye. “Fine. I’ll take you out.”
Somebody knocked on the door.
Sleepily, not thinking, I stumbled and opened the door. A pretty brunette stood there, her eyes wide. “Morning?” I asked.
She stepped back. “Sorry, I….’’
Fabio shoved by me and nearly bulldozed the woman, panting happily. My vision cleared. Who was this?
She scratched the dog’s ears. “Sorry. I heard him bark and thought he was alone.” She tried to back away, but Fabio stopped her.
My brain finally cleared. “Oh. You’re Marlie.” I liked her instantly. There was something sweet and smart about her. “Inside Fabio. Now.”
The dog trotted happily inside.
I held out my hand to introduce myself and make sure she knew I was Bosco’s cousin and not some hookup, especially since my jeans were still hanging over the sofa. Hadn’t Rory said Bos was quickly and unexpectedly getting serious without knowing it?
Just then, the outside door opened and Aiden stomped inside, his anger pulsating through the atmosphere and kicking my heart rate into the ‘I’ve been running’ range.
“What the holy hell are you thinking, Angel?” he snapped, reaching me.
I sighed and nicely reminded him that I had a gun in my bag and that I was safe.
He leaned down and nicely told me that my gun had better be in my bag. “For all that’s holy, you are not safe. In fact, I know you’re not safe because your ass isn’t at your sister’s house, where it should be right now.” He was going to scare Marlie off, and I couldn’t let that happen.
I forced a smile. “Aiden, I am not giving up this case.”
“I’m not asking you to give it up,” he snarled. “What I am doing is asking you to be smart and hightailing your very nice butt across town to babysit a dog is not doing that.”
I couldn’t stop the eye roll I gave him, and then I reminded him that I was okay.
He ducked, the world tilted, and I was once again over his shoulder. I sighed and called for the dog to come along as we headed back into the apartment.
Fabio stepped right up into the action, following us. I slapped a hand to Aiden’s back and levered up, hoping somehow to save this first meeting with Bosco’s love. “Sorry about this, Marlie. It has to seem weird.” Yep. The woman looked like she wanted to make a run for it.
Then, she impressed the heck out of me by running in front of Aiden and trying to stop him. Man, she was perfect for Bosco. I laughed, so happy he’d found somebody.
Aiden tossed a blanket over me, grabbed my jeans off the sofa and my bag off the floor. Then he marched toward the hallway.
Marlie jumped in front of him again. “Should I call in a kidnapping?”
Amusement took me. I loved her. Really loved her.
“I’m thinking the Albertini family might be a little odd,” Marlie muttered.
That stopped Aiden cold. He hitched me into better position. “They are. Get out now, if you can. Trust me. Run fast and run far.”
I laughed and squirmed.
Marlie swallowed. “We’re just friends. I mean Bosco and me. Just friends.”
“Ha,” Aiden said, sidestepping her easily and shutting the apartment door behind us. “That’s how they get you, darlin’. I’ve already heard about you, which means the family has heard, and you’re as good as in. I hope you like big weddings.” He kept walking.
