“You’re a sweetheart.” My mom patted my hand.
I glanced toward my dad’s study. “Shouldn’t you be in there? I mean, the whole old-fashioned thing of asking the bride’s dad for permission seems both sweet and silly.”
“I was invited.” She smiled.
“You were? By Nick?”
“I think he wanted me in there.” She laughed. “I said no. Told him he was on his own.” She winked. “Your father likes Nick a lot, especially since he’s Italian.”
I nodded. “I know.”
My mom was full Irish and my dad full Italian. Their parents angled for us to marry either Italian or Irish, depending. I was making my mother and Nana O’Shea very happy that I was dating an Irishman, whereas Tessa pleased Dad and my Nonna Albertini by dating Nick Basanelli.
“Poor Donna. She could be the tiebreaker,” I said.
My mom laughed outright. “I don’t know what we’re going to do about poor Donna. She might have to marry somebody who’s not Italian or Irish.”
I gasped in mock shock. “The very thought.”
Nick and my dad walked out of the den, my dad smiling, and Nick looking like he’d taken several punches to the gut.
Dad threw an arm over Nick’s shoulders. To Nick’s credit, he didn’t wince, even though my dad had most likely jarred his injury. “Guess what? Nick’s going to propose to Tessa.”
“Oh.” My mom stood and hurried to Nick, hugging him again. “That’s just lovely.” She leaned back, took his hand, and led him to the table. “Would you like some hot chocolate?”
“We had scotch,” Dad said, his voice booming. “Like all good Italians do.”
Actually, Italians drank wine and port, but I wasn’t going to argue.
Nick’s phone buzzed. “Excuse me.” He pulled it from his pocket and read the face, stilling.
“What?” I asked.
He looked up, his brows drawing down. “The Cupids donated most of the jewelry from the robbery at Duke’s to the Timber City Animal Shelter.” Another buzz came through, and he looked down again. “Detective Pierce has a subject in custody and wants us to come in to view a lineup.”
“Now?” I looked longingly at the pot of hot chocolate on the stove. “It’s Saturday night, for goodness’ sake.”
“Yeah. Now.”
Chapter5
Aiden waited for me inside the police station, leaning against a pillar while scrolling through his phone. He wore a lightweight black jacket over faded jeans that led down his long legs to black boots. He looked up when I walked inside, his piercing blue eyes instantly focusing on me.
Yeah. Everything inside me softened into goo. I’d texted him that I had to attend a lineup and would have Nick bring me home afterward. Apparently, Aiden wasn’t waiting for that.
Pushing away from the pillar, he crossed the waiting area, his gaze raking me from head to toe.
“I’m fine,” I said, rather breathlessly.
“Hey, Devlin,” Nick greeted. “I’ll find Detective Pierce so we can get this over with, Anna.” He turned and strode up the stairs to the detective area.
The police station was quiet at this time of night, with only two guys working on computers behind the reception counter and no buzz anywhere. Even so, the entire world narrowed to the Irish hottie nearing me. He shoved his phone into his back pocket and reached out to cup my face, his palms warm and rough. “Did the airbag hurt you?”
“No. It probably saved me.” Still breathless. Yep.
He ducked his head to study my eyes as his talented fingers gingerly probed my cheeks and then ran through my hair to feel my scalp before moving down to my neck and then my shoulders.
“Really. I’m fine.” No other sensation in the world could feel like this.
