CHAPTER 26
TAMMY
Taking advantage of the warm weather, Tammy closed her eyes and pointed her face toward the sky. She relaxed against the plush lounger beside Victoria’s Olympic-sized swimming pool and allowed the sun to bathe her in warmth. After a ten second break, she took a deep cleansing breath, exhaled, and returned to her sketch pad.
Planning a wedding, getting ready for New York fashion week, and dodging bullets was taking its toll. Tammy was exhausted, but she couldn't allow that to show in her collection. September was just around the corner, and Tammy’s creativity had been stifled. She was thankful for her team of fresh, new designers, but the House of Giovanni was her baby, and she needed to show her own aesthetic.
She’d been sketching outside for at least two hours, but none of her designs gave her that feeling of excitement that she was looking for. If she weren't excited about her designs, no one else would be. Nonetheless, she put her pencil to the pad and went back to the drawing board.
Fifteen minutes into her last sketch, the sky went dark. It was Luca. His big body had blocked the sun. Tammy knew that it was her man before his familiar aroma of masculinity invaded her senses, before she smelled his cigar, even before he’d said one word. Her body, the way her skin tingled, the way her core tightened, and the way happiness washed over her completely alerted her to the presence of the man that she loved.
“Hey, baby,” she greeted without looking up. “How’s Lorenzo?”
Lorenzo had been shot in the shoulder while protecting her. Thankfully, it was only a graze.
“He’ll live.” Luca took a seat at the foot of the lounger and placed his hand on Tammy’s foot. “Take a break, cara. I need to speak with you.”
Tammy looked up at Luca. The seriousness in his tone caused her to become instantly concerned. She sat up straight and placed the notepad on a table beside the lounger. “What’s wrong?”
Noticing Tammy’s unease, Luca gave her ankle a gentle squeeze and smiled. “Nothing is wrong, mon amour. I would like to talk to you about David.”
The mention of her son’s name made her anxious. “What about David?” she asked.
She turned her head and looked around the yard. “Where is he?”
“Tammy, David is fine. He’s in the playroom with Jasmine,” Luca reassured.
Tammy relaxed. With everything that had happened, it was no wonder why her nerves were on edge. “Okay.” She sighed with relief. “Wassup?”
“Do you know much about his father’s family?”
Tammy wrinkled her brow, wondering why Luca was asking about Javier’s family.
“Not that much. I know that Javier’s mother died when he was young, and I think his father is in prison somewhere in South America. Why?”
“Did he talk much about his family?”
“Umm…he talked about how much he missed them. Why?”
Ignoring her question, Luca asked, “What did he say about his father?”
“Luca!” Tammy snapped. “Why? Why are you asking about Javier’s family?”
Luca exhaled sharply. Tammy knew that he hated being questioned, but she didn't care. She needed to know why he was asking such questions.
“I’ve met Javier’s father,” Luca responded calmly. “He wants to meet David, but I haven't made a decision.”
Tammy’s jaw dropped. “H-he…w-what?”
Since he wasn't in the picture, Tammy had never given any thought to Javier’s father. It never crossed her mind that he would fall out of the sky and want to meet her son. And now…
Wait!
Tammy looked at Luca and narrowed her eyes at him.
“Did you just say that you haven't decided?”
“That’s what I said,” he confirmed.
