Page 17 of Strictly Business

“You can say that again.” The seventy-eight text messages on my phone told me exactly how things in San Diego were going. Nina had been laying into people left and right and after the first ten messages, I decided it was best to ignore it until I got there.

“Vacation?”

“No, work.”

“Hitman?” The laugh busted out of me at his outrageous assumption. “I mean, what else would bring you all the way across the country?”

“Anything else,” I chuckled. “Literally anything.”

“I’m David,” he stuck his hand towards me. When I returned the gesture, his hand swallowed mine whole.

The crunch of gravel from the black Mercedes Benz making its way up the driveway interrupts my thoughts. Weird, we aren’t supposed to leave for the vineyard for another hour and a half. Maybe Angelo is dropping off more groceries. “Hey, Angelo!” I stand to meet him but freeze when another man steps out of the passenger seat. “Nick?”

“Hey, Mic!” Nick, dressed in black khakis and a black polo, retrieves his bag from Angelo before handing him a few bills even after Angelo refuses.

“What are you doing here?”

“Didn’t feel right not being here, ya know?”

I smile, “She’s gonna be happy to see you.”

“Well, I’d hope so,” he laughs. “Besides, someone else wanted to join the fun.” As he says it, the man I’d been thinking about moments ago steps around the other side of the SUV.

“David? What are you doing here?”

“Boss told me I needed a few days off,” David’s response light as he drapes his arm across my shoulders. We follow Nick up the steps. “Heard I was supposed to be in Italy for a family reunion and kicked me out.”

“I told him I was heading out last night, so he decided to join,” Nick calls over his shoulder as we reach the kitchen door.

Dark wood-beamed ceilings, contrasting the sand-colored walls, are featured throughout the entire villa. The country-style kitchen features black-stained cabinets and black marble counters, modern appliances, and marble floors. Open shelves float above the sink, and more shelving is tucked into a small alcove to the right of the stove. Elizabeth washes pans from breakfast. “Mic, that you? Can you grab Romy so we can eat? Nin should be back any second from her run.”

“You make enough for six?”

Elizabeth drops the pan in her hands at the sound of Nick’s voice. Her jaw drops when she turns around. “What are you doing here?” She engulfs him in a large hug. “I thought you had work.”

“I did, but this is why I have people who work for me. They can handle it while I take care of important things like this.”

“Oh! David, you too?” Elizabeth seems more shocked than me to see him. It’s a known fact that my husband rarely gets time away from his job with Senator Barnes.

“Senator kicked me out,” he squeezes my side gently before offering Elizabeth a brief smile.

“Did I miss something?” Romy stands in the doorway dressed in high-waisted jean shorts and a tucked white button-down, much more relaxed than yesterday. “Oh,” her words are lost when she finally sees the faces of the newcomers, specifically my cousin. “Hello, handsome.” She flits towards him, her long fingers tracing the opening of his polo, nails lightly dragging across the skin.

“Sto interrompendo qualcosa?” Nick doesn’t hide his smirk at the sound of her voice, and all eyes turn towards the door except his. I’m sure he can already see the look on her face. Her skin flush from the run she’s come back from, chest rising and falling with each breath as she wipes at the sweat on her face.

“Davina! This lovely gentleman—”

“Is Nick,” she interrupts her cousin and Romy looks between them before quickly taking two large steps back.

“I didn’t know. Oh, mon Dieu. I am so sorry.”

Nina doesn’t hide her smirk, finally meeting her husband’s gaze. His lips fall into a soft smile, and she returns it. “C’mon, I’ll show you the room,” she extends her left hand towards him, the ring on her finger sparkles in the sunlight from the window. Did she know they were coming? She doesn’t seem that surprised to see him.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Romy,” Nick says before following Nina up the stairs.

“Oh my gosh,” Elizabeth giggles when they are gone.

Romy’s face turns a deep crimson. “I can’t believe I just did that.”

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