Page 60 of Love, Untangled

He woke the next morning and nuzzled his nose into Penelope’s hair. She murmured, snuggling closer. After a delicious shower that left them both relaxed, Carlo pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

He met her gaze in the steam-fogged mirror. “You make me so happy.”

She turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck and tugging his face down for more of her drugging and perfect kisses.

He pulled back, smiling. “If we keep doing this, I’ll never get these apples harvested.” The pips were nearly black, a sure sign that it was time to start harvesting. Though it was only August.

“I like that look on you,” she said with a wink.

“Satisfaction?” He finished toweling his hair.

“No, joy. It suits you.”

He hung up his towel on the rod and grabbed the clean underwear that he’d left on the counter. “I’ve been thinking about visiting my mother.”

She frowned as she wiggled into her undergarments. “Okay.”

The word was drawn out.

Right. She didn’t know about the strain he’d caused on that relationship. “Cora didn’t like my family’s get-togethers. She said they were too loud and gave her a headache.”

“Okay…”

“So I quit visiting too. I pretty much cut myself off from them. They didn’t know Cora had died, didn’t come to her funeral.”

“Oh. Oh, Carlo.” This time she twined her arms around his waist, squeezing him tightly. “I’m sorry you didn’t have any support.”

“It’s my own fault. I did that. To all of us.”

Pen tipped her head back and met his eyes. She bounced a little with excitement. “Well, I for one would love to meet your mother and go to one of those wild family dinners.”

Carlo’s smile turned wistful. “I’d love to take you. They’re in Sacramento.”

“Oh. Cali. Sounds awesome.” Penelope winked.

“We’ll have to plan a trip so you can meet them.”

Penelope stopped in the act of hanging up her towel. Pain filled her features and tension caused her shoulders to stiffen. “I’m sorry I can’t reciprocate and invite you to meet my mother.” Pen sucked in a long breath and met Carlo’s gaze. “I’m going to go forward with it—have her investigated.”

Carlo cursed himself. How could he have forgotten such an ugly and cruel betrayal?

Chapter 31

Carlo

“I need to call Penelope,” Marvin said as he and Carlo came in from the obstacle course behind Blazers with several of the other volunteers in training.

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Well, you know the DA’s been looking into the money issue with Garland Davis’s account?”

Carlo nodded. Penelope gave him updates whenever she had them, which had become more often over the past three weeks. It had taken time for the investigation to start moving, but now it had momentum. “Yeah. Penelope said the DA felt confident in the case.”

“Right. Which should mean that Pen will get back the money Serena confiscated from the accounts—less the amount she spent. But the DA put a hold on the account pretty early on in the process.”

“That’s good news,” Carlo said, clapping Marvin on the shoulder.

The alarm went off. Carlo froze.

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