His dad said nothing and all of Vince’s old insecurities came flooding back. How he never measured up in his dad’s eyes.
Vince tried one last time. “You pushed me to be more like Gabe, study harder, go to college, but that's not what I wanted. Marino and Sons was my college. Being a partner with you in this business is all I ever wanted. I wanted to carry on the family name for you.” He swallowed over the lump in his throat. “But that's not good enough for you. Nothing I did ever was.”
His dad frowned. “That’s not true. I just wanted everything for you. The best stuff! Like college.”
Vince took a step back. “Yeah, well, sorry to disappoint.”
“You didn’t!”
He pulled his car keys from his pocket. “I’ve got to get my future wife back. You can let yourself out.”
“Vince!”
He left. There was just no convincing his dad. He’d never be good enough for him.
~ ~ ~
Vince drove straight to Sophia's apartment in Brooklyn, not bothering to call ahead of time. She'd only hang up on him. But she wasn’t there. Roger didn’t know where she was. He cursed. “Tell her to call me when she gets in.”
Then he pulled out his cell and called her. She wasn’t answering. Dammit. Just when he finally realized he wanted to spend the rest of his life with someone, she’d taken off in a fit of temper. He drove back to Greenport and checked in at her dad’s place, but no one was home there either.
He went home as a sinking feeling came over him that he’d not only lost his job today but the woman he loved. And the second thing was much, much worse.
~ ~ ~
“So, Dad, does this mean you’re back to work?” Sophia asked. They were sitting at a diner in Greenport. She’d driven from Vince’s place to get her bag—the man left his back door unlocked—then back to her dad’s house to have a heart-to-heart with him. It was her dad’s idea to go to the diner for his favorite moussaka, a Greek casserole.
“This is so good,” he said, holding a forkful of his lunch up to her. “You want some?” She shook her head. He ate it and finally looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. “I just showed up today to soak up the last of the spotlight. You know, go out with a bang.”
“What will you do?”
“The house sold for a nice chunk of change. I made enough on that to pay back our company and retire to my alpaca farm.”
She couldn’t quite believe her ears. Her dad, who was used to sophisticated dinners and cocktail parties with her mom, a farmer? “What do you know about alpaca farms?”
“Me and the alpacas, we have a simpatico relationship.”
“You and the alpacas?” she asked incredulously.
He lowered his voice. “I have four. I slept with them in the stable on my last visit. We talked. They understand me.”
She wasn’t sure what to say. “Oh. That’s good. When was this?”
“Ya know, when you couldn’t get in touch with me. When I said I was traveling. I didn’t want to tell you about our relationship. It’s a little out there, but it’s real. Taking care of them sounds like a great retirement to me.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. She’d hoped he wasn’t behind the arson, was almost positive he wasn’t, but it was good to have an explanation of where he’d been.
He slurped his soda. “I might get some chickens too. A few horses. I’ve got trails in the back of the property where I can ride. I mean, once I learn how.” He beamed. “I feel like I’m starting brand new. Ya know? New experiences and no responsibilities. Just living the good life.”
“Wow, Dad, that’s great. So…” How to put this delicately? “After you retire—”
“You want the business? It’s yours. I already talked to your brother. He doesn’t want it. In fact, he’s getting a fresh start too. Turns out the lead singer of Mink Jewel bowed out and your brother stepped in.”
Sophia refrained from commenting. Her brother couldn’t carry a tune, but what the hell. Maybe he made up for it in enthusiasm. “What do you think about merging with Marino and Sons?”
He winced. “Not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because they’ll just try to take over.”
She crossed her arms. “Like you did at the groundbreaking?”
“It’s my business.”
“But you’re retiring.”
He took a bite of moussaka and shook his head. “Good stuff. Had to get one last meal before I’m on my own down in Virginia.” His eyes lit up. “That’s another new experience. I’m going to learn to cook.”
Sophia took a deep breath for patience. It was all well and good for her dad to have his new farm life, but they still had a family business to consider. “Dad, what about the business?”
He nodded. “Let me think on it.”
“You have until the check comes.”
He bit back a smile. “I’m definitely leaving it to the best person for the job.”
“So it’s all mine to do as I see fit?”
He leaned forward, and she breathed in his familiar Old Spice scent. “Thanks for keeping it together for me when I was going through the most difficult time of my life.”
She blinked rapidly. No one in her family had ever thanked her for helping out before. “Of course. That’s what family does.”
He cupped her cheek. “Exactly.” He smiled, his eyes soft. “I don’t have to think about it, Soph. You can do whatever the hell you want with the company. Sell it, merge it, run it into the ground—no, don’t do that—my point is it’s all yours.”
~ ~ ~
Vince went to work the next day to clear out what little personal things he kept there and to say goodbye to the crew, who were like family to him after all these years. He stopped at his small back office and nearly choked with surprise to see Sophia sitting there in her pink pants suit, her feet propped up on his desk.
“Guess who works for Marino and Capello?” she asked.
“Marino and Capello?” he echoed.
“You and me. Full partners.”
He nearly staggered in shock. “What? How?”
“I arranged it. You know how I butt in and fix things? Even when some people piss me off, Vincent.”
“I’m sorry.”
She slid her feet off the desk and sat up straight. “Hello, Mr. Marino.”
He turned to find his dad had shown up.
“What the hell is going on?” Vince thundered.
Sophia smiled. “My dad just wanted to make a big show for the press yesterday. He’s retiring to the alpaca farm. That’s where he was the night of the fire. He’s become quite attached to them, and since no one else wanted the farm, he decided to stick with it. I’m in charge, and I got in touch with your dad to propose a merger.”
His dad spoke up. “And I want us to be partners too, son. And I’m not just saying that because Sophia’s partner. You should’ve been partner long ago.” He shook his head. “Somehow it felt like you moving up meant I was getting old.”
“You’re not old,” Vince said.
His dad held up a palm. “I’m getting up there. I’m sorry it took me so long to make you partner. And I thank you for all your hard work.”
Vince got choked up.
His dad hugged him and pulled back. "You can have free rein. I'm cutting back my hours. I want to spend more time with your stepmom. You don't need to check in with me for anything. I know you got this."
"Of course, we'll still talk about stuff," Vince said. "We're partners."
Sophia came out from behind the desk and crossed to them in that same sexy outfit that had caught him in her spell on the fateful day they met. She met his eyes with a small smile. That bossy, demanding, utterly perfect dream girl of his. “And, Vince, I want the historic architecture department. You’ll run crew for all of the projects.”
“So you just waltz in here and fix everything for everybody,” Vince thundered.
She lifted her chin, challenging him in
every way possible for all the right reasons. “You got that right.”
“But you forgot one thing.”
She looked uncertain for a moment. “What’s that?”
He lowered his voice to a husky drawl. “You forgot about us.”
His dad cleared his throat and stepped from the room.
“I didn’t forget about us!” she protested. “I got us both—”
He hauled her against him and kissed the words right out of her. He pulled away and gazed down at her. “I love you so damn much.”
She blinked rapidly. “Oh. I love you too.”
“That was beautiful,” his dad said. Vince looked over to see his dad wiping away tears. Then he nodded and left without another word.
He pushed a lock of hair over her ear. "We're going to build an empire, Soph. A damn dynasty. You and me. All the way."
"I like going all the way with you," she said.
He shut the door to his office. "On my desk, partner."
"Oh, Vince!"
Epilogue
Three weeks later, Vince pulled on a rented tux, fully prepared to hobnob with the rich society people Sophia had drummed up for the gala fundraising dinner along with a good number of celebrities. There would be dancing, and he was going to wow her with his ballroom dance moves. Sure, those lessons had been way back in seventh grade, but he figured it was like riding a bicycle. Sophia had suspected her actor friend might be behind the fire and had confronted him privately. She’d been right. The guy had wanted to make a big splash, coming to the rescue with what promised to be a star-studded gala. He’d taken the time to store the historic stuff at his place, knowing how important it was to Sophia. What a guy. He’d promised to replace the collection in full. He just wanted the good PR. Crazy show-biz people.
He peeked in the bathroom to see if Sophia was ready yet. She was in a robe, still working on her makeup. He couldn’t wait any longer. She took forever to get ready.
“I got something I want to show you,” he said.
“Now? I have to get ready.”
“It won’t take long.” He’d secretly fixed the first floor of the tower and wanted her to get her first look at it before they headed out tonight. He’d hidden a surprise in there. He held out his hand.
She sighed. “Do I need shoes for this?”
“Nah.”
She took his hand, and he led her downstairs and over to the tower just off the kitchen. She gasped. “Are you showing me your secret tower?”
He chuckled. “Yes. I’m showing you my secret tower.”
He led her inside. She did a slow turn, taking in the loft-style rooms on the periphery of the room going up three levels. She looked up and studied the ceiling, which was a wooden beam structure. “Ooh!” she exclaimed.
He snagged the diamond ring, and when she turned back, he was down on one knee. Because he wanted to do this right. “Sophia, will you marry me?”
“Vince! Omigod! What are you doing? You got me a ring?” She squealed and took it, sliding it on her finger and admiring it from all sides.
He rose to his feet. “I’ll fix up the rest of the tower for you with a home office, workout room, whatever you want, as long as you’ll marry me.”
“Oh, Vince! Yes, yes, yes!”
She threw herself in his arms, and he kissed her like he meant business. Sophia apparently wasn’t on the same page. She pulled away. “Can I climb up there?” She pointed to the upper levels. “Just for a peek?”
“No. It’s not ready yet.”
She headed for the ladder barefoot. He snagged her around the waist. “Get on my shoulders,” he said with a heavy sigh. The woman was fearless.
He knelt down, and she climbed on. He rose and boosted her up to look around.
“It’s pretty much the same up there except much worse shape,” she said. “Was there anything hidden in the floorboards?”
“Nothing. I tore most of it up.”
“It’s still really cool. I want to investigate more.”
He brought her down and turned her to face him. “Do you just want me for my tower?”
She rubbed his chest. “A few other parts too.”
“Like my lumberjack shoulders?” For some reason she always compared him to a lumberjack. Always talked about his shoulders and arms like he spent all his time chopping down trees.
“I love your smarts,” she said. He swallowed hard. No one ever said that about him. “And your good business sense.” Another thing no one said about him. “Your competence in all things. Your skill with tools, your love of family, your loyalty.”
He grinned. “You’re going to give me a big head. Keep going.”
She laughed. “You’re everything I’ve been missing in my life, and I'm so lucky I found you.”
His eyes stung. “Soph, whatcha doing to me? Fuck. How am I supposed to go out with you now when all I want to do is screw your brains out?”
“Did I mention I love your sweet talk?” She took his hand and pulled him out of the tower.
“Whatcha got on under that robe?” he asked.
“I got you.” She pushed him against the wall, unzipped him, and hitched a leg up. His perfect match. The only woman for him.
He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around him. “You look damn good wearing Vince.”
She looked at him through heavily lidded eyes, her voice throaty. “I know.”
He carried her like that upstairs to the bedroom because he was feeling extra tender after she agreed to be his wife, which meant a more gentle fucking in a soft bed.
“They look good there together,” she said as they passed the dresser.
On top sat a new frame with the picture of his mom. He still didn’t want to visit her grave. Too many bad memories there of the worst time of his life, but he spoke to her regularly now, on the inside, let her know what was going on in his life. Next to that was a framed picture of him and his family from last Christmas—all eight of them.
“Our wedding picture will make it complete,” he told her. “I think I fell in love with you at first fight.”
“I fell in love with you at porcupine,” she said with a straight face.
He peeled her off him and tossed her on the bed. “You promised not to laugh about that.”
She landed with a bounce and propped up on her elbows. “I’m serious. That is when I fell for you.”
“Good.” He took off the tux and carefully laid the pieces on the end of the dresser. “Because Emily’s making you a Mrs. Porcupine costume.”
At the horrified look on her face, Vince burst out laughing.
She shut her mouth with a snap. “I would be honored.”
“I was messing with you,” he said.
She smiled and opened her arms to him. And then he kissed her in his aggressive way, and she matched him, and they rolled in a crazy tangle of arms and legs as only two fiery, star-crossed, perfectly matched lovers could.
Marino and Capello sealed with a passionate kiss.
~THE END~
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You’ve just read book #6 in the Clover Park series. The books in the series are The Opposite of Wild (Ryan & Liz), Daisy Does It All (Trav & Daisy), Bad Taste in Men (Shane & Rachel), Kissing Santa (Rico & Samantha), Restless Harmony (Gabe & Zoe), Not My Romeo (Vince & Sophia), and Rev Me Up (Nico & Lily). I hope you enjoy them all!
If you’d like to read an excerpt from Rev Me Up, Nico and Lily’s story, please turn the page.
Rev Me Up Excerpt
The Clover Park series, Book #7
A road trip with his most important client�
�s sexy daughter. What could go wrong?
When hot redheaded Lily walks into Nico Marino’s classic car restoration shop, he figures she’s the frisky blind date his brother arranged. The sizzling seduction comes to a screeching halt when he learns she’s the daughter of his wealthiest client. This is one hookup he has to say no to, only Lily has other ideas.
Lily Spencer knows men only want her for her money or her family, but she has a plan to end her two-year dry spell with the sexy Nico—getting his hands on a 1969 Mustang she’s inherited. And hopefully on her too. All it takes is a two-week, no-strings road trip. Lily won’t take no for an answer.
Nico Marino was about to get lucky. At work too. He was the boss, so he could take a fuck break whenever he wanted. He washed his grease-covered hands in the sink in back of the repair shop. His hands were filthy from his work on restoring a 1967 Lotus Super Seven, and he considered if maybe he should leave a little dirt behind. The red-haired beauty his stepbrother Luke was sending his way was a rich Manhattan socialite, who wanted to be with a man who “got his hands dirty for a living.” Another reason she’d wanted to see him at work, in his element so to speak. She’d seen a picture of him and Luke in front of his prize 1971 Porsche 911E in Luke’s Wall Street office. He and Luke often went for rides in that bad boy.
He dried his hands on a paper towel and headed to his office in the back of the Exotic and Classic Restoration showroom. Nico owned the shop, which consisted of a showroom, lot, and four-bay garage for the restoration work. Unfortunately, he didn’t fully own the shop. He took it over from his former boss, Kevin Mallory, when Kevin retired four years ago. Nico paid him a stake upfront, but, despite saving like crazy, buying out his silent partner was going excruciatingly slow. Nico liked fast in everything—cars, women, making money. He was thirty-two and desperately wanted full ownership of the shop. He had to make something of himself, to be a success.
You’ll never amount to anything, Nico.
His ex-wife’s harsh words rang through his head. Ava had left him, pregnant with a more successful man’s child. He wanted to prove her wrong so badly he could taste it. He was always on the hunt for a prize barn find, some undiscovered beauty of an old car to sell to get him out of debt quick.
Not My Romeo Page 20