Snow Falling

by Jane Gloriana Villanueva

  Not sure he was serious, she examined him carefully, but as his clear-eyed and wide gaze settled on her, she realized he truly was serious. He might be a little self-centered, but he had a childlike honesty about him. She was learning that he said what he thought without hesitation or dissembling.

  “Thank you,” she said and sat back down.

  “May I ask who is the father? Of course, I plan on making sure that he is doing the right thing by you,” he said with assuredness.

  “Like you did?” she responded with a bit of smartness and regretted it instantly as sadness slipped over his very expressive features. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t judge you since I really don’t know you.”

  With a poised and stately nod, he said, “That is something I hope we can rectify in the next several weeks. And trust me that if I had known about you, I would not have stayed away.”

  Surprisingly she believed him. When he asked about the father again, she said, “It’s a complicated situation.”

  At the subtle arch of his brow, she continued. “Rake Solvino, the Regal Sol’s owner, is the father, but I’m engaged to a Pinkerton detective—Martin Cadden.”

  The arched brow shot ever higher, forcing her to try to explain—no, justify—what she had done. “I saw Martin with a woman, and I was angry. Hurt. Rake was suddenly there, and he was so charming, and there was champagne…” The words spilled from her as she retold the story of that life-changing night. Well, most of the story, since she kept the more intimate details to herself.

  “And both men still want a place in your life?” he asked after his shocked silence faded.

  “Yes, they do. But Martin thinks Rake is this mysterious crime boss, and well, Rake isn’t too fond of Martin and his insinuations. And Rake dared me to be brave, and I find myself attracted to him, but Martin is the man who has always had my heart.”

  Eyes opened wide again, he said, “A triangle that’s quite more sensational than any drama I’ve been lucky to play. But as the Bard himself wrote: All’s well that ends well.”

  Josephine wished she could be that optimistic, but it still all felt way too complicated and uncertain.

  Ronaldo must have sensed her upset. He reached out, took both of her hands in his, and in a booming voice, said, “Do not worry, Josephine. I am here now, and I will make sure that both of these men do right by you. Never fear.”

  So this was what it was like to have a father, she thought suddenly. Josephine realized that Ronaldo really did want to try to make things right and not just with Rake and Martin. She truly believed he had not known about her and was determined to remedy that situation. And she wanted to get to know him. Despite his demands and drama, there was something endearing and charming about the man.

  As they sat there and finished breakfast, she realized she was looking forward to the next few months that the troupe would be performing at the Regal Sol. She had wished for a father so many times as a child. One who was kind and gentle and would read stories to her like her abuela had. One who she could tuck herself against for a good cry like she did with Zara.

  Alberta and Zara had always been there to fill the void of not having her father, but despite their best efforts, she had always felt his absence. But Ronaldo, dramatic, extroverted, and flamboyant Ronaldo, was nothing like what she had imagined as a father.

  Sitting there, listening to his stories, sharing her own, and thinking about his behavior over the last few weeks, it occurred to her that he was a man with a big ego, but with a bigger heart. He was kind and caring. Determined to make up for his absence and to be a part of her future. She imagined that he would be patient and playful with her daughter and take great pleasure in being a grandfather.

  He was in another word—imperfect—but in a delightfully entertaining way. She was looking forward to having her father in her life and was hopeful that he and Zara would maybe find their way back to each other.

  Josephine might be pleased, but would Zara be so enthusiastic at having her former lover in their lives once again? And what about Alberta? Could she reconcile the fact that her favorite entertainer had been the one to crush her precious daughter’s flower? This is just like a telenovela!

  Another load of illegal liquor had made it into the North Miami saloons. Worse, word on the street was that a load of cocaine had likewise made an appearance. While not technically illegal, there were many pushing for it to be outlawed because of its dangers.

  Conveniently, the appearance of the contraband happened just around the time that Rake Solvino’s father returned from a trip to Cuba, Martin thought. Convenient because it seemed to turn the direction of the Sin Sombra investigation away from Rake being the criminal mastermind and toward his father. But that didn’t mean that Rake wasn’t assisting his father in his nefarious activities. His hope was that if they cut off the head of the snake, the rest of the syndicate would die off.

  “I know you don’t want it to match up, but it does, Martin,” Nita said as she stepped back to look at the chalkboard where they had laid out the timelines of the various murders and events against the presence of the two men in both Palm Beach and Miami.

  Martin hated that Nita might be right. He had no doubt that Rake was up to something illegal, and it worried him that a man like that might be in Josephine’s life—and his—on a more permanent basis. In his heart of hearts, he truly believed that Rake was Sin Sombra and he had been determined to prove it, but he was also a man who dealt in facts. The facts written in chalk on the board before him said that Rake might not be the crime boss, except for one thing.

  He rose and gestured to one gap in the timeline where Rake was present in Miami and his father had still been in Palm Beach. A gap that also coincided with Richard Slayton’s murder. “If Ernesto Solvino is Sin Sombra, how do we account for this?”

  “You’re grasping at straws, Martin,” Nita said with an exasperated sigh.

  “But the gap is there, Nita. You can’t deny it,” he urged and stepped back to look at the chalkboard and review all the details again. “The timeline fits him better, and he has more reason to do it. He’s had to lay off people at the hotel because he’s in a financial bind. What better way to get the money than by selling illegal liquor and drugs?”

  Nita came to stand beside him and narrowed her gaze. “The drugs are a new element. That bothers me, Martin.”

  It bothered him also. It was a big diversion from the crime boss’s original dealings unless… “What if it isn’t new?”

  Nita shot him a puzzled look, and he explained. “Rake charmed Mrs. Tuttle into giving him a license to sell alcohol. So he brings in more than he can use at the Regal Sol and sells the rest to willing buyers, but how much can he make that way? Is it enough to keep the hotel afloat?”

  “Or enough to kill for?” Nita added, catching on to what he was suggesting. “How could we have missed something like that?”

  He hated to say it, but maybe because he’d been so fixated on one thing—proving Rake was Sin Sombra—he might have lost sight of the bigger picture.

  “When the mayor came to us, he was worried about the liquor and prostitutes and all the violence. We’ve managed to curb some of that activity, but not all. Maybe the reason is that we’ve all been focused on the alcohol when there’s something more dangerous going on.”

  “And you think Rake Solvino is behind it?” Nita asked.

  Martin just pointed to the gap in the timeline and the latest murder. A victim connected to the Regal Sol at a time when Ernesto Solvino was in Palm Beach. No words were necessary to convey to his partner who he thought was behind the murder.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Josephine sat beside Martin on the cottage’s front porch, tucked into his side with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. He’d had more time to spend with her lately, as his big investigation had gone quiet. It was always so peaceful being with him, even with the chaos of everything else going on in her life.

  Throughout the past six weeks she had b
een spending time learning more about her long-lost father, who was considering putting down roots in Miami. He’d said he didn’t want to miss a moment more of his daughter’s life and not a second of his granddaughter’s.

  Rake was a constant in her life, dropping by often to see how she was doing and leaving little gifts. At times his presence stirred up emotions that made her feel like she was being unfaithful to Martin all over again. Especially when he turned that dark gaze on her and heat flared to life inside her.

  The baby kicked her, dragging an oomph from her at the force of the blow, as if the baby was upset by Josephine’s thoughts.

  She laid her hand over her belly and rubbed gently until the movements ceased. “Easy girl,” she said.

  “Are you okay?” Martin said and went to lay his hand over hers, but hesitated.

  “It’s okay to touch her,” she said, and he relented and covered her hand, but she reversed their positions so he could feel the movement of the baby beneath his palm.

  An astonished look passed over his face, but then it became tinged with a hint of sadness. “I used to picture this in my mind. How you would look when you were carrying my baby. After we…you know…”

  She cradled his cheek and urged him to look at her. “I did too. I’m sorry it happened this way.”

  “I still want that, my darling. I want it so much,” he said.

  Her heart skipped a beat, and as her gaze met his, the need there mirrored her own. She took hold of his hand and drew it upward, over her breast. “I’ve been dreaming of this. Of you touching me.”

  He sucked in a breath and his body tensed beside her, but he caressed her and leaned closer to whisper, “You don’t know how hard it is not to do more with you.”

  “You want to do more? Even now?” she said with surprise. How could any man want someone who looked like her, all round and swollen?

  “I do, Josephine. So much, but we had always talked about waiting until we were married. That it would be the right thing to do. I want to honor that promise, no matter how much I want to be with you.”

  She sighed at his words, wishing for once that Martin wasn’t always so honorable and patient. Images from her night with Rake flickered quickly through her mind, fueling her growing need as Martin tenderly caressed her and kissed her temple. She forced the thoughts of another man away, turned her face and covered her mouth with his, wanting to show Martin just how much she wanted him.

  The baby kicked again, dampening her passion. “She’s so active,” she said.

  Martin laughed and placed his hand over the baby, this time without hesitation. “Be gentle, little one. You’ll be here soon enough.”

  She would, which made Josephine think about something else. “I thought we might be married right after the baby is born. I don’t want to wait too long.” Josephine was tired of her life being so dramatic. The sooner she could get back on track with her plans, the better.

  “I don’t either, my darling. If we could, I’d say let’s do it now, but I know how much you wanted to wear your grandmother’s wedding gown.”

  “I always dreamed of walking down the aisle in her dress; it’s so beautiful. And I want the wedding to be all about us starting our lives together and the baby…” Her voice trailed off, but she knew he understood. The baby was Rake’s, and her belly was not something she wanted front and center at her wedding to Martin.

  “You are going to look lovely, and I’m counting the minutes until then, my darling.”

  She smiled and kissed him, her caring, gentle, and patient Martin. He was truly the kind of man worthy of being her husband and a father to the daughter who would be here shortly. And Rake could only be a friend and nothing more.

  She had to believe that and stick to it because anything else…

  Anything else? Anything else, what? You can’t leave us hanging, Josephine! Josephine?

  With a final yank of the wrapping paper, Rake unveiled the brand-new crib that he’d ordered. The wrought-iron crib had been handmade in Paris with decorative scrollwork that was painted in an emerald green and gilded with gold. Casters made it easy to move the crib around. Not that there is much room, he thought as he looked around Josephine’s tiny bedroom.

  He had ordered two of the cribs, as well as the horsehair-stuffed mattresses and down pillows, so that he could also have the same crib in the Regal Sol. He wanted his daughter to be comfortable no matter where she stayed.

  “It’s so…extravagant. You really didn’t have to do this,” Josephine said, obviously uneasy.

  “It is not a bother. I want my daughter to be at home wherever she is, although, I confess,” he said, gathering his courage to speak plainly, “I wish she didn’t need two sets of everything. Or two homes.”

  “Rake, we discussed this—” she began, and he hated the conciliatory tone in her voice, so he cut her off.

  “It’s just hard not to think about it, Josephine. About us being together. After all, you’re having my baby.”

  He cleared his throat and went on, feeling apprehensive. This wasn’t going the way he’d expected, but he intended to show Josephine he was serious about a future with her and their child. Rake reached into his suit pocket and pulled out the papers he’d had his attorney prepare days earlier. He laid them on the table and scooted them in her direction.

  At her puzzled look, he said, “For you. Read it.”

  She hesitated, but he shifted the paper ever closer. “Please, Josephine. For the baby.”

  She picked up the papers and unfolded them. As she read, her eyes opened wide and the color slowly drained from her face. “You’ve made me and the baby part owners of the hotel?” she finally said in a shaky voice.

  He nodded, and puzzled by her reaction, he said, “I had hoped this might prove to you that I’m serious about our future together.”

  “Rake,” she said hesitantly, clearly searching for the right words. “This is incredibly generous…too generous. It’s—It’s too much. Far too much.”

  He frowned, disappointed and confused by her reaction. Maybe he was just too used to people who thought money was the most important thing in their lives. “I just wanted you to know that I can provide for you and the baby.”

  She looked at him strangely, shaking her head. “I can provide for the baby, Rake.”

  “But I want to give you and our daughter the best that money can buy,” he urged, and as bright color erupted on her cheeks, he realized he was making a mess of this.

  “So you think you can buy me and our baby?” she gestured to the crib, anger clearly evident in her voice now. She shoved the paperwork over to him. “Do you think we’re just like another piece of property that will go to the highest bidder?”

  “What? No.” Alarm flooded through Rake. He’d never expected this kind of reaction or just how upset she would be. “Not at all, Josephine. I just wanted you to see that we can make a beautiful future for our family. Our daughter can have all the things you never had growing up.”

  Her eyes narrowed, and her lips thinned into a sharp slash. Her next words cut him to the core. “Having a lot of money doesn’t make you a family. You of all people should know that, Rake.”

  He did, and he was beginning to realize how badly he’d mishandled the situation. “I do know that, Josephine, and I want better for my child. Our child,” he hastily corrected.

  She tilted her chin up defiantly. “And I do too. I want our child to work hard and learn right from wrong. And I don’t want her growing up thinking that being wealthy will solve all her problems in life!”

  “She won’t!” He crossed the room to take hold of her shoulders gently. “We will teach her that. We’ll teach her all those things. Together,” he said, pleading with her to understand.

  She shook her head, moving away from him and wrapping her arms around her belly. “How, when I don’t think you really understand that yourself, Rake? Just look at this.” She gestured to the room full of expensive baby gifts. “From everything I c
an see, you think that money can solve any problem.”

  “That’s not true,” he said, but hated that there was some truth to her accusation. From his relationship with his father to the problems with the hotel, and yes, even to Josephine and the baby, he had sometimes thought that with enough money, all those problems would vanish.

  She must have sensed that he finally understood, since her stance softened a little. “I know you only want what’s best for me and the baby, Rake. I truly do, but the kind of man I need in my life is one who puts his family first. One who is honorable and will be there for us when we need him. Can you be that kind of man, Rake?”

  A sick feeling came over him since there was no doubting the sincerity of her conviction.

  “I can try,” he said, but sadly, he knew he wasn’t that kind of man. Not yet anyway.

  With all joy gone, he gave Josephine the remaining gifts he’d purchased. She accepted each one with a forced smile and a dutiful thank you.

  At the door to the cottage he hesitated, not knowing how to end their day together. She likewise stood there awkwardly until, without another word, he left the Valencia cottage, crushed and heartbroken. For the first time in his entire life, Rake Solvino felt incredibly, utterly helpless.

  Well, it’s a horse race, my friends! Rake and Martin have left the post, and it looks like Martin is ahead by a length going into the far turn. Rake will have to use some muscle to take the lead. Bets, anyone? Does baby make the odds two to one in Rake’s favor? We shall see.

  Martin stared at the whiskey as if it would have the answers to all the questions rattling around in his head. More than a month had passed since he’d returned from Palm Beach, and so much had happened with Josephine during that time. Little by little, they’d started to rekindle the friendship and trust that they’d shared during the two years that he’d courted her. Little by little, they’d shared what passion they could before breaking apart because they’d decided to wait. But as soon as the baby came, they could be married and then he’d finally get to be with the woman who had filled his dreams for so long.