Searching for Beautiful

by Jennifer Probst

  "You work for your best friends. I think they'll agree you need a vacation and give you the time off."

  Gen shook her head. "No. I refuse to be treated like a child you constantly worry about leaving behind. I'm not going to Italy."

  His slow smile heated her blood, curled her toes, and scared her silly. "I'll just have to change your mind, won't I?"

  She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You can't make me do anything. You may think this hot-blooded caveman behavior is sexy, but you're dead wrong."

  The corner of his lip lifted. "Better call Kate and tell her you leave Tuesday."

  "I'm not going to Italy. And I'm not sleeping with you tonight."

  He kept silent, but his knowing grin did bad things to her tummy and other places. Gen promised herself she'd stand strong on both counts.

  "We'll see."

  She stuck out her tongue and swore on a stack of mental Bibles she'd never weaken.

  Never.

  This was one standoff she was going to win.

  GENEVIEVE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

  She was in Italy.

  The last two days had passed in a blur. Her friends took her off the work schedule without pause, pushing her when she resisted with lame excuses, and even helped her pack. She had to hand it to Wolfe.

  He never even said I told you so.

  The car crawled through the busy streets of Milan toward the house she'd been dying to see. Pedestrians clogged the sidewalks, mopeds roared in and out of traffic, and a heavy, smoglike mist settled over the city. Wolfe laughed as she twisted madly around, trying to soak in all the sights, sniffing the delicious scents of bread and coffee and exhaust that mixed together in a bouquet to the senses.

  The crumbling three-story building looked a bit worn when they finally stopped. Huh. She'd imagined Julietta and Sawyer lived in a mansion, but the place did emanate a quaint character she loved. Lots of terra-cotta, brick, plants, and flowers surrounded her. The driver took their bags, but before her feet hit the ground, Wolfe's family rushed out, screaming and yelling in Italian, and smothered him whole.

  Gen stared. Wolfe had never liked being touched by too many people. When they made love, there was no barrier between them, but in daylight, distance always radiated around him. He was always polite to people, shook hands, but seemed to scream hands off. He'd slowly opened up more with her own family, but he seemed to allow it rather than steeping himself in affection.

  Her heart clenched as he threw himself into their arms with open enthusiasm, accepting the bond of affection that was even stronger than blood, because it was pure love by choice. Gen blinked back tears, enjoying the scene, until he managed to break away and reach his hand out to her. Slowly, she took, it, and he pulled her against him.

  "I finally brought Genevieve," he said in a gruff voice. "Convinced her take a vacay and spend some time with us."

  "Finally!" Julietta squealed, tugging her in for a family hug that rivaled her mother's. Julietta was more beautiful than ever, her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders, and almond-shaped eyes filled with a joyous light and mischief. Dressed in tailored black pants, a sleeveless ivory blouse, and ballet flats, she exhibited pure elegance and grace.

  Gen laughed and hugged back. "Wolfe didn't give me much of a choice. Thank you so much for letting me stay with you."

  Sawyer grinned and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "We've been dying to get you over here. You work too hard." His golden eyes gleamed with affection, a complete contradiction to the wicked scar that gouged his cheek and hooked under his chin. His lips curved in an easy smile, and the lean, angular features of his face seemed softer than normal. Probably because of baby Gabriella. Wolfe said Sawyer was baby crazy and sometimes babbled in meetings now, forgetting when he was around adults. She loved imagining such a strong, dominant male softening under a baby's coo.

  Julietta linked her arms with Gen's and led her upstairs. "We'll eat, settle in, and plan our itinerary. I know you'll want to do some sightseeing."

  "And babysitting," Sawyer added with a wink. "Gabby's napping now, but she'll be up soon."

  Wolfe groaned. "I knew there was a reason you needed me."

  Sawyer's next words took away her breath. "I don't need a reason to want you here, Wolfe. I missed the hell out of you."

  He clapped Wolfe on the shoulder and Gen could swear the light glinted off some moisture in her lover's eyes, but it was gone so quickly she figured it was her imagination.

  WOLFE GRINNED AT THE expression on Gen's face when she saw the inside of the home. He knew the outside was deceiving, but once the arched door opened, the space dazzled the eye. Shiny parquet floors, old gleaming wood that smelled of lemon polish, vaulted ceilings with heavy chandeliers, and an array of antiques and paintings that reminded one of another time. He'd normally find such decorations cold, but not with Julietta and Sawyer. It was all home, from the touches of magazines and books, various crocheted blankets in bright colors, baby gates guarding the elaborate steps, to the rush of garlic, tomato, and bread simmering in the air.

  He was home.

  Julietta took Gen for a tour while he walked to the kitchen with Sawyer. "You look good."

  Wolfe turned with a grin. "Thanks. Bet you miss all the piercings and crazy hair though."

  Sawyer laughed and handed him a bottle of water. "Nah, I like the man you've become. But I always gave you credit. I still remember picking you up that first day. Within a few days, you managed to kill your hair and get a tattoo and more piercings than I can imagine. You gave me a big fuck you. Remember what you said?"

  Like it was yesterday. "I said, 'What do you think now? I'm as fucked-up on the outside as I am on the inside. Still want me?' "

  Sawyer nodded. "Swear to God, I think I loved you right then. You were such a pain in the ass."

  Wolfe shook his head, taking a long swallow of water. "You needed a challenge."

  "I did. I'm glad you brought Gen. Surprised, but glad."

  "Why?"

  Sawyer frowned, as if thinking about the question. "You never cared about anybody enough to want to bring them home. I know you've been friends for a long time, but this feels different. You're together now?"

  Wolfe stiffened. He didn't want Sawyer or Julietta thinking it was permanent or long-term. It would only complicate matters and maybe embarrass Gen. Better to keep it to friendship and not admit they were sleeping together. He forced a smile. "Nope, still just great friends. Since she broke up with her fiance, I thought a trip would be good for her."

  Sawyer studied him for a while. Those razor-sharp eyes pierced and shredded through the lies, just like they had when he was young. But he accepted the declaration for now. "Sure. Either way, I'm glad you're both here."

  "Looking forward to catching up. Besides babysitting, I have a feeling there's something else you want to talk about?"

  "Yeah. But I'd like for all of us to sit down together. Tonight if that's okay? Over dinner?"

  "Absolutely. You cooking?"

  "Do I ever?"

  Wolfe laughed. "Good. Some things never change."

  They grinned at each other, then walked into the kitchen.

  It was gonna be a hell of a week.

  twenty-six

  WOLFE SAT IN the library, which did double duty as Sawyer's office. Settling into the generous curved leather chair, he sipped cognac and let the quiet of the evening soak in. The low table held biscotti, some pastries from La Dolce Famiglia, and two other glasses filled with amber liquid. Julietta tucked her legs underneath her, leaning against the arm of the sofa, and Sawyer, who was sitting in the matching leather chair across from him, held a folder in his lap.

  The scent of pipe tobacco permeated the air along with the aroma of liquor, musty paper, and leather. Wolfe took a deep breath and enjoyed the calm that spread over him. Gen had retired to her room early, and the window was open, letting in a soft breeze from the terrace.

  "Thanks again for dinner," he said. "Between
you and Gen cooking for me, I've been gaining some weight. Gotta kick Sawyer's ass in the gym this week and get myself back under control."

  Sawyer snorted. "I may be old, but I can still take you any day. Wisdom beats age."

  "Not in the gym."

  Julietta laughed. "You're both winners. What do you mean Gen's cooking for you? I thought she lived in Verily."

  He'd totally forgotten they didn't know he and Gen had been living together. Temporarily, of course. "Her ex was giving her problems, so I moved in for a while. Just to make sure she was okay."

  Her shrewd gaze saw as much as Sawyer's, but she just nodded. "I see."

  Wolfe steered the subject into safe territory. "How about you satisfy my curiosity on what's in the file? Something good? Did I inherit?" He waited for the laugh, but Sawyer's face tightened, as if he was stressed. A worried gleam lit his eyes. Wolfe leaned forward. "I'm just kidding. If it's a problem, I'll help you fix it."

  Julietta gave a soft sigh. "Not a problem. Actually, it's something we've been waiting years for. Didn't know if it would happen. We just hope you're as happy as we are."

  Okay, now he was getting freaked out. "Guys, you're killing me. Can you just tell me what's going on?"

  Sawyer pulled out a document. His finger tapped steadily against the blue folder, his leg shaking just a bit. Yep. A definite sign of nervousness from his usually controlled guardian. Had he done something bad with Purity? Gotten them in trouble? Sickness clawed at his gut.

  "Remember that conversation we had years ago? When you were about twenty-one?"

  Wolfe let out an impatient breath. "We had a ton of conversations. Is there a specific one you're referring to?"

  "Your adoption."

  He stilled. His gaze flicked to the paper, then back up at Sawyer's face. He tried to gather his thoughts, unsure where the whole dialogue was going. "Yeah. You wanted to legally adopt me, and we went to court a few times, but there were issues. Made my name change look like a walk in the park."

  Sawyer nodded. Julietta twisted her fingers, nodding as if to encourage Sawyer to keep talking. "We didn't know what happened to your mother at the time. I was more concentrated on keeping your life stress free. Didn't want to bring up the past. So I got my PI to get all the information, and we've been working on this for a number of years." Sweat gleamed from Sawyer's brow. Wolfe took another sip of cognac, knowing the next few minutes were about to be life changing.

  "We found out about your mother, Wolfe."

  He ducked his head, needing a minute. Knowing the answer. "She's dead."

  Julietta reached over and squeezed his hand. He returned the pressure. "Yes, sweet boy. She died years ago. We found where she's buried. You can go see her if you want."

  "Was it an overdose?"

  Another slight pause. "Heart attack. Could've been the drugs, but there was no autopsy."

  Wolfe wondered why he didn't feel . . . more. In a way, he'd grieved over his mother's death since he ran away that fateful night. She'd been dead to him, and he'd struggled with the fact for so long, the confirmation just cemented the knowledge that she was never coming back. "I'm okay," he said slowly. "I kind of expected it, and I dealt with this a while ago."

  Sawyer nodded. "That's what we hoped, but hearing it aloud sometimes brings back nasty stuff."

  "I appreciate you finding out for me."

  "After we were able to confirm what happened to your mom, other items fell into place. We tracked down some necessary documents, and it's been in the legal system for a while. But we have our answer."

  Wolfe cocked his head, still confused. "What answer?"

  "Your adoption. We can legally adopt you as ours, Wolfe. And we want to, if you'll accept us."

  The simple statement pierced through the shield of his heart and buried deep. Raw emotion exploded within him. He glanced back and forth, seeing the hope on Julietta's face, the tension in the way Sawyer clenched his jaw. They were nervous? Nervous he wouldn't want them? The shaking began, beginning with tiny goose bumps and breaking into shudders that began to wrack him from the inside. He'd been nothing before them. They'd done him a favor, taking in a smart-assed street kid with issues, and they were asking him if it was okay?

  "We love you," Julietta whispered. "But if you don't want to go ahead with this, we understand. We won't be hurt. You'll always be ours, in every way that counts, but this would make it legal."

  Sawyer put up his hands. "You can think about it as long as you want. If it's a no, we won't talk about it again, and there's no need to feel guilty. Understood? Whatever you want is what we want."

  The word stumbled over his tongue and shot out into the world. "Yes."

  His almost-legal parents stared at him. "Yes?" Julietta choked out. "You want to be ours?"

  Wolfe let out a shaky laugh. "Hell, yeah, you think I'm crazy? I had no idea you were still pursuing it. I've always thought of myself as your son, but to finally have the papers to back it up? Hell, yes."

  Sawyer grinned, joy lighting up his face. "Hell, yes!"

  Julietta hugged him, and Sawyer just kept grinning like an idiot, too overwhelmed to try and hug it out, which Wolfe was grateful for. No way did he want to bawl like a pussy. But inside, he felt . . . different. More whole.

  He really belonged to a family now. Legally. They belonged to him, just as much as he did to them.

  Hell. Yes.

  Sawyer pushed the folder over with a pen. "There's a ton of stuff to sign, but the lawyers already looked over everything. You'll have to get used to your new name though."

  "Wolfe Wells." He repeated the name. "Umm, yeah. Not the best, but it's not like I have to get through middle school anymore."

  They burst into laughter.

  And he signed the papers.

  GEN LAY ON TOP of the covers, staring at the gorgeous ceiling with the painting of the Madonna and Child overhead. Probably not cool if you wanted to have dirty hot sex, but since that wasn't happening tonight, maybe she should say a rosary instead. Her mother would be happy. Kind of.

  Ugh.

  She'd been exhausted from the trip, but also sensed Wolfe needed some time alone with his family. After a nap, she was now wide awake and buzzing with energy. Didn't feel like reading. Her brain kept misfiring over the mixed signals Wolfe threw out. One minute he treated her like a buddy, bringing her on a trip to be nice and protect her from the big bad wolf. The next moment, he touched her and sexual electricity buzzed, and his eyes darkened with that hungry look as if he'd like to feast on her for hours in a really good way.

  Unfortunately, he'd clearly set her up in a bedroom way down the hall from his. Like a sign he didn't intend to visit. Julietta and Sawyer obviously believed they were just platonic friends. Guess no benefits this week. Which was good. They'd decided to keep it open and flexible, even though she'd fallen in love with him.

  A slight tapping echoed in the room.

  She shot up from the bed and opened the door.

  Wolfe stood in front of her, looking delicious in sweats, a tank top, and bare feet. His hair was mussed like he'd been dragging his fingers through the curls. He smelled like soap and a bit of liquor. "Did I wake you?"

  "No. Can't sleep."

  He shifted his feet. Those blue eyes flamed to life as his gaze raked over her, but he remained safely out in the hallway. "Wanna go for a walk?"

  No. She wanted him to get naked, and get busy on her bed, but Gen nodded. "I'll change."

  "You're fine."

  She hesitated. Not expecting a late-night sex call, she'd sported flannel pants with pink flowers, and a matching pink V-necked T-shirt. Her hair was crazy from lying on the pillow, and she had no makeup on. Gen wrinkled her nose. "I'm a mess."

  He reached over and linked his fingers with hers. The heat jumped like a live wire between them. She barely held back a hiss. "You're a beautiful mess," he said softly. "Just come walk with me."

  She was such a sucker for this man. "Okay." She pulled on a pair of Keds and
followed him down the stairs and into the night.

  It was pitch-dark, apart from the occasional streetlight and the glow of the moon. Wolfe led her firmly down the path, keeping her hand securely locked in his. Their feet slapped against the cobblestones, and the ancient buildings thrust into the sky, surrounding and protecting them like beautiful old trees. Even late at night with the shops closed, pedestrians lingered, sipping espressos and clutching large bags from one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, Via della Spiga.

  Wolfe seemed to have no direction. He swung her arm back and forth, lapsing into a comfortable silence, and she relaxed. When he finally spoke, he told her the earth-shattering news as if it was the most natural thing in the world to share. As if he'd been sharing intimate details with her forever.

  "Sawyer and Julietta legally adopted me."

  She stumbled and he quickly caught her. Gen gasped and gripped his hand. "What?"

  His slow grin lit up his features. Lord, he was sexy. Gorgeous. Sexy. "Yeah. That was their big news and why they wanted me to come visit. We tried years ago, but they couldn't find my mother, and the paperwork was a mess. Went to court a few times but nothing really came of it. I assumed Sawyer quit, but he's been working on this the whole time."

  "What did you find out about your mom?"

  The grin slipped. "She died."

  "I'm sorry."

  He nodded. "I lost her a long time ago. I can't even be sad. She wasn't my mother anymore."

  His simple words tore at her heart. To have a parent break you in half and destroy the innate love and trust of such a relationship haunted her. But Gen knew he didn't want her sympathy or tears or pity. He wouldn't have them either. She looked upon him as the victor. He got away, rebuilt, and found a family to love and cherish him. "I hate what you had to go through," she said softly. "I'd kill her myself with my bare hands for hurting you. But you got to the other side. And even though a piece of paper is important, Julietta and Sawyer were always your family anyway. I just love that we can celebrate it's legal."

  He gazed off in the night, as if trying to express his thoughts. "I can't believe they wanted me," he finally said. "I was a pain in the ass. I mean, of course I wanted them, but the idea they never gave up trying to adopt me blows my mind."