Finding Home

by Reina Torres

  He wished he could have taken it back. Mira hadn't done that to him, she hadn't even done more than smile and be a good friend to his grandmother.

  If he was honest with himself, setting aside the rush of attraction he'd felt… and continued to feel for Mirella, she hadn't done or said anything to make him think she was anything like Andrea. He'd come home to live a quiet single life, but something about this petite woman had already worked itself inside him and there was no going back.

  Taking their places at the garden workstations, the group didn’t seem to notice the exchange. Teo watched as she took a quick breath and plastered a smile on her face before she began to speak.

  "Okay, who remembers the first thing you need?"

  Holly again, raising her hand, fairly bursting with the need to give Mira the answer.

  As the school group was saying their goodbyes, Teo started to move toward Mira, set on apologizing for popping up uninvited. He'd made his way around a pair of adorable twin girls when he found himself blocked by an old friend.

  “Nice to see you back home.”

  Teodoro reached out his hand. “Good to see you too, Gabe.”

  Gabe shook his hand while he held onto the little girl he had wrapped around his torso like a little limpet. "This little one," Gabe explained, "is Sophia." He looked over his shoulder at the imp practically dancing around Mira. "That's our oldest, Holly."

  Teodoro nodded. "She's whip smart."

  The woman who had walked up beside Gabe gave him a brilliant smile. "We like to think so."

  "And this lady," Gabe gave her a wink, "is my wife, Regan."

  He'd seen them during the tour and it was obvious they were in love. That, and the lovely sparkler on her ring finger, spoke volumes. Teodoro leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her cheek. "Glad to meet you. It would take a special kind of woman to take on this guy."

  "What about you, Teodoro?" Besides the playful shove moving Teo back from Regan, Gabe seemed more at ease than Teo had ever seen him before. "You settle down yet? Maybe someone waiting for you back in L.A.?"

  Teo managed a rueful grin. "I'm sure my Nonna was hoping that I would bring someone home, but I came back alone. If she's hoping for one of us to start giving her great grandchildren soon, at least Lorenzo is dating."

  Holly scampered over and introduced herself to Teo, impressing him again with her irrepressible personality. She even gifted him with a solid hug that threatened to snap his leg in two before she twirled away to grab Gabe's hand as the family headed off to their car for the journey home.

  He had to admire his old friend. Gabe had always been the one that kept everything together, including his family after his parents died in an automobile accident. It was good to see him happy and with a family of his own.

  "I should charge you for the workshop."

  Teo turned back around and saw Mira standing a few feet away with a hesitant smile on her lips. "You could," he nodded, "but I missed the first part, and I didn't get to take home a plant." He folded his arms over his chest as he looked down at her with a big grin. "But, if you're willing to make up the parts of the tour that I missed…”

  Mira shook her head at him, gesturing at tables. "Maybe later, I have to put everything away first.”

  "I think I can help with that."

  She looked up at him with a little bit of shock. "Really?"

  It would have been so much easier for her if he shrugged and walked away. It wasn't like she expected him to help. He was her neighbor, and he was gorgeous, but even though this was a small town she didn't expect him to be all ‘aww shucks, let me help you, ma’am.’ But maybe it was that he intrigued her in ways she didn’t even understand, and that was why she poked his pride a bit, hoping for something.

  "Somehow I think you're a little out of practice with getting your hands dirty." To make her point she looked him over from head to toe and back again. It was absolutely the wrong thing for her to do. It wasn't just his stylish leather shoes, or his ironed slacks, or the way his shirt seemed to highlight the hard planes of his body. Okay, who was she kidding? It was all of those things and the warm light in his hazel eyes.

  “I grew up in St. Helena, spent my summers and every harvest working in the fields.” He lifted his hands up, turning them over and then back again. “I don't mind getting a little dirty,” his lips curved up in a slow smile, “especially if it's for a good cause.”

  Mira should have known she was in trouble when his pupils flared a little, the dark centers widening a moment before his smile broadened and showed his teeth in a wolfish grin.

  A good cause… The words were perfectly respectable, everything about him was perfectly respectable. Her problem was that she didn't want him to be respectable.

  “Okay then.” It took all she had to turn away and start picking up the activity area. Lifting up the vinyl tablecloths and shaking off the extra soil into a bin, she tried to order her thoughts, but her heart wasn't having it. There were other parts that weren't having it either.

  Her cheeks felt like fire even with the SPF 50 sunscreen she'd put on under her light makeup. She'd been going through a self imposed dry spell, but she knew that she might find someone undeniably attractive.

  Someday, when hell froze over.

  And yet, here she was flirting! Or as close as she could get.

  She turned when she heard a noise and saw him lift up one of the tables that had taken every ounce of her strength to set up. He easily carried it to the open door of the crawl space under the house. It was difficult to ignore the stretch of his shirt across the muscled expanse of his shoulders and his arms, but when he bent over to set the table into the storage area she felt something clench in her middle and her mouth went dry. Everything inside of her became utterly aware of exactly how attractive he was and just how long it had been since she'd allowed herself to dream.

  It wasn't her fault really… It wasn't even his, because she doubted that Teodoro Santini was actually interested in her. Between his business in L.A. and moving home to be with his grandmother, he had more than enough to occupy his time and that, she knew, was the saving grab for her sanity.

  Still, here he was, helping her with all the horrible sweat inducing tasks she hated, looking like a modern Italian version of Humphrey Bogart in Sabrina, all strong shoulders and jaw. She should run for the house, because if she stuck around, she had no doubt in her mind that she'd do something incredibly stupid like see if his lips were as gifted as she'd dreamed they were a few nights ago.

  And last night too.

  It was crazy really. All he'd done is stop by to get some garlic for his grandmother and apparently she was so lovelorn that she was inventing an attraction on his part. She needed to get over this infatuation.

  She muttered a few colorful words under her breath and based on the smug look on his face, he'd heard some of what she'd said. He didn't mention it as he rolled down his sleeves and took out his handkerchief, pressing it against his neck. "Now the neighborly thing to do is say 'Thank you, Teo.'"

  Neighborly, she thought to herself, borrowed sugar and traded casserole recipes. Neighborly didn't have a right to look as tasty as butter pecan ice cream and as sinful as Lexi's Fifty Shades of Chocolate.

  “Besides what you’re working on, anything else need to go under the house?” He turned back toward the house and she couldn't stop herself from wetting her bottom lip as she looked at him and his devastatingly tight ass.

  Even as the words came out of her mouth she couldn't believe it. “Dear God in Heaven…”

  “Did you say something?”

  She grabbed up the last tablecloth and missed a corner, sending the soil tumbling onto the flag stones. “I said it’s… I said something.”

  He turned around and leaned against the stair rail. “Yes, you did.”

  Folding the tablecloth in haste she dropped it on the pile in her little red wagon and willed it to stay on top, keeping her level of embarrassment to a manageable level. �
��Well, it mustn't be important since I can't remember it.”

  His answering grin was just a hair shy of a laugh.

  “But you're right,” she started, “thank you, Teo. You saved me a lot of time.”

  He moved closer to her. “Always glad to help out the Lady of the Manor.”

  The words may have been courtly, his tone as well, but Mira’s body had somehow decided to ignore all of her best laid plans and sway dangerously close to walking in his direction.

  “I'm sure you have somewhere to go, and all I have to do is lock the date- I mean ‘gate.’” She hoped her voice wasn't nearly as loud in his ears as it was in hers.

  “Well I took care of everything I needed to do this morning, but I have something new in mind now.”

  She turned to look at him and regretted it a moment later. He didn't need to see the pang of disappointment she was sure had tightened the corners of her mouth. “Sure, sure,” she gave her wagon a push, bumping it over the stones in the garden path, “no need to hang around here. I can do the rest.”

  “I was hoping you'd join me for lunch.”

  She felt the heavy tug of her jaw as her mouth fell open in shock. No. Say no, Mira. She knew there was no way this would end well and her head was very adamant about her answer. Very clear.

  “Sure.”

  Yeah, this wasn't going to end well.

  Chapter Four

  Mira was almost late for her appointment at the High School. Since she'd gone to lunch with Teo nearly a week before, her thoughts had returned again and again to that afternoon. He hadn’t so much as tried to kiss her after lunch or at her doorstep when he’d brought her home, but that hadn’t stopped her from wishing he had. And it certainly hadn’t stopped her from imagining what it would be like. And her dreams had become more... interesting every night.

  For the most part she'd been able to get some restful sleep, but some dreams left her lying awake flushed and tangled in her blankets, barely able to remember more than a fleeting moment, but one thing was perfectly clear... they all centered around her swoon worthy neighbor.

  When the first shrill blast of the alarm sounded this morning, she was wrapped in Teo's arms. Pulling her flush against his body, he slanted his lips over hers, deepening the kiss until... The alarm finally shook her awake, sitting up in bed, her hands clutching her blankets, completely undone with an ache in her chest and an embarrassed flush across her cheeks. Apparently it had done her no good to outlaw relationships with men, her body had other ideas and they centered around Teodoro Santini.

  And if it wasn't bad enough that he'd robbed her of several good nights of sleep, she could swear he was walking down the hall straight toward her.

  “Teo?”

  He stopped a foot away and smiled. She knew her cheeks were red, she could feel the heat without even touching them with her fingers. He looked so good standing there in front of her, his warm hazel eyes. And less than an hour before she’d been wrapped in arms, near breathless from his kisses.

  In her dreams.

  “What are you doing here?”

  He looked down the hallway, taking in the white walls and banks of lockers. “This was my old high school, so really I should be asking you what you are doing here.”

  Yeah, that wasn't awkward. Grimacing a little, she nodded. “I'm here to talk with the principal. Some of the teachers are interested in bringing their classes to my gardens for tours. I just have to make sure I meet all the requirements.”

  He gave her a curious look and she continued on, trying to ignore the fluttering in her middle now that he was close enough for her to smell his cologne. “I want to make sure I cover all the topics that fit the academic requirements for their classes.”

  She noticed that he had moved a little closer to her, and her whole body knew it.

  And based on the smile he had on his face, that was his plan. “Sounds like there are going to be a lot of lucky kids getting some time off from school.”

  Mira’s lips pressed together in a line. “They’ll be learning something, you know.”

  “I know,” he touched her arm and she knew that he felt her tremble. “I didn't mean to upset you, Mira.” His hand slid down to her elbow, trailing along her bare flesh from the hem of her sleeve. “You don't know what it's like for boys kept inside during the best hours of the day, listening to boring teachers giving lectures.” She wasn't sure she wanted to move, not when she felt the heat of his hand on her arm. “I wish my teachers had looked like you. I might have paid more attention.”

  Mira shook with laughter, using the moment to back away and put some space between them. “You were a straight A student! Velia told me.”

  “Yes, and he was also quite a valuable member of our football team.” An older gentleman with graying red hair stepped out of the office and held out a hand to Mira. “I'm Principal Caruso, and I believe that you and I have a meeting.”

  Teodoro tapped the principal on his shoulder. “I should probably leave, I have a meeting with the football coach.”

  Mira turned to look at him. “Football coach?”

  “I'll explain later... at dinner? Velia and I would love to have you over.” He took a few steps away. “Six o’clock?” He paused and waited for an answer.

  Mira could see the principal trying to hold back a smile. She let out a playful sigh and knew she was beaten. “Fine. Six. I’ll see you then.”

  He nodded. “Can't wait.”

  Mr. Caruso guided her toward his office as Teodoro walked down the hallway of Napa High School.

  When Teodoro returned home from his meeting with the coach he sat his Nonna down in a comfortable chair and warmed up something for lunch. She grumbled about being useless, but he could see the smile she gave him as he told her about his morning.

  She was interested in his meeting, but as soon as he mentioned that he'd bumped into Mira his Nonna set her focus on that subject, ignoring everything else he mentioned before it.

  He managed to fend off most of her questions until he had their lunch on the table, but that's when his luck ran out. Velia folded her hand under her chin and watched him poke at his food. Eager to start the conversation back up she shifted forward on her chair, drawing his attention across the table.

  "You can stop looking at me like that." Teo took a sip of his sparkling water and set it down with a smile.

  "How?" Her eyes widened in mock surprise. "How am I looking at you?" She picked up her fork and made a few half-hearted swipes at her potato salad while her eyes focused on his face.

  "Like you're very proud of yourself. I've seen that look more times than I'd like to admit." He felt his collar tighten around his neck, but instead of settling into an uncomfortable silence, he turned their conversation to another topic. "I remember when you got Nonno to put up the new laundry line instead of going to the races. He thought it was his idea, but I always knew you'd nudged him into it."

  Her smile became wistful, softening the curve of her lips. "He knew," she explained, "he knew that's what I wanted, and he gave in," she regained some of her spark, "because he loved me." She lifted her fork and waggled it at him with a knowing look. "And that's why you went over to get me that garlic."

  "Of course I love you, but I could have bought you some garlic from Picker's Produce. You wanted me to go to the Fiorello house. You wanted me to meet Mirella."

  She didn't argue. She didn't try to wave off his assertions. What she did was sit back in her chair and look mighty pleased with herself. "I wanted you to meet a nice girl."

  "But I thought you said you didn't like the girls from Los Angeles?" He knew he was tempting fate.

  She knew it too by the way she leaned against the table, nailing him with a look. "Mira's different. She had the good sense to escape and come here." Deciding she'd made her point, Velia took a bite.

  "I know you didn't like the city when you came to visit," he explained, "but a lot of people like it there. Some people just aren't meant for life in L.A."
<
br />   "And... some people are meant for life in St. Helena," she countered, picking up the platter in front of her. "Another roll?"

  He took a roll, because it was easier to fill his mouth with bread than tell her that Mira was coming for dinner. If she knew that he'd never get any peace. He'd save that bit of news until about fifteen minutes before six o'clock. There was always more than enough food for two. His Nonna had never learned to downsize a recipe in her life, and his grandmother would be so happy they were having a guest that she wouldn't take it out on him... too much.

  Mira smoothed her skirt, again, as she walked up the steps of the Santini house. It was silly, really. They didn't care what her dress looked like. It was just a friendly dinner with her neighbors.

  The voice inside of her head was too busy laughing to respond intelligently.

  At the door she had a crisis of confidence, deciding to check her makeup in the glass panel beside the door. She hadn't worn much, but her hand had been shaking the slightest bit when she'd put it on. So, better safe than sorry, she leaned in to examine what looked like a mark on her cheek.

  "I'd stand there and admire the view too, but the one from back here is just as fine."

  Caught and duly embarrassed, Mira turned around, clutching the covered dessert dish to her middle. "Hi!" Inwardly she groaned at the squeak in her tone. Yeah, smooth, really smooth. "I was just checking to see if I... well, if I had something smudged on my face." Like the ridiculous blush that was blazing across her cheeks at that very moment. This just couldn't get any better.

  Teo made his way up the graded steps and onto the deck. Mira didn't realize until he was right in front of her that she'd been standing stock still the whole time watching him, and it had been a very nice view. But now that he was standing almost toe to toe with her, she realized that he'd been looking her over as well. "You changed." Instead of the blouse and skirt she'd worn to the high school, she was wearing a wrap dress with some strappy heels. "I liked the other outfit, but this," his smile and the look in his hazel eyes spoke volumes, but it was still nice to hear the words, "is absolutely beautiful."