Lucia tried to smile. She was certain the effort resembled a snarl.
“I’ll see. Excuse me,” Ryan told Dina before Lucia had a chance to speak.
Dina must have looked crushed, because Ryan tilted her chin up and smiled. “I’ll see, okay, kid?” He kissed her forehead, then turned and walked away.
Dina grinned at her cousin. “Now that could be the right man.”
“You think so? I had the impression he wasn’t interested in settling down.”
“I didn’t realize you knew him that well.”
“I—I don’t.” She felt terrible. She hated to lie. She just couldn’t explain the whole truth of her relationship with Ryan, so she was tripping over lie after lie. “I just got the impression that he liked to—that he liked to move, I guess. That he wasn’t interested in anything permanent.”
Dina smiled, looking like a tigress, and fluffed up her hair. “Sometimes a man needs to be convinced that he wants to settle down. We’ll see. Come on, come on, come on! We’re late, and hail, hail! The gang’s all here, and the barbecue is on. Let’s go.”
“I look like a drowned rat.”
“I’ll push you into the pool the moment we get downstairs and no one will ever know the difference.”
Dina was one to talk. She had taken a shower, put on a new bathing suit, repaired her makeup and blow-dried her hair.
“Give me a minute,” Lucia said dryly. “I’ll try a brush first, okay?”
“Whatever you say.”
Ten minutes later they were down by the pool. Everyone was there: her three aunts and her three uncles; Theresa and Bill and their children; Ellen and Frank with Katie and Bryce; Joe and Al; Theresa’s brother Johnny and his wife Sophie, their son Mark, and their new baby, Valerie; and Frank’s brother, Leon, who was Lucia’s exact age and another of her favorite relatives.
The first twenty minutes were spent indulging in more hugs and kisses, until everyone had had a chance to hug and kiss everyone else, comment on the sizes of the children and kiss and hug each other all over again. It was wonderful, and it was warm, and Lucia was suddenly grateful with all her heart that she hadn’t driven away—even if she was going to be tortured by Ryan Dandridge and her own cousin Dina for the duration.
“If only your mother were here!” Aunt Faith said to Lucia.
Uncle Mario, turning burgers on the barbecue, winked at her. “And your father.”
Lucia smiled in return.
“Patience should be here,” Aunt Charity said. “And Henry, too, of course.” She smiled brilliantly, then beamed at her nephew Frank, sitting with Ellen. “Isn’t he a handsome young man!”
Frank’s mother, Hope, ruffled his hair. “A very handsome young man.”
“Ma, I’m forty-four, balding, and I have two kids in college,” Frank said with good humor, grimacing to his cousins. They all laughed because they all understood. To the Three Graces—and Patience, too—they were all always going to be young and handsome or beautiful, and brilliant, too, of course.
Aunt Hope appealed to her daughter-in-law. “Isn’t he a handsome young man?”
“He’s a charmer, Mom, a pure charmer.”
They all laughed again. Mark, the twins and Serena headed for the pool, and Uncle Mario started handing out plates. It was late afternoon, and though the sun was very strong and the heat was tremendous, there was just enough of a breeze to make it nice. Lucia insisted on taking Valerie so Sophie could eat, and while she was asking about her newest relation’s weight and length and sleeping habits, Aunt Faith’s voice suddenly rose above all the chatter. “Where is that nice young man?”
“Which nice young man?” Frank said. “You mean me? No, I’m the handsome young man, right?”
“Right,” Bill quipped.
Aunt Faith cast them both one of her chastising frowns. “Ryan Dandridge. We invited him, and he said he would come.”
Lucia tensed, squeezing the baby too tight, and was instantly remorseful when Valerie looked up at her with innocent blue eyes, quivered her little lips and started to cry.
Dina jumped up. “I’ll go drag him down. Be right back.”
Lucia tried to soothe the baby. Faith and Hope announced that the next night was going to be pasta night. “Homemade ravioli and cappelletti, eggplant and sausage.”
“For all of us?” Theresa asked.
“For everyone. Then we’ll all be on our own for meals. But one pasta night with the family…” She shrugged. “We have to have one pasta night.”
“Here he is!”
Dina’s voice broke cheerfully through the noise. She had reappeared with Ryan Dandridge on her arm and a beautiful smile on her features.
Ryan looked decidedly uncomfortable, but Aunt Faith didn’t notice, or, if she did, she wasn’t going to acknowledge it. “Ryan! You promised that you would come right back! Dinner has been on for quite a while. Frankie, give Ryan a beer. Mario, fix him a plate. Come on, Ryan, now mange, mange!”
It was impossible not to obey Aunt Faith without being entirely rude. In a matter of seconds Ryan had a plate piled high with a huge burger and cold tortellini salad. There were people spread out all over the lounges and chairs at the poolside, and Lucia realized too late that the seat next to her at the redwood table was empty.
“Sit, eat. Mange!” Uncle Mario insisted. “You know my niece Lucia, Ryan? Lucia, Ryan, Ryan, Lucia. Now is that a beautiful girl, or what, eh, Ryan?”
Ryan’s eyes fell on Lucia. She knew that she must have been a thousand shades of red. “That’s a beautiful girl,” he said softly.
Someone popped the top of a beer can as it was set before Ryan. Lucia started to jump to her feet. “Excuse me, I’ll just go get myself a—”
“You’ve got the baby, you sit,” Aunt Hope said. “What do you want, Lucia? I’ll get it for you.”
She felt Ryan smiling, just as she felt the muscled heat of his thigh next to hers, and every movement of his arm.
She looked at him, patting the baby on the back, then smiled, and allowed her leg to touch his. She could play the game, too.
“A cooler, Aunt Hope. I’d love one of those wine coolers, please.”
Ryan smiled. The game was on.
Sophie came back and retrieved the baby. Theresa suggested a game of goony golf, and Aunt Hope said that she would take care of the children—all of them.
“All six?” Frank laughed.
Katie said she would stay at the condo and help, and Frank asked about taking a ride down to see Charleston one day during their stay.
Lucia didn’t say a word. She sat there silently and smiled now and then. Ryan was dragged into the various conversations. All the aunts had to thank him again for the reasonable rates they had been given, and for being allowed to take over the pool area. Joe talked to him about building codes, and Theresa asked him about the area.
Lucia never forgot that she was sitting next to him, but somewhere along the line, she stopped paying attention to the conversation, because a newcomer joined their group.
She stiffened the minute she saw him, a short, dark, portly man, talking to her Uncle Mario by the barbecue pit. He had a smile that looked as if a snake was slithering across his face.
His name was Gino Lopez.
Gino was a loan shark who had done very well with his business. She had met him when she was very young, when they had been up north visiting for the summer. Her father had borrowed money from Gino, and had lived to regret taking the easy way out of his financial difficulties. Almost all her family had been suckered in by him at one time or another. What was he doing here?
Lucia felt Ryan move beside her, following her gaze.
“Lopez,” he said softly.
Lucia stared at him hard. “You know him?”
“You keep forgetting—I live in Boston. Yes, I’ve had occasion to meet Gino Lopez.”
“What’s he doing here?”
“I don’t know.”
Theresa suddenly inhaled sharply. “He’s
getting into a fight with Uncle Mario, that’s what he’s doing. Bill?” she appealed nervously to her husband.
It seemed to be true. Uncle Mario was starting to look flushed and angry. Lopez was still smiling his oily smile, and talking away.
Lucia’s uncles, Paul and Tony, got up and went over to the two men. The voices were still inaudible, but the anger was growing.
Ryan gripped Lucia’s shoulder. “Is something going on here?”
“Is something going on? No! Don’t you dare insinuate things. Just because we’re Italian—”
“I’m not insinuating anything. And you don’t have to be Italian to be suckered in by Lopez. I was just asking, that’s all.”
“There is nothing going on,” Lucia grated out.
“Fine,” Ryan said.
He stood up and approached the group of men. “Gino!” His voice rang out loudly, and he stuck out a hand, capturing that of the portly intruder. “What a surprise. I didn’t know you were coming down. Where are you staying?”
Lucia didn’t hear the answer. She did see that Ryan managed to separate Gino Lopez from her uncles and steer him toward the gate in the fence that surrounded the pool area. She was sure that Lopez himself didn’t know what was happening, but in a matter of moments he was on the other side of the gate, cordially being locked out.
And then, a few moments later, Ryan was back beside Lucia.
“What is he doing here?” she asked. Theresa, troubled, was staring at the two of them.
Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Maybe he’s just down for the beach. This is becoming a very popular vacation spot, right?”
Ryan shrugged again. He saw the worry on Theresa’s pretty face. “He could be down here for any number of reasons. I’m not the only New England builder working in this area. Half of these new places have been built by northern interests. Don’t worry. He’s not staying here—he told me that he and his son are at another condo north of here, closer to Myrtle Beach. If he were after someone here—”
“Why would he be after someone here?” Lucia exploded.
“Lucia, don’t be so sensitive,” Theresa said.
“Maybe he isn’t after anyone at all,” Ryan said. “Maybe he’s just on vacation, soaking up some sun. Anyway, Theresa, please don’t worry.”
Theresa smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. “Thanks, Ryan. I won’t.”
A startled scream suddenly attracted their attention. Giles had tossed Jimmy into the pool. He came up sputtering, promising Giles that he would pay. Giles was already paying because his father had come up behind him and tossed him into the pool, too. Then Joe sneaked up behind Bill and shoved him in. “Excuse me,” Ryan said suddenly, and he rose, shoving Joe from behind. With his arms flapping and waving madly, Joe pitched forward into the pool.
And then Ryan was just there…standing right at the edge of the nice, big, deep, sparkling clear pool. He watched as Giles tried to dunk Joe, his hands casually on his hips, his whole manner relaxed.
Lucia should have resisted the temptation. She really should have. But she couldn’t. He was standing there too temptingly.
She leaped up with a quick shrug for Theresa and went racing over the cool deck to Ryan. He started to turn, but not in time. She caught his broad back with both her palms. For a moment he stared at her with amazement, faltering, swaying backward and forward.
Then his eyes narrowed briefly with the promise of revenge, and he flopped over backward, crashing into the water.
Lucia held still for a minute, watching him sputter to the surface. His eyes met hers as he swam toward the side of the pool.
There was laughter all around them. The tension that had come with Gino Lopez’s appearance had faded away, and they were all having a good time. It was all good clean fun—except for the way that Ryan was looking at her….
Lucia let out a little yelp and decided to make a run for it. She spun around and wondered where to go. Her only choice was over the fence and down the beach. She turned around. Ryan was almost over the side.
“Run, Lucia, run!” Giles warned her.
“You’ll never make it!” Mark called.
She didn’t know if she would make it or not, but she pelted over the fence and tore down the beach.
Night was coming on. The horizon was gold and pink and crimson, and the tide was high. The scenery was glorious, with the waves turning to tiny whitecaps, and the breeze salty and sweet.
Lucia barely noted the beauty as she ran. The water splashed beneath her feet, and her muscles quickly knotted. She turned her head.
Ryan was gaining on her.
Surf and sand were flying up behind him, and every long stride brought him closer. It wasn’t fair. He was taller, and his legs were longer. He was coming closer every minute. He was almost on top of her.
“No!” Lucia shrieked. She turned, running into the deeper water. It slowed her down, but it slowed him down, too. She spun around, backing away, then yelling at him. “You’re supposed to be able to keep your hands off me, remember?”
There was a wolfish look in his eyes. “You touched me first. Any time you can’t keep your hands off of me, I get a freebie.”
“What?”
“I didn’t start it. You did. And I get to end it!”
She couldn’t keep running. She could barely breathe. But he was still coming after her, so she began staggering back to shore. The water was warm and dark. She stepped on a shell and winced, then lost valuable time as she favored her wounded foot.
She realized that half the family had come out on the beach.
“Come on, Lucia, run!” Theresa laughed.
“She’ll never make it!” Mark prophesied.
“Come on, dear!” Aunt Faith encouraged her. “Run!”
She cleared the water and started running again. She heard the fury of his swift footsteps behind her; then the air was knocked cleanly from her as Ryan swept her off her feet and heaved her over his shoulder.
“How can you do this to me? In front of my whole family?” Lucia gasped.
“Aren’t you glad your mother isn’t here?” he taunted.
“You better be glad that my father isn’t here!” Lucia threatened.
Ryan started to laugh. She swung against him, tasted the salt on his back and felt the wet sleek warmth of his body. He was holding her thighs, very close to the rounded curve of her derriere. She shouldn’t have touched him, because now he was touching her. And the others were all laughing and having a good time, thinking that it was all such good, harmless, clean fun….
And it wasn’t that at all. It was painful to be held this way, because it made her want so much more. Because it brought back so many memories.
“Oh!” She screamed as she suddenly went flying, then slammed into the cool water of the pool and sank. When she came sputtering to the surface, her male cousins were all cheering Ryan on, and even Theresa and Dina and Sophie were laughing.
Gasping for breath and treading water, Lucia stared at Ryan. The shadows of the coming night hid his features, and she couldn’t see his eyes as he looked at her, his arms crossed over his chest.
Then he jumped into the water and started swimming toward her.
“No!” she gasped. Jimmy was still in the water. Lucia grabbed her cousin and pushed him toward Ryan. “Do something! Stop him.”
“Do what, Lucia?” Jimmy demanded.
“I don’t know.”
Ryan surfaced. Jimmy giggled and plunged after him. “Oh, no, have mercy!” Ryan pleaded.
Jimmy went into gales of laughter. Ryan allowed Jimmy to dunk him; then he lifted him high out of the water and sent him diving back in.
Then his eyes fell on Lucia again.
“Get her, tiger!” Joe called out.
“Joe, damn you!” Lucia shrieked, “you’re just about to be disowned!”
Joe lifted both his hands. “Okay, get him, tigress!”
She wasn’t going to get anybody,
and she knew it. She plunged toward the side of the pool, swimming desperately. She was a good swimmer. It was just that Ryan was better. In a second, he had her ankle.
She went down fast, toward the bottom of the pool; then he released her quickly. She still had plenty of air. And he wouldn’t be expecting her to attempt revenge….
She reached the bottom of the pool, then used her legs to propel herself hard toward the surface. She came flying out and threw all her weight toward his shoulders. She took him by surprise. He started sinking, but he wasn’t about to go alone.
He caught her by the wrist and dragged her back down with him. They sank forever and ever together, or so it seemed. Suddenly he dragged her against him, then placed his foot on the bottom of the pool. He pushed against it, and they both went shooting back toward the surface.
Lucia could hear the children shrieking around them, having the best of times. And Ryan was looking at her again, curiously, studying her. His gaze was hot and piercing, and she shivered against him. She returned his stare, and for the longest time she didn’t fight his hold. She felt their legs entwining in the cool water, and she felt his hand move lightly against her bare back.
“Lucia won, Lucia won!” Jimmy called out happily.
“She did not!” Giles protested indignantly. “Ryan won, by a mile.”
“Hey, who are you related to?” Theresa laughingly asked her son.
Ryan released Lucia and started swimming toward the side of the pool. He hiked himself out, then turned and waited. Lucia swam to the side.
He reached down to her, and she stared at his hand for a long moment, then took it. Ryan lifted her easily from the water, setting her before him. He was still holding her hand.
“I’m so glad they don’t seem to be angry about the mixup in rooms anymore!” Aunt Faith whispered to Hope.
“You would think they’d known each other for ever!” Aunt Hope whispered in turn.
Ryan smiled very slowly, and Lucia knew that he had heard the whispering. He released her hand and turned away, picking up a towel from a lounge chair. He paused in front of Faith and Hope. “Thank you very much for the barbecue. It was delicious, and I had a wonderful time.”
“Oh, you’re very, very welcome!” Hope told him.
Lucia in Love Page 5