Nordic Heat

by Lizzie T. Leaf

  “Wash your mouth out with soap if you’re suggesting what I think you are.” Angela placed her hands on either hip, an indication of preparation for battle.

  “What? I’m just saying Tom and I don’t have much in common. I hate the movies he and Gino were talking about, you’ll never catch me on the back of a motorcycle, and the books he reads would put me to sleep in under a minute.”

  Looking at her mother’s face, a thought hit her. Oh my gawd, for a mother in denial over her son being gay, Angela certainly made the quick leap there mentally, even while denying.

  To avoid her mother’s glare, Isabella walked over and opened a window and heard the strains of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyrie. She smiled, envisioning her grandmother sitting in her favorite chair while the waves of music washed over her. How such a stubborn Italian adored a German composer’s opera that focused on Nordic gods when everything else in her world focused on things Italian always amazed her.

  “Why didn’t Nonna come to dinner tonight?”

  “You know Mama. She lost interest the minute I told her our guests weren’t Italian.” Angela peered over Isabella’s shoulder at the light in what had been the garage before the conversion to an apartment to house her mother. “Maybe it’s a good thing we fixed up the garage. That noise she calls music used to drive me crazy if I listened to it all the time.”

  Hmmm, maybe listening to this music from the crib onward accounts for why I’m hooked on a Nordic god whisking me away someday.

  Isabella laughed at her mother’s description of the opera her grandmother listened to daily. Angela had never learned to appreciate classical music and Isabella found it interesting that the love of music was the only connection she shared with her grandmother.

  “And, she’s so stubborn. Do you know she still insists on taking a walk every night before she goes to bed? That’s why your father got that noisy little dog to go with her.” Angela shut the window to block the rain, which started to come down again.

  Stubborn? Had her mother looked in the mirror lately?

  At least they’d managed to avoid coming to blows over Gino. Ma needed to accept Gino’s choices or spend the rest of her life telling everyone, but mainly herself, he was a confirmed bachelor who never found a woman good enough for him. Who knew what it would take to bring Ma into the real world. Probably the same thing needed to put Nonna in touch with her current life…a force stronger than anything on earth so far.

  “Have I told you about our new team member?” Isabella took a glob of frosting off the double chocolate cake Angela started to slice for dessert and received a slap on the hand for her thievery.

  “No. So you got another intern like that girl…what’s her name…Sandy?” Angela paused and looked at her daughter.

  “Nope. A man.” A very hot man at that. “Seems our illustrious station owner decided the son of a friend needed a job and he was given to me to turn into a weather man.”

  “Hmmm.” Angela swatted again at Isabella’s hand when she reached for more frosting. “Tell me about him. What’s he look like? Is he good looking?”

  Thanks heavens she didn’t say the hot man thought out loud. “He’s okay. Tall, blond with reddish streaks in his hair. Blue eyes and…” Isabella felt the tingle in her body she got every time she thought about Galvin Haldor for long.

  “And?” Her mother looked at her strangely.

  “Oh, he definitely has a face made for television. He’s also got the cocky attitude to go with the looks. He’d probably make a better news anchor, than weatherman.” Isabella chuckled at the idea of Galvin giving Kyle Morgan a run for the position. Talk about a battle of egos.

  “So, he doesn’t have a degree like you got? You know the weather thing?”

  “Meteorology.” Isabella answered absent mindedly. She tapped her lower lip with her fingers. “You know, I’m not really sure what his degree is in.”

  Now that she thought about it, Sam never responded to her request to see Galvin’s employment application and résumé. The hiring of Galvin Haldor painted a strange picture and she needed to get to the bottom of the situation for her own peace of mind. Definitely a puzzle and she loved to solve puzzles.

  “It’s pretty obvious he’s never reported the weather before, but he keeps insisting he knows weather. Must have been born with the knowledge.”

  The two women shared a laugh at that idea. Angela picked up the tray loaded with coffee cups and cake and instructed Isabella to grab the coffee pot while she used her hip to push the swinging door open into the dining room.

  “You two sounded like you were having too much fun out there.” Gino said when Angela set the tray on the buffet and started to hand out dessert. “I told Pop one of us should go out and see what you were up to.” Gino speared a bite of cake before his mother could set the plate in front of him.

  “Don’t be so greedy,” she chided. “Our guests will think you were raised without manners. I promise you he does have them, he just chooses to forget the way he was brought up.”

  Angela directed her comment to the table, but Isabella knew the remark was meant for the timid woman now sitting beside her since her brother had decided to switch seats in order to sit beside Tom. Angela patted a thin shoulder as she set a slice of cake in front of Jane and smiled.

  Delivering a dark look in Gino’s direction, his mother fired off another shot. “Must be the company he keeps that causes him to forget how to behave.”

  “Ah, come on Ma. Don’t knock my friends. Most of them were brought up good Catholic boys just like me.” Gino’s attempt to defend his friends while consuming another bite of cake ended with him choking and Tom Water’s pounding him on the back.

  Amazing how Isabella had to take the seat beside Jane, who if possible became quieter, and her brother now occupied the chair next to Tom. Nope, this evening wasn’t going according to her mother’s plans. Too bad for Gino that Tom wasn’t gay and something could result out of their mother’s matchmaking efforts for one of them.

  Tom started the evacuation when he stood to say his goodnights and thanked her parents for a wonderful evening. He kissed Angela’s cheek, “And you fed me a meal better than I can get in any restaurant.”

  While her mother basked in the glow of Tom’s compliment, Isabella saw this as an opportune moment to make her escape too, and moved in for hugs and kisses from her parents.

  Even timid Jane mumbled a soft goodbye. When Tom offered her a ride home, color rushed to the white cheeks and Isabella saw potential for the woman. Give her a makeover and some assertiveness training and the girl had definite possibilities.

  After hugs and kisses for her parents, she moved in for a squeeze from her brother and Gino suggested they walk to the subway together. Turning she found herself looking into Tom Water’s eyes and returned his infectious grin.

  “Good luck with your business, Tom. You and your father keep making lots of money for my parents.”

  “We’ll do our best. You keep winning awards on your weather broadcasting.”

  Both acknowledged with a quick nod that her mother’s efforts for a connection on a level more than friendship wouldn’t work for them.

  A lone figure stood in the shadows of light across the street. In his need to see how Isabella spent her evenings out, he followed her when she left her apartment. When an older version of her opened the door to the unassuming house that had been her destination, he concluded she’d be spending the evening with her family.

  Still he stayed at his post and the rain helped him remain unobserved while he lingered. The few mortals who did pass were more concerned with getting in out of the wet, than giving him more than a glance…with one exception.

  An old woman and her yippy dog came around the corner when he’d been lost in thought. They’d stopped directly in front of him, the dog yapped so hard the little canine actually bounced backward on its skinny little legs. He and the dog stared at each other for a minute and he got the dog’s message…my territor
y. Each then became determined to establish alpha male dominance. It became obvious to Galvin he needed let this piece of skin and bones know where the power laid. He was surprised when the creature lifted its leg and proceeded to mark his shoes.

  When he looked up in disbelief, Galvin locked eyes with the old woman. A slight smile played across a mouth that from the down-turned corners looked like it didn’t smile much. The expression on her face seemed to say “I know who you are.”

  She and the dog continued on their walk when Galvin bent down to wipe his shoe. He admired the animal with the body of a toy, but the heart of a warrior.

  A short while later he found himself humming along to the strains one of his favorite pieces, Ride of the Valkyrie, as they floated through the air.

  The door across the street opened. His vigil came to an end. A laughing Isabella walked out. She linked her arm through that of a large dark haired man as she looked up and giggled at something he said.

  Galvin’s groin tightened with need while his heart pounded with anger. If only she’d laugh like that with him. He resisted the urge to catch the couple walking ahead of him and punch the man who made his heart’s desire smile in such a manner.

  Realization slammed into the pit of his stomach like Thor’s hammer. What he felt for this woman wasn’t just lust. He was falling in love.

  What’s wrong with me? Tom Waters slugged back the rest of his drink and contemplated the evening he’d spent with the Girardis.

  He’d accepted the invitation at his father’s prodding when Angela and Lou had come in for their quarterly account update. After they’d left, John Waters had patted him on the shoulder and said, “Angela invited us over for dinner Saturday night, but your mother and I have other plans. I did tell her you’ll be there though.”

  Tom frowned at the memory. He’d attempted to protest, but his father shook his head and once again he lost a battle with the old man.

  “It’ll be good for you to get to know some of our better clients on a more personal basis. You need to do this.”

  When he arrived, Tom figured out in a matter of minutes the dinner was a fix up. Angela had gushed to him about her beautiful daughter much like she raved to the quiet Jane about her wonderful son. If ever there was a mama out to find partners for her children, it was Angela.

  Tom knew Isabella the minute she entered the room. He hadn’t lied about watching her weather broadcast. Many nights he’d drifted off to sleep to the sound of her voice describing the kind of day he’d probably wake up to the next morning. Thank goodness his television came with a sleep timer because some nights he didn’t hear whether to expect rain or sunshine.

  He liked and admired Isabella Girardi for her ability to accurately project the weather fronts and now her obvious close family connection. But the raven-haired beauty wasn’t the one that interested him. He’d fallen under Gino’s spell the moment they shook hands and said hello.

  Damn, nothing like that had ever happened to him…not even with women, and Tom had met a lot of beautiful women. Though if he was honest, he’d admit he’d never met a female that sent flutters to his stomach when he touched them. Gino Girardi did just that. Tom looked down at his hand and the tingles he’d experience hours ago came back just thinking about his hand in Gino’s manly shake when they parted company.

  No. I’m not into men that way. So what if I don’t have many male friends. Hanging out with a bunch of guys watching a game while tossing back a few beers or talking about what chick we want to stick was never my thing. Tom ran his finger through his mop of red hair and sighed. Truth is I don’t have guys to hang with, and really haven’t made the effort to find a group of buddies. That’s probably why I felt such a strong connection with Gino. We like the same movies and other stuff. Maybe I’ve been spending too much time buried in paperwork and need friends.

  Tom carried his empty glass into the kitchen and washed the crystal. Too bad Isabella and I didn’t hit the right note. She seems like a nice gal. Maybe we could at least be friends. No chemistry for a love connection though.

  Drying the glass, he placed it into the cabinet as his mind filled with a vision of Gino’s smile and rugged good looks.

  It would be great if he called, but who am I kidding…he didn’t bother to ask for my number.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The news team seated behind the desk checked their emails or caught up on their social networking during the commercial break. Galvin wasn’t sure what took place out of his sight, but he knew Izzy well enough now to tell from the slant of her eyes something made her very unhappy. He recognized the fake smile she put on each time the camera panned in on her when the break ended. Once someone else became the focus of a head shot, she clamped her lips into a tight line and directed a scowl toward Kyle Morgan sitting beside her.

  “Isabella, give us a final run down on what to expect tomorrow with the weather. Shall we start bringing our raincoats and umbrellas to work as normal procedure since you seem to be a little off on your forecasting?” Joanne Kent’s voice dripped sweetness as she leaned forward to look past Kyle and smile at Isabella.

  “Might not be a bad idea, Joanne. It appears my crystal ball is on the blitz.” Isabella’s similar saccharine response earned a tight smile from the female anchor.

  The director pointed and started to lower each of the four fingers she held above her head as she counted down. “Over in four, three…”

  “Goodnight everyone and thanks for joining us here at 12 News. We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow night.” Kyle flashed his veneered pearly-whites into the camera and the rest of the group seated at the desk smiled and said goodnight.

  The director gave an all clear and Isabella jumped up from her chair. “You slimy son of a bitch. Why don’t you crawl back under the rock you slithered out from under?” She glared down at Kyle Morgan who remained seated.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Joanne sprung from her chair and stood on Kyle’s other side glaring at Isabella.

  “Why don’t you ask this piece of crap you seem to think is so perfect?”

  “Now ladies,” Kyle tried to stand, but ended up back in his chair with a push from the hand each woman had on either of his shoulders.

  “Shut the fuck up, Kyle,” both women yelled at the same time.

  “Uh oh, cat fight,” the director stood beside Galvin. “Sure wish I could get video on this.”

  “Your man, here,” Isabella spit out the words and wrinkled her nose as if they’d left a bad taste in her mouth, “is well known for not keeping his hands to himself, but now he’s developed a case of roaming feet. He’s been trying to creep up my skirt with his toes most of the evening.” She and Joanne stood nose to nose while Kyle sank down into his chair.

  “I don’t believe you.” Joanne stepped back and smoothed her suit jacket down over her stomach. “He’s told me how you’ve been coming onto him.”

  Isabella put one foot forward and found Kyle’s chair blocking her progress. Galvin started toward the set when the director grabbed his arm.

  “She has to fight her own battles. You’ll make matters worse if you get in the middle of their discussion. This showdown has been brewing for a long time.”

  “Believe what you want sister. Given the fact that you’re stupid enough to get hooked up with an idiot like this,” Isabella pointed down at the cowering Kyle, “right under your husband’s nose, then I figure you’re about as bright as he is. Listen to his lies and pray you don’t catch something the way he so generously spreads himself around.” Leaning closer she whispered, “I don’t see him being smart enough to use protection, do you?” Not waiting for the opened mouth Joanne to respond, Isabella turned and stormed out of the studio.

  “I’d better go calm her down.” Galvin slipped around the director and took off in pursuit of what appeared to him was an Isabella out to make trouble. “Izzy.” Galvin caught himself after he called out the nickname she hated and hoped the infuriated woman didn’t hea
r the slip up. “Isabella, wait up.”

  She stopped suddenly and Galvin plowed into her back. He reached out and caught her and managed to keep them both from falling.

  She whirled around and faced him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “I’m trying to calm you down before you do something you’ll regret.” Galvin resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she forgot her anger and everything but him. Why did it upset him to see her unhappy?

  “Regret something? What do you think I’m going to do?”

  “I think you’re heading for Sam Kent’s office intent on telling him about the relationship a lot of people assume his wife has with Kyle Morgan.” Galvin folded his arms across his chest and waited for her response.

  Isabella chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before answering. “Don’t you think someone should? He needs to know he’s being cuckolded and people are laughing behind his back.”

  “Have you caught them in the act, or are you basing your knowledge on the gossip which seems to run rampant around here about everyone?” He knew by the expression on her face he’d made his point.

  “No, I’ve never seen them in action. Their relationship’s been part of the rumor mill for months. Much longer than normal for the gossip of the week.” She drew herself into a defensive pose. “People are laughing behind Sam’s back and I think he should know.”

  “Mortals,” Galvin coughed to cover his slip. He needed to be careful about the words that slipped out of his mouth as well as using the stilted speech of the immortals. “People always seem to want a scapegoat, don’t they?”

  Before Isabella could respond, an out of breath Sandy rushed up.

  “Hey you guys, I’ve been looking for you.” The intern seemed frazzled as she approached, which was out of character for the calm blonde.

  “What’s the problem?” Isabella started to walk as Sandy left her no choice when she grabbed the boss’s arm and proceeded toward the weather pod.