Natalie tried to picture having three sons all so close in age. “Your poor mother! I bet the three of you were a handful.”
Tino didn’t bother denying it. “Yeah, I’m guessing we each gave her a few gray hairs along the way, but Marlene was up to the job. Besides, Joe made damn sure we showed her the respect she deserved.”
“He sounds like an amazing man.”
She figured he had to be. After all, look how his sons had turned out. The one she was most interested in had drifted back to staring at the fire. “We all went into the military because of him. He said the army had been the making of him, and we all wanted to be the same kind of man he was.”
After a slight hesitation, he added, “But that wasn’t enough for me. I actually wanted to be him.”
“And that was a problem?”
“Yeah, because if I couldn’t be Joe, I didn’t know who I really was.”
With that blunt statement, Tino paced the length of the room before returning to the same spot by the fireplace. After a few seconds, he started talking again. “When my parents were alive, I knew who and what I was—the absolute center of their universe. After they died, I lost my identity. My relatives didn’t want me at all, but they did want the small trust fund my parents left for me. I have no idea how they got full access to it, but they burned through the money pretty damn quickly.”
His smile was bitter. “I tried so damn hard to fit in, to make them accept me as just another one of their family. I acted like their kids, talked like them, even deliberately failed in class just like them. In the end, all that gained me was a bad school record and an even worse attitude. How pathetic was that?”
This strong man looked so darned lost and alone that she could no longer sit still. She joined Tino in front of the fireplace and leaned against him, offering what comfort she could. “But all that changed when you moved in with Joe and Marlene.”
“Yeah, it did. Joe gave me what came to be known as The Talk, outlining their expectations of me and what I would get in return.” His arm slid around her shoulders as he pulled her in closer. “I’ve never once regretted accepting the deal he offered me.”
He laughed just a little. “In fact, Jack offered those exact terms to the teenager he and his wife adopted. Since we were already in our teens by the time Joe and Marlene formally adopted the three of us, they thought we should keep our original last names. However, Jack didn’t give Ricky that choice. His mother and stepfather didn’t want the kid, so we made him ours instead.”
Her heart hurt for Ricky, but also for the man standing next to her. “I’ll never understand some people.”
“Me, either. Which brings me to why I’ve been missing in action. As my mother has kept reminding me, it’s past time for me to decide what I want the rest of my life to look like. I’ve been working on figuring that out.”
The flickering light from the fire revealed the lines of exhaustion that bracketed his stern mouth. She would support his decision whatever it was, but she was almost afraid to hear what he had to say if it had been such a hard one for him. “And have you?”
“Yeah, I have.”
“Okay, Gianelli, lay it all out for me.” She aimed for bright and cheery but wasn’t at all sure she’d succeeded.
“See, the problem was I’ve always made a habit of trying to fit the image of whatever it was I thought people expected me to be. For my folks, I was the perfect son. For my relatives, I was a pain in the ass, just like their kids. For Marlene and Joe, I cast myself in the role of being just like Joe.” He stopped for a second. “In my defense, we all three did that to some degree. We all went into the military to honor the man who had given each of us a second chance.”
“I’m sure Joe was just as proud of his three sons as they were of him.”
“I really hope so. But now I’ve left the military behind, and there’s no one telling me who I should be next. Hell, I even considered turning myself into another Benton. You know, so I could fit into your world. As it turned out, I couldn’t stand the thought of being such a selfish prick even if I totally rocked that tuxedo.”
Maybe she shouldn’t have laughed, but she did. “You’re right about the tux, but I shudder at the thought of there being two of him in this world. So if you’re not going to be Benton the Second, what did you decide to try next?”
Natalie held her breath as she waited for him to answer. If he had reenlisted, she would support his decision even if she couldn’t stand the thought of him leaving Seattle to serve in some dangerous place on the other side of the world.
“I enrolled in college this past week. I had to take a bunch of tests and get the transcripts from the online classes I’ve taken over the years to figure out where I’ll be starting out.”
“That’s great!” Especially because it meant he’d be remaining in the area. “What are you going to major in?”
“A few things happened to point me in the right direction. The first one was coaching the team with Jay. The second was working with those kids to fix up the basketball court, and the last was when those three idiots attacked you in the parking lot at the center. Two of them are being treated as adults, but the third one is a juvenile. I want to help kids like him get a fresh start on life, and maybe help others keep from getting into trouble in the first place.”
All of that came out in a rush, as if he wasn’t sure how she’d react. “That’s perfect, Tino. It’s clear that you have a way with kids. And because of your own background, you also have a far better understanding of what at-risk kids are going through.”
He definitely looked relieved. “I’m glad you feel that way, but there are some downsides to this plan.”
“Which are?”
“Depending on how soon I can get into the right classes, it could be as long as three years before I get my degree. While I’m in school, I can only work part-time, most likely for Jack in the family business. Even when I graduate, I’ll never get rich.”
What could she say to that? Knowing Tino, honesty was the only way to go. “My grandfather taught me that some things are more important than having money, Tino. He would give up every dime he has to have even one more day with my grandmother. I’m sure your mother feels that same way about Joe. Doing what you can to offer other kids like you and your brothers a better life is a far better legacy to leave the world than a pile of cash.”
He stared down at her. “I hope you mean that, Natalie.”
“Of course I do. Why do you think I work so hard to stretch every dollar my grandfather’s foundation spends to help as many people as possible?”
“What about your parents? Didn’t they want a different life for you?”
Yeah, they had. She was struck by a sudden truth. “Maybe you’re not the only one who tried to take on a role that didn’t really fit. I think that’s what happened when I accepted Benton’s proposal. Marriage to him would’ve been just the first step in becoming someone I never want to be. Looking back, I realize that for a short time I lost sight of the real me.”
Tino clearly wasn’t convinced. “But you seemed at home that night at the country club. Those people are your peers.”
“The truth is that I’d rather hang out with Clarence and Rosalie at the community center. Even if my folks might have chosen a different path for me, I know they just want me to be happy.”
In a sudden move, Tino lifted her up in his arms. It wasn’t the first time, but she suspected she would never get tired of him sweeping her off her feet. He deposited her on the sofa. “Stay there.”
When he seemed satisfied that she’d obey his abrupt command, he walked over to the desk and picked up a small bag. He carried it as if it was fragile or maybe precious to him. Rather than joining her on the couch, he planted his feet right in front of her.
“Brace yourself, Natalie, because I feel like I’m jumping out of a plane and praying my parachute will open.” He offered her a crooked grin as he dropped down to one knee. “You being the ’chute,
you see, because none of the plans I’ve made mean a damn thing if you’re not part of them.”
By this point, her heart was in her throat, and her hands shook so hard that she grabbed onto the sofa cushion for support. Tino kept talking.
“I have been plotting with your grandfather this past week. Right after the last time I saw you, I gathered up every scrap of courage I could muster and asked for his permission to propose to you. He not only approved, but he also gave me your grandmother’s engagement ring so I could have the diamond put in a new setting. He thought you’d like that connection with her.”
He pulled a small box out of the gift bag and held it out. It was a relief to see that his hands were as twitchy as hers were as he lifted the lid. “Natalie Kennigan, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Tino drew a ragged breath and continued. “I think I’ve loved you since that first day when you smiled at me with that streak of green paint on your pretty face. I may never be rich, but I will love you every day of our life together.”
He paused one more time, his smile so achingly hopeful. “So, what do you say? Want to take a chance on an ex-soldier who shares your dream of making the world a better place?”
There was so much she should say to this amazing man who understood her so well. When she couldn’t manage to string all those words together, she settled for the ones he most needed to hear.
Holding out her finger so he could slip the ring in place, she said, “Yes, Tino Gianelli. And for the record, I love you, too.”
Tino immediately surged to his feet and lifted her high against his chest as he kissed her hard and fast to seal the deal. The familiar heat and hunger she’d been missing for so long flashed hot. But before things got too far out of hand, the door to the library slammed open, and her grandfather rolled in with Esther hot on his heels carrying a tray full of champagne glasses.
Natalie gasped when her parents and Marlene Lukash filed in right behind them. A second later, Jack McShane followed his mother into the room along with a teenage boy and a woman who had to be Jack’s wife.
“Took you long enough, boy.” Her grandfather’s grin went from ear to ear. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep this bunch quiet while you dillydallied around? Hell, I was afraid this champagne would turn into vinegar before you finally got around to proposing.”
Then he popped the cork and sent a spray of the bubbly wine flying through the air. “Esther, drinks all around!”
—
Tino was relieved that his brand-new fiancée looked as shell-shocked by the sudden appearance of their families as he felt.
She blinked up at him. “I take it you weren’t expecting this kind of turnout.”
He slowly lowered her back down to the floor. “Not at all. I had planned to pick up the ring and then head over to your place to surprise you. Your grandfather is quite the schemer.”
“Yes, he is. It’s too bad your younger brother couldn’t make it.”
No sooner had she said the words, when Mikhail appeared in the doorway. “Damn it, Jack, couldn’t you have held them back long enough for me to get out of the bathroom? I came straight from the airport and hadn’t had a chance to make a pit stop along the way.”
Jack grinned. “You snooze, you lose, little brother.”
The teenager joined in. “Yeah, Uncle Mikhail, next time plan ahead.”
They all laughed when Mikhail responded by cuffing his nephew on the back of the head. For Tino, listening to his brothers and nephew squabble was pure heaven. He leaned down to whisper, “Are you sure you want to throw your lot in with that bunch?”
“As long as you are part of the deal, you bet.”
Then she nodded toward the far corner of the room where her mother and his were in deep conversation. “I don’t want to scare you, but I’m betting they’re planning our wedding for us.”
“No doubt about it. Want to elope? Like maybe tonight before they can figure out what we’re up to?”
“And deny my mother the chance to play mother of the bride for her only daughter? Good luck with that, not to mention your mother is looking pretty excited, too. If you’re brave enough to disappoint them both, I’m all for it.”
Yeah, that wasn’t happening. “Okay, a big wedding it is. Next question—preferably starting tonight, where do you want to live? There’s the annex, which unfortunately includes my brother Mikhail. If you’d rather, I’ll pack up and move into your place. Or we could live here with your grandfather. He strongly hinted he’d like that.”
The woman who had captured his heart and given his life new meaning frowned as if it was a hard decision. Then she grinned at him. “There’s only one answer to that question, Tino. I don’t care where we are as long as I’m with you.”
“Good answer, Blondie. Good answer.”
Epilogue
For the second time in just over a year, Marlene Lukash slipped away from the wedding reception to share good news with her late husband. Tino and Natalie had ended up holding their wedding in Cyrus Waines’s home, taking advantage of the beautiful rose garden as a backdrop. Right now, everyone was inside enjoying the catered dinner and waiting for the dancing to begin.
“Joe, you should see how happy Tino is right now. You’d really love his wife. Natalie is this little bit of a thing, so bright and so pretty. I swear, I can’t imagine any other woman more perfect for our son. I hope the world is ready for what the two of them want to accomplish.”
She’d give anything to hear her husband’s voice and for him to be there to share this special moment in their son’s life. It hurt knowing that wasn’t going to happen, and she suspected the man who had just joined her out on the patio knew just how she felt.
Cyrus Waines wheeled himself over to where she stood staring up at the night sky. “Don’t stop talking to Joe just because I’m here, Marlene. I talk to my wife out here all the time. Makes me feel closer to her and not so damn alone.”
She smiled down at Natalie’s beloved grandfather. “My boys probably think it’s crazy, but they don’t say anything. I was telling him how perfect your granddaughter is for our son.”
“I think pretty highly of Tino, too, and not just because he makes her happy. He’s a good man, one I would be proud to call my friend even if he wasn’t marrying into the family.”
Before she could respond, the doors to the library opened again. Tino smiled at them both. “There you two are. The photographer is waiting to take a few more million pictures, and the deejay is ready to start the music. I hope you wore your dancing shoes, Mom, because all three of your sons and your grandson are jockeying for position on your dance card. As the groom, I’ve claimed the first dance with you while Natalie and her father do their thing.”
Cyrus shooed him away. “We’ll both be along shortly. I’m not sure your mother is finished talking with Joe.”
Tino’s dark eyes gleamed with understanding. “Tell Dad hi for me, Mom, and that his letter…well, tell him I read it. Message received and understood.”
“I will. That will mean a lot to him.”
Tino retreated, allowing her to spend a few more minutes with Joe, even if only in her mind. Cyrus followed him back inside, leaving her alone again.
“I miss you, big guy, but don’t worry about me. Our boys do their best to make sure I don’t get too lonely, and our family has grown so much.”
A star overhead seemed to twinkle extra bright for a few seconds. Maybe Joe really was up there listening to her. “I’m so happy that two of our boys are happily married and getting on with their lives.”
The first notes of music floated on the night air. She twirled slowly once, twice, three times, pretending for a few seconds that she was back in her husband’s arms as he sent them both spinning across the dance floor.
It was time to head back inside, but she stopped just short of the door to offer one more smile to that sparkling star. “Two down, one to go, Joe. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait t
o meet the woman who makes our Mikhail smile like our two daughters-in-law do his brothers. Until then, good night, big guy. I’ve got some more dancing to do.”
To Sharon and Bob…Here’s to friendships that bridge both decades and distance! Thank you for all the laughter and great memories.
Acknowledgments
My sincere appreciation to everyone at Loveswept who has had a hand in the creation of this book. Thank you for sharing your amazing talents with me. It means a lot to me to have such fabulous support.
BY ALEXIS MORGAN
Sergeant Joe’s Boys
Always for You: Jack
Always Be True: Tino
Love, Always and Forever: Mikhail (coming soon)
Snowberry Creek
A Soldier’s Heart
A Time for Home
The Christmas Gift (Christmas on Main Street anthology)
More Than a Touch
A Reason to Love
PHOTO: LUMINA PHOTOGRAPHY
ALEXIS MORGAN has a BA in English from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She and her husband make their home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Alexis shares her office with two parakeets, who rock out to her favorite music and keep her company while she’s writing.
A lifelong avid reader, Alexis loves spending her days creating worlds filled with sexy warriors and the strong women who love them. She has been nominated for numerous industry awards, including the RITA from the Romance Writers of America, the top award in the romance genre.
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Read on for an excerpt from
Love, Always and Forever: Mikhail
Sergeant Joe’s Boys
Always Be True Page 26