by Reina Torres
Davis was starting to look like he might faint from the unwanted attention. “I turned around and you were gone!” His hands pried apart and wavered in the air. “I was frantic!”
“There was music.” Allegra’s answer turned their heads and Valerio tensed against her, worried. As if she’d sensed his mood, she set her hand on his chest and gently drew her fingers across his heart a couple of times.
His bear leaned against the wall of his chest, seeking her touch.
“I wanted to listen to the music. I thought you stopped with me.”
Davis pressed his hands over his chest, exasperation written plainly across his features. “Didn’t you see me walk-”
The assembled group went absolutely still, as if they’d followed an unseen cue from off-stage.
Valerio was ready to pick up the other man and fling him into the onslaught of New York City traffic for his careless words, but it was the outspoken woman from before that stepped into the silence.
“Davis, this is why you’re the Artistic Director and not Public Relations. Go, take a break, pull your foot out of your mouth and leave Allegra to us. Hmm?”
She didn’t wait for an answer from him and based on the blank expression on his face, he wasn’t going to offer one. Stepping up beside Allegra she lowered her volume. “Allegra, sweetie. I’m Linda, remember me?”
The tension in Allegra’s body relaxed just the littlest bit. “Linda, you play the oboe.”
“Hey, spot on!” Linda’s laugh was full throated even if it was a little tense. “Look, let’s get you off the street and into the rehearsal space. We’re nearly done for the day, but I don’t think anyone is expecting you to pick up the bow again today. You look wiped. So how about we find you a chair to sit in before your legs give out.”
Allegra gripped the front of his shirt, but she didn’t pull away from the other woman. “Sitting might be good.”
His bear chuffed at him and sent him an image of what he expected, Allegra in their arms.
Valerio agreed, that was where he wanted her too, but he could tell by the lines on her face that she was exhausted and he needed to contact Salvatore before his older brother came after him. While Salvatore wouldn’t scare Allegra, he’d mellowed quite a bit since he’d found his mate, Natale, but it was their younger brother who would certainly disturb Allegra’s new-found calm. Uberto had the uncanny ability to unsettle anyone and his brothers still had yet to determine if it was a gift or a curse.
“Allegra?”
He heard her intake of breath on the heels of his growl.
“I need to make a call.” He felt her tense, and regretted the way he worded his statement. “I’d like to come in after I’m done, if you’d like me to.”
She trembled a little, but plastered a smile on her face. “If you’d like to…”
“Allegra,…” He leaned closer, carefully pressing his taller frame against hers, feeling every inch of her fantastic body against his until he felt blood surge through his body. “The last thing I want to do is leave you. I’ll be in to see you in a few minutes.”
Linda sidled closer and was there to take Allegra’s elbow in a gentle hold. “I’ll see she gets inside safely.” Her eyes remained on his face a moment too long, but all that mattered to Valerio is that she did what she said and took care of Allegra.
As soon as the door closed behind the last of the musicians he pressed a speed dial number and lifted his phone to his ear. He didn’t have to wait for an answer. The eldest Orsino picked up the call on the first ring.
“Yes?”
“Salvatore, I found her.”
Chapter Three
The rehearsal hall’s air conditioning was usually enough to give her a chill, cold enough that she would have seen her breath before her if she were able. Instead, she felt an unaccustomed warmth radiating through her skin, making all of her nerve endings tingle.
And it had nothing to do with the woman holding her arm.
She barely remembered meeting Linda a few days ago when she’d attended her first full orchestra practice and the whole crowd had made their introductions. She remembered that the woman was bright and curious. Very, very curious. “So, who is the hunk?”
“I’m sorry,” Allegra swallowed and tried to focus on Linda’s question. “What did you say?”
Allegra felt a playful swat on her arm and tried to pull away, but Linda wasn’t going to let go so easily.
“That gorgeous man that almost made Davis pee himself on the sidewalk. Who is he?”
Allegra shuddered a little at the thought. “Was Davis afraid of him?”
She felt Linda draw close, her expensive perfume crinkling Allegra’s nose. “I think he was more afraid that he’d lost you in the subway. Oh my god! Think of the press! Blind cellist lost in the crowds by Artistic Director! The Orchestra would be over and done on the bad publicity alone!”
She tried to laugh it off, but Allegra felt a little tremble of worry push through her body. “I’m fine though. I was lucky that Valerio found me.”
“Oh,” Linda’s fingers dug into her forearm and Allegra stumbled slightly, “is that his name?” They stopped short. “Here, there’s a chair right in front of you.”
Allegra reached out her arm and said a silent prayer of thanks that Linda had released her. With a minimum of fumbling, she found the back of the chair and sat down on the hard seat. “Valerio? Yes, that’s what he said. Valerio Orsino.”
The high-pitched metallic squeal of chair legs sent a shudder through Allegra’s shoulders.
“Nice. So, are you two… you know… together?”
Allegra could hardly catch her breath. “Together? No,” she smiled as a matter of being polite, but underneath it all, she grit her teeth together, “we’re not.”
It was the truth, but it irritated her on some level.
“He was, in a word,” Linda confided, “drool worthy.”
Allegra opened her mouth to say that drool worthy was two words, but Linda rolled right over her.
“I mean,” she laughed, “not that you’d know if you didn’t ‘know’ him, you know?” There was an odd little pause between them before Linda popped back in with a rush of sound. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I mean, I wasn’t trying to say that you couldn’t know because, you know, you’re blind. Which would still be true, but I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad about it. What I mean is-”
Allegra held up her hand. “I got it. It’s okay, Linda. Really. I just… I need a few minutes to catch my breath, if you don’t mind.”
“A few minutes,” the other woman mumbled, “yeah sure, of course, I mean you were gone forever and-”
“Allegra?”
She almost threw herself at Valerio in thanks. Linda was apparently a nervous talker and Allegra was one ramble away from a splitting headache. “Yes?”
She felt something press against the back of her chair and then a whisper of fabric.
“Allegra,” she startled, his voice in her ear, he must have knelt beside her, “I spoke to my brother and he’d like to meet you. Do you have time to have dinner with my brother and his… wife?”
She opened her mouth to answer and then paused, but Linda had no qualms about talking before thinking.
“So, it would be like a double date?”
Valerio continued to talk and Allegra almost smiled when she realized that he wasn’t answering Linda. “He says I owe him for leaving him alone with Uberto earlier. I’m usually the one that keeps them… on an even keel with each other. Salvatore and Natale have a table at Carducci’s-”
“Wait a minute!”
Allegra bit the inside of her cheek. Linda’s interruptions were more irritating than she wanted to admit.
“Salvatore and Natale? Is your sister-in-law Natale Durante?”
That caught Allegra’s attention. “The fashion designer?” She gave a little giggle at the thought. “That’s amazing.”
“So, your brother is Salvatore Orsino? Not much of a
family resemblance,” she grumped, “well except for the good looks, the broad shoulders, nice suit too, by the way. You both look like you work out all day long, damn.”
“Linda,” Allegra felt a pinch between her shoulder blades, “you know you’re talking out loud, right?”
The first chair Oboe coughed out a soft chuckle. “Not so much,” she sighed. “You know that’s why I like the woodwinds, don’t you?”
Shaking her head, Allegra didn’t even try to guess.
Linda’s laugher was a little too high pitched to be genuine. “I like to keep something in my mouth all the time.”
Allegra groaned. “Really?”
“I still can’t get over the idea of you having dinner with Natale Durante,” Linda scoffed beside her.
“Why not?” Allegra shrugged, enjoying the idea. “I’m sure she’s a fascinating person.”
“Fascinating sure,” Linda groaned, “but really, Allegra? What would you talk about? What does a blind woman know about fashion?”
Allegra’s face went numb, her hands chilled to the bone.
“Walk away.”
The words came from Valerio. Quiet, steel-edged and pointed. With a huff, Linda got up from her chair and left.
She felt his hand on her arm.
“I’m sorry for speaking to her that way if she is your friend-”
“You saved me from a headache,” her laughter felt good and the gentle touch of his hand on her arm warmed her to the core. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me,” he explained, “I was about to pick you up and run out of here.”
Reaching across her body, she covered his hand with her own. “I wouldn’t have stopped you.”
“I think one of the others might have.”
Allegra nodded. “Maybe.” She quieted as the reality of her situation settled over her. “This is all,” her hands waved around a little as she struggled to find the right words, “kind of surreal.” The more she thought about it that way, the more it made sense. “I think you were amazing this afternoon,” she explained to him, “I don’t want to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t been there-” sensations rushed back through her body, fear, panic. She slammed the door closed on those thoughts and stood, using the time to steady her nerves. “It was sweet of you to invite me,” she began, “but, I’m sure you don’t need me interrupting dinner with your family.”
“I wouldn’t ask if it was an interruption, Allegra.” He stepped closer to her. “You feel it, don’t you? This connection between us?”
She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t, not when her heart told her she would only be denying the truth.
“It feels,” she began to speak and then took a breath, “it does feel like something out of a dream.”
“Nothing wrong with a dream, is there?”
She drew in a breath, steadying herself. “Not when you’re used to a nightmare.”
“Allegra,” she felt his hand touch her arm, “what happened?”
She cleared her throat once… and then again. “Please, I shouldn’t have said anything.” His hand mirrored his tender touch on her other arm. “I don’t want to think about that. Not now.”
She heard his hesitation, felt the gentle reassurance of his presence.
“Then, come, Allegra. Come and meet my family.”
She squeezed her eyes closed, as if it made any difference besides the comfort it gave her. A barrier of sorts that was only in her head, but no less effective. “It’s a big step.”
“Big step, how?”
Allegra swept the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip and blew out a breath. “It’s part of that nightmare,” she explained, “I’m not used to doing much outside of rehearsal and then back to my apartment. A few stores here and there if it isn’t delivered. Before agreeing to play with the orchestra I hadn’t done much of anything in my life besides prepare to be ‘outside’ again.” She shook her head. “I know… it probably sounds crazy-”
“It sounds like you’re a survivor, Allegra. You’re taking back your life, waking up from your nightmare. And now, I’m here-”
“I’ve been alone for so long,” the admission hurt, “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
She felt his lips brush against her cheek before trailing across her lips.
“You’re not alone, Stellina. You have me, you have my family, you’re one of us.”
Allegra blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and brushed her lips against his.
“And I’ll be here for you.”
He felt a slight hesitation in Allegra as the front door closed behind them. Valerio used the hand he’d placed on her lower back to curve around her side and stepped closer to her.
She’d been overwhelmed in the subway earlier, but most people would assume that Carducci’s would be a cake walk compared to that. Valerio knew that wasn’t true.
Everything at Carducci’s was larger than life. The food, the furniture, flavors… but also the personalities.
And with personalities came volume.
Even in the entryway, which held the vintage allure of an upscale Italian restaurant from the heyday of Hollywood’s glamour, everything was overdone… over the top.
Valerio kept his hand on Allegra’s lower back, smoothing his thumb back and forth to keep her calm, but to reassure him that she was actually there beside him.
The host walked up from the dining room, his impeccable suit gracing his aging form. “Your party is already here, Mr. Orsino.” He extended a greeting and pressed a kiss to each of Valerio’s cheeks. “It’s so good to see you again.”
“Paulie, we were here a few nights ago.”
“True, but we love having you and your family here at Carducci’s. And you brought a guest with you.” Paulie’s tone spoke volumes. Before Salvatore had found Natale, Paulie had fancied himself a bit of a matchmaker… at least with his daughters and nieces. It had been quite a relief when he’d realized that the only reason they came to Carducci’s was the food.
“Who are you, my dear? I-”
Valerio saw Paulie flinch the slightest bit as he saw the folded cane in Allegra’s hand and then looked back at her face with a sympathetic frown.
Allegra extended her hand in greeting and introduced herself.
There was only a moment of hesitation and then Paulie recovered himself. “Come, my dear, a handshake?” He chuckled and the room filled with his trademark hospitality. “A kiss for each cheek, yes?”
Laughing, Allegra shrugged. “Sure.”
And when Paulie placed a kiss on one cheek, he talked as he moved to the other, drawing her into his side.
“And now we let your man follow us to the table and I will tell you all about Carducci’s so that you will love it as much as I do.”
Valerio followed behind them and noted the care that Paulie took to slow his normal steps and steer her gently through the crowded dining space.
When they reached the side room, Paulie seemed to dissolve into the dark wood panels of the restaurant and Valerio held his breath, waiting to see how his family would react to Allegra.
His bear chuffed at him in frustration, ending in an indignant huff as they watched as Natale and then Salvatore welcomed her to their family’s table. He didn’t have to touch Allegra to feel her happiness. He could see the relaxed line of her back and the soft smile on her lips.
Salvatore was the largest of the brothers. A man that most would think twice about approaching, even in the best of moods, but with his mate, he saw his brother’s gentle side come into play.
Allegra couldn’t see his size, but she reacted to his energy and his gentler nature. At their sides, Natale held Allegra’s hand in hers and beamed at the other woman.
“Val, come, let’s take our seats,” Natale had no problem taking charge of the family, and they all loved her for it, “I’m sure by now Paulie has the kitchen staff working double time to get some food on the table.”
Setting a hand on All
egra’s hip, he leaned his head down and whispered into her ear. “I’d like to sit you between Natale and myself.”
She nodded, flushing a bit. “Thanks.”
Salvatore was already on his side of the table, gently settling his mate in her chair as Valerio mirrored the same for Allegra. The two brothers shared a look over the heads of their women and Valerio felt a deep satisfaction in his chest.
Family had always been the central strength of the Orsino clan and while life with his brothers had been full of brotherly love that at times had been more of a wrestling match than nurturing, he was proud of his brothers and what they had accomplished.
Settling in his chair, Valerio unbuttoned his coat at the waist and reached out his hand. He saw the warm affection in Natale’s eyes turn to misty awe as Allegra reached out her hand and found his instinctively.
Valerio lifted their joined hands and brushed a kiss over the back of her hand, making her blush as Salvatore began to speak to them.
Allegra turned toward Natale when she felt a gentle touch on her arm.
Natale’s voice made her smile, with its rich tone and the genuine warmth that it contained. “I was going to the ladies’ room and I was wondering-”
“Yes, please!” Allegra stopped short and laughed. “I probably sound so silly. I’m just not familiar with the room.”
“I completely understand.” Allegra relaxed at the reassurance, she hadn’t wanted to bother asking. Natale eased her worry and their laughter blended together. “Of course not. Women are supposed to visit the restroom in packs.”
“Like gazelles on the Serengeti,” Allegra prompted, “safety in numbers?”
Natale’s tone held even more joy than before. “Rather, I’ve been the one outnumbered in this family by all the men. I’m so glad not to be alone anymore.”
Allegra stilled for just a heartbeat, and hoped that no one noticed. Without prompting, Natale had stumbled upon one of her usual worries, especially in unfamiliar locations. Being alone. Navigating her apartment, her neighborhood, that was easy after practice. A crowded restaurant?