by Laura Ann
Val snorted. “That’s a fib if ever I heard one. You’re always in the very middle of anything going on.”
Lola pumped her eyebrows. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
Val shook her head, but couldn’t help but smile.
An hour later, the place was buzzing with curious people. Lola had instructed the caterers to put up signs announcing the free picnic, and the crowds were starting to show up. Men, women, and children of all ages and backgrounds were roaming around, waiting for the food lines to open.
“Not long now,” Lola said with glee. She glanced at her watch. “Not long at all.” She shaded her eyes and looked toward the street, then grinned. “Right on time.”
Val frowned and followed Lola’s gaze. “You sneaky...grandma,” Val said with a grin. “I should have known you’d pull something like this.” Her eyes were glued to the handsome businessman walking with a large group of similarly dressed people toward the park.
“Hello, beautiful,” Andrew said with a smile, grabbing Val and kissing her on the forehead.
Lola put her hands on her hips. “You used to greet me that way, young man.”
Andrew laughed and kissed Lola’s cheek in his usual greeting. “Sorry, Grams. I could never forget the number one woman in my life.”
“Number two,” Lola said with a huff. “I would never try to be ahead of someone like Valentina.” Lola winked at her bodyguard. “She might put me in a headlock.”
Val looked fondly at her employer, but her cheeks were burning. “I might have to do just that for embarrassing me,” Val muttered.
Andrew slid his arms around Val from behind and whispered in her ear. “She’s right though. Grams might have to step down for you.” He nuzzled her ear and Val allowed herself to sink into his arms for a moment.
“Wait. Andrew.” She wiggled out of his grasp. “I can’t. I’m on the clock.”
Andrew gave her a sad smile. “I know. I actually brought my whole department here and should probably mingle anyway, but I had to say hi.”
Val gave him a quick kiss. “I appreciate it, but go. Have fun and I’ll see you later.” She watched him go with a little ache in her heart. It was ridiculous, really. Each time they separated, it grew harder and harder, and Val was slightly concerned that she had reached the point of no return. Her heart appeared to be neatly clasped in his very capable hands. But with the way things have been going, I think it’s going to be okay.
“Not this again!” Lola threw up her arms. “After all the trouble I went through to get him here and give you an opportunity to be together, you have to be worried about your job!” She stepped up to point a finger in Val’s face. “Don’t make me fire you, missy. I’ll do it! You and Andrew are far more important than watching over me when I’m perfectly safe.”
Val opened her mouth to argue, but Lola continued.
“I’ve seen how you look at each other, and I refuse to be the reason you two are separated...ever.”
“It’s just a picnic,” Val argued. “And who will watch you if I go be with him?”
“It’s not just a picnic,” Lola shot back. A sly grin crossed her face. “Picnics are the perfect place for a little rendezvous.” She wiggled her eyebrows while Val groaned. “Plus, your other men are coming. I’ll be perfectly safe.”
Val bit her lip and glanced around. “I don’t think I can do it, Lola. It just wouldn’t feel right.”
Lola stomped her foot. “For once in your life, Valentina, go with your heart.” She stepped forward and grabbed Val’s hands. “What you and my grandson are becoming doesn’t come along every day. Trust me, I know.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Please. Go. It would make this old woman happy.”
Val searched the park again, realizing Lola was right. The area was busy but calm. No one appeared to be giving the grandmother a second glance, but Val couldn’t quite bring herself to step down.
“Okay,” she finally relented, much to Lola’s joy. “But only after Archer and Sawyer arrive. Then I’ll know you’re safe.”
Grams looked towards the heavens and muttered, but Val wasn’t going to be deterred.
A few minutes later, Grams grabbed her arm. “There.” She pointed at two large men approaching the party.
Val sighed in relief to see Archer and Sawyer arriving. She waited until she caught Sawyer’s eye, then pointed to her own eyes and down to Lola.
Sawyer nodded his understanding.
“All right,” Val said. “Sawyer said he’d keep an eye on you. I’ll go spend a few minutes with Andrew to make you happy, but don’t expect me to just play the whole afternoon away.”
“I accept. Now go.” Lola shooed her away and Val slowly started to walk toward Andrew, glancing back several times to see the bright smile on Lola’s face. All right, guess I’m playing hooky for the first time ever. A wide smile tugged on Val’s face and she turned to run toward the man she loved.
ANDREW SAW SOMEONE from the corner of his eye moving quickly in his direction and he turned, only to smile. “Valentina!” He wrapped an arm around her and she attached herself to his side. “I thought you were working.”
Val got up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “She relieved me of duty.”
Andrew frowned and backed up. “What?”
She shrugged. “Sawyer’s keeping an eye on her and everything is completely under control. Plus, she gave me a huge lecture about not coming in between us. What was I supposed to do?”
Andrew chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Exactly what you did, I suppose. No one can argue like Grams can.”
Val snorted. “That’s the understatement of the year.”
“Would you like to meet the crew? Luke is on a business trip, but you can meet everyone else.” He gestured to the people sitting at a table. All of them were in work clothes and were watching him and Val, although most of them had the good manners to try and be subtle about it.
Val bit her lip and Andrew tightened his grip. He wanted nothing more than to whisk Val away and be alone with her. They’d been living on texts the last couple of days and he desperately needed some time with her. Having spent the last few days apart had helped him realize something very important. He was completely and irrevocably in love with her. It had been a subtle revelation, but plain nonetheless. When he was with her, he couldn’t get enough and when they were apart, he felt half alive.
All it took was a few texts to brighten his entire day, and if he got the chance to hold her in his arms? He felt like he’d won the Super Bowl each time. But how do I tell her? She was so reluctant to date, I doubt that she’s ready to hear that I’ve completely fallen for her. He looked into her dark eyes, so warm and inviting. I’ll have to tell her soon though. I don’t want to keep these feelings to myself for very long.
“Are you sure you want to introduce me?” Val whispered, eyeing his employees. “They might not be happy that we’re together.” She looked down at her work clothes and grimaced. “Not to mention I’m not exactly dressed like I belong.”
“You’re perfect,” he said softly, kissing her forehead again. “If they have an issue with us, that’s their problem, not ours. And it’ll have no bearing on our relationship.” He winked. “Only Grams could do that.”
“Good thing she likes me, then, huh?”
Andrew laughed and gave her a squeeze. “Yep. Good thing.” He turned. “Come on. Let me introduce you.”
They spent the next twenty minutes moving around the table, meeting all the employees Andrew had brought with him. Once they were done, Andrew and Val walked hand in hand up to the food tables. “Hungry?” he asked, positioning Val in front of him so he could wrap his arms around her waist.
“Starving,” she breathed.
Val bounced against Andrew’s chest as he chuckled. “You’re always starving.”
Val glanced over her shoulder. “I’m sorry. If you were looking for one of those women who only eats lettuce, you picked the wrong gal.”
He gave
her a tight hug. “Which is exactly how I like it. Where else would I find someone who actually fights me for the last bite of cheesecake?”
Val glared. “I warned you it was my favorite. I can’t help it if you don’t listen.”
Andrew nuzzled her hair. “Maybe I just enjoy getting you all riled up.”
“That explains why you’re so good at it,” she grumbled good-naturedly.
“Allow me to make it up to you,” Andrew said with a smile. He grabbed two plates and handed one to her.
Val tapped his cheek in a teasing way. “You can be taught! Food is absolutely the way to my heart.”
“Then I guess I’m headed in the right direction,” he said seriously, then stole a hard kiss. Val’s face was flushed and she swallowed hard, but Andrew wasn’t sure if it was because of his remark or the kiss, so he let it go. “What looks good to you?”
Her eyes never left his when she said, “Everything.”
“Don’t tempt me, woman,” he growled. “I’m already having a hard time remembering there’re people around.”
Val’s lips twitched. “Maybe I want you to forget,” she whispered.
Andrew threw his head back and groaned. “You’re killing me!”
Val laughed and started dishing up the food from the catering company. “Food first.” She glanced at him slyly. “Kissing later.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he said close to her ear. He took a long breath in, enjoying the citrusy scent that was uniquely Valentina. She always smelled like a mixture of orange and cinnamon, which suited her spicy personality perfectly, and now every time Andrew poured himself a glass of orange juice, he thought of her.
“I hope you do,” she flirted back.
This lunch can’t finish quick enough. With renewed energy, Andrew filled their plates and dragged her to a table.
Val laughed. “In a hurry, are we?”
“You have no idea,” Andrew said, looking straight in her eye and letting his hunger show.
Val’s lips parted in surprise and it only served to make Andrew more anxious to get her alone.
Acting as if nothing was bothering him, he kept eye contact so she would know he was serious, but picked up his fork and started to eat.
Val blinked several times, then broke their staring contest by dropping her gaze to her plate. Slowly, she followed his example and began putting food in her mouth, but at her silence, Andrew worried he’d gone too far. She’d been skittish in the beginning, but he’d thought they’d gotten past all that. Maybe she’s still having doubts. But how do I assuage them?
After a moment, a smile played on her lips and Andrew knew it would be all right. “You seem to have a way of messing with my appetite,” she murmured, glancing sideways at him.
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound like a compliment.”
Val shrugged and sat back in her seat. “I didn’t say it was gone. Maybe just...changed.” That familiar fire flashed through her eyes and Andrew let a slow smile creep across his face.
He glanced around, spotting a secluded area in the nearby woods. “Want to take a walk?”
Val slipped her fingers into his and started to stand, when she suddenly jerked upright. “Where’s Lola?”
Andrew glanced around, but didn’t see her immediately. “Probably chatting. Why?”
Val’s eyes narrowed on a spot in the woods and she suddenly sprang into a run, leaving Andrew in bewilderment.
CHAPTER 17
Please don’t let her be hurt, please don’t let her be hurt. The words chanted through Val’s brain as she dashed with everything she had toward the tree line. She wasn’t even positive the woman she had seen was Lola, but the circumstances were certainly suspicious.
Despite being called off-duty, she’d been keeping an eye on Andrew’s grandmother. The older woman had mostly been wandering around, saying hello and introducing herself to people. However, to Val’s dismay, she had lost track of Lola when Andrew had changed their flirting from playful to serious. Her entire concentration had been on the implications of his words and she had completely forgotten about her charge.
But when she and Andrew had stood up to go find somewhere to be alone, a flash of white hair and bright pink had disappeared behind a tree. Lola was wearing a pink blouse today and Val was certain the woman would not be traipsing through the woods on her own. How the heck did she get away from Sawyer? Where IS Sawyer?
Val burst through the tree line and discovered Lola fighting off a much larger man. She was using the techniques Val had taught her, but they were proving ineffective at the moment. Without a second thought, Val grabbed the man’s arm and wrenched it away from Lola. The older woman was thrown to the ground with the sudden release, but Val didn’t pay any attention; she was too busy trying to contain the culprit.
She crouched low, ready to spring, when the man shook his head and looked up. “You? The ice cream man!” Val’s jaw loosened and she nearly dropped her guard. “What are you doing?”
The ice cream vendor they had worked with several weeks ago sneered at Val. “I spend all day selling only a few ice cream bars, barely able to feed my family.” He waved an arm at Lola and Val shifted so she was between the two. “She has more than she needs! Why should she have so much when I have so little?”
Val studied the perp, watching carefully to see if he was planning to attack again. “Mrs. McPherson is more than generous in sharing her wealth,” Val said, stepping slightly forward. She paused when the man’s eyes darted toward her. “But what’s hers is hers. She holds no responsibility to share it at all.”
“It isn’t right!” the man bellowed.
Val could see his mind was slipping as he grew more and more agitated.
“I’ve worked hard!” He pounded his chest. “Slaved away for years, yet I survive on pennies. She did nothing but be born into the right family and look at her!” He pushed a fist against his temple.
“Over here. Focus on me,” Val said calmly. The first order of business was to allow Lola the chance to get away. Second would be to subdue the salesman. However, his mannerisms made Val worried he was not in control of himself, which made him more dangerous and less predictable. He kept shaking his head and muttering quietly, only to push against his temple again.
Val slipped one hand back and waved at Lola, trying to tell her to run away, but of course the older woman didn’t listen.
“I helped you,” Lola called out indignantly, rising from the ground.
“Lola,” Val growled. Again, she tried to shoo the woman away, but she was having none of it.
“I paid you twice what those ice cream bars were worth and this is how you repay that kindness?”
“Kindness!” the man screamed.
“Hey!” Val yelled, waving an arm in the air. “Hey! Over here. Look at me.” She breathed better when his wild eyes were focused away from Lola. “Look, nothing you say is going to change this situation. I’m sorry your business isn’t going as well as you would like, but that’s not Mrs. McPherson’s fault.”
His chest began to heave and his fists clenched, letting Val know he was getting ready to blow. When he reached down to grab a large tree branch, Val knew it was time to act.
“Lola! GO!” she shouted, lunging towards the older man. Val grit her teeth as he swung the branch and it connected with the side of her head. Stars danced in her vision, but she kept her momentum moving forward and wrapped her arms around the man’s thick body, pushing him backward.
Something warm trickled down the side of her face, but Val ignored it as they hit the ground. She grabbed the branch and tore it from his grasp, throwing it as far as she could from her awkward position. Using her legs as leverage, Val grabbed his shoulders and spun him onto his stomach, where she pinned his arms together and put a knee between his shoulder blades.
A thick wave of dizziness overcame her and Val felt herself falter for a moment. She grit her teeth, wiped the blood dripping over her eyes on her shoulder,
and hung on.
“VAL!” Sawyer’s yell was more than welcome. He and Archer burst through the trees, immediately scrambling down to help her with the wriggling body.
“Val!” Archer’s voice was alarmed. “We got him. You can let go.”
Val felt her head swaying, and Archer’s words struggled to penetrate through the haze.
“Whoa!” Strongs arms banded around her and helped pull Val back from her position on the attacker’s back. “Val. Look at me.”
She blinked rapidly, trying to bring everything back into focus. “Sawyer?”
“Yeah. Archer and I are here to help. I’m so sorry I lost track of Mrs. McPherson,” he hurried to say. “One minute she was chatting, the next she was gone.”
Val brought a shaking hand up to the point of pain on the side of her head. “I think I got hit.”
“Yeah...”
Val winced when Sawyer poked at the area.
“He got ya good.” His hands were gripped around her upper arms. “Can you stand? So I can help Archer?”
Val thought she nodded, but the world was spinning and she wasn’t sure if her body was following directions. When Sawyer’s grip left her, she allowed herself to sink to the ground with a groan.
“Through here!” Lola’s voice was raspy, but it was easy to hear her.
Val glanced up just in time to see a large group of people storm through the treeline. Uniformed officers immediately stepped up to help Archer and Sawyer. Val scooted on her bottom out of the way, knowing she was no help at the moment.
“Valentina!” Lola shouted. There were sounds of a scuffle and Lola spoke again. “Let me go!”
Val immediately tensed and she swung her head upright, trying to make her body work so she could save Lola again, but instead, she found Andrew with his arms around his grandmother, holding her back from coming any closer.
Val relaxed, grateful that Lola was in good hands until she saw the look on Andrew’s face. She didn’t need her full faculties to see his disappointment.