A man pushed the waiting room doors opened just as Alessia spoke and he glanced around. He had dark hair and soft brown eyes. The second he spotted Angelo’s family, he headed straight for them.
“Jared!” Francesca gasped when she saw the man. “Thank you for coming. Did we wake up the baby when we called?”
“Of course! Felicity knows I’m here, but no, you didn’t wake Hayley.” He smiled wearily, but stress tightened his eyes as he embraced Francesca and Matteo.
She noticed Jared was staring at Kara. “Jared, do you know Kara?”
“Er… No?” Jared said in genuine confusion. His gaze swept over her with a critical eye.
Francesca beamed. “She’s Angelo’s fiancée.” Kara wanted to crawl into a hole all over again. This lie was just compounding on itself.
“Angelo’s fiancée?” Jared’s eyes narrowed on her and then softened. “It’s lovely to meet you, Kara. Angelo never mentioned you?—”
Crap!She had to think fast.
“Our relationship is kind of new. I don’t even have a ring yet. We...” Her face was beet red. “That is, I?—”
Alessia came to her rescue, putting an arm around Kara’s shoulders. “Okay now, let’s leave Kara alone. She’s been through enough.” She led Kara over to a chair away from Jared.
“I’m so embarrassed,” Kara confessed. “I don’t know anyone.” Of course, she had no way of knowing anyone here, but Angelo’s fiancée should have.
Alessia squeezed her hand as she sat down beside her. “Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. I know what it’s like to be inducted into the craziness of the Vertucci family. Tons of names, tons of personalities. It’s a lot. Angelo had good reason to keep you to himself for a while. Once the Vertuccis take you in, you become part of the family. Then everyone will be sticking their nose in your business for the rest of your life,” Alessia laughed.
“Thank you. So, who is Jared? One of Angelo’s other brothers?” She needed to know more about him. He had a look about him that warned her he was the suspicious or at least perceptive type. He wouldn’t fall for the fake fiancée routine for long.
“Jared?” Alessia chuckled. “He’s not a Vertucci. His name is Jared Redmond. He’s been Angelo’s friend for a long time. They met when Angelo went away to a prep school in ninth grade. They sent Angelo there to give him some space from his three younger brothers. Jared’s a lawyer now. He’s married with thecutestbaby girl. His wife, Felicity is one of my best friends. You’ll love her.”
For brief instant Kara fell for her own lie and let herself believe this was all real. That she would get to meet all these people and be a part of their world.
A moment later, the waiting room door opened and a doctor in blue scrubs entered. She had her surgery masked pulled down to below her chin and her hair was tucked up in a blue cap.
“I need to speak to Angelo Vertucci’s fiancée,” the doctor said, her weary gaze moving between the people in the waiting room.
Kara slowly got up, her heart slamming in her chest as she watched the doctor’s face for any hint whether the news she had was good or bad.
“That’s me. And, uh, this is Angelo’s family.” She waved at the others who now stood behind her. At least she wasn’t alone, whatever happened.
The doctor motioned for Kara to sit in a chair. “Why don’t we sit? You look dead on your feet.”
“Thank you.” Kara’s head spun, and Alessia helped her back down into a chair.
Please God… let Angelo be okay.
Chapter Three
Every muscle in Kara’s body had gone taut like bows strings pulled too far and desperate for a release of the building tension. Angelo’s mother put an arm around her shoulders as the emergency room doctor spoke.
“We have finished a laparotomy surgery,” she began. “His wound is deep, so there was a chance it had perforated the intestines and damaged major blood vessels, which can lead to internal bleeding and peritonitis.”
“What’s that? Peritonitis?” Francesca asked.
“Sorry.” The surgeon rubbed her temples. “It means an infection. Fortunately, we didn’t see any damage when we were inside, but we’re going to treat him in advance for any possible infection he might get in the near future. He’s resting now, and I would say unless something changes, he’ll be all right once he’s rested and recovered from the surgery. We’ll check his blood work and liver values over the next two days and if everything looks good, we can send him home. He has some staples to hold the wound together, and those can be removed in a week or so. Do you have questions?” the surgeon asked.
Kara let out a shuddering breath. Angelo was all right. He hadn’t died because of her.
Matteo and Dante asked the surgeon a few more questions. Kara closed her eyes, allowing the tidal wave of relief she felt to wash over her. Angelo was okay. He hadn’t died because of her. That was all that mattered.
Matteo shook the woman’s hand when she’d finished answering his questions. “Thank you, doctor.”
