Her laughter fades. “I’m worried about you.”
“I know what I’m doing,” I tell her, although I’m unsure if this is completely true.
Cass Tempesta is returning in three days. I’m expected to announce my decision then. I’ve been putting off a serious examination of my options by keeping busy.
The ranch is constantly active and there’s no shortage of things to see and do. Yesterday I got to bottle feed the orphaned twin calves in the big barn. I haven’t been inside the stables yet but I enjoy admiring the horses from a distance.
And the nearby small town of Vigilance is delightful. I think of it as a western version of Lorelei Gilmore’s beloved Stars Hollow. The Tempesta brothers are recognized everywhere we go. Some of the greetings they receive are cautious. Almost apprehensive. Even if their Mafia reputation was unknown, they’d still be men to reckon with.
“I really wish I knew him better,” I say to Alice.
“Hmph,” she replies. A disapproving noise.
Julian Tempesta is too clever to lay all his cards on the table. He allows me to see only what he wants me to see while he constantly calculates my reaction. It’s unnerving. And unfair.
“I feel like I’m out of my depth when I’m with him,” I admit. “Julian pulls all the strings. He has every situation under control.”
“Well,” says Alice with a huff, “then the great and powerful Julian needs to be in a situation hecan’tcontrol. If he wants you, and it sounds like he does, then he’ll play along. Make him jump through a few hoops. It’s the least he can do. What’s that noise?”
“My phone alarm.” I switch off the urgent sound of an old fashioned phone bell. “Dinner is in fifteen minutes and they take the dinner hour seriously around here.”
“Who do they think they are?” Alice grumbles. “Royalty?”
“More like high end cowboy Mafia scions.”
She snorts. “I’ve got a ton of grades to update as we hurtle toward the end of the school year so I’ll be awake late. Call me if you want to talk.”
“I will.”
“And do me a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Remember that you are far better than all of them put together.”
The sudden sting behind my eyes warns that tears aren’t far behind. I haven’t been lucky in many areas of my life but whatever power of the universe gave me Alice as a best friend has my undying gratitude.
She blows me a kiss before hanging up.
With Alice’s supportive words fresh in my mind, I conduct a quick mirror check.
I look fine. I’m wearing a short sleeve white buttoned blouse with one of my favorite skirts; a summery, flowing maxi festooned with large peonies. Simple pink flats are on my feet.
I really do look fine. It’s a very typical, pretty outfit that I’d wear anywhere. To work. To the bookstore. To a bar. Alice would call it Cecilia Couture.
My eyes dart to the pen on the desk. Pink with pictures of strawberries along the shaft.
The reason Julian can read me so effortlessly is because I make it easy for him.
I’m already unbuttoning the blouse as I walk to the closet where I hung most of my clothes to smooth out the suitcase wrinkles. The dress I’m looking for is in the middle of the rack and it stands out because it’s so different from the rest of my wardrobe.
A moment later, I’ve hastily changed and returned to the mirror. The new ankle-length dress is sapphire blue, an impulse purchase when I was shopping with Alice. The chiffon fabric flows with seductive ease and the slit up the right side shows off some leg while still hiding the scars on the left. The ribbed elastic bodice flatters my figure and the ruffled sleeves can be worn on the shoulder or off.
Feeling daring, I slide the sleeves down, revealing bare shoulders and a noticeable amount of cleavage, which isn’t my usual style.
A brief flicker of hesitation is dismissed. A moment ago I looked satisfactory. Now I look sexy.
After running a brush through my long hair and adding small diamond stud earrings, my Gemini necklace and a dash of lip gloss and mascara, I’m ready with a couple of minutes to spare. The last thing I do is slide my boots on.
