Page 210 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

Gian’s gaze darted to Cara, and then quickly back to the woman standing in front of him. “There was no reason for her to. It was a common thing long before her appearance and work here.”

“And the use of the business name?”

“No affiliation to a family name that may make some uncomfortable to be attached to, except in details that no one has time or need to dig into,” Gian replied with a smirk. “It does the same job as anonymous donations, of course, but simpler come tax time.”

“I’ll have to take your word for that.” Jenny looked back at Cara once again. “Thanks for helping to clean this place up. I will see you on Monday, right?”

“Monday,” Cara agreed.

Once Jenny was gone, Cara looked to Gian.

“What was all that about?”

“Pardon?” he asked.

“That vague, weird conversation.”

Gian shrugged his shoulders, his lips curving teasingly at the edges. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, mon ange.”

“Gian.”

He glanced away, shoving his hands in his pockets. “So, the woman who started this whole place—”

“Carolina Demaske.”

“She was a good friend to my grandmother, on my mother’s side, especially throughout her life, long after she no longer needed the safe haven that Carolina provided. There was a time when my grandmother had no one else but for Carolina, and it was a message she passed down on us all.”

Cara took in those words and what they meant. “You donate money to the shelter?”

“Monthly,” Gian admitted, “and it is just one of many that I donate to, personally. I know my mother and father, and even my sister and brother, donate to other places or things they want to support. Carolina’s House has always been one I focused on, personally.”

“That’s … wonderful, Gian.”

“I have too much, I don’t need it all, Cara. I can afford to give some away. Unfortunately, there are those who are not comfortable with taking money from a man with my last name and affiliations, so I have become smarter about donating, using businesses as a shell of sorts, where my name is too deep into the paperwork for people to care.”

“And I take it, this started long before I ever stumbled upon this place?”

He laughed, dark and husky.

It nearly killed her every time she heard that damn sound come out of his mouth. It was so fucking unfair that all the pregnancy hormones running through her body made it even more difficult to control herself around Gian. All it took was one of his chuckles, a look, or a smirk, and she was a stupid pile of hormones and desire.

And oh, God.

Being touched?

Apparently, Cara’s body had nerves where they never existed before.

Gian loved that.

Cara was just … overwhelmed.

All. The. Time.

“Long before you,” Gian said. “I may have upped the amounts I donate over the last few months, but I tend to do that whenever I have a particularly good year, money-wise.”

“Oh.”

“So, the appointment?”