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She’d dreamed about their getting back together, but it wasn’t supposed to happen like this.
* * *
Rick looked around his West Hollywood rental, debating what to pack next. The movers could do the rest.
Chiara’s stalker may have been arrested, but the threat to Rick’s own sanity remained very real. He’d always prided himself on being Mr. Cool and Unflappable—with nerves of steel in the face of every stunt. But there was nothing cool about his relationship with Chiara.
“So the first Serenghetti grandbaby, and it was a surprise.” Jordan shook his head as he taped a box together. “Mom must be beside herself.”
His brother happened to be in town for another personal appearance, so he’d come over to help Rick pack. Together, they were surrounded by boxes in the small living room.
“Last I heard, she was trying three new recipes.” Rick knew cooking was stress relief for his mother.
Damn it, he wished the news had broken another way. Yet, if Chiara was to be believed, it wasn’t her doing that the cat was out of the bag.
Jordan shook his head. “Of course Mom is cooking. First Cole throws an unexpected wedding, now you hit her with a surprise grandchild. She’s probably trying to figure out what went wrong with her parenting recipe—was she missing an ingredient?’
“Hilarious,” Rick remarked drily. “She’s got two more kids she can hang her hopes on.”
Jordan held up his hands as if warding off a bad omen. “You mean, she has Mia to help her out.”
Rick shrugged. “Whatever.”
His brother looked around. “You know we could just throw this stuff in a van ourselves instead of using movers.”
“Yeah, but I’ve got more pressing problems at the moment.”
Jordan cocked his head. “Oh, yeah, daddy duty. But that doesn’t start for another...?”
“Seven months or more,” Rick replied shortly.
Chiara had gotten pregnant in Welsdale or soon after. There’d been plenty of opportunities. Once the floodgates had opened, they hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other.
“You know, I was debating what housewarming gift to get you. Now I’m thinking you need one of those dolls they use in parenting classes...to practice diapering and stuff.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Well, you and Chiara are definitely in the express lane of relationships,” Jordan remarked.
“The relationship was a media and publicity stunt.”
Jordan’s face registered his surprise. “Wow, the work of a stuntman never ends. I’m impressed by your range.”
“Put a lid on it, Jordan.”
His brother flashed a grin. “Still, a publicity stunt...but Chiara winds up pregnant? How do you explain that one?”
“I was also supposed to protect her from her stalker friend. That was the real part.”
Jordan picked up his beer and toasted him with it. “Well, you did do that. I suppose one thing led to another?”
“Yeah, but it could have gone better.” The nut job had already been in Chiara’s house when he’d arrived. As for the relationship part...
“Or worse.”
Rick’s hand curled at his side. Damn it. Why hadn’t Chiara listened to him and taken more precautions? Because she was hardheaded.
Jordan shook his head. “I can’t believe I had to get the news from Gossipmonger.”
