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Gia’s exhausted eyes stared back at her in cool reproach as she pushed the ignition button.
Feeling every bit like the coward that she was, Gia started to pull the car away from the curb. But just as she was about to enter the road, the door to the cottage flew open and the woman who stepped outside pinned Gia with a laser look. With her hair tousled high in auburn curls, Dolly stood out like a beacon of hope amongst the riot of colorful blossoms. With a wide smile she waved Gia to a stop and hurried down the stone path to the wooden gate. Gia embarrassed that she had been caught in creeper stalk mode, had no choice now but to pull over and get out of the car.
Gia walked haltingly towards Dolly McCabe and in a matter of only a few steps found herself enveloped in a tight hug.
“Gia! What on earth are you doing here?” Dolly asked happily. When Gia answered with a shrug and a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, Dolly’s own eyes narrowed slightly in concern. “Oh, never mind that! Who needs a reason, right? I’m beyond thrilled to see you! Please come in! I tried a new recipe this morning for the bakery—banana bread with dark chocolate chips and crushed pineapple! I just took it out of the oven and I hate to eat alone.” Dolly linked her arm around Gia’s and walked her inside.
Although it wasn’t the first time that Gia had been in Dolly’s house, the difference between Uncle Gianni’s home and Dolly’s always hit her like a ton of bricks.
Much like the man himself, Gianni Abruzzi’s home was a testament to uncompromised elegance and old-world tradition. With its rich mahogany paneling, crystal chandeliers, and smooth marble floors the interior was cold, intimidating, and impressive.
In sharp contrast, Dolly McCabe’s house seemed to explode into a colorful confetti of welcome. The cottage style home, with its bright country garden and steepled roof, gave the impression of having been plucked from the lane of an English Shire, or the steep cliffs of Ireland’s coastline.
Much like Dolly herself, the interior of the quaint home was a mix- match of things that were interesting, eclectic, and unique. The living room featured a stone fireplace set against walls the color of spring buttercups. Blue gingham fabric covered a deep cushioned love seat while two cerulean arm chairs completed the set. The white curtain lace that covered the custom windows was light and airy—with every soft breeze it danced and blew about as if made of gossamer wings.
But there was also a sense of sturdiness about the house. Wide floor boards lined a hallway that was partially covered with thick wainscoting. The kitchen— while cheery with its cornflower blue walls and light oak table — was large and no-nonsense. All the appliances were high quality stainless steel, the countertop was smooth granite and the flooring was covered in thick Mexican tile.
Just like its owner, the house was a lovely mix of strength and whimsey. Dolly McCabe was a stunning woman made even more beautiful by contradiction. Her nose was patrician, and her brows were imperiously arched, but her hair was a soft tumbling mass of auburn and gold curls. She had the full round breasts of a Vegas show girl, and the long, toned legs of a Russian ballerina. In her early fifties, Dolly had the dimpled smile, the impish grin and the bright eyes of a young girl.
But Gia also knew that underneath all that beauty and charm, lay a fierce jungle cat with the killer instincts of a lioness protecting her cubs. As the sister-in law of Prosper-Worthington and mother of Reno McCabe — Dolly was no stranger to the violent and dangerous world of men. Gia had no doubt that Dolly had what it took to navigate through that world—a world that was not unlike her own. Gia had been sad when the relationship between Dolly and Uncle Gianni had ended. Gianni left for Italy soon after and Gia had wondered if it was business or a broken heart that kept her uncle away.
After almost an hour of drinking tea, catching up on all the latest gossip and polishing off half a loaf of warm banana bread, Dolly reached out and gently gave Gia’s hand a squeeze.
“Now, honey, we can sit and drink tea and catch up on gossip until we burst and I’d like that just fine. But that’s not why you’re here, is it? You want to tell me what’s so bad that it’s taken you almost a week of driving by my house and sitting curbside instead of walking on up and knocking at the door?”
Gia sighed. “And here I thought I was being all cloak and dagger!” She blushed uneasily at the thought that Dolly had known all along that she had been out there.
“Not much gets by me, honey. I wanted to give you the time you seemed to need—but when I saw you pulling away again, I thought enough was enough and that maybe you needed a little push to get you where you needed to be. Now talk to me, honey.”
And for the next hour, Gia did just that. She talked and talked and talked—telling Dolly everything. By the end of the afternoon, Dolly had given advice, provided a shoulder and a box of tissues and had agreed to help Gia with her plan.
“You think it will work?” Gia asked through red eyes bright with tears and in between sniffles.
“Yes, it will definitely work. Just leave it to me. I can count the times I have asked Prosper for a favor on one hand over these many years, and as further guarantee, I’ll have a talk with Pinky. He won’t dare say no to the two of us!”
“Absolutely… fucking… not.” Prosper growled at his sister-in-law from across the table.
Dolly’s mouth formed a hard line. Then she crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest and narrowed her eyes.
“Oh Prosper, stop being such an ass. What if Gia was your daughter and facing this predicament?” Dolly huffed then went on with eyebrows raised. “Have you forgotten how that felt?”
“No fucking idea what you’re talkin’ about, woman!” He growled.
“Didn’t Raine find herself in this exact same position not that long ago?”
“She has a point.” Prosper’s wife, Pinky, weighed in to support Dolly’s argument.
Prosper glared at his wife.
“You talkin’ about my girl and Diego? I let them two work it out. Yeah, I supported her, but I didn’t put any pressure on D to make it right.” Prosper’s eyes shifted slightly but his growl was less certain now. “And Gia has her own damn family. Fucking Gianni’s gonna blow a goddamn gasket when he finds out she’s got one in the oven. He’ll make sure things work out for her.”
“No Prosper. Gianni will make sure things work out for him—in the way he thinks it should be.” Dolly let out an exasperated breath.
“Man seems to have a good head on his shoulders to me.” Prosper growled at her then he went for the money shot. “Seems like you wouldn’t have gotten into a business relationship with a man whose judgement you don’t fuckin’ trust.”
“Once again you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, and this isn’t about my choices, it’s about Gia’s choices. It’s a young woman’s future we’re talking about here you arrogant, self-serving…” Dolly had had enough of playing nice. They had been at this for over an hour and true to his baser nature, Prosper remained unreasonable and intractable.
“Stop it both of you!” Pinky interrupted the tirade. “Dolly, you’re not gonna get anywhere insulting a man in his own home.” Then she turned to Prosper. “And as for you, stop being so hard- headed! Can’t we find some way to help the poor girl?”
