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“So we’re supposed to have Toni believe Carina is like Santa? Until when?”
“Brand, Santa isn’t real, except in our hearts. But Carinaisreal. And she’ll always be Toni’s mother. That’s why we need to tiptoe through this.” Mia hesitated, not sure whether she should say this next part.Che diavolo. Might as well get it out there. “You and Carina had serious marital issues. Iget that.”
His mouth tightened. “We were both careful to keep them well away from Toni. At least we agreed on that much.”
“I’m sure you did,” she replied gently. “Which is probably why all your daughter remembers is her love for her mother. Do you want to destroy that? Or allow her to have good memories of Carina?”
“She was in the process of stealing my daughter from me when she died,” he stated harshly. “If she hadn’t been running back to Italy, she wouldn’t have been killed and Toni wouldn’t have been so badly injured.”
There were times Brand became more than intimidating. This was one of them. Despite that, Mia held her ground. “In other words, you want Toni to have bad memories of her mother.”
He glared at her for an instant before swearing beneath his breath. “No, of course not.”
“Carina is dead. She can’t hurt you any longer.” Mia approached, resting her hand on his bicep, feeling the muscles tense at her touch. “Nor can she participate in Toni’s life other than as a memory. Her last act was to protect her daughter. That must mean something.”
“It does mean something,” he reluctantly conceded.
“Everything you do is for Toni. Everything I’m doing is for her, too.”
He shot her a sharp look. “You’re pushing it, Mia.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” she said, sincerely sympathetic. “If you have a better suggestion, I’m open to it.”
“Shit.”He spun away, paced the width of the kitchen before turning back again. “I hate that you’re right.”
A smile quivered at the corners of her mouth. “Would a biscotti help?”
“No. But two might.” Irritation lingered on his face. “And a kiss. Idefinitely need a kiss to make up for all this.”
Her smile grew to a grin. “Two biscotti and a kiss. It’s a deal.”
He approached and slipped an arm around her waist, yanking her against him. Then he kissed her, akiss that sent her under within seconds, that had her wishing with all her heart that their marriage could be real … and permanent.
“What areall these boxes?” Mia asked, peering over Brand’s shoulder.
“Christmas decorations,” he replied. To his amusement, she looked as excited as his daughter at his response, darting from box to box and peeking inside. “We’re a little late putting them up, so I set aside today to get everything done.”
“I want to put the star on the top of the tree,” Toni requested. “Please, Daddy?”
“Sure thing, pumpkin.”
“I’m not—”
“—apumpkin. Iknow. But didyouknow that Mia is a star?”
“She’s not a star,” Toni scoffed. “She’s a girl.”
“My last name is Starr,” Mia explained, then teased. “Does that mean you have to put me on top of the Christmas tree?”
Toni’s alarmed gaze shifted from one to the other. “No, don’t do it, Daddy. What if she falls off?”
He laughed. God, how long had it been since he’d laughed so freely? Months? Years? At some point during his marriage to Carina, he’d lost the ability. “I think this particular star has to stay on the ground.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I won’t put Mia on top of the Christmas tree. We have a star in one of the boxes that we’ll put there instead.”
“I’llput it on top of the tree, Daddy.”
