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Luca and Kayden offered their congratulations, but Gianna noticed Gio and Rafe just smiled, unsurprised by the announcement. Which made sense considering Elio had contacted them to buy into the inn business.
Gianna still couldn’t quite believe they would be working together, and it occurred to her that now it was her ultimate dream job.
“You can’t get back soon enough for us,” Gio said. “You gonna be okay answering to this hard-ass, Gee?”
Luca frowned. “Why would Gianna be answering to Elio?”
“Because, as part of my retirement-from-hockey plan, I’ve invested in the haunted inn. Gonna run it with Gianna.”
Keeley squealed. “Thank God that secret is out! I was literally about to pop.”
Liza scowled at her friend. “You knew?”
“Only for a week.” Keeley jerked her thumb at her guys. “These guys didn’t tell me for two whole weeks.”
“And the only reason she got the goods early was because she stumbled across the paperwork on Rafe’s desk,” Gio explained.
Keeley pointed her finger at both her guys. “And that’s the last secret you ever keep from me,” she repeated. “You promised.”
Rafe gave Keeley a kiss on the cheek. “We promise, Kiwi.”
“Well, since we’re on a roll as far as coming clean, why don’t we keep the party going,” Liza said, never missing a beat. “When did the two of you start kissing?”
Elio looked at Gianna, who gave him the one-shouldered “go for it” shrug.
“The first kiss was under the mistletoe, like Keeley said,” Elio started.
“And the second was on the dance floor just now?” Liza asked.
Elio shook his head. “No. It was at the cabin in the Poconos after the holidays.”
“We got snowed in together,” Gianna added.
“No. Way!” Keeley squealed. “Why are we only just hearing about this now?”
Kayden gave his sister an exasperated look. “Why do you think you need to know everything about everyone?”
“Because I do,” Keeley replied, prompting the rest of them to laugh.
“So you got snowed in,” Liza prompted, clearly not happy with the crumbs they’d offered so far. “And you kissed and then you…” She paused for effect, letting them fill in the rest.
Gianna blushed. “Did other stuff.”
Elio chuckled at her very PG response, knowing it was sufficient enough to send all their friends’ thoughts to very X-rated places.
“Whoa. I didn’t see that coming,” Gio said, piping in. “Guess I’m suddenly starting to understand the interest in the inn.”
“You should have seen that kiss under the mistletoe,” Keeley said. “Serious sparks.”
Gianna felt herself blushing. “We were trapped in that snowstorm, and then we sort of fell into the tequila—”
“And the vodka,” Elio added with a wicked grin. “In an attempt to clean out the liquor cabinet.”
“Anyway, we, um…” Gianna’s words faded away when she realized she was about to come right out and admit that she’d had sex with Elio in front of his whole family.
“Had a one-night stand?” Aldo asked Elio softly, trying to make what he knew of his brother’s past relationships fit with what he was seeing now.
Elio shook his head, wrapping his arm around her waist. He’d warned her he was going to say it and it looked like the time was now. “Nope. Gianna is my girlfriend.”
