Hired:The Italian's Bride

Tommy. Her companion, her protection, her one bright spot of unconditional love.

“You wanna go for a walk, boy?”

More butt wiggling as his tail beat a furious pace. Then he spied Luca at the top of the path and leaped out the door.

“Tommy!”

For once he ignored her command, reached the top of the path and with a loud bark, jumped up on Luca, planting firm paws on Luca’s chest.

What next?

Luca rubbed Tommy’s blond ears. “Aren’t you handsome.” He called down to Mari. “I didn’t know you had a dog!”

At least he wasn’t angry. Even if she was mortified that her dog had met him with more exuberance than he should have.

“Tommy. Come.”

At her sharp command, the Labrador slunk back down the stone steps to where she stood on the veranda. “Lie down.”

He dropped by her feet.

“If he’s that well trained, I can only assume you whispered something in his ear as he went out the door.” Luca’s teasing voice came closer as he descended to the cottage.

“I’m sorry about your sweater.”

“It’s not even dirty. Besides, that’s what laundry service is for.”

“Tommy, stay.” She left the dog on the porch floor and opened the screen door. “I’ll just be a moment.”

“So this is who you wanted me to meet?”

She paused. “Yeah. I figured if we’re going to be lunching outside, it would be a good chance to let him out for a run. He’s such a good boy, staying in all day and waiting for me.” She knelt down and rubbed the top of his head. “It would be a big treat for him to get out in the middle of the day for a romp.”

“You don’t leave him out in your garden?”

Mari ceased patting and looked up. “I know it sounds cruel, leaving him shut up all day. And I probably could leave him out, but I don’t trust the bears.” She leaned her forehead against Tommy’s warm neck. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him.”

He was also a level of protection for her. Nothing would hurt her while Tommy was close by. He wasn’t vicious by any stretch, but he was big and he was loyal.

“We’ll wait for you, then. Enjoy the outside and get acquainted.” Luca put the basket down and sat on a deck chair, rubbing Tommy’s silky ears in his fingers.

Mari went into the bedroom and pulled jeans and a soft sweater out of her closet. It felt strangely intimate, undressing and knowing Luca was only a few steps away. She slid the jeans over her panties, pulled the sweater over her head and re-did her ponytail.

All the while aware that he was out on her porch, with her dog and a picnic.

This could technically be classified as a date.

She sat heavily on the bed. No, it was a working lunch, that was all. A break from the craziness that had become the Cascade and testing out guest services. They could eat and still classify it as work. They could forge a truce of sorts. That was what Luca had said, right? That he wanted to be friends. She was torn. She wanted friends, she did. And yet the idea of getting close to people frightened her. She wished she were different. That she could leave the past where it belonged, behind her. That she could shed all the hurt and fear and live a normal life. Instead she tied herself into knots over the mere thought of being alone with her boss for a simple lunch.

Mari wasn’t prepared for the tumbling feeling in her belly when he came into a room. She’d spent so long on her own, focused on getting her life together that it was a new and unsettling experience. Bringing him here today wasn’t an accident. Knowing Tommy was with them—between them—would help. He was her reinforcement. Charlie would be waiting here, with the car. She would not be alone. And perhaps with this one lunch Mari and Luca could finally set a consistent tone. Perhaps they could come to some agreement on how to deal with each other during the coming weeks. He was right about that. They had to find a way to work together.

“Mari? Are you all right?”

She startled at the sound of his voice. She’d been daydreaming for several minutes, leaving him to his own devices on her veranda.

“Coming,” she called out, standing and smoothing her clothing. He hadn’t made this into anything other than lunch. It was Mari who was off balance. She either sniped at him or stared at him stupidly. It was her imagination running wild because he caused her temperature to rise a little bit each time he was around.

And because she hadn’t felt like this in such a long time the novelty was jarring.

She met them back on the porch. “Let’s go. Tommy, come.”

The dog fell in step at her heels, while Luca carried the basket, and the black Cadillac rested down the hill from them.