Loving Gigi

  He did his best to conceal his doubts, especially since his sister was marrying Gio’s younger brother Nick and therefore would also be part of this family. A quadruple wedding. Kane had thought Rena was kidding when she’d told him Gio and his three brothers would all say their vows at the same ceremony. She claimed it was romantic. He’d thought she’d lost her mind at the time. However, as he saw the elaborate production the day had become, he had to admit it was nice to not have to attend three more weddings that year.

  He shook his head as two children knocked into him before rounding the corner and disappearing. A frazzled woman was in hot pursuit. He and Stephan shared a look as she sped off after them.

  “That’s one nanny who won’t last,” Kane joked.

  Stephan shrugged. “She’s their mother. She’s married to my second cousin from North Carolina. She says she wants two more.”

  Kane raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Is she sane?”

  “You’d have to ask her husband,” Stephan answered in a light tone. “But you can never have too much family.”

  Kane looked around doubtfully. “In theory.”

  Stephan stood taller. “Do you have a problem with your sister marrying my cousin?”

  Kane let out a long sigh. “A year ago I would have killed Nick for looking at Rena. Now I’d kill him if he left her. I’ve never seen her happier.”

  Stephan gave Kane an approving pat on the shoulder. “Good. Then come; everyone is waiting for you. Let’s get this wedding going.”

  Kane walked with Stephan through the crowd that would soon move to sit in front of the blooming pergola in the field overlooking the ocean. Rena would describe this as beautifully interwoven vines of fall color—romantic. To Kane, it was greenery suspended from an overhead trellis. He scanned the area, recognizing and dismissing the rich and famous from all over the world.

  When he finally located her, his little Italian beauty, he was surprised to see her standing off to one side of the group, with her arms wrapped across her as if she were self-conscious. He would have gone to her side if he hadn’t been in the wedding party. He felt oddly protective of this woman he knew next to nothing about. That feeling gave way to something more, though, as soon as their eyes met. His breath caught in his throat. He hadn’t imagined their attraction. It was there, just as strong, just as wild. He was a man used to being in control at all times, but as his cock stirred to life again, he felt deliciously willing to let her lead him wherever she wanted to go.

  Luisella’s eyes widened. She blushed as if she heard his thoughts and turned away.

  “Do you know her?” he asked Stephan.

  “Who?” Stephan turned, but he was too late. Luisella had slipped away around the side of the tent.

  “Her name is Luisella Romero.”

  Stephan shook his head. “It doesn’t sound familiar, but we have family and friends from all over the world here today. There are many people I don’t know.”

  Me, too, Kane thought. But there is only one I intend to get to know better.

  Much, much better.

  Chapter Two

  ‡

  Instead of sitting in the rows and rows of white chairs stretched out before the pergola, Gigi stood off to one side, half hidden behind a corner of a white tent. With what looked like five hundred people in attendance, and not all of them able to contain their children to seats, she was not the only one standing.

  A hush fell over the guests as her four brothers took their places at one side of the pergola, standing from oldest to youngest. Gio, Luke, Nick, then Max. Each in a black tux with a different color flower boutonnière.

  Three beautiful flower girls, ranging from what looked like two to six years of age, dance-walked down the aisle between the guests, dropping multi-colored rose petals as they went. Gio bent to say something to one of the flower girls. She smiled and hugged him before walking over to sit with her parents.

  Pachelbel’s Canon in D started and the guests all stood. A stunning bride in a simple, floor-length white dress walked slowly down the aisle, holding a bouquet of pink roses. Gio stepped forward to meet her as she approached the altar. They stood facing each other and the bride’s huge smile was heartwarming as was the tender expression on Gio’s face.

  Both confused Gigi. She hadn’t expected Gio to have a softer side. She’d half-hoped coming to the wedding would allow her to confirm what she thought of him and his brothers. They were cold, awful people she was better off without in her life.

  Her heart twisted in her chest when the scene before her implied the exact opposite. Luke took a step forward, his eyes shining with emotion as his bride walked down the aisle to meet him. She was visibly pregnant, but no less radiant. Her wedding dress was of a similar style, yet subtly different than the bride before. She took Luke’s hand and moved to stand face to face with him, just off to the right of Gio and his bride. He touched her cheek softly, as if reassuring her.

  Nick smiled widely as his bride walked toward him, and he jokingly checked his watch as if to imply she should hurry herself along. His bride shook her head in amusement and waved her bouquet at him in a playfully threatening manner. They took their place to the right, another strikingly attractive couple who looked head over heels in love with each other.

  Max walked to his place on the end and held out his hand to his bride who stopped to wave at an older couple before joining him. She said something softly to Max that made him chuckle and glance back at his brothers before bending to give her a quick kiss.

  Gigi had never felt more miserable in the face of such beauty. She wanted to run away, pretend she’d never come. Yet she also wanted to step away from the tent and announce herself, somehow become a part of the day. The result was a sense of being trapped within herself, a feeling she was accustomed to.

  The minister began to speak, but Gigi was lost in her own thoughts. She studied the people in the crowd. How many in the crowd were related to her? She recognized some from photos that still adorned her mother’s house. Her father’s two brothers were sitting with their wives less than a hundred feet from her. Would they welcome me if they knew I was here? Or would I be a cause for embarrassment? The one they invited who was never supposed to come.

  She wanted to wave to them, gain their attention somehow, but she didn’t. Even after she’d moved to England, she’d dreamed they would seek her out. She’d kept a part of her heart open to them only to face more than a decade of indifference from them. I could have handled threats from you. But to never even acknowledge me was the ultimate rejection. No, she would never give them a chance to do that again.

  So why am I here?

  A female voice startled her. “Are you okay?”

  Gigi sniffed and blinked away tears she didn’t realize had been close to the surface. She turned and met the steel green eyes of a tall, beautiful red-haired woman with an American accent. “Yes, thank you.”

  “Do you need anything? A drink perhaps?” the woman asked smoothly, assessing her state as she spoke.

  Gigi felt exposed before her, as if this woman saw straight through her. She shot the woman a vague smile and turned away, “Thank you for asking, but I’m fine.”

  “You’re not alone, Gigi. If you need anything this weekend, call this number.”

  Gigi’s head snapped around, but she didn’t reach for the card the redhead held out. She took a deep breath and said, “You must have me confused with someone else.”

  One beautifully sculpted ginger eyebrow arched. “I don’t make those kind of mistakes. Take the card.”

  Gigi took the card and held it out to read. It was black with a phone number written in white print. She turned it over. No other information. She placed it in the front pocket of her cotton slacks. “If you’re hoping I’ll pay for your silence, I can barely afford my plane ticket home.”

  The redhead held her eyes steadily. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “Really? Why?”

  The woman turned back t
o watch the wedding ceremony as she answered. “Because I know what it’s like to be on the outside looking in. It’s not easy.”

  “Who are you?” Gigi demanded. She didn’t like feeling this woman knew all about her while she knew nothing about the woman.

  “A friend if you need one,” the woman answered softly.

  Gigi turned to the ceremony in frustration, then back to where the woman had been standing, but she was gone. She glanced around but didn’t see the redhead anywhere. “Well, that was creepy,” she muttered to herself.

  When she turned back to the wedding ceremony her breath caught in her throat. Kane was standing at the top of the aisle reading a poem about love and family. He caught her watching him and smiled before continuing. Gigi fought against the pleasure that seared through her from that simple connection.

  A deep sadness followed. What do I know about either love or family? No one has ever loved me that way. I doubt they ever will. Sappy wedding poems don’t reflect the reality most people live.

  Her emotions were already all over the place; did her libido need to add to the chaos?

  Oh, God, weddings are dangerous. They make you want to believe love can be beautiful, that it can last. Four couples were swearing before God and family to remain faithful. How many would keep that vow? Their father hadn’t, and Gigi was evidence of how little respect her mother had for the institution.

  Kane’s deep voice listed the attributes of true love and the importance of tending to it, and a sudden jaded thought came to Gigi. He’s probably married.

  His wife is probably sitting in one of those rows thinking he’s talking about their marriage, while he’s looking at me. He paused as if he’d become as wrapped up in her as she was in him. Gigi felt better and worse all at the same time. Her brain was listing all the reasons why she should look away, but beneath his hungry gaze her body screamed, “Hell, yes!”

  Of course I want him. Look at him. He’s perfect. Ruggedly sexy, but hotter than hell in a tux. All this proves is that I’m human. I’m sure half the women here are looking at him and imagining a romp with him. He winked at her and her lips parted with a wistful sigh. Gigi fought a crazy desire to walk straight up to him and test if his lips would feel as good on hers as they had grazing her hand.

  “There you are,” Nini said from beside her in a brusque American manner. “I told you to come back and see me in an hour. I don’t like looking for people.”

  Great. Gigi was tempted to admit she didn’t work for her, but trying to explain her way out after what would follow would be worse than playing along one more time. The less attention she brought to herself the better. “Sorry, I got distracted.” She referenced the wedding ceremony. “It’s different than I expected.”

  A flash of something akin to understanding passed over Nini’s expression, then her eyes were hard and determined again, and she spoke in a fast, impatient tone. “It’s like watching a fairy tale, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Gigi said softly as she looked around at all the children who were woven in and out of the ceremony. Today, the Andrades were the family her father had described. Old memories swept through her, making her yearn to speak to her father one last time. She had so many questions.

  Papa, did you love us as much as you loved them?

  Was I ever more than your secret shame?

  Nini cut into her thoughts with a dose of reality. “It’s okay to look, but don’t want it. It’s not real. Not for people like us. You and I are nothing beyond what we do for them. We’re only as valuable as how seamlessly we deliver our services. Make a mistake and we’re discarded like a chair with a broken leg.”

  Ouch. Gigi looked at the glittering blue eyes of the woman beside her and wondered what had happened that had made her so bitter. She spontaneously asked what she was wondering. “If you don’t like your job, why do you do it?”

  Nini frowned at her and said harshly, “I love what I do, but you remind me of myself when I was your age. All starry-eyed. People like that get used and discarded. You’re here to do a job and then leave. Don’t think just because you’re standing on the same grass as they are that you could ever be one of them.” Nini cleared her throat. “You did well with the pre-ceremony cocktails. Do you think you could get our international crew to serve dinner just as smoothly?”

  Why not? Gigi asked herself in resignation. She was a hot mess on the inside. Helping out might help her clear her head. She nodded and followed Nini back to the house where the food was being prepped. On autopilot, she translated Nini’s instructions to the staff and then slipped back to the wedding just in time to watch the guests begin to fill the large tent that had been set up over a dance floor and a sea of tables.

  Afterward, she stood near the back entrance of the dinner tent and sighed sadly. I could be at one of those tables if I’d answered the invitation. I could say something now, and maybe they would welcome me in.

  Maybe.

  Nini’s right, though. Just because I’m standing here beside them, doesn’t make me one of them. Why are they contacting me now? What do they want from me?

  Could they possibly want to know me as much as I’ve always wanted to know them?

  And what if they don’t? I’m happy with my life. I don’t need to rip open old wounds.

  One of her uncles walked by and their eyes met briefly. She sent him a tentative smile, and he nodded in her direction. Cordial, but not warm. He showed no sign of recognizing her as he continued to walk past her.

  Her heart tightened painfully in her chest.

  He doesn’t know me. Why should he?

  I’m not one of them.

  Not when I was little. Not now.

  Gigi turned and fled the area. She tried to leave the party, but there was no easy way out, and she didn’t want to see Nini again. She headed toward the stairs of a steep bluff that led to the beach. She only made it halfway down the steps before she stopped, leaned on the railing of the landing, and cried softly into the ocean breeze.

  I shouldn’t have come.

  This was a bad, bad idea.

  Feelings she’d bottled up came spilling out. She cried out in anger then broke down into tears. Memories she’d pushed aside for so long came back with agonizing vividness. She was back at the palazzo in Venice, running into her father’s office to see him after school. As if watching a movie, she saw herself calling to him softly, thinking he was asleep in his leather chair. Then shaking him with growing fear as he didn’t respond.

  Her young mind had fought against the truth even when it was obvious. In shock, she’d sunk to her knees at his feet and wept into his still-warm hands. He had left her. Just like that. No goodbyes. No warning.

  When her mother had pulled her from him, Gigi had fought her, transferring some of her anger to her mother. I hated him for leaving, and I hated my mother for not being angry with me.

  As her tears dried, Gigi continued to look out over the water. She had never felt more alone or more confused. Now that she’d graduated from college she was free to go anywhere, but even that freedom was suddenly terrifying. I have nothing and no one.

  Real loneliness swept up and through her. There was an emptiness within her she desperately wanted to fill with something. Anything. Had she been a drinker, she would have snuck back into the wedding and numbed herself with alcohol. Instead, she watched the sunset and made a frivolous wish.

  For just one night, could I actually be the woman Kane thinks I am?

  Someone who isn’t afraid to take what she wants.

  * * *

  The ceremony was beautiful but long. Kane kept a smile plastered to his face during the photo session that followed. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the importance of the event or wish each couple well. His sister, Rena, had found a man she said she couldn’t live without. Just because it wasn’t who he would have chosen for her, didn’t mean it couldn’t work. And, he had to admit, Nick had grown into a solid businessman. He was glad he hadn’t done as he’d
threatened and strangled him when he’d first heard they were dating.

  Watching Gio walk off with Julia had left Kane feeling conflicted. On one hand, Gio had found happiness with a woman who had helped him reunite with his family. Two years ago, Gio wouldn’t have been able to stand being in the same room with his brothers for longer than five minutes, never mind sharing an altar with them. Now they were the family they’d always been meant to be. Although Kane was happy for them, he couldn’t help but feel that an era was ending. His sister wouldn’t need him to protect her anymore. Gio would no longer spend holidays with the Sanders. They each had their own families now and this island to gather on.

  Kane imagined himself with a wife and kids and shuddered.

  Not yet.

  There isn’t a woman on the planet I’d give up my freedom for. Although, I may have found one I’d break my rule of five for. A woman like Luisella would be worth the mess that dating longer inevitably brings.

  He searched the dining area for her and was disappointed when he didn’t see her. Alessandro Andrade was welcoming everyone, but Kane was already plotting his escape. He had planned his speech, but shortened it as he became more and more impatient. He scanned the room again and met the eyes of several beautiful women. Some looked away and blushed. Some met his gaze boldly. All of them left him cold.

  At Gio’s urging, Kane accepted a microphone and delivered the speech Rena had helped him write. She hadn’t trusted him to sound sentimental enough, and her instincts were spot on as usual. He briefly described Gio before he’d met Julia as a gruff workaholic. He smiled at Julia when he described how she’d come into his friend’s life and turned it upside down. Sometimes even a successful man can benefit from a smack in the head. He toasted the couple and their future together.