Page 41 of Days Of Valentino

“Get your scrawny little ass in here!” Theo yells out as he walks around to the other side of his desk and falls into his chair.

“I’ll, ah, catch you guys later. Don’t forget he’s our nephew and we love him,” I tell my husband before I click his office door closed.

I head to the kitchen and start pulling some things out of the fridge to put together a cheese board for when Holly arrives. Approximately twenty minutes later, my mother-in-law makes herself known as she starts yelling out Theo’s name in the foyer. I smile. I shouldn’t, but I get a little thrill out of watching my husband squirm under his mother’s wrath.

I walk out to the foyer at the same time Theo and Dante make an appearance. “Oh, good. You’re here. Where were you shot?” Holly pins her son with a glare.

“You were shot?” Dante asks, looking Theo up and down. “When?”

“I’m fine. I’m not showing you, Ma. It’s a scratch. Maddie shouldn’t have called you and made you worry.” Theo pulls his mother into a hug.

“Maddie is the only one here not in trouble right now. She did the right thing,” Holly says.

I smirk at my husband, and he shakes his head at me. “Ma, I’m fine. Swear,” Theo insists.

“And you? What’s this I hear about you buying some apartment and taking Josie there? Are you trying to turn me into a great grandmother?” Holly fumes at Dante.

“Ah, Nonna, hate to break it to you…butOrlando already did that, remember?” Dante asks.

“I meant again, idiot,” Holly snaps, while aiming a finger at her grandson. “Keep it in your pants.”

“What’s going on?” Josie comes down the stairs.

“Hey, sweetheart. How are you?” I ask, walking over and wrapping my arm around her.

“Good. Why is everyone yelling?” she asks.

“Theo was shot, and you two have been caught red-handed sneaking around in some apartment,” Holly deadpans, and Josie gasps.

“You were shot? Oh my god, are you okay? What happened?”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing for you to worry about,” Theo tells her.

“Who would shoot you?” Josie asks.

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” Theo mutters under his breath before pointing at Dante and Josie. “This apartment business, it’s not happening.”

“Sorry,” Josie says.

“I’m not.” Dante smirks. Holly, whose closest to him, slaps Dante upside the head. “Ow, sorry, Nonna.”

“Okay, well, I have cheese and wine,” I call out before turning around and heading to the kitchen with my mother-in-law following close behind me.

Episode Eighteen

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss New York. There’s just something about home that always makes you feel good. I love my life in Vancouver with Travis, but I also love my family. And as much as I complain about them always coming and going from my house, I miss them.

Especially my parents and my brother. Which is why, when the Knights schedule came out and I saw New York on thelineup, I jumped at the chance to come home. I mean, I’m the epitome of a supportive wife and go to as many games as I can, but a game in my hometown? You bet I’ll be there.

“Are you sure your parents are going to be okay with me and Graycee tagging along?” Kathryn asks.

“My parents love you both. Of course they’ll be fine,” I tell her. Kathryn, who is married to the team’s captain, was also one of my childhood friends. Her husband’s family and mine do business together—not the legitimate kind.

Gray didn’t want Kathryn and Graycee traveling to New York alone. When I told him we were staying at my parents, he relaxed. A little. The man is a walking time bomb of stress when it comes to his wife and daughter.

“Aunt Lil, does your dad have an ice rink in his house too?” Graycee asks.

“No, but I’m sure if you ask him, he’ll build one for you, sweetie,” I tell her.

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