Page 43 of Vinny

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The next day, Annalissa caught a cab to her teacher’s studio after Vinny left for work. Walking up the steps of the old brownstone with her harp case in her hand, she knocked on the door. As it opened, she saw the look of surprise on his face. As he threw his arms out wide, she rushed into them, feeling the comfort he offered.

“Oh, my dear, what a time you’ve had. Come in, come in and tell me all about it.”

She picked up her case and followed him down the hall to his studio in the back.

“Mrs. Baxter, some tea for us, if you please,” he called out to his housekeeper. By the time they had settled into chairs, she was already bustling in with a tray of steaming tea and a platter of cookies.

Placing it on the table in front of them, she hurried over to give Annalissa a hug. Pulling her into her bosomy embrace, she effused, “Oh dearie, you gave poor Mr. Feinstein such a fright.” Making herself rightat home with her employer, she settled her girth on the settee and poured the tea.

Annalissa had to laugh; Mr. Feinstein and his housekeeper had been together for so long they seemed more like an old married couple, even though they had never been interested in each other that way.

The next hour passed with her regaling them with tales of her trip. She told in great detail the plight of the man having the heart attack and how Vinny saved him. She followed that with the harrowing landing in Kansas City and once again how Vinny took charge. “I just couldn’t fly again so soon,” she lied, feeling horrible at the necessity of keeping the truth hidden. “So Vinny suggested that we book Easnadh on the next flight and we drove instead.”

“But why not just keep Easnadh with you?” Maurice asked, his brow furrowed.

Remembering her practiced explanation, she said, “It would be too crowded in our little rental car. And it was much safer for us to ship it and have one of the Alvarez Security men pick it up at the Richmond Airport.”

“So it came directly to Richmond and not through Dulles?” he asked.

“Yes, we could get a direct flight from Kansas City to Richmond for it.”

He nodded thoughtfully, while Mrs. Baxter’s head bobbed enthusiastically.

“It sounds like you not only had an adventure, but perhaps had some fun as well?” she said, desperately wanting more gossip.

“Yes,” Annalissa grinned. “I did have fun since I neverget to travel by land and Mr. Malloy was perfect company.”

As they finished their tea, Mrs. Baxter hustled the dishes away after giving Annalissa a kiss and another hug.

Annalissa opened her case and removed her harp. “I thought instead of just practicing at home to relax, I’d come over and practice with you.”

Smiling, the older man nodded as he moved to his instruments in the corner of the studio. Choosing another Celtic harp, they sat and played companionably for another hour. The music filled the room, allowing her to finally and completely relax. With a few of his windows opened, the tones drifted outside.

Jobe sat in his SUV, the windows down, listening to the music. He had already called in her location to Vinny since it was his time to follow her.Not a hard duty, he thought as he allowed the music to settle over him.I can see what she has done to Vinny. Her music is bewitching. And for a man like him…he smiled thinking of his friend. Leaning his head back, he maintained his vigilance while his mind rolled to what Lily had said earlier.

They’ve all found it…the forever kind of love. His friends Shane and Annie, Lily and Matt, BJ and Suzanne. And now his brothers-in-arms, Gabe and Jennifer, Tony and Sherrie, and now Vinny. The last of the professed bachelors was fully, completely in love with Annalissa.

Sucking in a huge sigh as the haunting melody floated outto him.I had it. And I goddamn threw it away. Thought I was being noble. God, what a prick.Givinghimself a shake, he forced his mind back to the case and off of the past.

As Annalissa came out of Maurice’s house, she was walking down the steps when suddenly Jobe loomed before her. Taking the harp case from her hands, he nodded toward his vehicle.

“Did Vinny send you to spy on me?”

“No ma’am,” he replied with a wink. “You have the protection of Alvarez Security. One of us will be with you when you aren’t with Vinny.”

“Oh,” she said, a concerned look on her face. “I don’t mean to be a problem,” she admitted.

He placed her harp in the back of the SUV before rounding to her side to open the door. “No problem. It wouldn’t matter if we were working on your case or not. You’re one of us now. We protect our own,” he said simply.

As she settled in for the ride back to Vinny’s, she smiled. Belonging. Friends.Just what I’ve been looking for.

That evening, she slipped easily into the pool, holding on to Vinny’s hands as he led her around, and kicked her legs.

“Feel how the movement of your legs propels you along?” he asked, trying to keep his eyes off of her ass as it wiggled just above the waterline.

“Yes, but that’s only my bottom half. What am I supposed to do with my arms?”

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