Harlequin desire april 2.., p.47
Harlequin Desire April 2021--Box 1 of 2,
p.47
“Shh, it’s okay,” he soothed, rubbing her arms. “You were upset.”
She searched his gaze. “I couldn’t believe I didn’t figure out the business between you and Larry involved WBEN-TV. I was embarrassed...humiliated...and hurt for my parents—my mother in particular. They’d warned me about you, and I didn’t listen. It seemed as if they’d been right all along, and I’d lived up to the image of rebellious Mia who doesn’t know better.”
He caressed the pulse at the side of her neck, the motion soothing. “Corporate holdings can be complicated and convoluted, and you were distracted by the potential fashion angle with Katie. Besides, I didn’t put two and two together, either, and make the connection between your family and WBEN.”
She smiled. “Because you’re not into cooking shows.”
The side of his mouth lifted.
Mia’s smile turned tentative. “There will be other times when our families may clash. After all, the Musils and Serenghettis continue to be business rivals.”
“And now that I’m your mother’s boss, it’s even more complicated, but it will never be boring,” he teased.
“You can joke about it?”
He rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve moved boulders already for us to be together, Mia.”
She widened her eyes and pulled back to search his.
He shrugged, the nonchalant movement belying the intensity of his expression. “I’ve been attracted to you for a long time, and it was clear you weren’t going to give me an opening. A guy can only be so patient.”
She swatted him playfully. “What attraction?”
He raised a brow. “I even envied Carl when he was dating you. When he started exploring other jobs, it was a relief.”
“And you helped him walk out the door.”
He nodded. “Guilty. Let’s just say I had no problem providing a letter of recommendation.”
“The way you helped him find another girlfriend, too?” she asked archly.
Damian looked uncharacteristically and endearingly abashed. “I know that your feelings were hurt. I’d never have helped if—”
She touched a finger to his lips. “You were right. Carl and I would never have lasted. But I was too busy being mad at you for your role at the time to want to acknowledge it.”
He kissed her finger before she moved it away. “Why are we talking about Carl?”
“Because you had the hots for me.”
“And you didn’t feel any spark of attraction ever?” he joked.
She caressed his jaw, unable to keep herself from touching him. “With our families, it always seemed like a bad idea to do any exploration where you were concerned.”
He gave her a peck on the lips. “We’ll work it out. Your family were all in on the plan for today’s cooking show, so things are looking good already.”
“All of them?” she gasped.
“Well, your mother and Rick put the word out.”
“I can’t believe they all showed up today.”
“They want to see you happy. I think that convinced them.”
“You convinced them that you’d make me happy,” she teased.
“Okay, guilty.” His eyes crinkled. “I think they were impressed that I braved the Serenghetti lair for you the last time we were in Welsdale.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before the taping?”
“Plan A was to show up before the show to talk to you,” he admitted. “But I got stalled in New York on business.”
“Oh!” No wonder everyone had been able to keep Damian’s appearance a secret. He’d only just arrived.
“The season finale was supposed to end with my declaration of undying love for you. But without hashing things out with you first, I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”
The hint of vulnerability was her undoing.
“Your brothers missed out on witnessing that part.”
Her heart squeezed. “Well, for my part, I’m not sure I’m up to the job of taking on the Musils.” At Damian’s surprised look, she added lightly, “I’ve had a hard enough time dealing with my brothers, and the Musils have their share of testosterone floating around.”
Damian gave a lopsided smile, and then he wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’re up to the challenge, don’t worry. You’ll have them tamed in no time.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be the tamer, with your name?” she teased.
“You can teach me all you know.”
“Starting right now.”
And then when Damian flipped the lock on the door, Mia gave herself up to being the biggest Serenghetti rebel of all...by loving a Musil.
EPILOGUE
The big Serenghetti family wedding was finally happening. Cole and Marisa had surprised everyone by turning their engagement party into a wedding. Rick and Chiara had had quick nuptials because Chiara was pregnant. And even Jordan and Sera had done a hasty scaled-down affair to coincide with the hockey off-season and in order to avoid too much press coverage.
Mia surveyed the proceedings. It was a fashion and culinary showcase all in one. Her desires and her mother’s tastes had dovetailed nicely. At last, Camilla had found an offspring who was into the same fantasy wedding that she was.
Thanks to Katie’s connections, Mia’s wedding was also the cover story for an upcoming issue of Wedding Bells magazine. And of course, there was a millefoglie wedding cake complete with strawberries as well as raspberries and blueberries—because everyone knew the groom liked it that way.
Mia’s gown was an ivory Chantilly lace with an off-the-shoulder bodice. She’d surprised even herself by going traditional. But then she’d added spectacular aquamarine teardrop earrings that Damian had gifted her for something blue, as well as the headpiece that her mother had worn at her own wedding to hold her veil. She’d borrowed her sister-in-law Chiara’s diamond hair clips to hold her hair back. She’d even done the traditional Italian candied almond wedding favors, thanks to her mother’s input.
Her engagement ring was an understated diamond that had been among the items in the box that Jakob Musil had given his son months ago in JM Construction’s office. It turned out that Damian’s mother had passed along her engagement ring to her son in addition to letters and other mementos. Mia treasured it as a gift from the mother-in-law she’d never get to know but who lived on through Damian.
The ring had even surpassed Damian’s other surprise—because his wedding gift to her had turned out to be all the jewelry that she’d gotten on loan, including the ruby pieces that she’d loved and worn for the Ruby Ball, and the diamonds that she’d put on for the charity dinner. He’d never gotten around to returning them, and had claimed with a wink that he’d decided to make an investment in jewelry instead.
As the band struck up, Damian claimed her hand.
The lights in the reception hall dimmed, and she and Damian walked onto the dance floor and swayed to “Wonderful Tonight.”
“Special request to the band,” Damian murmured.
She felt chills race down her spine—as she often did around him.
Damian looked over her shoulder and scanned the ballroom around them. “Looks as if everyone is behaving.”
“The photographer and writer from Wedding Bells are here. Plus, my mother read my brothers the riot act. She’s finally got her turn as the mother of the bride, and she’s going to show highlights on Flavors of Italy.”
“Naturally,” Damian deadpanned.
Mia smiled fondly at the two babies asleep in strollers in a quiet corner of the ballroom. Even her new nephews were apparently cooperating in making sure that the wedding went off without a hitch. Sergio had Cole’s dark hair and hazel eyes, while Marco was fairer, as if Sera’s blond locks and Jordan’s darker hue had been mixed together. And now Rick and Chiara were expecting again, too—this time a girl.
Mia spied her father sitting at a table and chatting with Jakob Musil. “It seems my mother didn’t have to worry about our fathers, either. They’re chummy these days.”
Damian followed her gaze and then smiled. “All is forgiven when your construction companies have joined forces and your kids are getting married to each other.”
Serenghetti Construction had partnered with JM Construction to bid for more and bigger projects than either could handle alone. Though neither had ended up buying Tevil Construction, they’d found a way to work together to achieve the same benefits the purchase would have imparted.
“Next thing we know, they’ll be playing bocce ball together,” Mia remarked lightly.
“I’ve got news for you. They already have.”
Mia threw back her head and laughed.
“You’re wonderful tonight and every night,” Damian murmured as the singer crooned the song’s romantic refrain and other couples joined them.
“Remember how you felt that way when we have our next argument,” she teased.
He quirked an eyebrow. “I thought we put all that behind us.”
“We haven’t gone through your closet yet.”
He laughed. “I forgot. I’m now a fashion designer’s accessory.”
“My best accessory,” she said firmly. “And my husband, lover—”
He swept his lips across hers. “Don’t forget life partner.”
Yes. Yes to everything. Yes to finally finding each other.
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781488070563
So Right...with Mr. Wrong
Copyright © 2021 by Anna DePalo
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Be transported to the worlds of oil barons, family dynasties, moguls and celebrities. Get ready for juicy plot twists, delicious sensuality and intriguing scandal.
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ISBN-13: 9781488070754
Copyright © 2021 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
The Marriage He Demands
Copyright © 2021 by Brenda Jackson
Twin Games in Music City
Copyright © 2021 by Jules Bennett
So Right...with Mr. Wrong
Copyright © 2021 by Anna DePalo
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Brenda Jackson, Harlequin Desire April 2021--Box 1 of 2
