“Well, no, I don’t suppose I would, but—”

  “No buts.” Nico’s eyes fill with tears that are so unlike him, I can only stare in disbelief. “Do you know how close we came to losing him? Do you have any idea?”

  “I do,” Maria says softly, “but we didn’t lose him, and we don’t want to lose you to this unreasonable guilt. It’s not your fault. We’re going to keep telling you that until you hear us.”

  “I’ve been trying,” Sofia says. “He’s not listening.”

  “I’m listening,” Nico says testily, “but you’ve got to let me do what I need to so I can deal with this, all right?” His gaze takes in the entire family. “Please,” he adds in a softer tone.

  “It’s fine.” The others will follow my lead. “I’m more than happy to make you my bitch indefinitely.”

  Everyone else laughs, which immediately eases Nico’s tension. That’s a relief to me. I’m concerned he’s going to have a stroke or heart attack from the stress of his guilt. If tending to my every need keeps that from happening, it’s a small price to pay.

  “I’ll bring lunch to her and the others on the ward tomorrow from you,” Nico says.

  “I’ll Venmo you.”

  “I’ve got it.”

  “Then it’s not from me. It’s from you.”

  “You’re out of work,” Nico says.

  “They’re still paying me, so let me pay you.”

  “Fine. Whatever.”

  “Fine.”

  “Well,” Dad says, “now that we’ve worked that out, we should get going so Milo can get some rest.”

  They say their goodbyes and promise to be back to see me tomorrow.

  Nico, Sofia and Mateo are the last to leave.

  “You sure you don’t need anything else to eat tonight?” Nico asks.

  “I’m good. Thanks.”

  “What should I get the nurses for lunch?”

  “Salads and subs maybe?”

  “Will do. I’ll let you know when it’s delivered.”

  “Thank you again for doing that.”

  “Thank you for letting me.”

  “Yes, Milo,” Sofia says with a small smile. “Thank you for letting him. This has been… It’s been awful for us. I hope you know…” She shakes her head when tears fill her eyes.

  Mateo hugs his mother. “Don’t be sad, Mommy.”

  She puts an arm around her son. “I’m okay, baby.”

  My heart goes out to her and Nico. “I can’t imagine what this must be like for you guys, but I need you to forgive yourselves and let go of any blame you’re taking for something you had nothing to do with.”

  “We’re trying,” Nico says. “Harder to do than you might think.”

  “I’m sure it’s awful, but I’m doing great, and thanks to getting shot, I’ve met a wonderful woman who has me seriously dazzled. So it might turn out that you guys did me a big favor.”

  Nico gives me a side-eye look that’s much more like the real Nico than the sad-faced pout he’s been sporting lately. “That’s insane logic.”

  “Maybe so, but I’m really glad to have met her.”

  “She likes you, too,” Sofia says.

  I pounce on that statement. “How can you tell?”

  “She watches you like a woman who likes what she sees.”

  This is the best news I’ve had all day. “Really?”

  “Uh-huh,” Sofia says. “I wouldn’t worry if I were you. She’s interested, too.”

  God, it’s such a relief to have someone whose opinion I trust confirm that for me.

  “Did they say how long you need to stay here?” Nico asks.

  “Ten days to two weeks. They want me to be stronger before I leave. I can’t believe how my body has gone to absolute shit after being in the hospital.”

  “You’ll bounce back fast,” Sofia says.

  “Yes, you will,” Nico adds. “We’ll see to it.”

  “We should get Mateo home to bed,” Sofia says to Nico.

  He reaches out to do the bro handshake we made up years ago. “See you tomorrow.”

  “You can take a day off, you know.”

  “No, I can’t. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I let him have the last word because he needs it more than I do. None of us has ever seen Nico like he’s been since I got shot, so we’re not quite sure how to deal with him. I hate that he’s suffering over this when he would’ve gladly thrown himself in front of that bullet to save me if he’d been there.

  He’s always been like that with me. He’s six years older than me, with Maria and Dee between us, and from what I was told, when he heard he had a brother, he was instantly smitten and declared himself “in charge” of me. My mom said he barely let our sisters near me when they brought me home from the hospital.

  It’s funny because Nico isn’t really like that with anyone else, except Sofia and Mateo now that he’s fallen in love with them. But before that, I had no doubt I was his most loved person in the whole world, which was pretty cool. It’s not like we ever talked about our deep bond or anything. It was just a fact of my life—and his. Which is why the shooting has been so awful for him. Me being shot would’ve been bad enough for him. Add that the bullet was meant Nico, and you’ve got a recipe for emotional disaster for him—and Sofia, who was once married to the man who shot me.

  I feel terrible for them. It’s an awful spot to be in, no question. But I want them to get past it so they can stop feeling so bad about things outside their control. For a time, I worried it might come between them, that Sofia’s ex-husband shooting Nico’s beloved brother might be the death knell for a relationship that makes them happy. I’m glad that hasn’t happened. If anything, dealing with the aftermath of disaster seems to have brought them closer together.

  Nico waited a long time to fall in love. I’d hate to have anything to do with messing that up for him, even indirectly.

  I force myself up and out of the chair with every muscle protesting the simplest of movements. By the time I get changed into pajama pants and yet another button-down shirt, take a leak and brush my teeth, I feel like a newborn baby with muscles quivering and my neck aching like a bitch from the wound and from not moving for so long.

  I’m in bed when the nurse on duty comes to check on me. She’s an older woman who reminds me of my aunt Viv. “All tucked in?” she asks.

  “I guess so.”

  She hands me a cup with the meds that prevent infection and something else to help me sleep inside the cage around my head.

  I take them one at a time with sips through a straw she holds for me. “Thank you.”

  “Can I get you anything else?”

  “I’m good. Thanks.”

  “Sleep well.” She lowers the lights and closes the door behind her.

  The primary difference in rehab is they don’t check on me throughout the night like they did in the hospital, which is a relief. I don’t think I’ve slept more than two hours at a time since the shooting, even with the knockout pill they gave me every night.

  As I close my eyes and hope for sleep, my mind is filled with thoughts of Gianna and how much I can’t wait to get out of here and spend time with her away from the hospital.

  * * *

  NICO

  After we get home, Sofia gives Mateo a quick bath and tucks him into bed. Then she comes to find me in the bedroom we now share. “He’s asking for you.”

  “Coming.” I get up from the bed and cross the hall to say good night to the little boy who, along with his mother, has become the center of my world in recent weeks. Having them living with me is the best thing to ever happen to me. If only the worst thing hadn’t also happened because of our relationship. I shake that off to focus on Mateo. “Are you snug as a bug?” I ask him, like I do every night, as I press the covers down on either side of him.

  His giggle is adorable. “A bug can’t be snug.”

  “Yes, it can.”

  “No, it can’t. I asked my teacher.”

  He’s too cute and too smart for words, and I love him. I lean in to kiss his forehead. “Night, buddy.”

  “Nico…”

  “What’s up?”

  “Milo is going to be okay, isn’t he?”

  “He sure is. It’s just going to take some time until he’s back to his old self.”

  “Kinda like me, after I had surgery.”

  “Just like that. But you’re both doing great, so don’t worry.”

  “Can I ask you something else?”

  “Anything.”

  “Is it true that my dad was the one who shot Milo?”

  Oh shit. I didn’t expect that, and for a second I’m paralyzed with indecision about what I should say.

  “It’s okay,” he adds. “You can tell me if it was. I know he’s not a good guy.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I saw him hurt Mama.”

  This is way too much for a kindergartner to have to deal with. “It’s true that your dad was the one who hurt Milo, but he won’t be able to hurt anyone else.”

  “Because he’s in jail?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay.”

  “Mateo, I hope you know how much I love you and would do anything for you. My whole family loves you and your mama, and we’re so glad you’re with us now.”

  “I’m glad, too.”

  “Sleep well, buddy.”

  As I get up to leave the room, he says, “Nico?”

  I turn back to him.

  “I love you, too.”

  My heart. Damn, this kid kills me. “I’m so glad. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

  He nods.

  I shut off the light but leave the door open so we can hear him if he wakes during the night. In the hallway, I’m surprised to find Sofia standing there with tears rolling down her face. I take her into my arms and note once again how perfectly we fit. I’ve never been with anyone who fits me the way she does.

  “I take it you heard that?”

  “Yeah.”

  I hold her for several minutes and then take her by the hand to lead her into our room. We sit on the bed and reach for each other again. As much as we both hate what her ex-husband did to my brother, I can’t deny that our shared grief over the shooting has brought us even closer. Thank God for that, because I don’t know what I would’ve done if it had driven a wedge between us.

  I feel like I’m only holding it together thanks to the strength I draw from her, and I know she feels the same about me.

  “I hate him so much,” she whispers. “For what he did to Milo and for how this will always be part of Mateo’s story.”

  “We’ll help him write a story that makes this a footnote.”

  “What does that word mean? Footnote?”

  I love how she works so hard to master English, which she only started to learn as a young adult. “It means a small part of the bigger story.”

  “Oh, I see, and that would be good.”

  “The best thing about him being so young when this happened is that he’ll barely remember when Milo got shot or that his father was responsible. He’ll only know me as his father, and I’ll give him everything I’ve got.”

  Once again, Sofia’s eyes fill with tears. “We’re both so lucky to have you and that you still love us after everything we’ve put you and your family through.”

  I tilt her chin up so I can see her gorgeous face. “You heard what everyone said earlier. They don’t blame us. They know neither of us would’ve ever done anything to hurt Milo.”

  “I just worry that your parents will forever associate that with me and us.”

  “They won’t. They love you almost as much as I do, and they’re so glad you’re free of him, no matter how it happened.”

  “I feel… un… unworthy of their kindness.”

  “Please don’t say that, Sofia. They’d never want you to feel that way. Somehow, we have to find a way to live with this. No one who matters is blaming us. Maybe they’re right, and we need to be kinder to ourselves.”

  “It’s very hard to do that when your sweet brother is still in the hospital and trapped inside that awful thing.”

  “He’s doing great and getting better every day. You heard him say he wants us to stop feeling so guilty. He’s said that to me more than once.” I’m realizing that my guilt is feeding hers, so maybe I need to do what Milo asked and dial it back a bit.

  “He’s the best. We’re so lucky he doesn’t blame us.”

  “He is the best, and we are lucky. We need to focus on all the many ways we’re lucky.” I move closer to kiss her and feel relieved when she kisses me back. I worry all the time about her taking Mateo and disappearing because she thinks that’s what would be best for me. After what we’ve had these last few months, I’d die without her. “I don’t want you to worry about anything, okay?”

  Her tearful snort of laughter makes me smile. “Sure. Whatever you say.”

  “I mean it. The worst is behind us. Milo is on the road to recovery. Asshole is in jail, where he’s going to be for a long time. We’ve got each other and Mateo and a wedding to plan and so much to look forward to. That’s what I want you thinking about. No more bad stuff.”

  She reaches for me, and I’m more than happy to hug her as tightly as she wants. There’s nothing I love more than holding her, hugging her and making love to her. She’s changed my life in every possible way. After years of going through women like a drunken sailor, everything stopped the second I first laid eyes on her, and nothing has been the same since.

  Her love is the greatest gift I’ve ever received, and I’m determined to give her and Mateo the happy, peaceful life they both deserve.

  When I pull back to kiss her, she wraps her arms around me and takes the kiss from innocent to dirty in a matter of seconds.

  Message received.

  Sex with Sofia is the only thing that can get my mind off the crushing guilt I feel about Milo’s shooting, and I’m thankful for the respite I find in her arms. Being with her is like coming home, and as I kiss and caress her, I’m full of gratitude for her and Mateo, for Milo’s recovery and for the bright future that’s hopefully ahead for all of us.

  Chapter 7

  GIANNA

  I’m dealing with a difficult patient and her demanding family the next day when my friend Annie signals for me to come to the hallway.

  “What’s up?” I ask her.

  “A massive catered lunch just arrived with a note for you attached.”

  I follow her to the reception desk and see covered platters with sandwiches and salads along with a plastic bag full of different kinds of chips and a huge box of cookies as well as a box of pastries from Vicky’s, one of the best bakeries in town.

  “There’re even pickles,” Annie tells me as she hands the note to me.

  My coworkers watch as I open the envelope and withdraw the handwritten note.

  Gianna, I hope you and your colleagues enjoy lunch on me. Thank you for all the wonderful care on 5 East. Come see me later? xoxo Milo

  “Who’s it from?” Annie asks.

  “Milo Giordino, to thank us for the wonderful care.”

  “Ohhhh,” Annie says with a knowing smile. “Cutest patient ever. You’re a lucky girl.”

  I feel my face heat with embarrassment. “Please,” I tell the others. “Dig in and enjoy.”

  Medical professionals are like seagulls when the word gets out that a feast is available on 5 East. Suddenly, we have “friends” from all over the hospital “stopping by,” which is fine because Milo sent enough for a hundred people. Once I get my patient settled, I return to see what’s left of the lunch. I fill a plate with salad and half of a turkey sandwich and duck into the break room to eat.

  “This is amazing, Gianna,” Trudy says. “Tell your friend thanks from all of us.”

  “I will.”

  “My patients are never this appreciative,” she adds with a laugh as she leaves the break room.

  Annie plops down next to me with her plate. She puts bottles of water on the table for both of us.

  “Thanks.”

  “This is quite the thank-you note from an ex-patient,” she says between bites.

  “It was nice of him.”

  “That’s it? ‘It was nice of him’? I didn’t take care of him when he was here, but I do have eyes, and that man is sexy, even with a halo. I’m sure you must’ve noticed that, too.”

  I shrug, reluctant to give anything away, even as the image of his ripped abs glistening with sweat pops into my mind to remind me that Milo is, indeed, a very sexy man.

  “Please don’t tell me you’re still mourning that jackass Jared.”

  “I’m not.”

  “No one does this,” Annie says, gesturing to our plates, “unless they’re interested in someone as more than just a nurse, Gianna. Tell me you know that.”

  “I get it.”

  “So what are you going to do about it?”

  “I don’t know. He’s still in rehab for another week or two.”

  “And then?”

  “I don’t know, Annie.” I deeply resent the tears that fill my eyes. “I just don’t know.”

  She places her hand on top of mine. “Listen, I know what happened with him was awful and unexpected and traumatizing.” As one of my bridesmaids, Annie knows better than most just how awful it was for me after Jared canceled our wedding. “But maybe that dick did you a favor if this is what’s waiting for you on the other side of heartbreak. Everyone on the floor loved Milo—and his family.”

  “I liked him, too. I mean, I like him, present tense.”

  “Have you seen him since he left here?”

  “I stopped by the rehab to see how he’s doing.”

  “And when was the last time you did that for an ex-patient?”

  “Never.”

  She gives me a knowing look. “Hmmm.”

  “I just don’t know if I’m ready to move on with someone else, and after all he’s been through, I don’t want to jerk him around.”