A Convenient Arrangement (5 page)

“Then I’ll send Justin. He can bring some soup from—”

“No, no, no.” Leo threw in a hacking cough for effect. “He’ll be near my germs, and then he’ll get it and be exiled to the guest room for the next two weeks. I’m fine. I’ve got soup, a blanket, and my remote control. Good night’s sleep and I’ll be better by morning.”

“I hope no one else gets sick. Gwen can’t come today either, sounds like she’s come down with the same cold.”

“What?” He coughed again to cover his abrupt outburst. “I mean, she has?”

“She sounds just as bad as you, although not quite as hacky. Like the whole dang virus hasn’t gone to her chest just yet.”

Gwen’s chest—yes, it was a lovely chest. Leo’s thoughts drifted to last night and Gwen’s chest, before he dragged his attention back to his sister-in-law on the phone. “Right, okay. Well I’m sure we’ll—I mean I’ll feel better by tomorrow. Thanks for calling and checking. Have fun today.”

“We’ll try.” Her voice held the hint of a question. A question that he didn’t want her to ask. “Feel better,” Aubrey concluded and hung up.

Hmmm, the fact that he and Gwen were both sick and missing New Year’s Day dinner was far too coincidental for Leo. He worried the scenario might be too coincidental for Aubrey as well. One of them needed to go today, so that no one started asking questions. The Travatis might be self-involved, and there was a lot going on right now with the baby and the engagement and Devon’s potential indictment, but come on, he and Gwen both suddenly getting sick and missing today could start some talk, especially since they’d left together last night. Had anyone seen them?

Quite simply, Gwen needed to go, because he was definitely not getting his ass up off this couch. Leo picked up his phone. He didn’t want to call her…no…especially after this morning. That dismissal still stung. He decided to text.

Are you really sick?

He stared at his phone, waiting for the little bubble that indicated Gwen was responding. Took what seemed like forever.

Are you?

He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. Whether he was sick was beside the point. What mattered was his family, especially the new women. Aubrey and Shelly might get some idea in their head about him and Gwen, and then they’d be doomed with regards to playing it cool at family events. And wasn’t that what Gwen wanted? To play it cool and pretend that nothing had happened the night before?

His cock tightened with the memory of that nothing.

You should go today.

Again a long pause. He lifted a slice of pizza from the box. What the hell? What took her so long to respond?

Why me? It’s your family.

Good point. She wasn’t wrong, but really, today was for the ladies. The brothers didn’t get together on New Year’s Day unless maybe Justin said come over, bring beer, and let’s watch football. All this party-family-gathering started with Aubrey’s arrival, and would only get worse now that Shelly was marrying Anthony. If Gwen wanted to cover their tracks, she’d have to be the one to go. It only made sense. He tapped out another message.

Aubrey is on to us. You’re the one who wants to play this cool. Both of us out is suspicious.

*

What the hell? Leo Travati might be hot, but he was obviously the world’s biggest idiot. Gwen speared a kung pao scallop and plopped it into her mouth. She flipped the channel. Now that the blondes with big boobs were finished yelling at each other, she would watch the Kardashian family. Trash TV all day long.

She wasn’t going to the New Year’s dinner today no matter what Leo texted. If he was so worried about what his family thought, let him get his sorry behind up off his couch and go to Anthony’s place.

Please, because there was no way she was getting ready today. Not after…her bottom lip quivered…not after she’d been such a complete and utter fool. She texted back:

Your family. You go.

Gwen tossed her phone onto the bed. How stupid was she? She pressed her palm to her face. How could she think, even after a few glasses of champagne, that she was what Leo wanted? I mean, the man had dabbled in actresses and supermodels and billionaire heiresses, oh and don’t forget the Danish royal. And yet she’d been fool enough to believe that she, Gwen Fleming, might have a shot with Leo? She shook her head. How much champagne had she had? Not enough to be that stupid.

Her phone vibrated. She stared at it as if it were a rattlesnake ready to strike. No, not her problem, she didn’t even want to see what Leo had to…

She grabbed her phone and flipped it over.

Way I see it, you want it cool, this is your problem to solve. Just giving you a heads up.

A heads up? A heads up? What an asshole. Last night he’d given her a heads in, and now he was giving her a heads up. Such a sweet and genuine guy, that Leo. Always thinking of everyone else. She dropped her phone onto the pillow beside her and crossed her arms over her chest.

She wanted to keep what had happened with Leo quiet, but Aubrey wasn’t stupid. Had Max seen them leave together? He’d definitely walked down the hall while she and Leo had kissed. Had he seen it was the two of them? Gwen bit the nail of her index finger. She had to go to Shelly and Anthony’s today. She’d tell Aubrey that she’d taken a long hot bath, a nap, and woken up feeling one hundred percent.

The only reason Gwen wasn’t going to Justin and Shelly’s today was her desire not to see Leo. If he wasn’t going, well, she loved the Travatis. They were becoming like family. Fine. Gwen checked the time on her alarm clock. Dinner wasn’t until four, she had plenty of time. She could watch a little more TV, then with a shower, some makeup, some clothes, she’d be out the door. Parties always made her feel better. Being around people made her feel alive and jazzed. Yes, a party, a casual dinner with her closest friends, was exactly what she needed to get her mind off Leo. Besides, he was right on one count. She definitely didn’t want his family, especially Aubrey, thinking that Gwen and Leo both getting colds at the same time was anything but a coincidence.

*

No answer. Seriously, a woman who catered to her clients’ every need, and she didn’t answer his text? Leo scowled. Granted, he wasn’t her biggest client, but his sister-in-law was. Gwen really wasn’t going today? She was simply going to let the collective female minds of Aubrey and Shelly and Nina speculate as to why he and Gwen were
both
missing the New Year’s Day dinner?

“What the hell?” Leo grumbled. Renley lifted his head and turned his boxer mug toward Leo. “No worries, buddy, not the game, not you, just a woman.”

Ok. Gwen was not getting under his skin. She was most definitely not going to be a thorn in his side. Leo wouldn’t allow it. He’d rise above. Really, if she didn’t want a relationship with him, it was her loss, wasn’t it? Granted, he didn’t want a relationship with her either, so he wasn’t sure why exactly he wasn’t thrilled by the no-strings thing. It was perfect, right? They both wanted to pretend nothing happened last night. So easy. So perfect. So what was this weird tightness in his chest when he thought about Gwen’s casual words this morning: “Could we act like this never happened?” He’d been dying to do exactly that…but now…her request didn’t sit well with him.

He stood and stretched his hands over his head. Well, if Gwen wasn’t going to Anthony and Shelly’s, then he would get cleaned up and go. Definitely stop the rumor mill before the gossip started to spin. Hadn’t Max seen them leave together last night? Plus, if they were both calling in sick? Come on, that sounded lame even to him. He’d simply tell Aubrey that he got off the phone, took a long hot shower, a quick nap, and woke up with his chest congestion gone. It could happen, right?

He dug spending time with his brothers and Mrs. Bello. He could even tolerate the estrogen presence. They tended to flock together in the kitchen anyway, whispering in a conspiratorial group. He shuddered. The only reason he hadn’t wanted to go was that he didn’t want to see Gwen after last night, but if she wasn’t going to be there, he might as well go.

“You’re here!” Shelly threw her arms around Gwen. “And you brought me an orchid? Where did you find an orchid in the middle of friggin’ winter?”

Gwen smiled. “I have my ways.” Orchids were Shelly’s favorite flower. Gwen suspected (okay, hoped!) they’d be a big part of Shelly’s wedding, because she had already imagined an entire theme she could do around orchids.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Shelly leaned in close to Gwen and whispered, “Nonna is off the rails today.” Shelly rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “We just got engaged, and already she’s got like my first seven kids named.”

Gwen took off her coat and Shelly slipped it from her hand.

“Seriously, the woman is out of her mind. I mean, come on, I’m a good Catholic girl. At least let me get married before I start pumping out the bambinos.”

Gwen smiled. The Travati family had a whole lot of love, and they were growing exponentially. Already, in six months, they’d gone from only the four Travati brothers—Justin, Leo, Anthony, and Devon—to the four brothers plus Max and Aubrey and the baby on the way and now Shelly. The family had doubled in size. That didn’t even include the extended family that came with Aubrey: her sister Nina and her dad. Shelly had her grandmother, Mrs. Bello, but she was already a surrogate grandmother to the Travatis. How many Travatis would there be by the end of this year?

When she was a kid, Gwen’s family life hadn’t been this exuberant. There’d been her and her father. Her heart ached. Not today. She wouldn’t think of Mama today. Deep breath. Today was for friends and fun and joy and laughter, not for sad memories of a father who never wanted children and a mother she’d desperately loved but tragically lost.

“Hi Mrs. Bello.” Gwen walked toward the fireplace. Mrs. Bello had taken up residence on a comfy chair. With her grey hair and glasses, she looked like the perfect grandmother. Her coffee and a plate of cookies rested beside her on a small end table. Mrs. Bello loved her cookies.

“Gwen, I’m so happy you feel better.” She smiled and tilted her head. “You don’t look sick to me.”

“Maybe too much champagne last night.” Gwen winked. “Actually, I took a hot shower and a nap and I feel much better. It’s like I’m a new person.”

“Amazing what a shower and a nap can do.” Mrs. Bello’s gaze darted beyond Gwen. “Hot shower and a nap seems to work on a lot of people.”

Her belly heated and the hair on her neck stood on end. Oh no. No. No, no, no, no.  The heat in her cheeks, they had to be glowing red. Leo was here, just behind her, she could feel it. Being near him was like walking into an electrical field…or in front of an oncoming train.

“Leo said the same thing”—one corner of Mrs. Bello’s mouth lifted into a smile—“hot shower and a nap and he was a new person.”

Gwen pressed her lips into a line and then pushed a giant smile onto her face. “Funny how that works.” She turned and her gaze locked with Leo’s.

Her stomach twisted. Her heart stalled. Her panties grew wet. Her entire body raged in a war between anger and want.

“Leo, Aubrey said you weren’t feeling well. Glad to see that you’re better.” She leaned forward and pecked each of his cheeks. Man. Soap. Oranges. Leo smelled of all these things, just as her pillows and sheets at home now did. She pulled back, tilted her head and gave him a sharp wtf look. He’d said he wasn’t coming. He’d said that she should come. He’d said that—

“You seem to be cruising to one hundred percent too. Aubs mentioned you’d come down with what? A cold?” He narrowed his eyes, took a drink of his beer, and glanced toward Aubrey on the far side of the room. “Sure hope you aren’t contagious. Wouldn’t want to get the pregnant lady sick.” He turned back to Gwen. “Maybe you should go
home
.” He lifted an eyebrow, as if to silently ask
what the hell are you doing here
.

Gwen bristled at his words. She was not going home. He’d insisted she should come to dinner today so as to squelch any rumors that might have started if they’d both missed the party after leaving Justin and Aubrey’s together last night. That is, if anyone had noticed—please God let no one have noticed. She was here now and she wasn’t going anywhere, not on his say-so.

“I’m pretty sure that I was just a little hung over. All better now.” She shot him an icy glare. “But you? Aubrey said you nearly hacked up a lung. Could it be pneumonia? Maybe you should take a quick run over to urgent care. Might take four or five hours, but you definitely wouldn’t want Aubrey to get pneumonia. Pregnant women have repressed immune systems. It’s science.”

Leo didn’t answer, but a long slow breath and narrowed eyelids indicated his annoyance loudly enough.

Gwen turned back to Mrs. Bello. “I’m going to see if I can help Nina in the kitchen. Can I get you anything, Mrs. Bello?”

“Oh, no, dear, really. Sitting here and watching you two, I’m doing just fine.”

Gwen scrunched her eyebrows together and headed down the hall toward the kitchen. Since when had she and Leo become so entertaining? She’d merely pointed out that if he were truly sick, he was putting Aubrey and baby at risk by staying here. It wasn’t her fault his faux hacking cough and “I’m better after a shower and a nap” routine was so lame. Please. Plus, Leo did not get to tell her what to do. She had caught him sneaking out of her bed this morning. She’d been smart enough to recover some semblance of her pride, and she wasn’t about to surrender that to him now by slinking out of a party because he showed up. For goodness sake, he could disappear and nobody would even notice. Let him go home to his couch and his football and his dog. She wouldn’t be bossed around and she wouldn’t—

A hand clapped over her mouth as an arm snaked around her waist and yanked her into a dark room.