Sons of Thunder (16 page)

Now. He should ask now, but his words pasted to his throat. He may have managed a nod back, but he couldn’t remember even that as the man moved away.

The ring in his breast pocket hung like a boulder on his chest, so heavy he thought he might be having some form of coronary attack.

“So, are you really going to ask him?” Reg did a poor job of hiding a smirk as he threw a glance at Lizzy, now rearranging ornaments on the tree.

“Yes…of course. I just need to find the right moment….” Oh, even he could hear the tinny pitch of his fear. Swell. Yes, he was a fool for even allowing himself to think that a girl like Lizzy might want…

She turned then, and for a second the world stopped as her amber eyes landed on him, as her lips curled up in a smile.

“Oh, you’ve got it bad, kid.” Reg shook his head as he handed him his martini. “I think you need a little more courage.”

Dino reached for the drink, but his hand shook. Reg saw it, laughed. “You’ll have to do better than that in surgery, Danny boy.” He turned one last time to the picture. “Yes, I sure would like to find me one of those island beauties.”

Lizzy glided toward him, wearing a smile that had become like music to him since the day he’d seen her in the halls of Fairview, carrying in a food tray to one of his patients. Three months—had it only been that long since he’d started breathing in her cheer, her smile?

“Hey there, Dr. Scarpelli.” She took the martini from him, shooting a frown, and set it on the credenza. “Reg, I thought I told you. Danny doesn’t drink.”

Reg grinned that all-American-boy smile that usually acquitted him of trouble. “Tonight he does, honey.” He winked and clapped Dino again on the back as he moved away toward the giggling nurses.

Lizzy traced the lapel of his jacket. Cocked her head. “What did he mean by that?”

Dino shot a look at the martini. He hadn’t had a drink since—well, probably never. He remembered tasting retsina back in Zante, but that life didn’t exactly count. And Dr. Scarpelli hadn’t allowed alcohol in the house.

He could probably use a beverage, anything that might loosen his lips. Instead, he took Lizzy’s elbow, moved her away from the living room, looking for an alcove where they could talk.

Oh, he wanted to ask her. Especially when she shot him a half-smile, half-frown. “You’re acting strangely.” Only, her giggle suggested she didn’t mind. Especially when he backed her down the hallway and into the back room near the alleyway door. Wool coats hung three deep on hooks, piled on a side table. Light from the hallway spilled into the room, backlighting her face.

“What are you doing?”

He wove his fingers into her hands. “Kissing my girl.” He leaned forward, brushed her lips with his. She tasted of cherry Coke, sweet and very, very tempting. She held still for a moment, then untangled her hand from his and pressed on his chest.

“Not here, Danny.”

He traced her face with his fingers. “Maybe later we can take a walk—”

“It’s cold out. And Daddy’s afraid of another blizzard.” A smile chased her words, however.

Yes. A blizzard. Like the one that had trapped him and Lizzy for four days at the hospital two weeks ago. Four days to decide that, yes,
he wanted to marry the kind of woman who thawed the feet of homeless war veterans in tubs of cool water, and ladled broth down the gullets of hungry, frozen street urchins who needed shelter. Watching her rock the newborn baby of a mother from the TB ward had convinced him. Lizzy Spencer would be his wife.

Please.

“Maybe I could help clean up—”

“Daddy has servants for that. And besides, Senator Shipstead and his family are staying. I have to be here to help Daddy. Mother will undoubtedly go to bed with a headache.”

He tucked his finger under her chin. “Of course you do. Maybe instead you would come out with me this weekend…”

Her smile fell. “Actually, Danny, I meant to tell you…” She caught his hand, took it from her face. “My family is leaving on Saturday. We’re spending Christmas with Jerry, on base with him.”

“In Hawaii?”

“I know. We were going to wait another week, but Daddy is afraid of more snow, so we’re taking a train to the coast, then—we’re taking a real live airplane! The Pan American Airlines.” She grinned up at him. “Imagine, flying over all that water. It gives me a sort of funny tingle.”

He didn’t mention the two weeks he’d spent on a boat, crossing an ocean. Never, in fact, would. As far as Lizzy knew, he’d been born in America. He managed something that felt like a smile. “Maybe I could… or we could…”

Those beautiful amber eyes caught him, her smile crooked. “What?”

“Oh…I just thought maybe we’d spend Christmas together.” Engaged. He longed to say the word.

“Oh, I’ll be back by the New Year. Reg already told me your fraternity is having a party.” She rose on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek.

He fought a ridiculous spark of jealousy. To his knowledge, no, Phi Chi didn’t have a party on the calendar, but he’d put in grueling hours lately…

She turned to go, but he caught her hand. What if he just—asked her now? What if he didn’t wait for her father? What if—?

She patted him on the cheek. “We’ll spend New Year’s together, I promise.”

Of course they would. And maybe time away would be good for them, allow her to miss him a little. He leaned down, kissed her cheek. “I’ll miss you.”

She giggled. “Oh, Danny, sometimes you are so sweet.”

He didn’t feel sweet as he followed her into the hall.

Where was that drink Reg had left him? Only, really, he didn’t feel much like a drink, or even a party, as Duke Ellington’s robust tones wheedled through the crowd. Yes, he needed to leave before he started saying stupid things, making mistakes that could cost him his future. His appetite had vanished, anyway.

He returned to the back room, retrieved his coat, and heard a voice outside, muffled by the darkness.

“No! I told you, I’m not that kind of girl.”

He stilled. Something about the tone, high, shrill—Dino moved to the window, found it cracked.

“Please, I don’t want—” The woman’s voice cut off with a muffled cry.

He dropped his coat, moved to the door, flinging it open. There, near the back porch leading to the kitchen, away from the lights, a man pressed a woman against the snowy bank, her leg kicking against him.

A fishnet leg. Her hands fisted in his tuxedo and—

Reg?

Dino froze, watching as Reg swept his hand up her leg, catching it. “C’mon, honey, you know you were eyeing me in there.”

“Reg, buddy, uh, everything okay out here?”

He wasn’t sure where the words came from, just issued from him, quietly, but with the sharp edge out.

Reg turned, and a smile slicked up one side of his face. “Hey, Danny Boy. Leaving already?” He curled his arm around the woman’s shoulders, pulled her up tight to him, like they might be out for a Sunday walk. “What, the old man turn you down?”

But Dino had no words for him, his eyes fixed on the woman. On her black hair, down in tangles around her shoulders. On the heart-shaped face, on the blue eyes that latched on him, twined through him, clung to him.

Sofia.

Her gaze held him.

He opened his mouth, but nothing emerged even as his promise hammered against him.
Yes, I’ll take care of her.

Was it his fault she refused to come with him to Dr. Scarpelli’s door? That she’d insisted on waiting at the train station for Markos?

That when he’d gone back to check on her, she’d vanished?

Reg’s smile dimmed. “Hey, it can’t be that bad, pal. He’ll come around.”

Oh, Sofia. What was she doing here?

And if she opened her mouth, well, his entire life would shatter at his feet. So much for Dr. Spenser coming around.

Yeah, like he’d let his daughter marry an illegal immigrant, long past his seven-year grace period.

Still— “What are you doing, Reg?”

Reg’s expression changed so suddenly, it scared Dino a little. For a moment, he stared into his past, watching Kostas as he pounced to his feet, threw a plate to the ground.

“Nothing. Go home, Danny.”

Sofia made to move away from Reg, but he tightened his grasp on her. She winced.

“Let her be, Reg.”

“Leave, and I won’t tell Lizzy what I heard in the trauma ward that night those two drunks wandered in.”

Dino frowned.

“You know—the ones who spoke Italian.”

Greek, actually. They’d spoken
Greek.
And no, he hadn’t known Reg had been prowling around, or maybe he wouldn’t have tried to separate them when they’d begun a brawl on the ward floor, throwing in a few Greek commands to get their attention.

“You said you were born here, that you didn’t know Italian.
Really.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I think maybe Danny Scarpelli has a few secrets.”

“Danny?” Sofia said softly.

Reg glanced at Sofia, back to Dino. “You know this dame, Danny?”

Dino’s mouth tightened, his eyes flicking to her and back. “No, of course not.” But the lie emerged high-pitched, unwieldy. He schooled his voice. “Let the girl go.”

Reg stood just beyond the rim of light, as if measuring Dino. Everything inside Dino tightened, a burning, or perhaps more of an ache that poured into his bones.
Please, Reg—

Reg tossed Sofia back, into the snow. “Too skinny for me, anyway.” He pulled out a cigarette. “I’ll keep Lizzy company for you.” Then he winked and climbed the stairs, disappearing into the house.

Sofia sank in the snow, shaking, her coat—yes, he recognized it, the thick black wool, the worn cuffs. She tried to push herself to her heeled feet and slipped, falling back.

He caught her, lifted her out of the bank. She gripped his lapel as she righted herself, her eyes wide, beautiful. Hurt.

She unhanded him. “Sorry. I—”

“What are you doing here?” He pulled her coat tight, buttoned it. It seemed as if the life had been stripped from her face, hollowing her body to nearly a stick. But those blue eyes—they always had the power to stop him cold.

No wonder Markos had loved her.

“I—I needed the money. My former roommate works here—in the Spenser home…and she got me the gig.”

He turned up her collar. “Are you a maid?”

“I work at the theater. The Orpheum.”

He wasn’t sure why, but this gave him a jolt. “Are you still singing?”

She went nearly as white as the snow still caught in her collar. “No. I—I don’t sing. I check the coats. And I clean the place.”

He stood a half-foot taller than she did, and it occurred to him that now he wouldn’t have to fight her so hard to pull her away from Markos, to force her onto the train.

She might even fit into his arms…. “Are you okay? Do you need a lift home?”

She ran her finger under her eyes, her makeup smearing. “Do you have a car?”

“No, but I could find us a cab or—”

“No.” She pulled away from him. “I don’t need your help, Dino—er,
Danny
.”

He winced a little, although he wasn’t sure why her tone should sting him. He’d been the one to make something of his life.

“Sofia, let me see you home.”

“You must be cold. Go back inside.” She shot a look at the house. “It looks like you’re a big shot now.” She managed a wan smile. “A doctor?”

“An intern. But yes. I hope to be a doctor soon.”

“What did that guy mean, about her father turning you down?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Nothing. He’s just drunk. C’mon, let me take you home.”

She wound her arms around herself. “No—I’m fine. Thank you, though.”

“Sof—”

She held up a hand, her smile watery. “We each made our choices. It’s okay…um, Danny.”

He closed his eyes against a flash of pain in his chest.
They’d made their choices.
“How’s Markos? Did he ever—” He closed his mouth, too late to stop the boy inside.

“Markos never showed.” Sofia’s eyes gentled, and then slowly she shook her head. “I stayed at the station for three days. I met every train. But I know he’d be very proud of you…Doctor.” Then she turned and limped down the alley.

He stood there, the shadow of the big house chilling him through as the wind licked down the alleyway, moaning in her wake.

He didn’t move, didn’t run after her.

Didn’t return inside, either.

It came to him then that maybe the only person he’d fooled all these years had been himself.

CHAPTER 12

He’d be very proud of you….

Dino lay on his back in the empty bed of the general ward, fatigue pressing him into the starched cotton sheets, listening to the breathing of the patient next to him. The man’s leg, up in a sling, cast eerie shadows across the long room, the tile ceiling, the curtained windows.

He’d be very proud of you
….

Sofia’s voice whispered in his brain, chasing away sleep, although his body felt as if it had been dragged through the snowy streets behind a streetcar. Twelve hours mopping up the slop of Saturday night drunks, his mind on the fact that, right now, Lizzy probably lay in the sun on some sandy beach in Hawaii.