stored.
Toward the end of the week, Britt tracked Caitlyn down at her new location and tossed a folder onto her desk. “Here. Lazz said you needed this. I could have e-mailed it to you, but it gave me an excuse to come for a visit. Just so you know, you’re missed.”
“Thanks. I miss you and Angie, too.” She checked her watch. “I wish I’d known you were coming. I’m actually scheduled to have lunch with Francesca in about five minutes.”
“Sev’s wife, right?” Britt grimaced. “Makes sense. I guess she’s been assigned to explain what the family will expect from the latest Dante bride.”
Caitlyn’s brows drew together. “Expect? What are you talking about?”
Britt snapped her fingers. “Oh, come on, girl. Get with it. You’re in the public eye now. The Snitch will be all over you when news of your whirlwind marriage to Marco breaks. I suspect Primo or Nonna assigned Francesca as your handler, to guide you through the various family dos and don’ts so you don’t accidentally make matters worse for them than you already have.”
It took an instant before Caitlyn could gather herself enough to reply. “I’m sure that’s not the case at all.”
Britt shrugged. “If you say so.” She shoved a pile of papers to one side and levered herself onto the desktop. Lifting Caitlyn’s left hand, she let out a low whistle. “That’s one hell of a rock, sweetie. Even more impressive than the one Lazz was planning to give you.”
Caitlyn tugged her hand free, annoyed at the hint of color she felt creeping into her cheeks, and even more annoyed at Britt. “You and Angie made a bigger deal of my relationship with Lazz than it warranted.”
“Apparently. Poor Lazz. I guess you fell for Marco’s charm just like every other woman working at Dantes.” She leaned in, lowering her voice. “So is it true?”
“Is what true?” But Caitlyn could guess, given the various rumors flying around the office about the events that had transpired the night she and Marco had eloped.
A wicked light gleamed in her friend’s eyes. “Did you realize it was Marco before he made love to you, or did he wait until afterward to tell you the truth?”
Even though Caitlyn had seen the question coming, she still winced. “I should have expected something like that from you, but you must realize I’m not going to answer it.”
Britt blew out a sigh. “Or which of the two is the better lover?” She paused a beat, but when Caitlyn remained stony silent, added, “It’s gotta be Marco. I mean, why else would you marry him, especially considering that jealous streak of his?”
“Caitlyn?” Francesca’s voice came from a short distance away.
“Oops. That’s my cue to scoot.” Britt jumped off Caitlyn’s desk and waggled her fingers. “We’ll catch up again later.”
Francesca, tall, blond and as elegant as she was beautiful, appeared in the doorway. She waited with ill-disguised disapproval while Britt made good her escape. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” she said to Caitlyn. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some fresh air.”
“Where are we going?”
“To Nonna’s so she can explain how you’re expected to behave now that you’re a Dante bride.” She waved the comment aside with a broad grin. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist. We are going to Nonna’s for lunch, but I assure you if there’s a Dante bride how-to instruction booklet somewhere, Britt will have to show it to me. To be honest, there are times I could really use one.”
On the way to Francesca’s car, Caitlyn attempted to defend her friend, though why she bothered, she couldn’t say. “Britt’s just a bit outspoken.”
“Is that what you call it? I call it pea green with envy.” Slipping the car in gear, Francesca pulled out of the parking lot and jumped on the 101 toward the Golden Gate Bridge. “She’s always had a thing for Marco. But he and his brothers made an agreement years ago that they wouldn’t date in
Toward the end of the week, Britt tracked Caitlyn down at her new location and tossed a folder onto her desk. “Here. Lazz said you needed this. I could have e-mailed it to you, but it gave me an excuse to come for a visit. Just so you know, you’re missed.”
“Thanks. I miss you and Angie, too.” She checked her watch. “I wish I’d known you were coming. I’m actually scheduled to have lunch with Francesca in about five minutes.”
“Sev’s wife, right?” Britt grimaced. “Makes sense. I guess she’s been assigned to explain what the family will expect from the latest Dante bride.”
Caitlyn’s brows drew together. “Expect? What are you talking about?”
Britt snapped her fingers. “Oh, come on, girl. Get with it. You’re in the public eye now. The Snitch will be all over you when news of your whirlwind marriage to Marco breaks. I suspect Primo or Nonna assigned Francesca as your handler, to guide you through the various family dos and don’ts so you don’t accidentally make matters worse for them than you already have.”
It took an instant before Caitlyn could gather herself enough to reply. “I’m sure that’s not the case at all.”
Britt shrugged. “If you say so.” She shoved a pile of papers to one side and levered herself onto the desktop. Lifting Caitlyn’s left hand, she let out a low whistle. “That’s one hell of a rock, sweetie. Even more impressive than the one Lazz was planning to give you.”
Caitlyn tugged her hand free, annoyed at the hint of color she felt creeping into her cheeks, and even more annoyed at Britt. “You and Angie made a bigger deal of my relationship with Lazz than it warranted.”
“Apparently. Poor Lazz. I guess you fell for Marco’s charm just like every other woman working at Dantes.” She leaned in, lowering her voice. “So is it true?”
“Is what true?” But Caitlyn could guess, given the various rumors flying around the office about the events that had transpired the night she and Marco had eloped.
A wicked light gleamed in her friend’s eyes. “Did you realize it was Marco before he made love to you, or did he wait until afterward to tell you the truth?”
Even though Caitlyn had seen the question coming, she still winced. “I should have expected something like that from you, but you must realize I’m not going to answer it.”
Britt blew out a sigh. “Or which of the two is the better lover?” She paused a beat, but when Caitlyn remained stony silent, added, “It’s gotta be Marco. I mean, why else would you marry him, especially considering that jealous streak of his?”
“Caitlyn?” Francesca’s voice came from a short distance away.
“Oops. That’s my cue to scoot.” Britt jumped off Caitlyn’s desk and waggled her fingers. “We’ll catch up again later.”
Francesca, tall, blond and as elegant as she was beautiful, appeared in the doorway. She waited with ill-disguised disapproval while Britt made good her escape. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” she said to Caitlyn. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some fresh air.”
“Where are we going?”
“To Nonna’s so she can explain how you’re expected to behave now that you’re a Dante bride.” She waved the comment aside with a broad grin. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist. We are going to Nonna’s for lunch, but I assure you if there’s a Dante bride how-to instruction booklet somewhere, Britt will have to show it to me. To be honest, there are times I could really use one.”
On the way to Francesca’s car, Caitlyn attempted to defend her friend, though why she bothered, she couldn’t say. “Britt’s just a bit outspoken.”
“Is that what you call it? I call it pea green with envy.” Slipping the car in gear, Francesca pulled out of the parking lot and jumped on the 101 toward the Golden Gate Bridge. “She’s always had a thing for Marco. But he and his brothers made an agreement years ago that they wouldn’t date in
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