the list, and she hoped someone would tell her something before she lost her mind with worry.
" You'll be compensated for damages to the showroom," Gray Suit said.
Well, that was nice, but it wasn't the most important thing. "Thank you." She squeezed Adam's hand. "What about Renata?" she whispered, not wanting Brevo to overhear her.
"That issue is not forgotten," Gray Suit replied as if she'd asked him the question. "It will be resolved promptly."
She hoped for everyone's sake 'promptly' meant before tomorrow's big family dinner. Renata might not be missed yet, if Christmas came and went without word from her, the family would be in an uproar. Vaccaro's had traditions that were not ignored without consequence.
"And Galloway?" She glanced around, disappointed that she'd missed him being taken into custody.
" He isn't our problem anymore," Adam said.
She followed his gaze, relieved to spy a team putting handcuffs on Galloway and the man who'd held Adam at gunpoint. She looked back to Adam. "You're sure you aren't hurt?"
"Not a scratch. You?" He slid his arm possessively around her waist.
She shook her head. "You were right, he did exactly as you said."
Adam's smile was full of pride, in her. It was a heady sensation.
"Brevo?"
"They say I' ll live," her cousin grumbled, leaning onto the support of the counter. "But I'm sure I look like one of my bouncers."
She walked closer, pretending to study the butterfly closure over the wound above his eye. She pointed, but didn't dare touch his nose. "The girls will go wild," she promised.
He gave her a lopsided grin and a weak thumbs-up.
"I supp ose this concludes our business." Gray Suit looked around her shop. "What will you do with yourself?" he asked Adam.
Selena waited, wondering the same thing. Adam's boots crunched on broken glass as he crossed the room to her, pulling her close to his side. She leaned into the embrace.
"I'll think of something to keep busy," he said.
"I see. Your assistance here will be noted appropriately."
"Meaning my name will be cleared as well as my record?"
"With a little time, yes. If that is what you want."
She stared up at Adam, understanding the significance of this moment. He could reclaim the name of the person he'd been, the identity Galloway destroyed.
"Actually, I think I'll stick with who I am now."
"Understood." The man in the suit dipped his chin to Selena. "Happy Holidays Miss Vaccaro, Mr. Maxwell." Then he turned and left through the front door, the bell ringing in his wake.
"What just happened?" she asked.
"I believe Christmas came early for all of us," he said.
"Except Galloway."
Adam s hrugged. "He got what he wanted. Not our fault his celebration was cut short."
"Speaking of celebrations, " Brevo said, pushing back from the counter. "We'd best get cleaned up. Uncle Torry will put coal in our stockings if we miss Mass."
She hurried around the counter to kiss Brevo. " We'll be there," she promised as he walked away.
"You know, you can join us," she said quietly to Adam when they were alone.
"That's not an invitation you'll regret?"
She shook her head, not quite meeting his gaze. Why could she do what was necessary when a gun was pointed at her, but she lost her courage now that they were safe?
He tipped her chin up to receive his kiss. "It would be an honor to join you."
Chapter Nine
Christmas Day 6:25p.m.
The room, filled to bursting with chattering people of all ages , fell silent. Selena's uncle stepped forward, looking Adam up and down, his bushy eyebrows drawn tight in an assessing scowl. Then his gaze shifted to Selena and something silent and full of meaning passed between them.
Adam hoped it was something positive. Only his years in the field kept him from breaking out in a cold sweat. It felt as if everyone was holding their collective breath, waiting for Torry's decision.
There were really only two logical outcomes: they'd let him stay or they'd make him leave. Without Selena. But Adam
" You'll be compensated for damages to the showroom," Gray Suit said.
Well, that was nice, but it wasn't the most important thing. "Thank you." She squeezed Adam's hand. "What about Renata?" she whispered, not wanting Brevo to overhear her.
"That issue is not forgotten," Gray Suit replied as if she'd asked him the question. "It will be resolved promptly."
She hoped for everyone's sake 'promptly' meant before tomorrow's big family dinner. Renata might not be missed yet, if Christmas came and went without word from her, the family would be in an uproar. Vaccaro's had traditions that were not ignored without consequence.
"And Galloway?" She glanced around, disappointed that she'd missed him being taken into custody.
" He isn't our problem anymore," Adam said.
She followed his gaze, relieved to spy a team putting handcuffs on Galloway and the man who'd held Adam at gunpoint. She looked back to Adam. "You're sure you aren't hurt?"
"Not a scratch. You?" He slid his arm possessively around her waist.
She shook her head. "You were right, he did exactly as you said."
Adam's smile was full of pride, in her. It was a heady sensation.
"Brevo?"
"They say I' ll live," her cousin grumbled, leaning onto the support of the counter. "But I'm sure I look like one of my bouncers."
She walked closer, pretending to study the butterfly closure over the wound above his eye. She pointed, but didn't dare touch his nose. "The girls will go wild," she promised.
He gave her a lopsided grin and a weak thumbs-up.
"I supp ose this concludes our business." Gray Suit looked around her shop. "What will you do with yourself?" he asked Adam.
Selena waited, wondering the same thing. Adam's boots crunched on broken glass as he crossed the room to her, pulling her close to his side. She leaned into the embrace.
"I'll think of something to keep busy," he said.
"I see. Your assistance here will be noted appropriately."
"Meaning my name will be cleared as well as my record?"
"With a little time, yes. If that is what you want."
She stared up at Adam, understanding the significance of this moment. He could reclaim the name of the person he'd been, the identity Galloway destroyed.
"Actually, I think I'll stick with who I am now."
"Understood." The man in the suit dipped his chin to Selena. "Happy Holidays Miss Vaccaro, Mr. Maxwell." Then he turned and left through the front door, the bell ringing in his wake.
"What just happened?" she asked.
"I believe Christmas came early for all of us," he said.
"Except Galloway."
Adam s hrugged. "He got what he wanted. Not our fault his celebration was cut short."
"Speaking of celebrations, " Brevo said, pushing back from the counter. "We'd best get cleaned up. Uncle Torry will put coal in our stockings if we miss Mass."
She hurried around the counter to kiss Brevo. " We'll be there," she promised as he walked away.
"You know, you can join us," she said quietly to Adam when they were alone.
"That's not an invitation you'll regret?"
She shook her head, not quite meeting his gaze. Why could she do what was necessary when a gun was pointed at her, but she lost her courage now that they were safe?
He tipped her chin up to receive his kiss. "It would be an honor to join you."
Chapter Nine
Christmas Day 6:25p.m.
The room, filled to bursting with chattering people of all ages , fell silent. Selena's uncle stepped forward, looking Adam up and down, his bushy eyebrows drawn tight in an assessing scowl. Then his gaze shifted to Selena and something silent and full of meaning passed between them.
Adam hoped it was something positive. Only his years in the field kept him from breaking out in a cold sweat. It felt as if everyone was holding their collective breath, waiting for Torry's decision.
There were really only two logical outcomes: they'd let him stay or they'd make him leave. Without Selena. But Adam
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