the husband’s request.
Stevi made what turned out to be a vain attempt to get lost in the shuffle of suitcases and guests.
Alex saw her anyway.
“Stevi.”
The second her older sister called out her name, Stevi pretended not to hear, but she braced herself nonetheless. Alex was the oldest, she was controlling to a fault on occasion, and in addition she was organized beyond all normal standards. Alex was also the one given to lengthy lectures, something Stevi was definitely not in the mood for right now—not that there was ever a good time to be on the receiving end of a lecture. Alex was known for her sharp tongue.
Alex rounded the desk and blocked her from what might have been a successful exit. For a pregnant woman, Alex was exceptionally quick on her feet.
“Stevi, I was calling you.”
“Sorry, in a hurry to see Dad, talk later,” she said, talking in sound bites in an attempt to add credibility to the urgency of her excuse.
“How’s he doing?” Alex wanted to know, addressing the question to her back before she managed to get out. “The guy whose life you saved, how’s he doing?”
The question ground Stevi’s plans for a successful getaway to a halt and she turned around to look at Alex.
“He fell asleep again, but thanks for asking,” she answered guardedly.
“But he is okay, right?” Alex pressed, her eyes pinning Stevi where she stood.
“As near as I can tell, yes,” Stevi answered. “Why?”
Alex got down to the heart of the matter. “Just don’t want the inn getting any bad publicity.”
Stevi wasn’t sure she followed her sister’s reasoning. “Come again?”
“Well, if he died here, that wouldn’t exactly have guests flocking to the inn for summer vacation and this is the start of our busiest season.”
Retracing her steps, she came closer to Alex, not wanting their conversation to be overheard by anyone.
“He’s not going to die,” Stevi retorted. “Silvio took care of him—did you know that Silvio had medical training?”
“Not specifically, but I don’t think I’d be surprised by anything he did. I don’t know his backstory,” she added quickly when she saw that Stevi looked as if she was about to ask for details. “All I know is that he grew up in Argentina and that his wife and son left him—although that might have been part of his cover.”
Confusion highlighted Stevi’s features. “What do you mean, his ‘cover’?”
Alex grinned. “Well, you know. When we were younger, I was the one who used to think that Silvio had a mysterious past like Zorro.”
“Didn’t hurt that he sort of looked like a slightly older Antonio Banderas,” Stevi added.
“Then you remember how we used to imagine that maybe he was with one of those alphabet agencies. You know, CIA, DEA, NSA, bureaus like that, and they had turned on him.”
“Right,” she said. “Or like Cris used to believe, maybe he found something that made him turn on them.”
“In any case, you know everything I know—he showed up here one night, trying to figure out his next move. Turns out, his next move was to remain here and help Dad with the garden. Anything else you want to know, you should ask Dad when you have that talk with him. Although, good luck with that—he’s never given us any details when we asked in the past.”
“Right. The talk.” Stevi looked over her shoulder. “Is he in his office?”
Alex nodded. “The last I saw, yes. If he’s not, don’t worry. He wants to talk, so he’ll find you.”
Stevi sighed. “I never doubted it for a minute.”
Like a soldier bracing for a dressing-down—or a demotion in rank—Stevi marched over to her father’s small office.
The nine-by-twelve converted alcove was located just off the reception area, tucked in next to the kitchen.
More than an office, it was her father’s private refuge. She suspected that after her mother had died, her father had come here to let his guard down.
Her father kept up appearances, she
Stevi made what turned out to be a vain attempt to get lost in the shuffle of suitcases and guests.
Alex saw her anyway.
“Stevi.”
The second her older sister called out her name, Stevi pretended not to hear, but she braced herself nonetheless. Alex was the oldest, she was controlling to a fault on occasion, and in addition she was organized beyond all normal standards. Alex was also the one given to lengthy lectures, something Stevi was definitely not in the mood for right now—not that there was ever a good time to be on the receiving end of a lecture. Alex was known for her sharp tongue.
Alex rounded the desk and blocked her from what might have been a successful exit. For a pregnant woman, Alex was exceptionally quick on her feet.
“Stevi, I was calling you.”
“Sorry, in a hurry to see Dad, talk later,” she said, talking in sound bites in an attempt to add credibility to the urgency of her excuse.
“How’s he doing?” Alex wanted to know, addressing the question to her back before she managed to get out. “The guy whose life you saved, how’s he doing?”
The question ground Stevi’s plans for a successful getaway to a halt and she turned around to look at Alex.
“He fell asleep again, but thanks for asking,” she answered guardedly.
“But he is okay, right?” Alex pressed, her eyes pinning Stevi where she stood.
“As near as I can tell, yes,” Stevi answered. “Why?”
Alex got down to the heart of the matter. “Just don’t want the inn getting any bad publicity.”
Stevi wasn’t sure she followed her sister’s reasoning. “Come again?”
“Well, if he died here, that wouldn’t exactly have guests flocking to the inn for summer vacation and this is the start of our busiest season.”
Retracing her steps, she came closer to Alex, not wanting their conversation to be overheard by anyone.
“He’s not going to die,” Stevi retorted. “Silvio took care of him—did you know that Silvio had medical training?”
“Not specifically, but I don’t think I’d be surprised by anything he did. I don’t know his backstory,” she added quickly when she saw that Stevi looked as if she was about to ask for details. “All I know is that he grew up in Argentina and that his wife and son left him—although that might have been part of his cover.”
Confusion highlighted Stevi’s features. “What do you mean, his ‘cover’?”
Alex grinned. “Well, you know. When we were younger, I was the one who used to think that Silvio had a mysterious past like Zorro.”
“Didn’t hurt that he sort of looked like a slightly older Antonio Banderas,” Stevi added.
“Then you remember how we used to imagine that maybe he was with one of those alphabet agencies. You know, CIA, DEA, NSA, bureaus like that, and they had turned on him.”
“Right,” she said. “Or like Cris used to believe, maybe he found something that made him turn on them.”
“In any case, you know everything I know—he showed up here one night, trying to figure out his next move. Turns out, his next move was to remain here and help Dad with the garden. Anything else you want to know, you should ask Dad when you have that talk with him. Although, good luck with that—he’s never given us any details when we asked in the past.”
“Right. The talk.” Stevi looked over her shoulder. “Is he in his office?”
Alex nodded. “The last I saw, yes. If he’s not, don’t worry. He wants to talk, so he’ll find you.”
Stevi sighed. “I never doubted it for a minute.”
Like a soldier bracing for a dressing-down—or a demotion in rank—Stevi marched over to her father’s small office.
The nine-by-twelve converted alcove was located just off the reception area, tucked in next to the kitchen.
More than an office, it was her father’s private refuge. She suspected that after her mother had died, her father had come here to let his guard down.
Her father kept up appearances, she
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