“Uh-huh. Sure…” She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. “Even if you’re not getting down and dirty, I suggest you go for it. With the way he was looking at you, I bet he’s damn good in bed.”
I hid my blush behind my bloody Mary, wishing she’d just drop it. There was no way a guy like that would want anything to do with me, other than just a way to get off.
Slowly, the conversation shifted to her wedding, to the shenanigans she had planned, and away from who all was invited, or what she expected to have happen while I was there.
Even though I was glad for the respite, my mind wouldn’t stop fretting over the fact that Gio wasn’t just going to pretend to be my boyfriend. As far as anyone else was concerned, he would be my fiancé. No one would believe we were saving ourselves for marriage, least of all Daphne or our mother. It was almost certain they’d put us in the same room.
In the same bed.
Where he’d probably want to sleep without a lot of clothing.
I’d seen enough rom coms to know, whenever a fake couple ended up sharing a bed, that was almost always a turning point in the relationship.
Would it be that way with Gio too? Or would it stay all business, just like it was now?
8
Giovanni
L.A. lost a lot of charm as soon as Helena wasn’t at the hotel with me anymore.
Rather than stick around, I headed back to New York to try to get some work done in my studio before my birthday party.
It seemed like the only thing that I could use to create were the sketches and the photos I’d taken of Helena. She consumed my thoughts, consumed my art, and when she texted or called, she consumed my time too.
Trying to remember that she was just a friend, just someone I was helping, was getting harder and harder every day.
She never seemed to believe my flirting though. Either she was either completely oblivious to the affect she had on me, or she just wasn’t interested, Wright charm or no.
By the time I met her in Austin, I was certain that the attraction was all one-sided, and I was really starting to regret the idea of taking her to Aspen with me.
Mom and Dad would love her, and love that I finally brought someone, anyone home with me. But I wasn’t worried about them. Or about any of the sisters.
It was my brothers. The Wright men, who always had girls falling all over them. Even though three of them were married, happily, it still meant there were plenty who could tempt her away from me. Men who weren’t the weird, artistic kid who intentionally didn’t hear the world in order to create.
More than that, I wanted her to feel the same pull toward me that I felt toward her. Maybe we wouldn’t get engaged but I was betting our chemistry would blow both our minds.
I still hadn’t told Helena I was deaf. It didn’t seem that important, not when we were just two passing ships, as the saying went. I wasn’t hiding it; the external part of my implants was visible, just under my hair. I just didn’t think it needed to be said. I didn’t need her looking at me like I was anything less than her sexy, artistic fiancé.
There was nothing wrong with being deaf, and I wasn’t ashamed of it. I never quite felt like I belonged in the world of the hearing or the deaf. My art was my world—where I could take anything I wanted and shine it in any kind of light I wanted to. Sometimes I liked my world silent. There was so much to see, taste, smell, and touch that sound wasn’t always important. In fact, sometimes it detracted from the world.
But I was grateful to hear Helena’s sexy voice and her erotic moans when she ate something she really enjoyed. The way she laughed when my dry humor caught her off guard. I also loved how pleased she sounded when she got a laugh out of me.
Helena jogged up to the gate moments before boarding started, looking frazzled and out of breath. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You’re right on time. Take a breath. Maybe even two.” I grinned and pulled her in for a quick hug. “It’s good to see you.”
“You know you don’t have to start pretending until we get there, right?”
“Helena, we’ve been talking for weeks. I think I’m allowed to be happy to see you.” I reached over and took her carry-on. “Did you have any trouble with the ticket?”
“You made it very easy.” She laughed. “How many reminder emails did you send?”
I shrugged. “I get forgetful. It’s hard for me to keep track of what I’ve done sometimes when I’m in the groove.”
She shook her head. “Is that what I have to look forward to? A forgetful, paint spattered fiancé?”
I kissed her cheek. “Damn straight. Better get used to it.”
The gate attendant called for boarding, and soon we were settled side by side in first class, headed for Denver. From there, it would be a few hours’ drive, and I’d get to introduce her to the family.
“Are you sure you want to do this? I can just hang out at the hotel.” Helena smoothed the front of her dress for what seemed like the tenth time in the walk up from the car. “Whose birthday is it, anyway?”
“I didn’t tell you?” I smirked. “It’s mine.” I took her hand as I reached for the door handle. “And you’re not getting out of it. Come on.”
She walked in with me hesitantly, and almost immediately we were bombarded.
“The birthday boy’s here! And he brought some chick with him!” Raph shouted into the house as he ran toward me, practically tackling me in a hug.
“Raphael, how many times have I told you, we don’t call women chicks.” Dad came around the corner wiping his hands on a kitchen towel.
“Bex does it all the time.”
“You’ll find correcting Bex is like correcting a feral cat. Plus, she’s a woman. She also calls women dames, dolls, and broads.”
“In other words, she gets away with it and I don’t.”
“Precisely.” My father lifted his chin and gave his youngest son a stiff nod. “It’s good you understand how these things work.”
“Your father really is British?” Helena’s eyes grew wide as she glanced over at me.
“I didn’t tell you my parents are Donna and Richard Wright?” I tugged her further into the house, stopping just a moment to take off her jacket and hang both our coats in the closet. “You should probably just squeeze my hand anytime there’s something I should’ve told you. So I know what expectations to hit.” I wrapped my arm around her and led her up to Dad. “May I introduce Helena Stratton?”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” She extended her hand nervously.
“Oh, please. In this house, we don’t live by such formalities. With thirteen kids, sometimes it’s a wonder we didn’t end up with a house full of heathens.” He glared at Raph. “Although, maybe we did. Please, call me Dick.” He shook her hand heartily.
“Raphael? Was he named after the artist? I thought Gio was the only artist in the family.”
“Oh, he is. We let all the kids follow whatever passions they were drawn to. I’m right chuffed they all grew up to be passionate, driven people.” He grinned, that charming Hollywood smile that disarmed even the most nervous guests. “Now, come inside, let’s introduce you to the madhouse. It’s a smaller bunch today, but in this family, even the more intimate gatherings get pretty big.”
Helena’s fingers tangled with mine and I gave her a reassuring squeeze as we walked through the house.
Not surprisingly, Mom loved Helena on sight. I suspected part of it was the neon feathery headband Helena wore, reminding Mom of the eighties.
Helena’s reaction was more shocking though. “Oh my God, you’re Donna Winters. I’ve seen every movie you were in.” She grinned. “I was so glad when you and Brett broke it off. I didn’t even live through it and I could tell he was just holding you back.”
Mom laughed. “It was a different time then. Women had it even harder than they do now, if you can believe it.” She glanced at me, and then back at Helena. “Maybe later Gio can show you the library. We’ve got some great cl
assic posters in there.”
“I’d love that!” Her whole face lit up, like she was a kid who just saw a candy store for the first time.
“Then we’ll definitely make sure that’s on the tour before we leave.” I kissed her cheek. “When are we eating?”
“Everything should be ready in about twenty minutes. We’re set up on the deck out back, if the two of you want to take a tour now.”
“The deck? Won’t it be cold?” Helena deferred to me nervously.
“Mom and Dad keep space heaters out there. But if you get too cold, I promise to keep you warm.”
“Oh.” She blushed slightly. “Could we actually start the tour at a bathroom? I’d like to freshen up.”
I nodded and led her down the hall to the half-bath.
“You didn’t tell me your family was… this.”
“This what? They’re just my family.”
“They’re all really nice. And you obviously all care for each other so much. And your parents are famous. How am I supposed to just lie to them?”
I kissed her cheek and pulled her close. “Don’t think of it as lying, Helena. You’re my friend. And a girl. Is it that much of a stretch that you’re my girlfriend? It’s not like we have to make out at the table.”
She frowned. “It’s not just that.”
“Just relax. Be yourself. Mom already loves you. No one here is going to judge you, or our relationship, unless we’re suddenly bizarrely nervous. And famous or not, they’re still just people.” I smiled softly. “Take your time and come out when you’re ready. I’ll be in the kitchen, so you can find me easily.”
It took her a while to pull back, to break our hug, and as she closed the bathroom door, part of me wondered if she’d come out at all before the end of the night.
I trusted her, though, and I knew she wouldn’t let me down.
Mom was finishing plating up a few things as I walked in. “Tour over already?”
“She’s freshening up. I told her to come find me when she’s done.” I reached over and stole a swipe of frosting from the edge of the cake. “It’s okay that I brought her, right?”
“Are you kidding? I’m thrilled.” She quickly fixed the frosting and swatted my hand before I could do it again. “Don’t get germs all over your cake.”
“If it’s my cake, what’s the big deal?” I grinned and grabbed the knife she just used and licked it clean. “Thrilled is a bit over the top though, isn’t it?”
“Not at all. You never bring anyone home. I was beginning to wonder if you were ashamed of us or just running through women like water.” She smirked. “She seems really nice though. She’s nervous and shell shocked. Did you just completely leave her in the dark about your family?”
“She is nice, though she’s so much more than that. And I guess I didn’t think it should matter. You’re my family. Not a spectacle.” I loved that Mom tried to stay up on everything, and never judged if any of her kids showed proclivities for anything other than what was considered normal, even though I knew that one of the things she really wanted was to have a ton of grandbabies to lavish attention on. “It’s new, so try not to scare her off with your excitement, would you?”
“I promise, I’ll play it cool.”
“Play what cool?” Helena’s voice came from the doorway, like a bright beacon.
“Oh, just how old my baby boy’s getting. How old they all are getting.” She smirked and nudged me with her hip. “Go give your girl a tour before we eat.”
Unsurprisingly, as soon as we walked into the room Mom had referred to as the library, the tour got derailed.
The room wasn’t just covered in old movie posters; it was also where Mom and Dad kept every trophy or award anyone in the family ever won. It was like a shrine to how successful the family was.
Baseball trophies for Raph. Headshots and framed modeling campaigns for Liling. All sorts of academic honors for Rachel. It seemed like every one of my siblings had something in a place of pride in the room.
Everyone except me.
I didn’t enter contests. I didn’t make a show of any talents, other than my art. And while there were Giovanni Wright originals scattered all over the house, it didn’t seem like any had been deemed award winning enough to land a spot in this room.
“Your dad wasn’t kidding about a driven family.” She wandered through the shelves, picking up an item here or there, but not lingering on any one thing for long, not even the Oscars.
Until she found something I didn’t even know was here.
“What’s this?” She held up a mangled, twisted lump of clay that vaguely resembled a bird.
“That… is the first piece of art I ever sold. It was a fundraiser for a class trip down to Denver to go to the aquarium, and everyone in class put something in the sale. Most people got their parents to make some baked goods, or offered some sort service, like helping to clean or do yard work, but I was adamant that I was going to make art and sell it. That bird was the only piece I sold. Every other kid made more than enough to cover the trip, but if it weren’t for Mom and Dad buying this bird, I wouldn’t have been able to go.” I took it from her, running my fingers over the crude shape. “It was supposed to teach us resourcefulness, to teach us the value of a dollar.”
How had I missed it all these years? How did I not know this was in here?
“That’s really sweet.” She smiled. “And look how far you’ve come. I bet those parents are kicking themselves now, for not getting in on the ground floor.”
I laughed and set it back on the shelf. “Don’t try to sugar coat it. It’s pathetic. Everyone else has awards, trophies, proof of their greatness. And the only thing in this room with my name on it is a pathetic ceramic bird.”
“It’s an accomplishment, just like any of the others. The first piece of art you ever sold. That’s huge.” She turned and looked me square in the eye. “I don’t know your family very well, but your parents don’t seem like the type to just keep stuff lying around. And they definitely wouldn’t put it in a place of honor like this room. It means something to them. It’s important. Don’t belittle it. It started you on your path to being an artist successful enough to make a living at it.”
Neil knocked on the door frame, but he didn’t step inside. “Hey, guys, Mom says dinner’s ready.” He gave Helena a quick glance over and then smirked at me mischievously. “So, quit making out or whatever you’re doing back there.”
I chuckled and took Helena’s hand. “My brother, always the charmer.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder for just a second before we headed for the deck to face the firing squad of my family.
Helena sat right next to me, her fingers tangled with mine, as everyone found spots around the table.
It was strange, how comforting it was having her here. The noise of the group didn’t bother me as much, knowing she was right there.
“Helena, how do you end up with Gio? You seem like you’re way too good for him,” Neil teased.
Zane grunted. “Neil just doesn’t know how to attract a woman. He wants your trade secrets.”
“It’s not like I can get any secrets from you. I’m starting to wonder if you’re practicing to be a priest,” Neil retorted.
Donna sighed. “Can we not disintegrate into adolescents over dinner? It’s Gio’s birthday.”
“It’s always someone’s birthday,” Raph inserted.
That earned a chuckle from the table.
“Helena caught me drawing her on the beach, and we’ve been talking, flirting, and dating ever since,” I answered before we digressed any further.
“Like a stalker?” Neil cocked an eyebrow. “That’s a move I hadn’t considered. At least it’s more respectable than pretending to be a handyman in a house you own, like Chuck did. Or just following the girl around like a lovesick puppy on tour for years before manning up.”
Helena glanced at me and squeezed my hand, meaning I had more stories I needed to tell. “He wasn’t
being a stalker. In fact, I still haven’t quite figured out what he saw that day,” Helena said. “But the picture was incredibly flattering, and he didn’t seem like he wanted to chop me up into little pieces, so I gave him a shot.”
That earned another laugh from the table.
I leaned over and took a chance, pulling Helena in for a quick kiss.
She ran her hand over my thigh, squeezing just slightly before she pulled away and smiled softly. “And here we are. I, for one, am just happy to be here to celebrate Gio’s birthday with you all.”
“In all honesty, you seem like a great woman, Helena, and I’m glad you can make Gio smile this much.” Neil shook his head, but the smirk that followed made me believe he wasn’t really being as big a jerk as he pretended to be. I suspected he wanted to find someone to love just as much as the rest of us seemed to, but he didn’t know how to do it with everything he’d seen, everything he’d lost as a soldier, a brother, and a friend.
Dinner progressed, and even though it was my birthday, I had no problem letting conversation shift away from me. I never wanted to be the center of attention, not even on days when I supposedly should be. I was far happier to let my art speak for me, or let the family use me as an excuse to get together.
I’d always been content to sit back, to observe.
I was most surprised how at ease Helena appeared. There was none of the same attitude she had when we were at dinner with her sister. She ate what she wanted, she didn’t shy away from touching me or being touched. It was almost as if she belonged here more than she belonged with them.
Not that Mom would’ve minded. The fuller the table, the happier she was.
“You’re awfully quiet for a party in your honor, you know.” Helena smiled as she leaned her head on my shoulder.
“I’m enjoying it. I like having you here with me.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as Mom brought out the birthday cake.
As the family started singing Happy Birthday, Helena whispered, “What are you going to wish for?”
The Fiancé Agreement Page 7
