At Last

by Mindy McKinley

  He would be okay as long as she was there.

  “Here we are,” he said, pulling up to the brick two-story house he had grown up in. The sight of it always gave him a rush of memories, good and bad, and always a feeling of deep love.

  He spotted Mason’s car in the driveway and another he didn’t recognize. Probably Steve’s. His jaw tightened.

  “Oh, it’s lovely,” Lu said, her voice a balm to his nerves. “Is this where you grew up?”

  “My whole life,” he answered with a smile and climbed out to open her door. Her presence made him happy. Maybe his last-second Hail Mary to bring her was actually going to work.

  “I can’t wait to see your old room,” she told him as he handed her out of the car. “I’m picturing baseball cards and trophies, and giant history books.”

  He chuckled and pulled her arm through his. “You’re not that far off actually.”

  Just before they got to the front door, he stopped her. “Thank you for coming tonight, Lula, it means a lot.”

  She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him quickly on the lips. “You are welcome, Mr. Adams. Thank you for inviting me.”

  He smiled at her kiss. “Are you nervous?” he asked her, amused to see her take a steadying breath.

  “Only completely.” She giggled quietly.

  It was charming. But everything about her was. “You shouldn’t be; they’ll love you, especially my mother. She’s been waiting for me to bring a girl to dinner since I graduated college.”

  Lula froze and looked at him with wide eyes. “You’ve never brought a girl home?”

  Dom grinned and kissed her forehead. “You’re the first.”

  He watched the emotions work across her face—surprise, fear, and then a flash of pleasure.

  Christ, she was beautiful.

  “Come on,” he said, leading her to the door, “I promise they won’t bite.”

  “Not even Seb?”

  He laughed and opened the door. “I’ll kill him if he even tries.”

  “Dominic!” his mother greeted him at the door. She looked radiant in a beautiful blue sweater. Her face was aglow with a happiness he hadn’t seen there in a long time and her hair was stylishly set. It immediately tore him in different directions.

  She kissed his cheek then turned to Lula.

  “You must be Lula. Oh, I am so happy to meet you. I’m Katherine,” she said and pulled her into a hug that made Lula’s eyes widen comically.

  “I’m happy to meet you too,” Lula said sweetly, clearly overwhelmed by her reaction.

  Finishing the hug, his mother held on to her hands to look at her. “You are so beautiful,” she announced and then looked at Dom. “You didn’t tell me how lovely she is.”

  He felt his chest expand with ridiculous pride. “To be fair, Mother, it’s hard to find the right words.”

  “Oh my,” his mother said, putting a hand to her chest, looking from him to a blushing Lula who was smiling at her feet. “Well, come on,” she said, breaking the tension, “everyone is here.” She took Lula’s hand and led her to the family room. He followed after, his stomach rolling at the thought of what lay ahead.

  Mason and Seb were seated on the sofa, and the man he assumed to be Steve was sitting across from them chatting about baseball.

  Seb looked by far the most comfortable. He had an open beer bottle in one hand and his arm slung casually over the back of the sofa. Mason, on the other hand, sat rigidly with his hands on his knees as if he were about to jump up. He could definitely relate.

  “Steve,” his mother said, her voice a lot more musical than it was a moment ago. He found it cloying and his stomach instantly rolled. “This is Dominic and Lula.” She said Lula’s name as if she were a wonderment.

  Steve stood from his chair and came forward to shake his hand. He was tall, broad-shouldered, handsome, and had a head of thick greying hair. He looked like he had just walked off an erectile dysfunction commercial. “Dominic,” he said, holding his hand out to shake, his voice was irritatingly deep and confident. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

  Dom looked at the hand and tried. He really tried to reach out and shake the hand of the man dating his mother. But he just couldn’t do it. Everyone was watching silently and no one was breathing.

  He even felt Lu push him a little, but he just couldn’t fucking do it.

  Instead he simply said, “Steve.”

  He heard his mother’s astonished intake of breath. Lula looked white as a sheet and even Mason looked astonished.

  Seb just chuckled silently.

  Steve, on the other hand, simply turned his attention to Lu. “It’s nice to meet you, Lula.”

  She smiled sweetly and took his hand. “Thank you, Steve, it’s nice to meet you too.”

  “Holy fuck,” Seb said from the sofa, breaking the rising tension, everyone’s eyes flew to him as he pointed his beer at Lula. “You’re the jazz bird from Mo’s.”

  “Hi, Seb,” she said, blushing cutely and wiggling her fingers.

  “Nice,” Seb said, mostly to Dom.

  For good measure, Dom tucked her into his side a little tighter and led her to the loveseat. He knew that look in his brother’s eye.

  He introduced her to Mason, who looked torn between wanting to tease him about bringing a girl home and wanting to punch the man that had settled onto the sofa with his mother’s hand in his.

  He could wholly relate.

  As Lula chatted lightly with Mason, it amused Dom to see his normally suave, muscle-bound brother become tongue-tied by his intelligent, sweet, radiantly beautiful girl. Increasingly tender feelings pushed forward in his chest, but he didn’t shoo them away as he normally did.

  Steve cleared his throat after a few minutes—a sound that irritated him beyond measure. As if sensing that he was about to launch off the sofa, Lula gripped his hand and he stilled.

  “So, Lula,” Steve tried, it couldn’t have been comfortable with everyone staring wide-eyed at him. “You’re a jazz singer?”

  Every single one of those eyes suddenly turned on her and she flushed brilliantly. After swallowing and catching Dom’s eye for a moment, she answered, “Actually, I’m a teacher, jazz is just a side thing.”

  “It shouldn’t be,” Seb chimed in. “You should hear her, Steve, she’s like the perfect mixture of Ella and Etta in one voice.”

  He felt her melt a little beside him and she looked utterly flustered by the compliment. “Seb, that’s so nice of you to say, but really, teaching is what I really love.”

  “Damn shame,” Seb quipped.

  “What do you teach, dear?” his mother asked, shooting Seb an irritated look. She had settled next to Steve on the opposite sofa and their closeness was making Dom’s blood pressure rise.

  “Literature,” she answered and silence filled the room again.

  “Is that how you two met?” Steve asked, trying way too hard.

  Dom squirmed, just the sound of the man’s voice made him want to punch things. Anything. Especially him.

  Thankfully Lula spoke up before he said something terribly rude.

  “Yes, we work at East High together, three years now.” She looked at Dom with a smile and he felt his tension ease a little.

  He still didn’t understand how she had escaped his radar for three fucking years. It had to have been those sweaters. It didn’t matter, she was here now.

  “Wow, three years?” Katherine looked at Dom. “I’m surprised you didn’t bring her home sooner.” Lula flushed and looked at her hands, and when the room fell silent again his mother redirected her attention to his brother. “So, Mason, how is the business going?”

  Lula let out a breath only he could hear, clearly relieved to have the attention off of her, and listened intently as Mason updated them on his furniture business.

  He squeezed her hand and she wrapped her fingers around his in response, it occurred to him that she had never really had an experience like this before. Even as stilted as this family gat
hering was, it was still a family gathering. He had asked a lot of her and she was here, taking it like a champ. This woman was something else.

  A half-hour or so of heavily forced conversation later, his mother finally corralled them all into the kitchen and served dinner during which she made a point to give Dom pointed, angry looks. He deftly ignored them.

  As dinner progressed, Dom made a note of every single interaction between his mother and Steve. Though he hated to admit it, the man was doting, caring, and clearly in love with her. He pulled out her chair, helped her carry the heavy dishes to the table, and told her to hush when she fussed about him helping. He even sliced the fucking ham for everyone.

  Somehow that pissed him off even more. It was only Lula’s calm presence that kept him from saying exactly what was on his mind and, to make it worse, his mother beamed at Steve the entire night as if he were the most amazing human in the universe.

  He really, really wanted something to punch. He considered just decking Seb but let it pass.

  Conversation was stiff; Steve was well versed in baseball, which drew a few sentences out of Mason, but there were mostly awkward silences.

  Seb was the only one who seemed completely comfortable and saved everyone from drowning in silence by chatting happily with Steve about his band and their upcoming tour.

  Lula interjected when she could; she was witty and kind and absolutely sparkled like a diamond. His brothers were smitten too, and he couldn’t blame them. Lula was everything.

  She was the only thing getting him through this, and as much as he appreciated that, he was becoming concerned about how attached he was becoming. But every time he looked at her and their eyes met for just a moment, the electricity of their connection made him forget that he should be trying to find his way out. She outshined everything.

  When dinner was over, his mother made it clear to him just how unhappy she was while everyone filed into the family room. He could only shrug. “I told you I’d come, Mom. I’m here.”

  She shook her head, her eyes a mixture of irritation and hurt. “But would it kill you to be nice?”

  “It might,” he bit and pushed past her.

  Unfortunately Steve caught him just as he got through the door. He looked just as uncomfortable and unsure as Dom felt. “I just wanted to thank you for meeting me tonight,” Steve offered.

  Dom swallowed and tried to keep from making a face. He wasn’t sure he succeeded.

  Steve waited for a reply.

  Dom leaned in very close and spoke softly. “I want you to know that my brothers and I will do anything it takes to protect our mother. And if you ever do anything to her, or if your intentions are in any way untoward, we will kill you.”

  Steve’s eyes flared and he swallowed uncomfortably. “I can appreciate that,” he said carefully, nodding.

  “Seb knows where to hide bodies,” he mentioned and pushed past him to get to Lu.

  “I think it’s time to go,” he told her.

  The understanding in her eyes made him melt. She nodded and wrapped her fingers around his.

  Just before they got to the door, his mother caught him.

  “We will talk about this,” she told him with a rigid, angry tone.

  All he could do was shrug.

  She shook her head in disappointment at him but turned to Lula for a gushing good-bye. “He is something else,” she said pointing at Dom. “But you are lovely, dear. Thank you for coming tonight; it was so wonderful to meet you.”

  Lula took the hand she offered. “It was lovely to meet you as well, Katherine.”

  “Will you promise to come back again?” his mother asked. “With or without that one,” she said, gesturing at Dom again. He rolled his eyes.

  “Of course,” Lula answered graciously. She was flushed and slightly bewildered. “I promise.”

  And he knew she would be. At least he hoped.

  Chapter 23

  Lula

  As Lula lay awake in bed that night, Dom’s strong body pressed against her backside, his arm across her hip, she felt at home. The evening had been wonderful; his family had been so kind to her that she was filled with a warmth that she couldn’t shake.

  His mother had been exceedingly genuine and kind, and watching the brothers banter could be her new favorite pastime. Both Seb and Mason were handsome and smart and funny and even Steve was wonderful. Dom didn’t see it yet, but she hoped he would come around someday.

  The feeling of being surrounded by a large family was new to Lula and it made her heart so full she thought her chest might burst. This is what she had been missing, what she needed in her life.

  It made her desire to find her father even stronger, because as much as she loved Dom’s family, it wasn’t hers and she wasn’t guaranteed to ever see them again.

  Dom had been extra loving with her when they got back from dinner. He kept his promise and made her come with his tongue so many times she lost count.

  When she was completely limp from pleasure, he had pushed inside of her with such tenderness and reverence that she almost cried. She loved this man. It was stupid, but it was also too late to do anything to stop it.

  He didn’t need to know. At least for now she would keep it to herself, treasure it while it was still pure, untainted by heartbreak.

  She let her mind wander into uncharted territories. She imagined what it might feel like hearing those words from his lips, what a future together with him might be like.

  Dear Lord, what was she getting herself into?

  A quick panic tumbled through her when she thought about how he might react if he knew what she was thinking, and it made her hold on to him a little tighter. Come on, Lu, she told herself, keep some of your heart. She was going to need a portion of it to function after this was all over.

  Dom stirred behind her and she felt his hand creep up her hip. “Are you still awake, babe?” His voice was sleepy, and he was likely unaware that he had called her babe. She cherished it.

  “Mm-hm, I’ve just been thinking,” she said softly and turned into him so she could nuzzle into his chest. “I really had a great time tonight.”

  He ran a hand across her cheek and kissed her lips softly. “Really? I thought it was all so awkward.”

  She laughed. “Well, that was mostly your fault, Mr. Adams.” She poked him in the chest.

  He smiled but it fell away quickly.

  “I thought Steve was nice,” she added carefully, unsure of how he would respond. He hadn’t said much about the man after dinner and she knew meeting him was taking its toll. He hadn’t quite been his jovial and good-natured self all evening. His jaw had been tight, his eyes intense, and he hadn’t said more than a few words about it.

  “I guess.” His voice was unsure. “I wish I knew why I was struggling with this so much.”

  Lula suspected it was a fear of this man trying to replace his father. It was going to take some time. “I think it’s natural,” she offered. “You’ve been your mother’s protector, the man of the house since you were thirteen.”

  He thought about it quietly for a few moments before he pulled her closer to him. “I really was trying tonight. I know it didn’t seem like it, but it took a lot of self-control to not say all the things I wanted to.”

  She traced her fingers along his chest. “I know you were.”

  “I never would have agreed to go if it weren’t for you, you know?”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “Really?”

  He nodded and ran his fingers over her lips. “You told me that my father would have wanted her to be happy. And”—he took a breath—“I think you’re right. So I’m going to try my best to ... to find a way to accept it.”

  She kissed his fingers. “Tonight was a good start”

  “Even if I threatened to kill him?”

  Her eyes flew open. “You did not!”

  “Oh, I did,” he said, grinning devilishly, “and I meant it.”

  She shook her head. “Dominic Adams, wh
at am I going to do with you?”

  He rolled her on top of him and caught her in a sensual kiss. “I have a few ideas.”

  Dominic

  Dom laughed as Lula bounced on the sofa cushions Monday after school.

  “Okay, what next?” she asked.

  They were sitting at his place, cuddled with a laptop between them. For the last hour they had been googling things that might help narrow down the search for her father.

  They’d scoured social media, entered random information combinations into Internet searches, and they weren’t much closer than they were before. So far all they had gleaned was that there were far more Giovanni’s in Chicago than either of them thought possible.

  “How about we look at all the Italian restaurants in Chicago run by Italian families?”

  “Are you serious?” he asked, trying to cover his laughter. “I’d say all of them.”

  She swatted his shoulder. “I’m serious, maybe the restaurant angle is the way to go.”

  “So you want to research the hundreds of Italian restaurants in Chicago?”

  “No, just the ones that were in Little Italy.”

  “I hate to say it, babe, but that doesn’t narrow it down a whole lot, plus we don’t know if it’s even still open.”

  She pouted cutely and he shook his head. “All right,” he said dubiously, “here goes almost nothing.” He ran a search while she watched with wide eyes. It was beginning to get harder and harder to say no to her, and he could only sigh when he thought about what old Dom would say about it.

  He wasn’t even completely sold on the idea of her finding her father. His gut told him it was a bad road, even Lula’s mother’s friend had warned her off. But once she got that wide-eyed look, he had trouble denying her the help she needed to find the only chance at having a family.

  It had become even harder this afternoon when he went with her to see Nan. She had hoped to introduce him officially, but Nan’s dementia was unpredictable and today had been a bad day. She didn’t recognize Lula at all and seemed frightened when two strangers entered her room. Nan had screamed for the nurses as if they were robbing her. He had rushed Lula out, tears streaming down her face.