“Kate doesn’t know about that either?”
“No one does. Vicky has self-esteem issues when it comes to her family. She’s always lived in Kate’s shadow and wants to prove to her family she’s not the fuck-up they think she is.” Very similar to what I’ve been trying to prove to you, dearest brother.
“If I were you, I’d tell Vicky to talk to her sister before you help her further. When Kate gets over this, you don’t want something else causing another rift between you.”
“Assuming, that is, she ever gets over this.”
“Are you doubting your ability to charm your way out of this?”
“My charm doesn’t work on Kate. Her stubbornness is a real obstacle between us. She likes things done her way and doesn’t always see other viewpoints.”
“Give her some space and she’ll come around. Maybe send her some flowers at the office on Monday.”
“I’ll see.”
Somehow, Edward suspected flowers wouldn’t be all it would take to smooth things over with Kate. She’d probably take his intention the wrong way. As strong as she appeared to the outside world, it masked a vulnerability she strived to protect. He understood that, understood her. Tomorrow, he needed to contact Joe and Vicky and enlist their help in saving Kate from herself.
****
Kate snapped her laptop shut, grateful to see the business day end. It was only Tuesday, yet it felt like she’d already worked a full week. Although she hadn’t spoken to him, Edward sent her emails with things he needed done for work. The tension in his emails didn’t help improve her disposition.
As she packed up her laptop, her eyes fell on the dozen red roses that had arrived that afternoon. Without even looking at the card, she’d known they were from Edward. She’d wanted to throw them out, but they were too beautiful. What really annoyed her was that she’d never been one to fall for flowers as a way of apologizing; however, she had to admit some of her anger dissolved when they were delivered.
After a lingering glance at them, she gathered the rest of her belongings and set off for the lobby. Vicky called earlier and asked if she could spend the next couple days at Kate’s place while she attended a workshop in the city.
A quick peek at the time showed Kate had enough time to stop by the market on her way home to figure out what to make for dinner. The meals in the DiFrancesco household had always been planned for the week, and her mother bought all the ingredients in advance. Living alone and cooking for one, Kate tended to plan for meals as she needed them.
It was about forty-five minutes later when she arrived at her apartment. After changing into sweats, Kate started a pasta and shrimp dish. When Vicky buzzed fifteen minutes later, the scent of garlic filled the air.
“Mmm. That smells good,” Vicky said, removing her coat. “I brought dessert.” She held up a small white box. “A new recipe I’m trying for napoleons.”
“My hips and ass will hate you tomorrow, but thanks. I took out a bottle of wine if you want to open it.”
While Vicky located the corkscrew and focused on opening the bottle, Kate studied her. Something was different about her sister. A maturity and confidence in the way she held herself. It pleased Kate to see these subtle changes, though she wondered what brought them about.
“Do you want me to start on the salad?” Vicky asked, handing Kate a glass.
“Sure. Everything’s in the fridge.” Kate added tomatoes to the pan on the stove and stirred. “So tell me about this workshop you’re attending.”
Vicky looked a little uncomfortable. “It’s on starting your own business.”
“I didn’t know you were interested in that.”
Vicky took a swallow of wine. “I want to convert the pizzeria into a bakery and café.”
Kate glanced up to see if Vicky was serious and met her sister’s intense gaze. Definitely serious—and nervous.
“You’ve been giving this some thought, haven’t you?”
“I’ve been working on plans to alter the pizzeria and have applied for a business loan. Edward’s been helping me with the papers and building a financial case for the business.”
Ah, now the recent whispering between her sister and Edward made sense.
“Do Mom and Dad know?”
“No. Only Edward and Vinnie. And I didn’t even want Vinnie to know, but the bastard snooped through my stuff and found my paperwork. Not surprisingly, he thinks it’s a stupid idea.”
Kate snorted and added the shrimp to the pan. “Yeah, that figures. Vinnie couldn’t care less about the planning part of a business.”
“He sure as hell likes the profits you get from it, though,” Vicky said.
“Just not the work involved in making it successful. But you’ve always had a flair for knowing what would work and what wouldn’t.”
“You really think so?”
Kate stopped stirring and focused on her sister. “Yes, I do. You’ve always had so much potential. And it’s frustrated me because you sat back and let Vinnie lead you to his way of thinking, rather than take control.”
“It’s taken me a while to figure out what I wanted. For a long time all I knew was that it wasn’t the pizzeria. Once Dad said he was going to open a new restaurant, I knew I couldn’t work there. Then idea for the café came to me and I can’t stop it now. I want this like I’ve never wanted anything in my life.”
“I’m glad. I think it’s a great idea.”
Vicky gave her a wary glance. “You’re not mad Edward’s been helping me on the sly? I asked him not to say anything.”
It looked like her entire family asked Edward to keep secrets. And like a nice guy, he’d obliged. A small part of her felt guilty for treating him so horribly the other day.
“No, I’m not upset you went to him.” She paused to add pasta to the boiling water. “But why didn’t you come to me?”
Vicky sighed and sat on one of the stools. “I was afraid to. You’re so confident about everything, and I needed to figure out a lot of stuff. I wanted to do it on my own, to prove to myself that I could. If I asked for your help, you would have figured it all out for me.”
“Oh, Vick. Is that how you see me, as controlling and take charge?”
Vicky shrugged. “Sometimes. And most of the time that’s good. But whenever you take charge, it gives me an excuse not to. Then I slack off until I don’t think I can do anything as well as you.”
Kate clenched the tongs she’d been using to flip the shrimp. “That’s so not true! You’re smart and can do anything you set your mind to. I never meant to make you feel otherwise.”
“Thanks, but I didn’t see it. I’m still not sure that I can, but I’m working on it.”
“Being in control doesn’t mean knowing all the answers. It often means knowing how to network and having the balls to take a risk.”
“Then you must have a lot of balls.”
Kate laughed. “I’m not nearly as confident as you think I am. I doubt myself constantly, but I hide it well.”
“Maybe you can tell me your secret.”
“I spend a lot of time thinking and planning before I act. I need to work things out in my head before I execute on them. That doesn’t mean it will always work. But, if it doesn’t, I’ll know I tried my best.”
“What if you can’t afford to make a mistake? I mean, I can’t afford—literally—to mess this up.”
“You talk with people, like Edward, who’ve started their own business. You ask a lot of questions and get as much information as you can from people who have expertise in what you need to know.”
Kate handed Vicky napkins and silverware and then dished out their meal.
Vicky added Romano cheese before twirling her spaghetti. “This is fantastic. You could’ve been a chef if you wanted to. I think you’ve improved Mom’s recipe, not that I’d admit that to her face.”
“Thanks. I promise not to tell her.”
“Maybe I can show you my plans after dinner?”
“I�
��d like that.”
Over cappuccino and napoleons, Vicky explained her concept for Decadent DeLites. Kate listened, impressed with Vicky’s ideas and vision. The business had a shot at being a success.
“This is fantastic,” Kate said, gesturing to the papers. “As are the napoleons. You’re a genius.”
“I’m glad you think so. It feels good to talk to someone about it. It doesn’t seem real yet.”
“When are you going to tell the family?”
“Maybe Christmas Eve since everyone will be there. You’re bringing Edward, aren’t you?”
Kate glanced down into her empty mug. “I don’t know. Edward and I aren’t exactly talking at the moment. I’m still pretty ticked about him lending money for the restaurant.”
“Yeah, I heard what happened from Vinnie. I swear that boy loves to gossip more than a woman. Have you spoken to Edward since Sunday?”
“No. He left that night for Vegas and doesn’t return until Friday afternoon.”
“Have you called him?”
Kate shook her head. “I don’t know what to say. Part of me appreciates that he wanted to help and the other part of me is annoyed he didn’t respect my wishes.”
“But wasn’t it Dad who didn’t want to tell you? It’s not like it was Edward’s fault.”
“Just whose side are you on, sis?”
“Yours, of course, but how long are you going to let Edward squirm?”
Kate couldn’t imagine Edward squirming. “He sent me flowers at work today. Red long-stemmed roses.”
“How can you stay mad at him now?”
“Very easily. Flowers are a nice start, but I may need to see if I can get him to grovel a bit more.”
Vicky grabbed the dirty plates and carried them to the kitchen. “Oh, you’re terrible. Don’t do anything to mess this up. He’s quite a catch.”
Yes he was, Kate thought, placing the remaining napoleons in the fridge. But she wasn’t going to fall victim to another handsome face.
The doorbell rang.
“Are you expecting someone?” Vicky asked.
“No one but you.”
Kate glanced through the peep hole but didn’t see anyone outside. She opened the door to find a long, white floral box on the ground. More roses from Edward? If he planned to grovel, she’d hoped he’d be more original.
She looked down the hall, and finding it empty, brought the box in the apartment.
“More flowers? Looks like today’s your lucky day,” Vicky said, eyeing the box.
Kate wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t feel lucky at the moment. In fact, the whole thing felt off. Like how did the person get up to her apartment without being buzzed in?
She grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the string securing the box. Rather than the sweet fragrance of flowers she’d been expecting, a pungent smell reached her nose. Her sense of apprehension grew even before she pushed the paper aside and saw the dozen red roses—twelve rotted roses, that is.
She stifled a scream and jumped away from the box as though it had burned her.
Vicky peeked inside the box. “Oh, my God. Who the hell would send you dead roses?”
Kate didn’t need to read the enclosed card to know the identity of the sender or the message being sent.
****
Edward unlocked the door to his suite and stepped inside, grateful to be away from the noise. He loosened his tie and went over to the mini-bar for a bottle of water. Usually he enjoyed Vegas, but too many distracting thoughts occupied his mind and prevented him from partaking in the entertainment.
The door to Charles’s bedroom was closed, which meant his brother was either talking with his wife or working. Edward crossed the room with the intention of determining which when his mobile rang. The number was unfamiliar but had a Philadelphia area code.
“Hello?”
“Edward, it’s Nick. Kate’s brother.”
His entire body went rigid. “Nick. Is something wrong?”
“Not exactly but I wanted to let you know our buddy Sal made contact with Kate again.”
Edward squeezed the water bottle causing water to slosh down the side. “Bloody hell. What did he do? Is she all right?” He set down the bottle and wiped his hands on his slacks.
“She’s fine. He sent her a dozen dead roses. Someone rang her bell and took off and left them in a box outside her door.”
“How could he get into our building unless he knew someone?”
“More than likely he paid off someone in the building to deliver them to Kate’s door. A couple of NYPD guys just left. They’ll run tests on the flowers, attempt to lift prints off the box, though I doubt they’ll find anything.”
“Was there a card?” Edward asked, certain there must have been. The ignorant git would have wanted Kate to be clear on who sent them.
There was a slight hesitation in Nick’s voice. “Yes.”
“What did it say?” He braced himself for the reply.
“It said ‘You’re mine.’”
Edward rubbed the back of his neck, frustrated to be so far away, and wondered how quickly he could get a flight back to New York.
“They’ll test the card as well as try to trace the flowers for the point of purchase, but there were no markings on the box so I don’t see that as a possible lead.”
“So now what? We can’t just wait for this bastard to do something to her.”
“The local police are knocking door-to-door to see if they can find the person who brought the flowers in. They also checked her lock and the lock on the main door to make sure no one tampered with them. They’re fine.”
“That’s not making me feel better seeing as I’m thousands of miles away.”
“I’m on duty, but I spoke with her and she’s fine. It so happens Vicky is staying with her a couple days, so she’s not alone. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but they’ll watch out for each other.”
“I’m not due to return until Friday, but I can get the next flight out.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You’re already on Kate’s shit list this week. I wouldn’t push your luck by coming home early. She won’t appreciate it.”
“Your sister is one stubborn woman.”
“Wait until she finds out I called you. I’ll be joining you on that list.”
“I appreciate your letting me know.”
“My advice? Call her to reassure yourself she’s fine. But that’s it.”
Nick promised to keep Edward informed of any developments. After disconnecting, he paced the room, trying to collect his thoughts. He dialed Kate’s number and hoped she would answer. It went to voicemail. Damn her stubbornness. He searched for Vicky’s number and dialed her next.
“Hi,” she whispered. “Hold on a sec.”
He heard a door close.
“I had to sneak into the bathroom. Okay, I can talk now.”
“Nick just called me to tell me what happened. Are you both okay?”
“Yeah. She’s pissed and mildly shaken up. Mostly pissed, though.”
“I tried to call her but she didn’t answer.”
“She’s talking with our mom.”
“I don’t like this, Vicky. This bastard is trying to fuck with her. Both of you could be in danger.” He paced the room, needing an outlet to control his temper, his worry.
“The police checked over the apartment. We’ll be just fine.”
“I wanted to fly back, but Nick said not to.”
“He’s right. She’ll only get more pissed at you.”
He stopped pacing and rubbed the back of his neck. “About that…is she any less mad?”
“I think so, but she’s not going to admit it yet. She plans to make you suffer.”
He almost laughed. If Kate only knew just how much he was suffering.
“Can you see if she’s off the phone?”
He heard the door open and muffled voices.
“What?” Kate spat into the phone.
Edwa
rd envisioned her standing, with her arms crossed in annoyance and a sexy pout on her mouth.
He tried his best to keep things light. “I heard what happened and wanted to hear for myself that you’re all right.”
“My brother has a big goddamned mouth. I should have known he would have called you.”
“You could have called me.”
“I’m not accountable to you, Edward.”
Despite her tough words, he detected a slight quiver in her voice.
“I didn’t say you were, but we’re friends, more than friends, and you knew I would be worried about you when I found out.”
“Well, I’m fine. You’re not going to do anything dumb like come back early, are you?”
“No, I’m not planning on coming back early, unless, of course, you want me to.”
“Well, I don’t.”
“Then it’s a good thing I didn’t presume that you would.” Thanks to Nick’s fair warning.
“Good.”
“So, I suppose you’re still angry with me?”
He could hear the impatience in her voice. “Look, I’m really not in a mood to debate that.”
“Neither am I, but we do need to resolve it so we can move on. My flight gets in Friday midday. Let’s talk before the holiday party that night. You’ll still go with me, right?”
“I’ll think about it.”
She didn’t sound thrilled about it, but at least she didn’t refuse to see him. “Very well, then. I know we’re not on the best of terms now, but please know you can call me at any time of the day or night if you need me.”
“I do know that.” Her voice softened. “Thanks for the roses. They’re beautiful and much nicer than my second floral delivery.”
“I’m glad you like them. I’ll let you get some rest. Can I call you tomorrow?”
“Would you listen if I said no?”
“Not a chance.”
He thought he heard her sigh.
“That’s what I thought. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
He disconnected but continued to hold the phone, reflecting on their conversation. There had been a slight but definite smile in her voice, and he knew she wasn’t nearly as mad at him as she wanted him to think. He needed to figure out his approach to get her to stop being annoyed about his investment in the restaurant. Then he remembered he’d forgotten to ask Vicky if she talked with Kate about the bakery. He’d text her tomorrow and ask.
Untangle My Heart (Tangled Hearts) Page 15
