Chapter 24: Married With Malice: Chapter 23

Peggy teaches me how to bake bread from scratch. She helps with the dough kneading because my wrist is still sore but I accomplish a fair amount of the legwork on my own. Sadie stops by periodically to monitor our progress.

After the dough is finished rising in a large covered bowl, I peel back the tea towel and unleash a squeal of glee to find that the dough has doubled in size.

Peggy thinks I’ve lost my marbles when I take photos and send them to Daisy and Sabrina. She probably gets dough to successfully rise every day. This is my very first dough. I’m damn proud of it.

Just after lunch, there’s an outbreak of dogs barking and tails wagging when a new visitor arrives at the ranch.

“Where is she?” exclaims an unknown voice.

Sadie laughs. “Peggy’s kitchen. Don’t scare her.”

The door is thrown open and a very unusual person stands there gaping at me. She’s very pretty with jet black hair and wide brown eyes behind purple-framed glasses. But it’s her wardrobe that really demands a double take.

She wears a pumpkin-colored swing dress and the skirt is patterned with black cats. An old fashioned thick black velvet cape hangs around her shoulders. Silver skulls dangle from her ears. Her headband matches her dress. She looks like she got lost returning from a costume party.

The costumed woman squeals. She doesn’t wait for me to speak before advancing and throwing her arms around me with a very unexpected and highly enthusiastic hug. “There you are, you perfect girl!”

I have no idea what to make of this greeting.

Fortunately, Sadie shuffles in and ends the mystery. “Anni, you’ve just been tackled by my best friend, Gus, who didn’t follow instructions when I warned her not to maul you.”

Gus ends the bear hug with reluctance and settles for pumping my hand. “Dr. Amelia Edelstein, lone veterinarian of Sleepy Rock and ardent Halloween enthusiast.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m married to Cale’s brother, Luca.”

“She knows,” says Sadie. “Gus is your biggest fan.”

I didn’t know I had any fans at all. Occasionally I run into people who remember my figure skating competitions but they never act like this.

“Do you like skating?” I ask Gus.

“Not really,” she admits. “But I heard you were an absolute prodigy so that just makes you even more amazing.”

She beams.

I’m still confused.

The name of Sadie’s best friend pops up frequently around here and I knew she was a veterinarian but this doesn’t explain why I’m a person of interest to her.

“Gus decided you are a kindred spirit,” Sadie explains. “Ever since I showed her your wedding photos.”

Oh. I think I get it now.

Gus believes my gothic wedding attire was chosen unironically.

Sadie, who clearly guesses the truth and didn’t have the heart to enlighten her best friend, struggles to keep a straight face as Gus raves about my bridal look. I just hope Gus isn’t too disappointed to find me clad in ordinary jeans and a chunky cardigan.

Anyone who stops by Peggy’s kitchen is required to ingest some food. The Halloween-centric veterinarian of Sleepy Rock is no exception.

Once Gus is fortified with slices of jam-slathered crusty bread and a cup of peppermint green tea, she invites me for a walk around the ranch while she conducts her rounds. Sadie tries to join us but Peggy objects and orders her to rest and put her feet up.

“I am a little tired.” Sadie stifles a yawn and rubs a loving hand over her belly, which appears to have grown even bigger in the last couple of days. “You two go ahead.”

Peggy opts to take the sweater blanket she’d previously pushed on Luca and wrap it around my shoulders before I’m allowed to leave.

“Thank you,” I say to Peggy without a shred of sarcasm. I really enjoy this feeling of being surrounded by people who care enough to make sure I’m comfortable.

Sadie looks up from her chair and smiles while scratching the ears of a loudly purring grey cat.

Gus switches to professional mode once it’s time to care for the residents of the ranch. She drafts me into the role of her assistant as we move from one area to the next. We run into Cale and Luca in the barn, where they are chatting with a couple of the ranch volunteers.

Luca doesn’t miss a beat when Gus congratulates him for possessing the wisdom to marry me. He moves to my side and slips his arm around my waist.

“I’m just lucky she said yes,” he says, conveniently leaving out a few key points that Gus is obviously unaware of.

“We’re both lucky.” I lean into him and squeeze his waist. “There was never any other choice we could have made. We simply had to marry each other.”

“Awww, baby,” Luca gushes and plants a kiss on my cheek.

Gus, mesmerized by the romance of it all, puts a hand on her heart.

Meanwhile, Cale obviously understands the joke and coughs to cover his chuckle.

I’d love to hang out and cuddle my husband all day but Gus needs help examining a pregnant horse.

“I’ll pick you up at six.” Luca winks as we part with reluctance. “Be ready.”

“The two of you are goals,” Gus informs me as we walk to the stall containing her four-legged patient.

I can’t disagree.

By the time my veterinary assistant duties conclude for the day, I’ve been peed on by a nervous puppy and my clothes are covered in pet hair. I had a lot of fun but a shower is needed before I’m fit to be seen in public.

Nervous anticipation sends my heart pumping as I get ready to go out with Luca. There’s more excited first date energy than I’ve ever felt before.

Over-packing for the trip was a good choice but now I have too many options. I change my clothes three times before settling on a black pencil skirt, my nicest pair of heeled boots and a warm grey sweater that fits snugly enough to showcase my boobs. My makeup stays minimal and my hair swings loose. The final touches are my wedding ring and the bracelet Luca gave me.

Two minutes before six, there’s a knock on the door. Luca waits on the other side and he looks so insanely excellent that I need to conjure some serious willpower lest I tackle him, drag him over to the bed and mount him with abandon.

He’s now clean shaven and he wears a navy blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off his impressive forearms. His shirt is tucked in, his dark jeans hug his hips and my eyes can’t avoid darting down briefly to skim over the bulge under his belt.

“You’re beautiful, Annalisa,” he says, holding my gaze with a level of intense heat that threatens to erase my self-control.

Rather than capitalize on my weak-kneed moment, Luca’s hand comes from behind his back. He’s holding a cluster of dark pink roses.

“These won’t even wilt,” he says as he hands them over.

They are wrapped in a newspaper cone. When I take a closer look, I realize the roses aren’t real but are made of paper. “Where did you get these from?”

“Sadie dug up some craft paper and I watched a video to learn how to make them. Took me a few dozen tries to get the technique down while my brother laughed his ass off. I have the paper cuts and the bruises on my dignity to prove it.”

The gesture is packed with so much thoughtful sweetness that words fail me. My fingertip lightly touches a folded rose petal and I finally manage to breathe out the words, “Thank you.”

He holds out his arm like a gentleman. “Shall we go?”

My roses are left behind on my pillow. I plan to keep them forever.

Since our rental car had to be towed off the mountain, Luca is borrowing Sadie’s old truck. He’s left it running out front so that the heater will have time to work before I climb in. Luca watches me fasten my seatbelt before shutting the passenger side door.

Sadie and Cale watch us from the window as we drive away. Sadie waves.

Luca adjusts the vents to make sure the heated air is being directed my way. Little things like that leave me breathless and ready to swoon.

The options in Sleepy Rock are few. Luca suggests going to a diner that Cale mentioned. Frankly, I would have said yes to anything. It doesn’t matter to me what we do tonight. We’re bouncing along on an icy country road in an ancient pickup truck and yet I’ve never felt more like a queen.

The diner recommended by Cale sits on the edge of town, conveniently visible from the highway. The interior smells like deep fried corndogs. We’re seated at the last remaining empty booth and handed long laminated menus with a film of stickiness.

Luca scans the menu. “I can’t choose between the cheeseburger and the bacon cheeseburger and the double bacon cheeseburger deluxe.”

“Whatever you decide, be sure to pair it with the bacon-topped cheese fries.”

“You think they use real cheese?”

“Not a chance. Go with it anyway.”

“Maybe I should just get a salad.”

I start laughing. “You don’t eat salad.”

Luca pretends to be offended. “Of course I eat salad. I’ve just been keeping my health food preferences a secret. I must have sensed your disapproval.”

I’m still laughing. “What else don’t I know about you?”

He leans back against the cracked vinyl seat and studies me. “I nearly quit law school in my second year.”

“Why?”

“I was having a rough semester. Wasn’t sure if I even liked the law. Cale convinced me to stick it out and finish what I’d started. And I’m glad I did.”

“What would you be doing if you weren’t working for your uncle?”

His brows pinch together. I really hope the question doesn’t bother him. Now that we’re really talking, there are so many things I’m just aching to know.

He drums his fingers on the tabletop. He wears his wedding ring but I’ve noticed he’s been leaving his pinky ring off since we got to Sleepy Rock. At first I assumed it was because he didn’t want Cale to see it. Now I think Luca doesn’t want to be reminded of it either.

“I used to expect I’d end up in some Manhattan high rise, billing a hundred hours a week, playing cutthroat office politics to claw my way to partner status. Now this sounds about as appealing as an ice bath in January.”

He pauses and takes a look around the diner. The other customers are a mix of young families, raucous teens wearing high school varsity jackets and some loners hanging out at the counter. This isn’t a big town. I wonder how many of them know Sadie and Cale.

“I think I’d like to be my own boss,” he says. “Maybe practice family law, something where I can really connect with people instead of being a cold corporate suit among the midtown hordes.”

“No midtown hordes in sight right now.”

“Good. Hordes have bad manners.”

“I like it here. I can see why Sadie and Cale are so happy with small town life.”

Luca has very expressive eyebrows and right now they go sky high. “I figured you’d never want to leave New York.”

“You figured wrong. Lately every time I go to the city I can’t wait to leave. And Long Island is less chaotic but if not for my sisters I could move away tomorrow and not look back.”

Luca’s gaze is fixed on me so intently that I should be squirming in my seat. I dislike being scrutinized. The wary armor I’ve spent years building isn’t easily chipped.

Yet I don’t mind being different with him. I want Luca to see me as I am.

A waitress wearing a silver nametag that says BEA stops by to take our order. It’s an easy one. We both order bacon double cheeseburgers with cheese fries. Serve us right if we get heartburn.

Amid the sound of big band music piping through the speakers, Luca’s right hand reaches for my left hand. He rolls back my sweater sleeve and gently rubs my swollen wrist.

“Does it still hurt?” he asks.

I watch as his strong fingers explore with the tenderest pressure. “Feels better now.”

But I need to redirect my thoughts before I start dwelling on where else his fingers have been and how they’ve made me feel.

All of a sudden, the high school kids break out into a rowdy sports chant. They keep getting louder until our waitress wades right into the group and hisses at them to turn down the volume.

“Sorry, Mom,” says one of the boys.

She throws him a look and he slinks back into a booth with his buddies.

Luca watches the scene with a smirk, maybe remembering his own high school days.

As for me, I keep watching him.

“Do you want kids?” I blurt, a little too loudly. “I mean, not right this minute. But someday?”

This seems like a very basic fact I ought to know about the man I’m married to. However, we’ve never discussed having a family.

Luca continues to idly stroke my wrist as he considers the idea. In time, a smile spreads over his face.

“Yeah, I want kids. At least two. I couldn’t imagine my life without my brother.”

“Three. Being the middle child is definitely underrated.”

“Three,” he agrees. “We’ll have three.”

We exchange goofy smiles over the thought of our future children as our fingers lace together. Such a small act of affection, holding hands. And yet it fills me with such pleasure that I’m reminded of those musicals where characters spontaneously break into song at a pivotal scene.

I’m not going to sing, mostly because I can’t even carry a tune.

But at least now I understand why the urge exists.

Our meals are every bit as greasy and excessively covered with processed cheese as the menu promised. We leave Bea a sizable tip and crunch on peppermints as we swap the warm comfort of the diner for the bitter cold outside.

Luca keeps his arm around me on the walk to the truck and starts the engine, switching on the heat full blast before he tucks me into the passenger seat.

Since it’s Sunday night, there’s not much else open right now in the immediate area. It’s too cold to walk around outside so we just drive around for a little while and check out the town. We pass Gus’s veterinary practice, an elementary school, and a stately brick building that serves as the town hall. The handful of novelty shops along the main thoroughfare capture my interest. I’ll be back to find some cute souvenirs for Daisy and Sabrina.

With little else to see, we leave Sleepy Rock behind for the evening. We are the only vehicle coasting along the dark road to the ranch.

“Thank you for this,” I say. “For taking me out tonight.”

When Luca keeps his eyes on the road and doesn’t answer right away, I start to wonder if I sounded too hopelessly needy.

We’re nearly at the ranch. My last words still hang in the air and I’m beginning to wish I’d kept them to myself.

He pilots the truck through the open gate. The hour isn’t very late but ranch life begins early so everyone is starting to wind down for the night.

As we pull in, Cale is walking back from the barn, likely finishing one final check on the animals before locking up. He raises a hand in greeting and then briskly proceeds into the house.

Luca pulls up a few yards from the front door and sets the brake. He reaches for my hand. With the porch lights on, I can see the serious look on his face very clearly.

“Don’t thank me for taking you out,” he says. “Every hour of the day all I think about is being with you. There’s no higher priority, nothing else I’d rather be doing, tonight or any other night. You’re it for me, Anni.”

I’m already committing his speech to memory before he’s finished talking. I expect I’ll be replaying it in my head forever.

Luca leaves the driver’s seat and quickly walks around to open my door. He keeps his arm around me for the very short journey to the front door.

I stop him from reaching for the doorknob and throw my arms around his neck. “Luca, this was the best date I ever had.”

“Me too.” His voice is gruff and his arms surround me. I’m lifted slightly off the ground and I breathe him in with a stir of desire.

Our mouths meet and a kiss that starts sweet turns fervent. I feel his tongue and eagerly offer my own. A thick groan of passion comes from his throat and his hand sneaks under my coat. My back is now against the door. His hand cups my breast.

And then some dogs begin barking as loud as an air raid siren.

Zeus and Apollo, overjoyed by our return and unable to understand why we haven’t appeared yet, keep barking and clawing at the other side of the door. Not wanting to be left out, the residents of The Doghouse join in the chorus with a shrill wave of barking and howling.

The door to Peggy’s apartment swings open and Peggy appears, wild-haired and wearing a patchwork bathrobe. Her broom is clutched in her hands and she wields it like a rifle.

When Peggy sees we’re the ones responsible for the disruption, she lowers her broom rifle. Her pursed lips of disapproval make me feel like a teenager who has been caught getting felt up in her parents’ living room.

“Sorry Peggy,” Luca calls.

Peggy huffs and retreats indoors with her broom.

Zeus and Apollo are now trying to dig under the door to reach us. Cale’s grumpy voice is on the other side, ordering them to knock it off.

Luca sighs and keeps his arms locked around my waist as he peers down at me. “I guess this is where we say good night.”

I don’t want to say good night. I want to take his clothes off and crawl into bed with him and do all of the filthy things.

“Good night, Luca,” I say.

Cale flings the door open. He glowers like an angry dad.

“Wrap it up you two,” he grunts and pulls the dogs back before they escape and go for a run around the ranch.

Luca brushes one final soft kiss over my lips. “Sweet dreams, my angel.”

Disentangling from him is no fun at all.

And yet nothing, not even Cale’s cranky glance, can ruin the feeling that I’m walking on air as I float back to the Halloween guest room.