Mr Destiny (12 page)

Roses,
Kate thought.

So typically Harold.

Calling her at the gallery to apologize wouldn't have worked either, but it would have still been better than sending his
driver over with flowers. Except calling her during the day had
never
been on Harold's fricking schedule.

To hell with Harold and his fricking schedules.

His schedules were none of her concern now.

Kate unlocked her apartment door and walked into the living room. Alex and Eve both jumped back from the window, guilty looks
on their faces.

“Uh, we, uh,” Alex began.

“Now the two of you are spying on me from the window?”

“Mr. Womack buzzed us to let us know Harold's driver was waiting for you,” Alex admitted. “I still can't believe Harold had
the nerve to think flowers would change your mind.”

Kate shook her head disgustedly.

She headed for her bedroom.

Alex and Eve followed right along behind her.

Eve said, “Is Harold really that clueless?”

“Believe me, Harold really is that clueless,” Kate said. “He thinks all he has to do is send his driver over with a box of
roses and everything will be back to normal again.”

“Did he at least call you today to apologize?” Alex asked.

“Of course not,” Kate said. “You know personal phone calls during the day aren't on Harold's
shed-ual.
“ She mimicked Harold's exact pronunciation of the word.

“Right. I forgot.”

“I'm sure he assumes because I called first thing to cancel his driver, that I'd changed my mind about going to Queens, too.
Morgan didn't say that, but he let me know he was instructed to take me and my friends anywhere we wanted to go tonight. A
bonus from Harold, I guess, for my shaping up and being a good girl. I sent Morgan on his way. Just as I had no interest in
accepting the roses.”

“I agree you shouldn't have accepted the roses,” Alex said, “but you should have let Morgan take you to Queens. Harold at
least owes you that much for putting up with him for more than eight months.”

“Harold doesn't owe me anything,” Kate said, “and that goes double for me.”

She began pulling clothing from her closet in a frenzy. It was already after five. She still had to take a quick shower and
get dressed by six. Then, thanks to her own stubbornness, she'd have to hail a taxi for the trip to Queens.

“So, Cinderella?” Alex said, as she and Eve peered through Kate's open bedroom door. “What kind of gown are you choosing for
the ball tonight?”

“Kate's going to a ball?” Eve's eyes grew wide. “But I thought Kate was going to meet Tony at his family's restaurant tonight.”

Kate stood looking down at the dresses she had strewn across the bed. “I don't know why I'm so nervous about what to wear.
The grandmother is blind, for God's sake.”

“Yeah, but Tony isn't,” Alex said, with a grin.

“Don't start with that again, Alex,” Kate warned. “I'm doing the guy a favor. That's all.”

Eve looked from one of them to the other. “The grandmother is going to be at the ball, too?”

“Eve,” Alex said. “I was using a metaphor. Cinderella. The Prince. The ball. Get it?”

Eve blinked. “Metaphors always confuse me.”

Alex looked at Eve and sighed. “Are you sure you aren't related to Jessica Simpson?”

Eve looked at Alex for a moment. “Oh. That's another metaphor. Right?”

Alex rolled her eyes, walked across the room, and stood beside Kate, who was still surveying the clothing littering her bed.
“Forget dresses,” Alex said. “You aren't going to some uptown affair, Kate. You're going to a family-owned restaurant in Queens.
You need to dress casual. Jeans, a cute shirt, summer sandals. That's the ticket. You can guarantee Tony is a jeans kind of
guy when he's out of uniform.”

Kate chewed at her bottom lip. “I don't know about jeans, Alex. I don't want to overdress, but I don't want to look like some
waif off the street, either.”

Alex walked over to her closet, selected a pair of jeans, an emerald green silk shirt that really was one of Kate's favorites,
and hooked the hangers over the top of the closet door.

Kate still wasn't convinced. “You're sure about the jeans?”

“Positive,” Alex assured her. “Add a cute pair of sandals, and you're good to go.”

“I really don't know why I'm so nervous,” Kate said again. And against her better judgment, she added, “I don't guess I could
talk the two of you into coming to Queens with me?”

“Not me,” Alex said. She walked back to Kate's closet and began surveying the hanging shoe rack on the back of her closet
door. She extracted a pair of sandals from the plastic slots of the shoe rack and turned back around. “I was waiting until
you got home to share the good news, but John finally called me today. He wants me to have dinner with him tonight.”

“And?” Kate said, motioning for details.

Alex smiled a Cheshire smile and handed over the shoes. “He says he loves me. He misses me. And he wants me to come home.”

“And?” Kate repeated.

“And he said he's ready to compromise. Which can only mean one thing. John has decided that I can take four more years to
make senior executive before we begin our family.”

“I'm so happy for you, Alex,” Kate said, giving Alex a big hug. “I knew you guys would work things out.”

“I was beginning to wonder,” Alex said, and laughed. “I still can't believe John held out as long as he did.” She reached
out and put her arms around both Kate and Eve, pulling them close. “Thank you, guys, for putting up with me and letting me
stay with you.”

“We really are going to miss you,” Eve said.

“Hey,” Alex said looking at Eve. “Just because I can't go to Queens with Kate tonight, doesn't mean you can't go with her.”

Eve started to protest, but Alex held up a finger.

“Oh, no you don't. No excuses. I know Kate's called off the wedding, but that doesn't mean we're going to let you fall back
into hiding out in this apartment day in and day out. Those days are over. Right, Kate?”

Kate nodded.

Eve blushed. “I know those days are over. I promise. It's just that… well, don't freak out or anything, but I've actually
met someone.”

Alex and Kate exchanged shocked looks.

“You met someone where?” Alex wanted to know. “And when? You've been hiding out for over a year now, Eve.”

“I met him online,” Eve confessed.

“Are you nuts?” Alex exploded. “Don't you know how dangerous it can be hooking up with someone online?”

“I didn't meet him in one of those chat rooms or anything,” Eve said quickly. “He's one of my new clients. I'm redesigning
his Web site and we've been e-mailing back and forth. I finally broke down and gave him my phone number. He's going to call
me tonight for the first time. That's why I need to stay home.”

“Eve, you really do need to be careful,” Kate said, looking over at Alex for support. “What do you really know about this
guy?”

“Everything,” Eve said proudly. “His name is George Dumond. He's a musician. He plays the banjo, and he's actually quite famous
in the folk music scheme of things. He lives in a small town in Connecticut. He's never been married. He likes the quiet and
solitude of living out in the country. And…”

“And you're sure he's legitimate,” Alex broke in.

Eve nodded. “I'm sure. And guess what? His screen name is Braveheart. Don't you love it? He's my very own Knight in Cyber
Armor.”

Neither Alex nor Kate cracked a smile.

Eve stamped her size four-and-a-half foot. “That was supposed to be funny, you guys. Knight in Cyber Armor? Get it? That's
a metaphor. Right?”

Rather than tease Eve any longer, Kate and Alex both burst out laughing.

“Anthony! Stop pacing back and forth in front of the door. You're wearing a hole in my floor.”

His mother said this, then grabbed him by the arm and led him over to a booth by the window. When Tony plopped down on the
seat, she motioned to his cousin, Tina, who was busy waiting tables.

“Bring my favorite son a glass of wine to calm him down,” she said.

Tina turned and headed to the bar.

“I'm your only son,” Tony reminded her.

“But my favorite son, still.” She gave his left cheek a not-so-gentle pat. “You drink your wine like a good boy. You calm
yourself down. And we'll all be in the back at the family table when your intended arrives.”

“She is
not
my intended,” Tony said through clenched teeth. “What she is is a saint for agreeing to come here tonight.”

“No need for blasphemy,” his mother warned. “Not when the very Saints in Heaven above are responsible for you finally coming
to your senses.”

“I did
not
come to my senses,” Tony mumbled under his breath. “Papa just couldn't take another damn night on the sofa.”

If his mother heard his smart remark, for once, she let it slide. She headed to the back of the restaurant, where the rest
of the family was gathered.

Tony turned halfway around in the booth and looked at the group sitting at the long table. They were already digging into
Mama's fresh-baked bread, already stuffing their faces with salad, already anticipating Mama's famous baked ziti, which would
be served as the entrée later. That meant the lively conversation around the table had died down for the moment while his
sisters attended to their children and their husbands kept the bread baskets and the large bowls of salad circulating around
the table.

His gaze rested on Nonna for a moment, sitting to his father's left at the head of the table. Her white hair was wound into
a small bun on top of her regal head—her favorite heirloom brooch pinned at the throat of her freshly starched white blouse.
Tony smiled when Nonna said something that made everyone at the table laugh.

At least he knew his family would play it cool when he introduced Kate to Nonna, and his grandmother didn't make the connection.
As unreasonable as his family could be sometimes, he knew everyone sitting at that table would protect Nonna at any cost.
He could count on them for that.

It didn't mean, however, that he wouldn't have to usher Kate out of the restaurant as quickly as possible. Better that than
subject her to the thorough interrogation he was sure Mama and his sisters would put her through if he allowed them half a
chance.

When he thought about it, his mother and his sisters were the ones who should have joined the police force. With their tenacious
personalities, the women in his family could easily wear down even hardened criminals in record time and have them begging
to make a confession, just to get some relief.

Thinking about women with unfaltering determination, sent his gaze right back to his mother.

If Mama kept her agreement and let him handle the situation tonight, there shouldn't be a problem. Except Mama often agreed,
and just as often changed her mind about agreeing to anything.

So, he'd just have to stay on top of his game.

He'd have to usher Kate in.

Introduce her to Nonna.

And usher Kate right back out again.

Quick and easy.

Make her trip virtually painless, if possible.

Unfortunately, knowing his mother, Tony was actually contemplating whether or not a quick prayer to the Saints in Heaven above
might not be a good idea.

“Here you go,” Tina said, when she walked up and placed a glass of wine in front of him.

Tony thanked his cousin and turned back around in his seat. He waited until Tina went about her business before he picked
up the wineglass and downed the red liquid in one easy gulp. Before the wine even reached his stomach, a warm tingle spread
through his body, making him feel a little less on edge.

He was on the verge of yelling for Tina to bring him the whole bottle when a taxi pulled up in front of the restaurant and
stopped.

Welcome to Nutsville
, Tony thought.

He vaulted from the booth.

A quick prayer to the Saints on his lips just in case, he headed for the restaurant's front door.

Kate couldn't keep from smiling when the taxi stopped in front of Mama Gina's. It was exactly the type of Italian bistro no
one would be able to resist. The restaurant had a crisp green-and-white awning over the door. A warm glow from inside radiated
through the old-fashioned paned windows in front. Even from the street, the place looked inviting. She had no doubt people
who ate here regularly were always encouraged to enjoy the food, join in on the laughter, and toast to the good cheer of everyone
there.