COCO HAD NEVER truly believed in miracles until she’d somehow woken in a hospital, bandaged and alive after a twelve-hour surgery to put her guts back together. She wasn’t dead and that in itself, according to her doctor, was a damn miracle.
Being shot in the stomach was pretty much going to kill most people, unless the bullet somehow, by the grace of God, missed every vital organ and only nicked her liver on its way out. Yeah, talk about miracles.
Pain bloomed in her body as she tried shifting in bed, nearly blacking out from the intensity of the agony. Okay, so surviving a gut shot wasn’t all ice cream and rainbows. The pain would be enough to make her scream if it weren’t for that lovely morphine drip that came whenever she pushed a button. Today was the first day she’d felt up to talking to anyone and everyone wanted a little time at her bedside.
She had so many questions but she wasn’t sure if she was up to the answers. Even though she’d been losing consciousness, she’d heard what that man had said. Her father? A crook? What did that mean?
Rian walked in and a weak smile found her lips. Her heart lightened at the sight of him even though it shouldn’t. But he’d thrown himself over her body and that meant something. She just didn’t know what it meant in the big scheme of things. Would he do that for any client? Or was he prepared to die with her?
“How are you feeling?” he asked, going to sit beside her, taking her hand into his. “Your color is better. You had us going for a while.”
“I like to keep people on their toes,” she said with a weak smile.
“You definitely did that.” His gaze roved her face and her heart nearly broke at the raw emotion she saw there. That was no act. Whatever he was feeling, it was real and she was relieved. “Your dad is anxious to see you. Are you feeling up to talking to him?”
“Who was that man?” she asked, confused. “I’d never seen him before in my life. He seemed so normal when he stepped out of the car. I thought he was a friend of Warren’s or something. But then he...took out a gun and just sh-sh-shot me. No hesitation whatsoever.”
As difficult as it was for her to get the words out, it seemed equally so for Rian to relive that moment. “His name was Barto Calvino and he was the son of a man who worked with your father before you were born. He was sick, and he knew he wasn’t going to make it much longer. So when he pulled the trigger, he had nothing to lose.”
“Why would he hate my father so much?” she asked, pained. “My father is the sweetest man on the planet.”
“I think that’s something you and your dad should talk about,” he said gently. “I’m going to let you get a few minutes with him. He’s been here since you went into surgery.”
She nodded, blinking back tears. She wanted to ask Rian to stay but after everything that had happened, she didn’t know where they stood. The last words between them were Rian breaking up with her. She didn’t want him to stay with her out of pity. She wanted him to stay because he wanted to be with her, even if they didn’t know how their worlds would mesh. She wanted him to not care about that stuff, to care only about her. Rian let himself out and her father, looking older than ever before, walked in, a wealth of worry and relief etched in his expression.
He took her hand and kissed it, patting it lovingly even as his eyes watered.
“Babbo,” she said, her eyes watering, as well. “I’m okay. Please don’t cry.”
“I’m so sorry for putting you in this position. It’s all my fault.”
She shook her head. “Don’t blame yourself, please.”
He shook his head resolutely before sitting heavily in the seat beside her bed. “No, I have something to tell you. It’s something I’m not proud of but it’s time you know my secret shame.”
CoCo frowned, scared of what possible secrets her father had been keeping, but she had to be mature enough to handle the information. Whatever it was, they’d handle it together. “Go ahead, Babbo... I’m listening.”
“Vincent and I were best friends. We shared a dream of creating fine shoes for upstanding gentleman. Vincent was the quiet one while I was the one who wasn’t afraid to talk. One day he sketched a design... It was brilliant. Even to my amateur eye, I knew it was something special. But I told him the opposite. I manipulated him into thinking it was trash. He discarded the idea, trusting me.” His voice wavered. “But I knew I had to get him out of the company or else it might happen again. We fought. I started a rumor that he had stolen from the company. Back then your honor and dignity were worth more than gold. You could get a loan simply based on your integrity. I made it so that no one would ever believe him if he tried to say that I had taken his idea. I sold my soul to the devil for the riches we have today and you nearly paid with your life for my greedy ambition. Can you forgive me?”
CoCo was stunned. There was no better word for it. Her silence caused her father to cry.
“You hate me, I understand. I am nothing. Vincent was the talent and I stole it. Barto wanted to make me pay for killing his father’s spirit. I deserve it. He should’ve aimed that bullet at me.”
“Stop, Babbo,” she said gently, hating that her father carried such guilt over something he’d done so many years ago. “What you did was wrong, but if Vincent was truly that talented, he would’ve been able to create new visions, new sketches. You are talented, too. You were ambitious. You had what it took to get ahead and create a name for yourself.”
“Don’t let me off the hook, sweetheart. I need to make amends.”
“Barto is dead. It doesn’t matter his reasons, what he did was worse than what you did. He took the coward’s way out.”
He nodded. “But I can’t blame him for his rage. He was trying to avenge his father.”
“This isn’t fifteenth-century Italy. You can’t go around shooting people because they screwed you out of a good idea,” she replied, her head beginning to throb. She closed her eyes briefly, needing a minute, then reopened them. “Babbo, it’s over. Let’s start fresh.”
“How?”
CoCo licked her lips, suddenly parched, and her father quickly handed her a cup of water. She took several swallows before gaining the courage to admit that she’d been sketching. “I want to join the family business. But,” she cut in when he started to babble happily, “I’m not designing men’s shoes. I want to design women’s shoes. I have a few designs I want to show you if you’re willing to bend a little in what you think the Abelli brand is all about.”
She expected a gentle but surefire no because that’s what her father had always done when she’d approached him about designing heels but this time he simply nodded. Maybe her brush with death had made him realize that he’d been hanging on to all the wrong things but CoCo wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“I would be honored to start over with you, my daughter. I’ve been stubbornly clinging to my own ways for too long. Perhaps it’s time for a woman’s touch.”
CoCo smiled, exhausted but happy. “Thank you, Babbo. I’m going to work hard not to disappoint you.”
Enzo ran a knuckle lightly across her cheek, his gaze filled with love. “You could never. It is I who will work to not disappoint you with my stubbornness.”
She would’ve laughed but she feared the pain and simply smiled. “I’ve recently had some experience with a stubborn man. I think I can handle you.”
He laughed but didn’t ask who she was referring to and she was grateful. She wasn’t sure what was happening between her and Rian and at the moment, she was too tired to figure it out.
* * *
THE CASE WAS OVER. There was really no reason to hang around anymore. CoCo’s father was here, the FBI were coordinating with the local sheriff to deal with the body of Barto Calvino and since Rian wasn’t in charge of the investigation, his part was finished.
But he couldn’t leave CoCo. Laci and Kane showed up in the waiting room and Laci folded him into a hug. “So what’s the word?” she asked, concerned.
“I don’t know, her dad was in there with her. I wanted to give them some privacy,” he said, feeling lost and useless. He looked to Kane. “I’ll get the report filed—”
“Screw that. Don’t worry about the paperwork. Look, I’m so sorry about how this all went down,” Kane admitted, looking to Laci for reinforcements. She gave him an imperceptible nod and he continued, “I overstepped when I insisted that you break things off with CoCo. I should’ve realized that you’d never put the company in danger. The fact that you were willing to die for her tells me that she’s something special and I was too blind to see it. I’m sorry, man, for being such a dick.” Laci nudged him with her elbow. “And I’m glad your girl didn’t die.”
The old Rian would’ve balked at the implication that he’d fallen head over heels for a woman but he didn’t feel the least bit reluctant to admit it out loud. The reason he couldn’t bring himself to leave was because CoCo had ceased being just another client. Their fates had been sealed from day one even if neither had realized it. “I do love her,” he said simply, feeling a whoosh of relief wash over him. “I can’t explain it. But I love her and I’m not leaving this hospital until she leaves with me.”
Laci squealed and clapped her hands together. “Oh, Rian! I’m so happy for you! And I’m so happy for CoCo, too! Now, go in there and tell her how you feel. Quick! Before you lose your nerve and something gets in the way.”
Rian hesitated. Her dad was still in there. He didn’t want to interrupt. But as he started walking, he passed Enzo leaving CoCo’s room and the two paused before Rian thrust his hand out, his voice threatening to betray his nervousness. “Sir, I love your daughter. I didn’t mean to fall in love with her but I did and I understand if you don’t appreciate my feelings but I’m not going anywhere until she leaves this hospital with me. I hope you can understand that. I also hope that maybe someday you can forgive me for falling in love while on the job because it’s going to be awfully awkward around the dinner table during holidays if we’re not able to get along. Not to mention, I want our kids to know their grandfather.”
“Kids?” The older man’s bushy eyebrows rose as he stared, openly assessing him. “Is that so?”
He swallowed. “Not yet, sir, but eventually.”
Enzo, a formidable man in his own right, paused and then said, “Marry her first and we’ll talk. Until then...be a gentleman and keep your hands to yourself.”
Rian would’ve promised the moon. All he heard was Enzo had given them his blessing...even if it came with a stern condition. “Yes, sir,” he said, bobbing his head. “Won’t touch her until the wedding.”
Enzo chuckled and walked away. It was then that Rian realized he might’ve just made a promise he wouldn’t be able to keep.
He returned to CoCo’s room and immediately kissed her. Her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled, a little unsure and he didn’t blame her.
“What are you doing? You don’t have to stay any longer,” she said quietly, searching his gaze. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me—”
“Marry me,” he blurted out and she stopped, shocked.
“What?”
“Um, yeah, marry me,” he said with a resolute nod. There was no turning back now. He knew what he wanted and didn’t care if anyone else thought he was being impetuous, spontaneous or just plain nuts. He knew how he felt about CoCo and it wasn’t likely to change, so why waste time? “I just promised your dad that I wouldn’t touch you again until after the wedding so...yeah, that might’ve been a tall order. How do you feel about a quickie courthouse wedding?”
She stared at him. Was she overwhelmed or wondering if he was crazy for thinking that she might want to marry him? And then she broke out into smiles and tears and pulled him weakly to her so she could kiss him again. He was careful not to hurt her but he was so relieved that she hadn’t told him to pound sand. He pulled away, searching her gaze. “So...is that a yes?”
“To the worst proposal ever?” she asked.
He nodded sheepishly because he had to admit that hadn’t been the way he’d imagined asking the woman of his dreams to be his forever but hey, as long as she said yes, he didn’t care.
“Yeah, pretty much,” he said and she grinned more broadly, which he took as a good sign. “So courthouse quickie as soon as you’re able?”
“Oh, I’ll marry you, but hell no to the courthouse quickie. I’m Italian. You’re crazy if you think my family can fit in a courthouse. No, my wedding will be in Italy at my father’s villa and it will be the biggest, most off-the-charts sensation that you’ve ever seen. So prepare yourself. My Italian cousins are a handful.”
He didn’t care. He’d agree to anything. Except... “Do you think your dad was serious about not touching until the wedding?”
She nodded. “Like a heart attack.” But as Rian groaned, wondering how he was going to manage to keep that promise, she whispered, “But what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. My father likes to think I’ve been saving myself for marriage.”
Rian guffawed at that idea until he realized he’d laughed a little too loudly and CoCo scowled at the implication. He immediately sobered and said, “Whatever you want, babe. I’d do anything for you. Even if it means keeping my hands to myself while you plan the wedding of the century. Just promise me one thing...”
“Yeah?”
He got serious and cupped her hand gently. “Promise me you’ll never put yourself in the path of a bullet ever again. If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never get that image of you crumpling to the ground out of my head.”
Her eyes watered and she nodded, then whispered, “I promise.”
And that’s all he needed.
Well, that and CoCo by his side for the rest of their lives.
He’d fallen hard for the Italian heiress—not bad for a country boy from Kentucky.
Both Dalton boys had done good. Damn good. Bet no one saw that one coming!