Free Gianni - The Santinis by Melissa Schroeder

someone who likes
to show that side of herself. She’s tough.”
    “ She’s
not. She’s soft and sweet.”
    “ And
practically raised her sisters by herself and survived losing a
husband. She’s tough.”
    “ I—”
    “ What you need
to do is go apologize to her.”
    He frowned. “Why
should I apologize?”
    “ I will take a
page out of Joey Santini’s book on men. Go apologize because
it’s your fault because you are the man. If you didn’t
get this wrong, you will get something else wrong.”
    He leaned forward
and gave her a kiss.
    “ What was that
for?”
    “ Making me
understand. I’m going to go see if I can find her. I’ll
be back.”
    He hurried out the
door ready to make amends. Twenty minutes later, he was pissed. She
was gone. Sure it was Friday night, but she wasn’t anywhere to
be found. Dammit, she had left town without telling him. Well, her
next-door neighbor had been happy to tell her she had gone to see a
friend somewhere. Worse, after he called five times in five minutes,
he realized she was not going to answer the phone.
    He parked his truck
and frowned. He had to go back in and make nice with his brother and
MJ. Thankfully they were staying at a hotel. His tiny apartment
couldn’t accommodate them and he wasn’t in the mood to be
around the happy couple.
    And he needed time
alone. Time to figure out what the hell he was going to tell the
woman he loved.
    That is, if she ever
talked to him again.

    * * * *

    Kianna was in one
bitch of a mood. Nothing, not even her favorite malasada was helping.
    “ You know,
just because you hate sweets doesn’t mean you need to give that
malasada the stink eye.”
    Kianna slanted a
look at Max Chandler. “If you aren’t nice, I’ll
tell Anna all the mean jokes you told behind her back about her not
being able to see her feet a few months ago.”
    He shook his head.
“Mean woman. I am surrounded by so many of you. Tell me why
you’re mean today.”
    She sighed. “Men,
you suck.”
    “ Is this a
general feeling, or more of a one guy kind of thing?”
    “ Both.”
    He studied her for a
second and she looked at him.
    “ What?”
she asked.
    “ So, the PJ’s
been mean to you?”
    She sniffed. “Yes.
I don’t ever want to see him again.”
    “ I think you
might have to deal with him sooner rather than later.”
    “ Why?”
    “ Because he’s
walking in the shop.”
    She turned on the
stool and realized that Max was telling the truth. Her heart leapt
into her throat and then splattered on the floor.
    Damn the man. He had
two people with him, like he needed an audience or something. She
recognized them from pictures he had shown her. Great, now his
brother and sister-in-law could report back to the family. Just what
she needed.
    Max tsked. “Oh,
and he doesn’t look happy with you.”
    She gave him a dirty
look, but she wasn’t given the chance to respond. Gianni had
other plans.
    “ Kianna
Mechelle Jones, just where the hell have you been?”
    There was a stunned
silence. She could understand why. The few regulars in shop knew
Gianni and had never seen him mad. She hadn’t really seen him
mad either, before the other night.
    Then, she realized
he was waiting for an answer. In fact, he looked like he was getting
madder by the moment. How dare he embarrass her?
    She slipped off her
stool and settled her hands on her hips. “What right do you
have to know?”
    “ I have every
right to know.”
    She saw his brother
roll his eyes and his sister-in-law stepped around him. She gave
Kianna a smile. She was so small, she just couldn’t believe
this was the MJ that Gianni had told her about.
    “ You must be
Kianna.”
    She nodded but
Gianni’s brother took over.
    “ I think
everyone knows who she is now, love,” Leo said. “I’m
Leo, the idiot’s brother and this is my wife, Maryanne.”
    “ I haven’t
been able to find you,” Gianni said ignoring his brother and
Maryanne. “You didn’t answer my calls.”
    Of course he