Free The Italian Affair by Loren Teague Page B

anything I can do, anything at all, you will let me know?’
    Gina’s throat tightened unexpectedly. Rick was lucky to have a mother like this, she thought, and she hoped he damned well realized it.
    ‘Thank you. You’re very kind, Mrs Caruso.’
    Mrs Caruso put her hand on Gina’s arm. ‘I know Rick is looking after you. And he will look after you, you know. He’s dependable. A good man.’ She smiled again. ‘And don’t forget you’re welcome here anytime.’
    ‘ Grazie ,’ Gina replied shakily, feeling a sudden urge to cry on this woman’s shoulder. Although she had only met Rick’s mother a few minutes ago, she couldn’t help but wish that if her mother had been alive today, she would have been like this woman standing in front of her. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her grandparents and wasn’t grateful to them for looking after Maria and herself all these years but there was something about having a mother and father which nothing could ever replace. Would her life have been different if they had lived? It was a question she had often asked herself.
    By the time, she got to the car, Gina had almost returned to normal.
    Rick noticed her quietness. ‘Is there something wrong?’
    Gina swallowed again, not sure how to answer. ‘No, should there be?’ she lied. She paused slightly. ‘I like your mother and father,’ she said simply.
    He grinned. ‘Yeah, we have our ups and downs sometimes, but we’re a pretty close family really.’
    ‘I’m surprised you’ve never married.’ When she realized what she had said, she could have kicked herself for speaking so impulsively. What business was it of hers if he hadn’t got himself hitched?
    He threw his head back and chuckled. ‘Marriage?’ He shook his head. ‘I’m not ready to settle down. Besides, I’m not sure I evenwant to get married. I’ve seen too much of what can go wrong.’ He paused reflectively. ‘When I was a cop, marriage split-ups were common. The stress, long hours on duty. I’ve seen some guys really cut up when their marriage fell apart. There’s no way I want to go through that.’
    ‘You can hardly apply that situation to your parent’s marriage.’
    ‘No, that’s true, but they’re an exception. But if and when I do marry I want to make sure it’s the right person.’
    It was Gina’s turn to laugh out loud, the bitterness coming through in her voice. ‘We all take a chance whether you like it or not. There are no guarantees in this life.’ And, because her curiosity got the better of her, ‘Tell me, have you got a girlfriend? Or is it true what they say, you have a few women scattered around town?’
    ‘You should never listen to gossip,’ he said, his mouth lifting at the corners.
    ‘I wasn’t listening to gossip,’ she said indignantly. ‘It was our housekeeper, Maggie. She mentioned that her daughter, Jennifer, went out on a date with you and came home drunk.’
    ‘Hmm. That sounds like gossip to me.’ He shrugged again. ‘Yeah, I remember her daughter very well. Nice girl.’ And because he couldn’t resist it, he added teasingly, ‘With a nice butt to match.’ But what he didn’t tell Gina was Maggie’s daughter hadn’t been his date. She had been drunk at a party and he took her home because he could see she was inviting trouble wanting to drive home herself. He had merely been acting like any responsible male would. Being a cop for years had left some habits deeply ingrained. But he didn’t see why he should explain himself to Gina.
    Rick fell silent as he concentrated on the road ahead. In twenty minutes, Rick drew up outside the police station. It was a four-storey , grey-stone, depressing-looking building in the centre of town. As Rick escorted her up the concrete steps, Gina felt the whole of the town was looking at her. Rick held the swing doors open and she stepped inside first. The waiting area was smaller than she expected and, as there was someone already at the counter