Free A Santini Christmas by Melissa Schroeder Page B

name.”
    He burped again and passed out.
    She sighed pressing her fingers against her temples. “I’m sorry about this Sam.”
    “ You should be. No Santini gets this drunk. With those men, it’s all about control.”
    His admonition hurt. He was like a second father to her and knowing she let him down really made her feel bad. “I don’t think he’s drinking because of me.”
    Sam settled his hands on his hips. “Don’t you give me that, young lady. He shows up at our house begging Thelma to tell him your real name. Then, he goes on and on about spending the night here, you getting attacked…why didn’t you say anything when you came in today?”
    She tried to follow Sam’s train of thought but it wasn’t easy.
    “ I—I…” She couldn’t come up with an excuse.
    “ Thelma was hurt you didn’t talk to her about it.”
    “ Stewart was here.”
    And it was as simple as that. She realized in that instant, having him there had not been humiliating. It had been the best thing that could have happened. And the morning of lovemaking and their talks had been just what she needed.
    Dammit. He was what she needed. Everything she needed. She didn’t want to have a casual affair with the man. She wanted forever. With babies and stuff.
    “ Oh, no.” She was in love with him.
    She looked at the drunken mess on her bed.
    Sam nodded. “He’s going to feel like shit in the morning.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Thelma said dinner’s at two.”
    He started to shuffle away.
    “ Sam.”
    He turned to face her. She didn’t know what she would have done if she hadn’t found Sam and Thelma. They had lifted her up and given her the family she needed to help her heal. It was as if they understood her in a way that her family never would. She loved her parents. They were dedicated to their causes and were disappointed when she didn’t want to join them. They never comprehended her needs or her desire for art.
    “ You know I love you and Thelma, right?”
    He smiled. “And we love you. Why do you think Thelma picked you out for the drunken idiot? He loves you too. He might not say it, but no man gets that drunk over a woman he just sort of likes. Not a Santini.”
    She smiled, her heart filling with joy. “Merry Christmas, Sam.”
    “ Merry Christmas, Josephina.”
    The door shut behind him and she turned to face the man in her bed. He took up most of it.
    It was hard to believe that just a month ago, she had never heard the name Santini or cared about this man. He was a pain in her rear end. Busting into her life, telling her he wanted a serious relationship. Hell, he wanted her to meet his parents. That would lead to meeting her parents, who were none too happy with her living the way she was.
    She sighed and sat down on the kitchen chair. There was no doubt about it; the man was going to drive her insane.

    Papa woke up to explosions. At least it sounded that way to him. He jolted up, opening his eyes, then slamming them shut again.
    When did the sun get so fucking bright ? He dropped back in bed, his stomach doing somersaults. It felt as if someone was taking a jackhammer to his damned head.
    “ Gonna spend all day in bed, Santini?”
    The sickly sweet tone told him he was at Joey’s, but he had no idea how he got there. He opened his eyes again, just barely, and realized he was lying in her bed and she was standing next to it, holding a glass of something disgusting.
    “ Drink.” She held it out to him. His stomach launched a revolt. He fought it back. He took the glass and sipped at it. It wasn’t bad, wasn’t good, but it didn’t make him want to throw up.
    “ What happened?’
    “ You drank a lot of liquor and made an ass out of yourself.”
    She wandered away, back to her easel. She had his painting out. The smell of paint had been what had woken him and made him sick.
    He blinked. She was only wearing a long paint-stained white shirt. He had to have the mother of all hangovers, if he just