deck, and our Nana seemed to be winning.
Donna breathed deep. “I can’t believe you had a bomb strapped to your leg.”
I winced. “Shh. Don’t say those words out loud again. I barely got mom to stay home this week and not with me.”
Tessa clucked her tongue and gestured toward Clark. “Please tell me you drove him over the pass and can drive him back to his apartment.”
Clark was currently doing shots with our Uncle Sean, who disliked lawyers but really liked Clark, considering he was the best golf partner Sean had ever found. Right now, Sean was trying to talk Clark into opening a fishing business with him and giving up law. They seemed to be arguing while also drinking Irish Whiskey.
“Aiden and I drove him over, and we’ll make sure he gets home,” I said. “Uncle Sean needs to stop trying to take my law partner away.”
Donna sipped her wine. “Don’t look now, but Nick Basanelli and his Grams just sat down at the main picnic table. Nonna should be coming to get you any time, Contessa.”
Tess sighed. “You know? He’s sexy and smart, and if everyone would leave us alone, maybe I’d ask him out.”
Donna cut me a look. “I think Tessa has a crush.”
“I think Nick has a crush,” I countered, seeing his gaze searching the backyard and landing on my sister. “Yep.”
Nonna winked at me from across the lawn. I winked back, truly enjoying the moment. It seemed like Tessa had finally stopped thinking Nick was beyond her. That was so stupid. Tessa was amazing, and any man would be lucky to even be friends with her. “Nonna has a good eye for romance, but you’re going to be off the hook soon. I think she has Quint in her sights.”
Quint sat over at a table with my dad with Zena on his feet. She was such a sweet dog.
Aiden loped down the deck steps with a bottle in one hand and a plate of food in the other. In his basketball shorts and tee-shirt, he still looked tough and dangerous. When he caught sight of me, his expression softened.
Tessa chuckled. “He is too much.”
“Agreed,” Donna said.
Then, in unison, my sisters deserted me. Aiden grinned as he approached and took Donna’s seat. “Was it something I said?” He refilled my wine glass. I’d opted for a Chardonnay today.
I snagged a wing off his plate. “No. They think you’re cute.”
“Nobody has ever called me cute.” He took a drink of my wine. Apparently we were sharing. “You’re cute and brave and strong.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I’m hoping everything will calm down now.”
“Me too.” I snuggled into his side. It had to.
Right?
Santa’s Subpoena
Order the next Anna Albertini Novel Now!
Preorder Santa’s Subpoena Now.
Holiday Rescue
An Albertini Family Romance
Chapter 1
A wet nose touched Heather’s, and she opened her eyes to see the prettiest brown eyes imaginable. Large and soft with a sparkle of puppy adoration and triumph in them. The dog licked her chin, sat on its haunches, and barked three times.
Heather blinked freezing snow out of her eyes and sat up straighter against the solid tree trunk, trying to get her bearings. Her butt and legs were chilled from the frozen ground. She must’ve drifted off beneath the sweeping pine boughs after pressing her personal locator beacon for help. Pain ticked through her head, and she gingerly tried to move her injured ankle, biting her lip at the agony. That’s right. She looked over her shoulder at the rocky and icy terrain she’d fallen down after slipping on the trail near the top of the mountain. Her pack was next to her, and she patted it, wincing as wet snow splashed up. Then she focused on the quietly panting Black Labrador. “Hello.”
The dog’s tail wagged across the snowy pine needles. It wore a bright red Search and Rescue vest along with a wide collar with a box that had a blinking red light. Heather had fallen into some sort of gulley, surrounded by trees with one very rocky edge heading back up to the main trail. The rocks were black slate, icy, and sharp.
A whistle sounded from up above, and the dog barked three more times before laying down with its nose on its paws right in front of Heather. Snow scattered.
“Good girl, Zena,” came a masculine voice. “Hello? Can you hear me?”
Heather angled around the tree and tried to look up and beyond the jagged rocks. “I can hear you.”
“What are your injuries?” The man