Feliz Naughty Dog - Roxanne St. Claire Page 0,32
took me in as your friend. You put your little cardigan-wearing arm around my shoulders and gave me the ultimate Gramma Finnie blessing.”
She laughed softly. “I liked ye the minute I met ye.”
“Finnie, no one says that about me.”
“Then they’re missing out,” she declared. “Yes, you have sharp edges, but you also have vivid color and big ideas and the ability to make the most mundane activity feel like an adventure.”
Now Agnes felt tears rise. “I do?” Had anyone ever taken the time to see all that in her? Certainly no other woman she’d ever met. “But you’ve made me better, Finnie. So much better.”
“Aye, you’re a work in progress,” she joked. “But I’m not ready to quit, and I know my days with ye are numbered.”
“Finnie, we’ll always be friends. And family, now. No matter what. Nothing and no one can change that.”
Finnie tipped her head and lifted a dubious white brow. “Lass, there’s a man around the corner, I just feel it. And I’ll be your friend, but when you meet him, I’ll come second.” Her voice cracked, and she closed her eyes, gathering her composure. “And that’s why I’ve been absolutely wretched about Aldo Fiore. And why I had that little outburst with Pru, because…she’ll be leavin’ me, too, eventually. I’m ashamed, and I owe you both an apology.”
“No, you don’t. I’m the one who’s on internet dating sites looking for…” She squeezed Finnie’s hand. “What I have right here.”
“No kissin’, though.” She winked.
“I can live without that.” Didn’t really want to, but why was she so busy trying to fill an old need in her life when she had the best friend a person could ever want right here? “But I can’t live without—”
“Agnes? Is that you?”
She looked up over Finnie’s head and gasped softly at the man standing behind her. Tall, silver-haired, dark-eyed, and handsome enough to take her breath away.
“Aldo?”
He laughed softly. “I thought that was you, but you know, so many people don’t post their real picture. Wow. What a surprise.”
She swallowed and sat up even straighter, blood thrumming in her head. “Yes, indeed. A surprise.”
“May I…” He gestured toward the empty chair.
“Oh, yes, of course, I…” She finally looked at Finnie, whose eyes were wide with shock. “This is my friend,” Agnes said. “Finola Kilcannon. My best friend,” she added with plenty of emphasis. “We actually live together, and we’re such good, happy friends that we…”
“Hello, Finola.” Aldo didn’t seem to notice her stuttering nonsense, but slid into the chair the Pru had left askew, and extended a hand to Finnie, then did a double take. “Well, I already know you. You’re the scarf woman.” He grinned at her look. “Not likely to forget those glasses.”
“Oh.” She touched the frames, obviously having forgotten about that disaster since it was, what? Twenty disasters ago. Twenty-one, if Agnes counted sitting face-to-face with Aldo Fiore when she was supposed to be secretly spying on him.
“Hello…again.” Finnie gave him a tight smile, clearly thrown by this monkey wrench no one had seen coming.
“And you two are…” He frowned, pointing from one to the other. “Where were you when she was scarf shopping?” he asked Agnes.
“Buying…something else.”
“And these little guys?” He looked down at the dogs. “Oh, these must be Pygmalion and Galatea.”
He remembered her dogs’ names? For some reason, that gave Agnes an unexpected thrill.
“Gala, the sensitive one,” he said, giving her a little rub. “And Pyggie the…” He threw Agnes a look. “I can see why the name is a little problematic for him.”
And he remembered her telling him that Pyggie was a tad overweight? “Yes.” She couldn’t help smiling at him and holding that delicious gaze just a few seconds too long. “That’s nice that you remembered.”
“These little pups need a walk,” Finnie said suddenly, pushing up from the table. “You two can get to know each other in person.”
“No, Finnie—”
“Nonsense, lass.” She gathered the leashes and gave Aldo a quick smile, but then her natural one shone through. “’Tis nice to meet you, Mr. Fiore. You made a fine Santa up there.” The very second she said that and Aldo blinked in surprise, Finnie paled. Of course she realized what she’d given away with that sentence. “I best go now!” she said brightly, hustling off with the dogs and leaving Agnes to explain.
She took a deep breath, watching Finnie walk away and bracing for something like, You came to see me as Santa? and a confounded look, but he was watching Finnie, too.