She nodded. “I thought the same thing. Your place is remote and hard to find. Angel’s is right in the center of things. It’s just that…” She wrinkled her nose.
“What?”
“I was looking forward to helping Angel with her pies tomorrow.” She glanced at the uncooked crusts on the table.
He burst out laughing. “Sara Rios, are you telling me you like being domesticated?”
An adorable flush stained her cheeks, and an amused grin tugged at her lips. “Let’s just say it has its moments.”
“Well, don’t worry. You can still help. You’ll just be stuck with me watching over you. This way if someone does track you here, they won’t get you alone.”
She nodded in agreement. “If you don’t mind babysitting?”
“Of course not. I’d be at the festival anyway.” Now he just had an excuse to be by her side, admiring her long legs, sexy ass, gorgeous face….
“Great! Thanks.” Her face lit up in relief. “I need to clean up, but then I’ll pack my bag and we can get going.”
“In the meantime, I’ll call the captain and see if he’s heard anything from the D.A.”
“I’d appreciate it. I’ve been afraid to check in. I know they sweep for bugs, but still.” She sighed. “Thanks, Rafe. I know you didn’t sign up for this.”
Maybe not, but he’d never walk away.
With Sara upstairs washing up and packing, Rafe tried the captain from Angel’s phone and left a message for the other man to call him back on his cell.
He was about to grab a can of soda from the fridge when he heard a noise outside the window over the sink. A loud banging sound that repeated itself again.
Cautious, Rafe headed out the side door—and nearly tripped on his brother, who was struggling to attach a garden hose to the spigot on the side of the house.
“What the hell are you doing?” Rafe asked. Luckily, he hadn’t pulled his gun on his sibling.
“Replacing the leaky hose with a new one. What are you doing here?”
“Picking up Sara. Does Angel know you’re here?”
Nick shook his head. “And don’t tell her. Pirro mentioned the hose leaked and Sara was having trouble watering the yard.”
“If she finds you here, she’ll kill you.”
“That’s why you aren’t going to tell her.”
Rafe raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think she won’t notice a new hose?”
Angel didn’t want help. But the fact that his brother was helping instead of complaining was a good sign. Still, the fireworks when Angel discovered he’d meddled in her life would be heard around town.
“By the time she realizes, it’ll be fixed and I’ll be gone. At least she won’t have to struggle with the old one.”
“That’s awfully generous of you.” Rafe paused, debating on offering advice. But this was his brother, and he wanted to see him happy. “Maybe Angel would appreciate the fact that you’re taking an interest in her…project. Instead of you sneaking around like you think she can’t handle it herself, maybe you could tell her you’re coming to accept this venture of hers. I bet it would go a long way toward helping you reconcile.”
“Maybe Angel can speak for herself!”
Rafe groaned and, without meeting his brother’s gaze, turned to face his sister-in-law.
“Hey there.” Rafe greeted Angel with a smile.
His sister-in-law scowled, her gaze reaching beyond Rafe to her husband.
Rafe wouldn’t want to be in Nick’s shoes right now. “I’m going to leave you two alone to talk,” Rafe said, backing away and heading for the house before he could get any more involved in family drama.
Once inside, he found Sara waiting for him in the kitchen, her large rolling suitcase packed and waiting beside her—a blatant reminder he was about to bring her home.
CHAPTER SEVEN
RAFE MIGHT NOT BE ready for the intimacy sure to follow from moving in with Sara, but he appreciated a woman who could pull herself together quickly.
“That was fast.” He gestured to the suitcase.
She shrugged. “I knew I’d have to leave in a couple of days, so I didn’t unpack completely.”
“What do you say we—” The ringing doorbell interrupted him. “This place really is like Grand Central Station,” he muttered.
For the first time, he could understand his brother’s issues with his wife running the place alone, always distracted by one thing or another. Then again, if it came down to a distracted wife he loved or no wife…
No question, Rafe thought.
The doorbell rang again.
“Where’s Angel?” Sara asked when she didn’t come to answer.
“Outside with Nick. I’ll get it for her.” He headed to the door, Sara behind him.
Two strangers stood on the other side. The festival crowd had already begun milling around town. Strangers Rafe didn’t recognize browsed the local shops and eateries. Good news for the struggling economy. Bad news for his ability to spot potential danger.
Rafe crossed his arms over his chest and assessed the men on the other side of the screen door. One dark-haired, the other blond-haired, both blue-eyed and clean-cut. The preppy type who’d stand out in a town that lacked pretension. The blond guy even wore argyle.
“Can I help you?” Sara asked, stepping around Rafe and taking over.
“We have reservations,” the lighter-haired guy said.
“Why don’t you come in?” She pushed open the storm door, and the men stepped inside.
“Ms. Mancuso?” The dark-haired guy obviously assumed Sara was Angel, the owner. “You’re as lovely as the name of your establishment.” He oozed slick city charm.
Rafe set his jaw. “She’s not Ms. Mancuso,” he said in an annoyed tone. Because he didn’t want this guy hitting on Sara or his sister-in-law.
Sara cast him a curious glance before refocusing on the men.
“Ms. Mancuso is seeing to something in the backyard, but why don’t you come in and have a seat.” Sara gestured to the small sitting area with a couch and a desk that Angel used to check in guests. “Mrs. Mancuso is out back,” Rafe stated bluntly.
“Are you a guest here, too?” blond guy asked hopefully. Ignoring Rafe, he checked out Sara’s obvious assets, staring without shame at the exposed cle**age in the vee of her thin cotton top.
“No, she’s not,” Rafe said through gritted teeth.