Chapter Six

Tony. 

The sun looked pissed off. Tony stood outside by the waterfront property and watched the perfect disc struggle to top the mountain peaks. A fiery mingling of burnt orange and scarlet red rose, emanating sparks of fury, killing the remaining dark. He watched the king of the morning proudly celebrate the temporary win and for a brief moment wondered if he would ever feel like that again.

Alive.

He shook his head and mocked his own thoughts. He had nothing to complain about. His life was just about perfect. The waterfront project neared completion, and the launch of his family’s first U.S. bakery would seize the place by storm. He hoped.

Toby gazed out over the water and took note of the renovations. Once broken down, crime ridden marina, the Hudson Valley property revealed a Cinderella transformation, and he had been a part of it. Between himself and the other two investors, they had sunk a lot of money into the dream and Tony. believed in the team’s success. Paved stone pathways now snaked around rosebushes and the boats finally returned majestic schooners and the famed ferryboat that gave children rides.

Next to his bakery, a spa and Japanese restaurant courted an eclectic set of customers. Opening day was only a few weeks away after a long year of construction and sweat and blood.

And sweet and savory would finally take her home in New York.

Satisfaction rippled through him, along with a strange emptiness. What was wrong with him lately? He slept less, and the occasional woman he allowed himself to enjoy only left him feeling more restless when morning rose. On the surface, he had everything a man dreamed of. Wealth. A career he loved. Family, friends, and decent health. And pretty much his pick of any woman he craved. The Italian in his soul cried out for something deeper than sex, but he didn’t know if it truly existed.

At least, not for him, at least not after Koko. He always wanted a big family Luke his, but latelt he wasn't too sure about that. As if something deep inside was broken.

Disgusted with his inner whining, he turned and strode down the sidewalk.

His cell phone beeped, and he slid it out of his cashmere coat, glancing at the number. Crap.

He paused for a moment. Then with a sigh of resignation, he punched the button.

“Yes, Valarie ? What is it this time?”

"Tony, I’m in trouble.” Rapid fire Italian attacked his ears.

Tony concentrated on her tirade of words, desperate to make sense between gulps of sobbing breaths. “Did you say you are getting married?”

“Weren’t you listening, Tony?” She quickly switched to English. “You must help me!”

“Go slowly. Deep breaths, then tell me the whole story.”

“Mama won’t let me get married!” she burst out. “And it’s all your fault. You know Dominick and I have been together for years, and I have been hoping and praying he would pop the question and he finally did. Oh, Tony, he brought me to the Piazza Vecchia and got down on his knee and the ring is beautiful, just beautiful! Of course, I said yes, and then we rushed to Mama to tell the whole family, and”

“Wait a minute. Dominick never called me to ask permission for your hand in marriage.” Irritation pricked at him. “Why didn’t I know of this?”

His sister gave a long sigh. “You have got to be kidding me! That custom is ancient, and you are not even here, and everyone knows we were getting married; it was just a matter of time. Anyway, none of this matters because I’m going to be an old maid and I will lose Dominick forever. He will never wait for me and it’s all your fault!”

His head throbbed in time to Valarie’s whines. “How is this my fault?”

“Mama told me I can’t get married until you are married. Remember that ridiculous tradition Papa believed in?”

Dread slithered up his spine and coiled in his gut. Impossible. The old family tradition had no place in today’s society. Sure, the legacy of the oldest son marrying first was prominent in Bergamo, and as the senior count he was looked upon as the leader, but they were long past the days of a required marriage. “I’m sure there was a miscommunication,” he said smoothly. “I will straighten this out.”

“She told Dominick I can wear the ring, but there will be no wedding until you marry. Then Dominick got upset and said he doesn’t know how long he can wait before he starts his life with me, and Mama got mad and called him disrespectful, and we had a big fight and now my life is over, all over! How can she do this to me?”

Gasping sobs broke out over the receiver.

Tony closed his eyes. The dull throb in his temples grew to monstrous proportions.

He slashed through Valarie’s wails with an impatience he didn’t try to hide.

“Calm down,” he ordered. She immediately quieted, used to his authority in the household. “Everyone knows you and Dominick are meant to be together. I don’t want you to worry. I will talk to Mama today.”

His sister gulped. “What if you can’t? What if she disowns me if I marry Dominick without her approval? I will lose everything. But how can I give up the man I love?”

His heart stopped, then sped up. For God’s sake, that was a snake pit he refused to jump in. An intense family drama would force him to fly back home, and with his mother’s heart problems, he worried about her health. His two other sisters, Ella and Maya, may not be able to handle Valarie’s distress on their own. First, he needed to get his sister under control. He clenched his fingers around the phone. “You will not do anything until I speak with her. Do you understand, Valarie? I will take care of it. Just tell Dominick to hold on until I get this settled.”

“Okay.” Her voice shook, and Tony knew that within his sister’s normal flair for drama she loved her fiancé and wanted to start her life with him. At twenty-six, she was already older than most of her friends who had married, and she was finally going to settle down with a man he approved of.

He quickly ended the call and strode to his car. He had to get back to the office and think this through. What if he really needed to get married to fix this mess?

His palms grew damp at the thought and he fought the instinct to wipe them down on his perfectly pressed slacks. With work eating up every spare hour, he had put finding his soul mate at the bottom of his list. Of course after everything that happened with koko, he already knew what qualities he needed in his future wife. Someone easygoing, sweet tempered, and fun. Intelligent. Loyal. Someone who wanted to raise children, make a home, but independent enough to have her own career. Someone to fit perfectly into his family. 

That's what had drawn him to Koko in the first place, they seemed to share the same family values and wanted the same things. Until he found out she had been pretending all along just to get his money. 

He slid into the Alfa Romeo’s sleek interior and pressed the button for the engine. The main issue flashed in vivid neon before his vision. What if he didn’t have time to find his perfect wife? Could he find a woman for a practical arrangement to satisfy his mother and allow Valarie to marry the love of her life? And if so, where in Dante’s Hell would he find her?

His phone beeped and interrupted his thoughts. One glance confirmed Dominick refused to wait to be soothed and was about to fight for his sister’s hand in marriage.

His head pounded as he reached for the phone. It was going to be a long day