The Santinis: Leonardo, Book 1 by Melissa Schroeder

the mirror, darling. Leonardo Santini fell for a woman just like his mother.”
    She settled her hands on her hips. “Are you telling me that I order people around?”
    “You get off on it here at the hospital. It’s part of what makes you a great physical therapist. You’re good at pushing people. That’s why we give you some of the worst patients.”
    “People don’t think I’m pushy.”
    Freddy laughed. “Everyone thinks you’re bossy.”
    She collapsed back into her chair. “Well, that sucks.”
    Freddy waved that away. “Don’t take it that way. People love you the way you are.”   He smiled. “Especially Leo.”
    “I don’t know how I feel about that.”
    Freddy walked around her desk and pulled her up out of her chair. “I fell for a man just like my mother too. Go to DC. Do you have the money?”
    She thought about her savings account and how happy she had been to build it up. At that instant, she knew it wasn’t that important. “Yeah, I can probably swing it.”
    “Go. Get your medic and then give me babies to spoil.” He kissed her on the forehead. “If you don’t, then I will never talk to you again.”
    She smiled as she watched him go out the door. As soon as it closed behind him, she turned to her computer and started searching for flights.  
    *   *   *   *
    “Are you going to sit in here all day?” his mother asked as she leaned against the doorjamb to his room watching him.  
    “Well, since Dad and Vince told me I couldn’t go fishing with them today, I thought I might get some reading done.”
    She smiled knowingly, and walked in to sit on the bed beside him. It brought back so many memories. His mother had always known when to listen and when to talk to help her sons. It was as if she were born knowing when they needed her, and when they needed their space.  
    “Maybe you shouldn’t have told Vincenti to do something that, as far as I know, is anatomically impossible.”
    His ears burned when he realized that his mother had heard the argument. He hadn’t meant to say it but it was that or punch Vince. He would be in a whole lot of trouble if his mom had caught them in another fistfight.
    “Sorry.”
    She brushed some of his hair away from his forehead. “Considering his situation, he shouldn’t tease you about this Maryjane.”
    “Maryanne.”
    She nodded and patted his leg. “So, tell me what my son who hates to read is going to read today?”
    “Okay, so maybe not read. I might play a few games on my tablet.”
    “And, you’re going back tomorrow.”
    He nodded. He had finished off his class hoping to see Maryanne at the graduation. He knew then she wouldn’t come back to him. It was partially his fault. He’d called his brother names and told him to fuck off when he told Leo he was a coward. It smarted that his brother had accused him of that, especially when he’d done the same to Maryanne. Apparently Vince thought he should have fought harder. It had been a little too much to explain to his older brother he still felt as if he were bleeding. The knife she took to him did more damage than any bullet he would take on the field.
    “I have another class coming in week after next. And I have to finish up my reports about the last class.”
    “You like teaching?”
    He thought about it and nodded. “I didn’t know if I would, but it’s been kind of fun.”
    “That’s good. Too bad it’s there in San Antonio since you will always be running into Maryjane.”
    “Maryanne.”
    “What?”
    “Her name is Maryanne.”
    He thought he saw her lips twitch. “Oh, okay. I guess it isn’t that important though.”
    Not now that he screwed it up. It had only been six weeks and he should have waited. He could have waited. But there was a little part of him that had wanted more and telling her he loved her had slipped out. When she had freaked, he had reacted. Badly. She was in the wrong just as much as him, but he hadn’t made things any better. He admitted