With Her Last Breath by Cait London Page B

single sons intently, and Maggie sensed she was the object of a silent mother-to-sons conversation.
    She didn’t want to be the object of any family discussion. “Nice meeting you. I’d better go. I have a lot to do. Come on, Scout.”
    Scout continued to gnaw loudly on the bone, ignoring Maggie’s command.
    Anthony appeared at the back door, wiping his hands on his apron. “Hey, you lazy kids, get back in here.”
    Then with a big grin, he came outside and walked to Maggie, enclosing her in a big hug. “So you’re settling in, huh? Getting used to us and the town?”
    She wasn’t used to being waggled playfully. The arm that remained around her shoulders, holding her close, as Anthony grinned at his wife, made her uncomfortable. “You take the boys. I’ll take the girl.”
    Rosa came to stand on tiptoe and kiss him. “Pay no attention to him. He’s an old man, dreaming of when he was young.”
    When Rosa went up the stairs, Mr. Alessandro’s fond smile followed her. “What a woman. Look at what she gave me, three fine sons.”
    He winked at Maggie. “I should go inside now and try to steal a kiss before it gets too busy.”
    When he left, Maggie automatically tried to isolate herself from the family scene that had just enfolded her. As a loner, protecting herself, she was wary of easy friendships. All she needed was her dog—
    Too late. Dante and Tony were already rough-playing with Scout, just as she loved. She barked and jumped on them; they held her front paws as they danced. Dante tossed a ball obviously left by a child, and Scout was running after it happily.
    “I’m going to be a dad again—our fourth. Sissy is two months along,” Tony announced proudly. “We can always use another baby-sitter.”
    “That’s nice. Congratulations.” Maggie had lost all control of the situation—of keeping her distance from this family. Suddenly she saw too clearly how much Anthony loved Rosa, and Tony’s happiness over his family and wife. She saw how much the Alessandros loved one another and what could have been in her own family. And she was too tired to fight the pain, concealing it, and Nick was watching her with those dark shielded eyes, taking her apart, searching for answers. People usually left her alone, taking her hints for privacy, but apparently the Alessandros did not.
    “I’ll show you around town, if you’d like. I own that little boatyard across the harbor. Maybe you’d like to go for a sail?” Dante asked, tossing the ball to her.
    Her fingers dug into the red plastic. A sailboat . Her parents laughing and in love, sunlight golden on the waves, beads of water glistening on the varnished cherry wood. Her younger sister excited. A sudden wind becoming a storm, and then she and Glenda were alone, her mother struggling toward them.
    And her father’s hand slowly fading beneath the water.
    When Nick frowned, looking at her hand, Maggie realized the locket was in her fist, the edges biting into her palm. She forced herself to release it. “I’m sorry. I can’t go sailing with you. I’m busy getting set up.”
    “Maybe when things slow down a bit,” Dante offered easily.
    “My wife wants to meet you,” Tony said. “We live in the folks’ old house, the big white one on Schooner Street. We all grew up there. You can recognize it by all the toys in the yard and on the front porch. Drop in any time.”
    Maggie didn’t answer and gave a passable, but unconfirming, light smile. The Alessandros were too friendly, and if she was right, Dante was definitely interested in her. She toyed with the idea, because it had been a long time since she’d felt like a woman—and Dante had the look of a man who knew how to please.
    Who was she kidding? She had loved one man all her life, and he had betrayed her for his own gain.
    Her smile died when her eyes locked with Nick’s solemn, dark, assessing ones. He had asked too many of the right questions, and he’d seen her fear when Dante offered a