Laying a Foundation: Bonus volume: Includes series prequel, The Groundbreaking (The Love Under Construction Series) (44 page)

“Yeah.”

“What’s that about?”

Tony shook his head. “Wish I knew. Right after I graduated from college and went into the business, and he had started college, he kind of turned on me. When we were together he was at my throat constantly. At first I thought it was just me, but everybody else started noticing it too. I even asked him why he was so mad at me, and he never really answered me, just kind of told me I was nuts. But he can barely stand to be in the same room with me. I’ve wracked my brain over the years and I can’t come up with one single thing I’ve ever done to him. To make matters worse, I’m the only person in the family who’s ever been the least bit kind to his wife, Caroline. Everybody seems to dislike her except me, Annabeth, and Clayton. You’d think he’d be grateful that I try so hard to be there for her, but it hasn’t made things any better at all. He still hates me.” Tony was looking at his shoes while he talked, and Nikki realized Bennie’s animosity toward him really bothered him.

“Why does everybody despise Caroline?”

“They think she’s weird. But she’s actually very nice, just kind of quiet and withdrawn. She had a terrible childhood and I don’t think she trusts people very much. But she’s always been kind and warm to me and the kids. I guess she felt sorry for us, what with Dottie and all. So please, try to go out of your way to be nice to her, okay?”

“Oh, babe, you know I will.” She shot him a sad smile. “I know what it’s like to feel like you have no one in your corner, remember?” She walked up to him, slid her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his chest. His arms came up and squeezed her tight to him.

“I feel like it’s my job to make sure you never feel like that again.” He kissed her hair.

“Thanks, baby, and I’m grateful for that. Now, let’s pack it in, shall we?”

“Sure. Let me lock up.” Tony went into the foyer and armed the alarm system. He looked out the side light and could see the car at the crest of the hill, and he felt better knowing that Peyton, or José, or Laura were out there watching the house for the night.

Nikki woke up before the alarm went off at six o’clock on Wednesday morning and went into the bathroom. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and was startled to see that her belly was flatter than it had been a couple of weeks before.
Must be true,
she thought.
Sex is good exercise, especially for the abs.

She slipped into the shower and got herself all cleaned up, then went back out into the bedroom to dress. She tried not to wake Tony, but found him watching her as she rummaged through her bags. “Oh my god, you’re gorgeous,” he purred. She smiled a shy smile.

“How was that quickie last night?” she asked, grinning mischievously.

He laughed. “Pretty damn good for pretty damn quick! We’ll have to do that more often.”

“If we had sex any more often, we’d never get anything else done!” She giggled. “I’ve gotta get cookin’. When are you firing up the grills?”

“In about five minutes. I’ll get them started, eat breakfast, and then shower.” Tony pulled on his boxer briefs and jeans from the day before. No shirt. Everything below Nikki’s waist vibrated, watching him walk around shirtless. His shoulders and his chest were just about the most beautiful things in the world to her. Well, those plus that huge cock of his.

By seven thirty, everything was in full swing, the kitchen full of women, and Clayton watched the grills while Tony showered. By eleven o’clock, they’d pretty much made a dent in everything. Tony had said everyone would start arriving about eleven thirty, so Nikki started getting food out, finding serving utensils in the big, unfamiliar kitchen, and filling pitchers with ice water, tea, and juice. She started the coffee pot too, in case anyone wanted hot coffee.

At eleven fifteen, Annabeth scanned the kitchen counters. “Nikki, where are Zia Molly’s rolls?”

“What, honey?” Nikki asked, her head coming up out of a cabinet where she’d been looking for a dish.

“Zia Molly’s rolls. Where are they? Zio Bart usually brings them by early, but I don’t see them.” She continued to look around.

“Oh, they’re in the fridge,” Nikki answered absentmindedly.

“They’re where?” Something in Annabeth’s voice made Nikki stop and pay attention. “Did you say they’re in the fridge?”

“Yeah. I put them in there last night. They were room temp when he brought them, so I put them in the fridge with everything else.”

Annabeth’s face went white and her eyes got huge. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

Nikki began to get anxious. “Yeah. I didn’t want them to spoil overnight. Was that wrong?”

“Oh dear god,” Annabeth started. Katie and Brittany turned, strange looks on their faces.

“What?” Nikki was starting to feel a little panicky.

“They won’t rise. If you chilled them, they won’t rise. They were supposed to be left out to rise overnight, then we divide them and bake them. If they’ve been chilled overnight, they’re ruined.”

Nikki’s heart started slamming against her ribs. “Please tell me you’re kidding, Annabeth.” Annabeth shook her head. “I didn’t know, I swear,” Nikki whispered. Her heart sank.
What the hell do I do now? I’ve ruined the Walters family holiday celebration.
She felt absolutely sick.

“We’ll have to come up with a plan,” Katie announced. “Molly’s gonna eat you alive, Nikki.” Brittany nodded in agreement.

“Oh, my god, what do I do?” Nikki groaned, frozen in place and in full-blown panic. Tony picked that moment to walk into the room.

“Hey, girls! Everything going okay in here?” he asked, reaching into the fridge for a beer. He stopped for a second, looked at the trays of rolls, and then closed the door.

Nikki felt a tear roll down her cheek. “No, everything’s not okay. I’ve ruined it all.” She started to tremble, her hands visibly shaking.

Tony turned and looked at her. “What did you do?” he asked in a mock accusatory tone.

He didn’t notice how pale she was turning, didn’t see the tear. “I put Molly’s rolls in the refrigerator. They won’t rise. I ruined them.”

Tony still really wasn’t paying much attention, and he didn’t see how red her eyes were. He continued, in his mocking tone, “Uh-oh, you’re screwed. Molly will eat you alive.” Katie nodded. “Can’t have that. You’d better come up with something.” He walked over to her, kissed her on the cheek, and told her, “You’re a smart one. You’ll figure something out. I have complete faith in you.” He strolled to the back door, opened it, and kept on walking.

Oh, my god, I’m so screwed. And he’s mad at me. What do I do?
All three girls stared at her, and she felt like her head was going to burst into flames. She wanted to run to the bedroom, lock the door, and cry, but there wasn’t time. She took out her smart phone and did a search.

“Unless your phone is going to bake rolls, you’d better come up with something else,” Brittany groused sarcastically.

Nikki took a deep breath. “Actually, it just might.” She found a number for a Kroger on the far eastern side of Louisville and called. “Yes, do you by any chance carry Blackhawk dinner rolls? Really? Do you have any? Yes, I’ll hold.” She waited. “Oh, thank god. Yes, I need four bags. Yes. Wilkes. Or Walters. Either name. Thanks – thanks so much. I think you’ve saved my life.” She whipped off her apron. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got to pick up the rolls.”

Annabeth folded her arms across her chest. “They’d better be good.”

“They’re not good. They’re spectacular,” Nikki called out, rushing around to leave. “Annabeth, can you . . . Oh, god, I can’t leave. I’ve got too much to do.”

“Hello?” a deep male voice called from the foyer.

“In here, Zio Vic,” Annabeth called out.

Nikki looked up and her mouth dropped open. Vittorio Vincenzo Cabrizzi stood in the doorway, and she’d never seen anything like him before in her life.

His six foot eight frame filled the doorway, and if his smoky brown eyes hadn’t nailed her, his huge shoulders and trim hips would’ve. His dark, wavy hair hung down over enormous biceps, and he had thighs like tree trunks. For a few seconds Nikki couldn’t even move her lips, much less speak. Tony was gorgeous, but this guy was breathtakingly unreal, his features looking like they’d been carved by one of the old Renaissance masters, the scruff on his jaw, his mustache, the soul patch beneath his lower lip, all impeccably sculpted. Annabeth ran to him and wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him, and he picked her up and spun her around in rag doll fashion as she squealed like a child.

He put Annabeth down and closed the gap between himself and Nikki with just a few steps. “Hey, you must be Nikki. I’m Vic. I’m so glad to finally meet you!” In typical Walters fashion, instead of extending his hand, he threw his arms around her and hugged her. His scent almost made her swoon, like a spicy pine grove, and his body, for all the hard muscles, was surprisingly soft and warm, comfortable even. Everything in her told her she’d always be safe if Vic Cabrizzi was around.

“Oh, Vic, it’s so good to meet you! Tony’s told me so many wonderful things about you,” she smiled, pressing her palms to his cheeks. The smile Vic returned was huge and warm. Then he took a good look at her face.

He frowned at her. “You look like you’ve been crying.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.

“She ruined Zia Molly’s rolls,” Annabeth blurted out.

“Sweet mother of god! You didn’t,” he cried out, looking at her out the corner of his eye, oozing mischievousness. She nodded sheepishly. “Molly’s gonna eat you alive.” Katie shot Nikki her
See, I told you!
look. “Well, we’re going to have to fix that, aren’t we?” He grinned and chucked her under her chin. She felt like she was about nine years old.

“I think I already have. I just have to go pick up some rolls,” she said, breaking away from him.

“Nope. You’ve got too much to do here and everybody will start rolling in. You let me go get them, okay? I didn’t bring anything with me, so it’ll be my treat. Just tell me where.”

“Oh, Vic, no, I couldn’t . . .”

“You absolutely can and you absolutely will. I’m leaving and if you don’t tell me where I’m going, I guess I’ll just drive around all afternoon!” He wandered back out the door.

“Zio Vic, wait! I want to go with you!” Annabeth called out, running after him.

He stopped at the front door and called to her, “Where, Nikki?”

She sighed. “Kroger on Shelbyville Road at the Snyder,” she called back.

“Be back in two shakes.” She heard the door close behind him and Annabeth.

Nikki stood there for a second, then asked no one in particular, “What just happened here?”

“Vic Cabrizzi,” Katie answered with a wistful smile. “You’ll get used to it.”

Nikki breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone seemed to be having a good time – everyone except Molly, of course. She alternated between bites of food and glaring at Nikki. Even worse were the rolls – they were delicious, and everyone kept saying so.

“Tell us again, where did these come from?” Freddie asked. Molly was especially ticked that her own husband was going on about them.

“A little bakery in the larger town near the one I grew up in. It’s called Blackhawk Bakery. They made these rolls for years, then automated the process and started selling them all over the country. I took a chance that someone here would have some, and they did. And again, I’m sorry, Molly, really.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” Molly retorted. “You can’t help it if you don’t know your way around a kitchen.”

Tony said nothing, just kept eating. She knew he was mad about what she’d done, but he could at least help her out. After all, it wasn’t like she’d done it on purpose. Nikki looked down at her plate and pushed her food around. She didn’t really feel much like eating.

“They are delicious, aren’t they?” Vic said, and Nikki glanced at him to see him wink at her. A little smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and Vic smiled back warmly.
At least he’s in my corner,
she thought.

“I think they’re fabulous,” Bart said.

“Um-hum,” Kathy added, her mouth full.

“Molly, maybe you should order these from now on,” Mark repeated, and his wife, Victoria, nodded in agreement beside him. Nikki could practically see the steam coming off of Molly.