Page 57 of Falling for Mr. October

She stomps on my foot, and I’m grinning like an idiot when Theo Murphy stomps into view in a flannel shirt, looking like he’d very much enjoy kicking my ass.

Naturally, the smile slips off my face.

“Can I have a private word with you?” he asks gruffly.

“Anything you have to say to him, you can say in front of me,” Bianca insists.

We’re still standing in the sunroom, light beaming down on us. It’s impossible to believe that twenty-four hours ago, I was still anonymous. Now, it feels like a giant spotlight is focused on me.

Theo gives me a pointed look, and no way am I going to let this guy think I’m hiding behind my woman.

Well, not my woman. But even so…

I turn toward Bianca and say, “I’ll talk to him alone.”

She gives me a disapproving look. “So you can have a manly, Y-chromosome talk without me?”

“Exactly,” Theo says, cracking his knuckles.

“How mature of you.” She points at him. “You already know the photo of us was posed. I texted you this morning.”

“So there’s no harm in me having a friendly chat with my buddy Giovanni.”

“If you so much as touch him, I’ll do that thing I did when you were twelve.”

Theo flinches, but his expression is not devoid of amusement. “I hear you, loud and clear. The neighbors the next house over probably do too. You know what, I wouldn’t be surprised if the strangers who were peeking into my window this morning heard you too.”

Shit. I should have thought about that. While this house is hidden away in the trees, his is within spitting distance of the apple barn.

“I’m coming back in five minutes,” she says harshly. “I’m timing you on my phone.”

I seriously doubt she’ll leave at all. I’d put fifty bucks on her listening at the door.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

GIOVANNI

No sooner has the door closed, then Theo turns on me. He’s no taller than me, but he’s looking down at me all the same.

“Are you fucking my sister?” he asks in a pissed-off undertone. “Is that why you came back here?”

“I wish.”

He doesn’t seem amused by my answer. To be fair, I wouldn’t be amused if I were in his shoes.

“No, it’s nothing like that,” I add quickly. Then I explain about the videos, Bianca’s request, and the whole Mr. October farce. I provide him with the same explanation for the kiss that I gave my nonna earlier.

He listens non-judgmentally, but when I finish, he says, “You told me what you think this can do for my family, but what’s your angle? How does it benefit you?”

I don’t blame him for asking. I’d do the same if I were in his shoes. “My grandmother’s happy here. Back home, we were about to hire a home helper for her. She wasn’t doing so good, but with your grandmother…. It’s like she’s five years younger. Plus, I had this situation at home.”

I tell him a little bit about Janine, keeping it vague since I don’t like bad-mouthing people.

Theo shrugs. “All right. This fake dating thing seems like a bunch of bullshit, but I won’t say we don’t need the help. I appreciate that you’re willing. But keep your distance from Bianca when the cameras aren’t out. She doesn’t need some fancy playboy fucking with her head, not after everything she’s been through.”

I wonder again if she’s listening, but surely if she were, she’d have something to say about that. Bianca’s never been the type of person to let others speak for her.

“That’s the last thing I want to do,” I say honestly. “I respect the hell out of her. Your whole family. This farm is important to my family too. We all have good memories of coming here.”