Wild Cat

She tried as hard as she could not to stare at him, but sometimes she d felt his gaze on her, and every time she d looked up, his eyes were looking at her. There was no mistake. He smiled. She didn t. She blushed. A horrible reaction. He d tried to engage her in conversation and she d stammered. Blushed more. It had been horrible. She was smart. Brilliant. She was already doing college courses. And she couldn t say a single intelligent word to him. Even the memory embarrassed her.

What is it, Nonno? she asked, bending to brush a kiss along his jaw. She ruffled his hair. He still had a wild mane of hair. All silver, but thick as a cat s pelt. His eyes, a dark chocolate, were faded, but still sharp. I m off to the gym. Because she really, really needed to work out hard. Tire herself to the point of exhaustion so she could actually get some sleep. She was desperate for sleep.

I need a favor, bella, a small one for an old man, eh? he coaxed.

As if she had ever in her life turned him down when he asked her for something. She was rarely at the house. She had been in boarding school most of her life and then college, but she treasured her times at home with him. He was her only living relative. It was just Antonio Arnotto and his granddaughter. The two of them.

What would that be, Nonno? she asked, trying to sound stern. She knew she failed when the laugh lines around his eyes crinkled. She sank down onto the arm of his chair and ruffled all that silver hair again.

I want you to take a case of my best reserve to a friend. His birthday was last week and I forgot to send a gift around. My beautiful granddaughter delivering it personally will make up for this mistake, no?

She laughed. It seems you have a lot of friends with birthdays and anniversaries you forget until your granddaughter comes home.

He shrugged his shoulders. I m not getting any younger, Siena, and you might start thinking about marriage and babies. Come to think of it, Elijah isn t married, and he s