Relief nearly made her legs go out from under her. He still looked at her like she was the only woman in the room. It was going to be okay.

He stood and in three of his gigantic strides he was hugging her.

“Gorgeous, damn you’re a sight for sore eyes and a lonely heart. I missed you so much.”

She hugged him back, glad she’d worn her highest heels so she wasn’t so much shorter than him.

“I missed you too.”

He rested his forehead against hers for a last moment and then straightened. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

He turned and walked with her over to the table where his parents were. He introduced her; they shook her hand and said they were pleased to meet her.

Over dinner they made small talk. Asked about Carmella’s dog and how the shop was doing in Duke’s absence.

They seemed to be looking forward to the grand opening the following night, though they were headed back first thing Saturday to be with Danny.

They were cordial and Carmella noted the way Duke and his father looked back and forth to one another as they filled her in on the situation with Danny. She hoped they had done some major work over the time they’d had together. Duke deserved it.

The strain showed around his eyes, though. As the evening wore on, the toll of the time he’d been gone grew more and more plain on his face.

Finally, when she began to wonder if his parents would ever see how tired their son was, or if Duke would just admit it and they could leave, Carmella was done waiting.

“Duke, why don’t we finish up so your mom and dad can get some rest,” she said before looking at his mother. “You must be so tired. The last two weeks have been so hard on you all.”

He signaled the server and turned back to the table. “They’re getting the car from the valet.”

Carmella and his mother headed to the ladies’ room and had inevitable mirror chitchat.

“Duke talked about you a lot.” Here and there, a lot like Duke, her accent would come back. Just a word or two. She tried harder, Carmella bet, to get rid of it. Duke didn’t seem to care. It only made him sexier anyway.

Carmella had to leave a good review for the stuff she put on her hair earlier because it was doing a decent job of keeping her hair from tripling in size in the wet weather.

She turned to face Carmella because the woman didn’t need to smooth down flyaways, even on a rainy day. Her hair was perfect.

“I was uneasy when he told me you worked for Twisted Steel. A romantic entanglement with an employee is something that could go disastrously wrong for him and his business. He doesn’t think we’re proud of him. But we are. And he talked about you in the same way he talks about Twisted Steel. Both make him happy and appear to be pretty central to his life. He hasn’t talked to me about a girl since he was in high school. She was a redhead too.”

Carmella relaxed, laughing. “I’ll have to thank her for tossing him back so I could have him instead. He makes me happy too. Your son is pretty much everything I always dreamed of but figured I’d never find.”

“Like what? Tell me something you love about him.”

“He’s got an unswerving sense of loyalty. You can see it when he’s around Asa and Mick. They have this connection, a deep sense of brotherhood. These burly dudes with facial piercings and ink from neck to toe are so funny together. Like naughty little boys. Quarreling. Breaking things. But they’re thick as thieves. Would—and did—risk their lives for each other. He does that with people he considers family. I am astonished and humbled that your son loves me and considers me part of that family. You did a good job with him.”

“Do you think so?”

“He’s the way he is now and I don’t think that’s a coincidence. He learned it somewhere.”

“Thank you for saying that.” His mother headed toward the door. “I invited Duke—and you, of course—to Thanksgiving at our house. I would love it if you could come down. Having him around has made me realize how much I miss him when we don’t see him more than once a year, if that. His sister would love to meet you. And the kids love their uncle Duke.”

“Thank you. I hope we can make it. I don’t know what the shop does as it’s my first year there.”

Carmella blushed as they headed to the front of the restaurant, where Duke and his father waited.

The car pulled up and she gave Duke a look.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t buy another car. This is a rental.”

He took them back to their hotel and then drove to his place.

“I need to get inside my house. Go get our dog so she can sleep with us tonight.”

Carmella laughed. “She’s going to lose her mind when she sees you. She’s mad at me because I think she’s suspicious I did away with you somehow.”

“Come on. I’ll go with you because I admit I’d really like to see her too.” Duke unlocked her door, calling Ginger’s name. She barked and hopped around as he knelt and let her lick his face.

“You’re soft for my dog.”

“I always have been.” He straightened. “Get yourself whatever you need for the night and let’s go to my house. Because I’m hard for you.”

“I’ve missed your sexual innuendo.”

“Just one of the services I provide.”

He looked really tired, so once they got to his place, she urged him to take a shower.