“Can you do me a favor?” he asked Niki presently as he turned onto the road to the airport.
“Of course,” Niki replied.
“Call Vera and let her know I’m returning a day early. Have her send a car over to the airport. I’ve tried to reach her several times and failed.”
“What car do you want delivered?”
“A fast one,” Vanni replied grimly before he signed off.
* * *
On Sunday morning, Emma almost ran down Amanda on the way out the door. The meeting was unexpected. Both of them were startled and flustered, given their new, strained relationship and sudden close proximity, laughing and trying to get around each other. She noticed Amanda’s heavy backpack slung over her shoulder
She had to give her sister credit; Amanda had been incredibly dedicated to her schoolwork so far. Emma had been a little worried this new thing with Colin would distract her just when she needed focus the most as she started medical school. It had pleased her to see that didn’t appear to be the case. Amanda had been up at dawn to go to the library to study since she had to work the evening shift at her waitress job tonight.
“Where are you off to?” Amanda asked breathlessly, leaving the front door open for Emma.
“I thought I’d go downtown and do a little shopping.”
“You’ve certainly grown uncharacteristically interested in clothes lately,” Amanda said, her expression friendly and amused, but curious as well. “It’s nice. I could never get you interested,” she laughed. She focused on the angel at Emma’s throat. “I suppose it all relates to Vanni?”
Emma shrugged. Several times this week, Amanda had tried to broach the topic of Vanni Montand, but Emma hadn’t been willing to share much except to say that she’d met him on her last work assignment and that they’d begun seeing each other on a casual basis. Given everything that had happened recently with Amanda and Colin, she felt hesitant sharing intimacies with Amanda. It was a fact that she hated, but that didn’t make it any less true. She prayed for the prickly, uncomfortable atmosphere to ease between Amanda and her, but it certainly hadn’t yet.
Besides, since discovering that Vanni had inexplicably bought her apartment complex, Emma was especially agitated on the topic of him. She wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that the man who made love to her with such ruthless precision and yet made it clear he didn’t “do” long-term relationships now owned her home. The whole scenario had left her bewildered and anxious. Talking about it with Amanda in the past would have probably helped her to clarify. All of that had changed, though.
What had Vanni intended by i
t all? It certainly left her in debt to him . . . not in debt, but responsible to him, somehow. He could drop her and forget her anytime he chose, but she couldn’t remove him from her life so easily. Not when he owned the very rooms where she walked, ate, and slept.
Besides the issue with her apartment, she was still very heartsore over the news about his young wife dying. She’d tried to find more information about his marriage and the identity of his former wife, but there hadn’t been anything online. Had Michael Montand Sr. used his influence, perhaps, to silence the news of his heir’s unapproved marriage and his wife’s untimely death?
“It would be hard to see a man like him and not want to look good,” Amanda said, interrupting her chaotic thoughts. “I still can’t believe it. Vanni Montand. You always did have all the family luck.”
Emma blinked. “I did?”
“Sure,” Amanda said, giving her a slightly startled glance before she set her backpack down on the entryway bench.
Emma gave a short laugh. “You’re the gorgeous one. You’re the brilliant doctor-to-be.” You’re the one who my ex-boyfriend preferred.
Amanda’s smile faded as she took a step toward her. “Do you ever really see yourself in the mirror, Emma?” Emma just stared back at her. “You’re beautiful. And what’s more, you don’t even have to try and you are. It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that you snagged Montand’s attention.”
“Thanks,” Emma muttered, avoiding her sister’s stare.
“And you know you’re every bit as smart as me. You took that incredible load in nursing school and still aced all your classes and clinicals. And lucky?” Amanda shook her head incredulously. “You beat death, for God’s sake. Mom used to call you her little miracle.”
“I didn’t beat anything,” Emma said. “It just . . . happened.”
“You walk in grace.” Amanda shrugged when Emma gave her an incredulous glance. “Colin said it—after all this stuff with you finding us . . . you know. Together. And it’s true, Em. No one would have handled this situation as gracefully as you. “You’ve been so reasonable about the whole thing. I have a feeling you’re being so patient because you’re thinking of what Mom would have wanted. But no matter what the reason, I know it took a very big person to react the way you have. And I appreciate it. I just . . . wanted you to know.”
“Thanks, but I think you’re both being a bit too generous with the praise,” Emma said shortly, taking a step toward the door.
She glanced back when Amanda grabbed her hand. “I’m not being too generous,” Amanda said steadfastly, her lower lip trembling slightly. “Emma . . . I’m so, so sorry.”
“For falling in love with Colin?”
“No. For falling in love in this way. It’s the last thing on earth I wanted.”
It was Amanda who stepped forward and hugged her. Emma stood stiff in the embrace at first. Something gave in her. She returned the hug every bit as warmly as her sister gave it. She shut her eyes and squeezed tight as emotion flooded her.