Mel had just signed a deal with a boutique in SoHo. (Because when you live in New York you do things like go to boutiques in SoHo). She was going to be offering Marchetti Designs in women’s dress shops. Apparently women are the ones buying men’s accessories anyway.
John and Parker were looking at medical and law schools.
Suzy spent most of her nights at her boyfriend’s apartment these days and was beginning to hint at an engagement.
Even boring Brian and his boring girlfriend were having the time of their lives in Australia. Dependable old Libby was just plodding along towards a business degree.
Tmarchetti: You there?
Libby thriled at the ping of the chat window on her computer screen.
Libbylibbylibby: I was just finishing a paper, yeah I’m here.
Tmarchetti: I had a meeting with my agent in the city today. I ate dinner at Mel’s. Have you talked to her lately?
Libbylibbylibby: Not in a couple of weeks actualy.
She’s so busy. Is everything okay with her?
Tmarchetti: She’s fine. Can I cal you?
Libbylibbylibby: of course.
“Helo?” Libby was starting to get worried. She should have caled Mel to catch up. But school had been crazy lately.
“Hey. Lib.” Tony sounded strange.
“What’s going on?”
“So I was in the city today. And I was at Mel, and John’s place. And Parker stopped by.”
“Okay. What’s going on Tony?”
“Libby he had a girl with him. And I didn’t know if you knew or what the deal was, but you should know. And you are a thousand times prettier—if that helps. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking.”
“Tony! Are you trying to warn me that Parker has a new girlfriend? Her name is Penny. I’ve met her. I like her.” Geez! Here, she had been worried and here it was just his overprotective brother routine.
“So you two aren’t together anymore?”
“No. We never were. Not realy. Just a few dates and a great friendship. Seriously my heart is intact. But thanks for worrying about me that was sweet.”
“You weren’t together!” Anger laced through Tony’s voice. “That’s not what it looked like when you were sharing a wardrobe with him last summer!”
“At the risk of repeating myself—Parker and I are just friends.” Libby tired to keep her voice even. This was none of his business.
“So you were what? Friends-with-benefits? A way to pass time when he was in town? I should kil him.” Now that kind of pissed Libby off. “No you shouldn’t do anything Tony! Because you aren’t responsible for me; you aren’t my big brother. Even if you were I am an adult and old enough to know which, and what type of friends I want in my life.”
“I know how old you are Lib.” Tony ground out.
“Sorry. I just. I don’t want to see you hurt Libby.” It sounded like he was calming down.
“Parker has never hurt me.”
Tony winced. He knew he had been the one to hurt Libby, but things were different now. “So Parker has Penny and you…?”
“And I am happy for them.”
“Okay. When are you finished classes?”
Libby was relieved that Tony had changed the subject. She realy didn’t want to have to discuss her relationships with Tony. She gave him the dates of her final exams (which were stil several weeks away) and when she expected to return to North Carolina. They talked for awhile about how it would be strange for her to be going
‘home’ to Stuart’s town house instead of the building where she had grown up. And when Tony could hear her yawns through the phone line he sent her to bed.
Chapter Eleven
Tony was waiting for her when she got to the bakery the morning after she returned to Lindstown. He was leaning against the back door with his arms crossed over his chest and a mile wide grin split across face. This was a new smile. Not quite her coveted only-for-Libby smile. Somehow it was more chalenging, and a little predatory, but that had to be her sleep deprived mind playing tricks on her.
He lifted her into a long tight hug. “I missed you Lib.” His soft whisper fel into her hair just above her ear, and Libby felt a thril she hadn’t alowed herself to indulge in since high school.
“What a surprise.” She managed to speak when he had set her back down and she was able to get the key into the door.
Tony folowed her inside, and watched her silently as she began preheating ovens and getting ready for the business day. It took al his self control, not to kiss her senseless. It was only 5:00 in the morning; her hair was puled tightly into a ponytail and there wasn’t a trace of makeup on her face. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. But he wanted to be cautious -- no more assumptions or misunderstandings. Tony was going to get this right and that meant keeping his libido in check for awhile longer.