No...no that wasn’t right. Freezing was uncomfortable. What he felt then, it was as if everything inside him had gone still. Calmed. He felt his anxiety ease, his fist unclench and tranquility take hold.
~~~
Candace Strong didn’t need to look up to see where she was going. She knew the factory halls like the back of her hand or at least as well as the file she’d been reviewing for errors for the better part of the morning.
So far, her job as a Tesano typist had been relatively routine. She divided her time between working for Tesano headquarters in the heart of Manhattan and delivering paperwork across the five boroughs to various factory execs and their top employees. She had quickly gained notice as one of the best in the pool.
Not bad for a 21 year old black girl from Queens. Candace made it her mission to continually improve. Today would be her biggest test yet. She had reviewed the file five times already, but it had to be perfect-error free. The papers would require a witnessed signature from Liam Tesano himself . The assignment had been making her giddy for days, but she hadn’t breathed a word of it. These things could change all too quickly, she knew. Even now, while she was taking the corridor to the office where Liam Tesano was scheduled to work from that day, she still wasn’t quite believing it. Later, she’d see if her mother might like to have dinner out at their favorite cafe. She couldn’t wait to rave about her day.
Candace stopped short, still more than halfway from her destination. The sudden obstruction in her path, had her offering apology to the person she’d almost run into. The friendly smile and apology in her amber eyes melded into a kind of dazed wonder as she looked up and up until her head was almost completely back. Gawking at the man who was close enough to touch, she vaguely registered the file slipping from her grasp. The contents splayed on the concrete floor.
“Mr. Tesano,” the greeting drifted out on a gasp. Candace stooped to collect the mess at her feet.
Pitch snapped from his own daze and knelt to join her. He put a hand out to stay hers, but didn’t touch her. “You know who I am?” he asked once she stilled her movements.
Candace kept her head down. “Vicari Tesano, yes sir. Everyone knows who you are.”
She had mispronounced his first name, but he liked it and couldn’t help but to smile. “So is knowing me good or bad?” he inquired.
“It’s not bad,” Candace blinked suddenly as if she were silently reprimanding her words. She inhaled sharply again when his hand folded over her wrist. The affect was eye-catching, the hand smothered her wrist and a good portion of her forearm.
“Here,” Pitch urged her to stand.
Candace frowned when she saw him return to the floor. “Mr. Tesano you-you shouldn’t-” she silenced when he looked up at her. The dazed wonder he sparked in her had once again taken hold.
She’d heard they were all unimaginably good looking. Until now, she had never seen one of them up close. Vicari Tesano put to shame every compliment she had ever heard regarding his looks. He was incredibly tall with an extraordinary bronzed complexion. His muscular build bordered on massive, the dark eyes were accented by a rich soot-colored fringe of insanely long lashes. His stare seemed to tempt her to lose herself in their bottomless depths.
He was smiling. “So you expect me to stand here while you do it?”
“It’s my job,” she made the argument weakly. Helpless to stop, her eyes drifted over his head when he observed the spilled file. His hair was of the same soot color as his lashes, the texture akin to lamb’s wool.
Pitch’s voice was soft when he spoke, but so deep it all but vibrated along the empty corridor. “My dad just told my brothers and me that we need to learn more about the business, how it’s run and who keeps it running. I can’t see why this wouldn’t count as my job too.”
Taken aback, Candace didn’t let her surprise stifle her words. “Thank you,” she managed.
Pitch collected the pages, tucked them back into the folder and stood.
“Thank you-” she watched as he withheld the work when she reached to take it.
“You’re welcome, Miss? I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“Strong,” inwardly Candace cringed over the needy edge to her voice. Her eyes roamed with brazen fascination across his broad frame. Somehow, she managed to shake herself free of whatever spell he’d cast. “Candace Strong, Mr. Tesano.”
He handed her the file. “Everyone calls me Pitch,” he said.
Candace thought she may have imagined it, but could have sworn she heard the faintest clip to his voice. Something gave her the impression he didn’t altogether approve of the name.
“I like Vicari,” she said. “Is it okay to call you that?” Not that you’ll ever have that chance again, a faint voice chimed. She and the gorgeous mountain blocking everything from her sight, didn’t exactly travel in the same social circles.
Pitch gave his consent with a nod and then moved aside to let her pass. It took a few seconds for Candace to get her feet to listen to her brain’s command to move. Her swift steps eventually resumed and she continued her journey down the wide corridor.
Pitch didn’t move until Candace Strong had taken the turn out of his sight at the end of the hallway.
~4~
“But you still believe they’re ready?” Fredrico Nandi spooned out a wealth of freshly grated romano and parmesan cheese over the fettucine with its roasted red onion cream sauce.
Liam grinned at his oldest friend seated across from him at the Sicilian market and diner. The men ate in the dining area along the sidewalk. “I believe they’re more than ready as far as their knowledge of the business is concerned. I’m blessed there,” he said. “Tesano is a diverse business- a lot of avenues for each of them to gravitate toward. So far they all seem eager to learn more...except for Ro.”
Nandi chuffed out a laugh.
Liam shook his head. “If the kid was willing to sacrifice some of his sleeping and eating time maybe I could figure out what part of the company he likes the most.”
There was more laughter.
“He’s still a growing boy, Li,” Nandi pointed out, twirling a heavy ribbon of fettucine around his fork. “But I believe he’s got that same visionary fire that you do.”
“He’s also got a temper,” Liam noted, the admission moving aside some of the pride he felt over Nandi’s words. “I think he got that honest from me and Athena. Hell, I guess all the boys have one... ‘cept for Aaron.” Liam shook his head as if in disbelief. “That one is as steady as a rock. I pity the person that ever crosses him.”
“Still waters, huh?” Nandi guessed.
Liam nodded. “Damn right. I’d feel better if the rest of the boys had some of that cooler behavior, though.”
“They each bring their own talents, Li. You shouldn’t worry. They’ll be valuable assets to whatever arm of the business they pledge allegiance.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Liam sprinkled a scant amount of cheese to his pasta. “I want them to be assets to each other, Ric. Partners. A real family.”
“Ah...you’re overreacting, Paesan. The boys love each other.”
