Page 72 of Diners, Damsels & Wolves

“I’m pregnant, not infirm.” She swatted his hand away. “Are you going to introduce me?”

“Maria, this is Clarissa. Clarissa, this is my sister, Maria.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Maria beamed. “Do you mind if I steal you away from my brother for a moment?”

“Maria,” he growled.

Maria looked at him pointedly. “Sam is at the grill; he needs some help. I don’t want to be left alone.”

“I can send someone else to help Sam,” Tom said.

“Sam needs to speak with you about the territory issue at the lumberyard.”

Tom’s jaw clenched, his back going rigid. He turned to Clarissa. “Forgive me, I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said.

“Take your time!” Maria called after him.

When he was across the lawn, she turned to Clarissa. “Walk with me?” Maria inclined her head to a bench in the shade.

“Sure,” she choked out, trying to look enthusiastic. Fear was pulsing through her so hard her hands were starting to shake.

Maria sat down in a huff. Kicking out her legs, she rubbed her stomach.

“I am so ready for this baby to be born.” Maria laughed. “My ankles are three times their normal size and I haven’t slept in days.”

“From my understanding, you won’t be getting much sleep once they’re born either.”

“That is very true.” Maria looked out across the lawn, then back at Clarissa. “A bit overwhelming, isn’t it?”

“Am I that obvious?” Clarissa asked, trying to swallow the panic bubbling in her chest.

“Oh, you’re fine.” Maria waved a hand at her. “I just know there’s a lot of us.”

“Tom told me he had a big family, I just didn’t imagine … this, and everyone’s watching me.”

“It’s nothing personal, really. Tom, he’s been alone for a while. He’s so focused on taking care of everyone else, he’s been neglecting his own happiness.”

“I see.” Clarissa chewed on her lip, mulling over everything she’d learned today.

Hearing that she was the source of Tom’s happiness made a small part of her sing. The larger part of her, however, was terrified. What would happen if they became serious, him becoming more attached, then they got into a fight? If she was no longer the source of his happiness, what would his ‘family’ do to her?

Once more, he was sending people to the diner to watch her, but for what purpose? He didn’t seem possessive when she was with him, but he also didn’t seem like a mob boss. Did she want to stick around long enough to find out?

She didn’t like this, not one bit. How the hell had she gotten herself into this situation? And how was she going to get out of it? Did she want out?

“That’s a beautiful carving.”

Maria’s voice pulled her back to the present.

“What?” she asked.

“Your necklace, the wolf carving, it’s beautiful. Did you make it?”

“Oh, this.” Clarissa had slipped her father’s necklace on before leaving. “My father made it. He gave it to me before he died.”

“I’m sorry to have brought it up,” Maria said.

“No, it’s fine, really. He and Mom died so long ago.”