Read Online The Inn at Dead Man's Point by SUE FINEMAN - Free Book Online

four-year-old living here.
    Al turned to face the hill and held onto the rope, his toes barely grabbing hold of the eroding hillside. “You have to hold me now. Let me down slowly.” The rope gave a little and then a little more, and Al was hanging out over the rocks. If the rope gave way now, he’d be in serious trouble. “Hold real still, Katie. I’m almost there.”
    A few more feet, and he could almost reach her, but reaching her wasn’t enough. He had to get a solid grip on her. “A little more rope, guys.” The rope let out inch by inch, until he wrapped an arm around the kid. “Put your arms around me, honey. That’s my girl. Hold on tight.” As little arms tightened around his neck, he called, “I’ve got her.”
    Sirens sounded above. Help was on the way.
    The first family dinner at his house, and it almost ended in disaster.
    Katie was whimpering when the paramedic peeled her out of Al’s arms, but she was all right. Minutes later, Al was on solid ground being fussed over by his mother.
    And then Jenna stood before him. “Alessandro.” Her eyes filled and spilled over. “Thank you.”
    He acted on impulse, wrapping his arms around Jenna and holding her close while his family watched. “My pleasure,” he whispered, and he wasn’t talking about saving the kid. Jenna fit just right in his arms. Why had he been keeping his distance when this was what he wanted? She was what he wanted.
    Katie pointed to the hill. “Callie fell down.”
    A fireman looked over the hill. “There’s a cat lying on the beach. She’s moving her head and one leg, but she’s not getting up.”
    “Can you get to her?” Jenna asked the fireman.
    “Sure. My little girl has a kitty, too.”
    Sophia watched her youngest son holding the pretty blonde. He’d always been a hero in her eyes, and now he was in everyone’s eyes. He’d saved the little girl from serious injury and now he was comforting her mother. All those uptight women he’d been dating couldn’t touch the compassion in this one. Mattie Worthington was a spiteful old woman who had nothing good to say about Jenna, yet the girl was loving and patient with her.
    She wasn’t sure what was going on between Jenna and Mattie, but she was sure of one thing. Her son had found his match. He might not be aware of it yet, but Sophia knew about love. She’d married the love of her life, and all her kids except this one had finally found love. Nicky and Maria had both been married and divorced, but they’d married again, and they were happy now. One of these days, her youngest son would be happy, too, and she’d have another grandchild to love. Katie was a sweet little girl.
    Alessandro had always been different from the other kids. When Tony and Nick got into mischief, Alessandro watched and listened. When Angelo recited something he was learning for school, Alessandro memorized it along with him. She thought he was quiet because he’d lost his father, and then she realized he was just being himself.
    The other kids all looked out for him when he was a kid, especially Angelo. When they were growing up, Al tagged along after Angelo, read a lot of books, and drew pictures of houses. She was immensely proud of the man he’d turned out to be. Vincent would be proud of him, too. He’d be proud of all of them.
    Alessandro was the only one of her kids with a college degree, and he’d graduated at the top of his class. All those girls who didn’t give him a second glance when he was a teenager gave him come-on looks now, but he was picky about the women he dated. He went out with attorneys and accountants and doctors, serious professional women who were all business. But they weren’t right for him. Alessandro was serious enough. He needed a woman who could teach him to play and have fun.
    Someone like Jenna.
    The family dinner was essentially over, so Al put the injured kitty on the backseat of his car. Ma offered to stay with Mattie while Jenna and Katie went to the