She drove to the Library of Congress. If there was information to be found, it was in one of those buildings. Finding a place in the Main Reading Room, she put her back pack on a chair then headed over to an unoccupied computer terminal. She found several articles on the best cities to live from magazines. From there, she went on to locate each State’s statistics and books describing the areas in which the “best” cities were located.
She handed her initial request to a librarian, then went back to get more titles. She deviated from the list of “best” cities by looking up areas that she thought might be a little different from Washington, D.C. She requested information on Montana, California, Washington State, Massachusetts and Vermont.
By the time she finished at the computer, there was already a stack of books waiting for her, delivered by a mysterious library worker. So she sat down and started reading, taking notes on the various places. She worked throughout the afternoon without realizing the time. She looked up around seven o’clock only because her stomach started growling. Skipping breakfast, lunch and dinner weren’t a good idea, she told herself.
Antonia grabbed a bite from a small restaurant, then saw a movie, a romantic comedy that allowed her a little time to relax and forget her current predicament.
By the time she left the movie, it was late. She started her motorcycle again, driving straight to the house. She parked her bike behind the garage, hoping no one would tamper with it again, but knowing she could fix anything that they tried to unplug. She’d had so many problems with this bike, she’d basically taken it apart several times over. Each time something broke, she fixed it herself because she couldn’t justify the expense of a mechanic when she could read a book and do the repairs herself.
She heard voices in the front of the house as she entered from the back, but she couldn’t hear the words or distinguish the voices. She assumed that her brothers were having some sort of business meeting, so she walked by the door and headed for the staircase.
“Antonia!” she heard from behind her.
It was Brett’s voice.
Turning slowly, she faced all five of her brothers and one very angry Brett. Pasting a bright smile on her face, she ventured to ask, “What’s wrong?”
Brett pushed his hands through his hair which looked like it had seen a lot of frustration in the last few hours. Coming forward he demanded, “Where the hell have you been?”
Antonia took a step back, intimidated by his anger. “Out,” she said.
Swearing under his breath, “Doing what?” he asked. “Research,” she said, smiling again, refusing to take another step back or show him how frightened she was of his current temper.
“Researching what?” he asked. “What could possibly take ten hours to research?” he asked.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thomas, Giuseppe, Michael and Carlo follow Sal back into the library and close the doors, leaving Antonia and Brett in private. For once, she was extremely grateful for all the manners her parents instilled in them.
“I researched many things. Why? Do you want an exact accounting? There were several magazines, a few books, some newsletters and financial reports.”
Brett stared at her, stunned. “You’ve been researching businesses all this time?”
“And then I went to a movie,” she said, not confirming or denying the subject of her research.
“You did?”
“Yes.”
“What businesses were you researching?”
Antonia couldn’t think fast enough. And she knew Brett saw the telltale blush on her cheeks. “You said I was researching businesses. I only said research.”
Swearing under his breath, he pulled her down the stairs and into the music room which was on the opposite side of the hallway from the library. Closing the doors, Brett turned back to her, leaning against the doorway and crossing his arms over his chest.
“Well, what were you researching? And why do you have an aversion to the car I gave you? Is it the wrong color? Do you have a death wish? Is that why you drive that contraption out there?”
She was glad he changed the subject. She had lied to her brothers for so long and hated it. But she didn’t think she could lie to Brett.
“I don’t dislike the car. I think it’s beautiful. But I didn’t buy it so I don’t want it.”
“So anything I give you, you’ll throw back at me?” “I didn’t throw it back. What’s wrong with my motorcycle? It gets me from point A to point B.”
“What if you get hit?”
“I haven’t. What if I get hit in the Porsche?”
“You’ll have more protection in that than you will on the motorcycle.”
“Its interesting that you think I’ll be safer in the car. I’ve already been pulled over by the police in the car and you just gave it to me a few days ago. I’ve never gotten a ticket, or even been pulled over while driving my motorcycle.”
“Touché,” Brett said and laughed. “Ok, do what you want. I don’t care if you drive the car or not. Its there for you to do what you want with.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m going upstairs now. I’m really exhausted.”
Brett looked at her face and noticed the dark circles under her eyes, but he didn’t move out from in front of the doors. “Aren’t you sleeping well?” he asked, reaching out and touching her cheek gently.
“Not last night,” she said.
“I didn’t either,” he said and pulled her close enough so the lower half of their bodies were touching. “I thought about you all night, wondering what you were sleeping in.”
Antonia blushed and looked away from him. “Why?”
“Because you weren’t right next to me. I imagined you the same way you were the other night,” he said, referring to the night they’d made love until the morning. “And it drove me crazy.”
Laughing, she said, “I sleep in a tee-shirt.”
“Hmmm. Going to have to do something about that,” he said, his voice husky.
“What would you like me to wear?” she asked, her imagination sparked despite herself.
Brett chuckled. “Nothing,” he said without hesitating. Antonia rolled her eyes. “Well, besides that,” she said.
His eyes were heavy as he looked down her figure. “How about a silk nightgown. One that came down to here,” he said, indicating her mid thigh, “and here,” he said, moving his hand up to a point right above her nipples.