Total Rush by Deirdre Martin

someone else needed a few moments of peace and quiet.”
    Gemma held out her arms. “Hand her over.”
    Theresa smiled proudly as she passed her daughter to Gemma.
    â€œShe’s gorgeous.” Gemma cradled the baby in her arms. Domenica’s perfect, rosebud mouth was closed, but her big green eyes were wide open and curious, framed with the longest lashes Gemma had ever seen. “She’s going to be a stunner.”
    â€œDon’t let Michael hear that. He’ll get on the Internet and order a chastity belt now.” Both women laughed, and Theresa stifled a long yawn. “Sorry. I’m exhausted.”
    â€œYou must be.”
    â€œMiss Thing here likes to sleep all day and stay awake all night.”
    â€œYou should have named her Vampira.”
    â€œCan you suggest herbs or anything?” Theresa asked seriously.
    â€œFor you or for her?”
    â€œBoth. I’m tired, and she’s gassy.”
    â€œShe’s a true Dante. Michael and Anthony used to have farting contests when they were small.”
    Theresa sucked in her cheeks, mildly appalled. “Thanks for sharing that, Gem.”
    â€œMy pleasure. You should take ginseng for energy. As for Princess here”—she brushed her lips against the velvety soft perfection of Domenica’s forehead, reveling in her gorgeous baby scent—“there’s a tonic called Baby’s Bliss Gripewater. You can find it in any good health food store. It’s got fennel and ginger in it, which should relieve stomach pain.”
    Theresa looked grateful as her body slumped farther down the couch. “How can I ever repay you?”
    Gemma’s mouth turned up into a sly smile. “Tell me everything you can about Michael’s adorable firefighter friend, Sean Kennealy.”
    Theresa snorted. “Michael’s friend? I’m the one who invited Sean! I’ve known him for years.”
    Gemma blinked. “But he said he knew Mike through the fire department’s hockey team.”
    â€œWell, maybe he does, but he knows me from the building. He’s been living in the apartment above mine—now yours—for years.” She looked baffled. “I thought for sure you guys already met. You’ve been chatting away all night like bosom buddies.”
    Gemma gingerly handed Domenica back to her mother and edged quietly toward the door. “Can you excuse me a minute? I just remembered something I was supposed to tell Anthony.”
    â€œSure.”
    Leaving the office, Gemma’s mind turned to Sean Kennealy. That devil! she thought, not without affection. Beginning to put two and two together, she went back out to join him at the party. Sean Kennealy didn’t know it yet, but his feet were about to be put to the fire. Only this time, it wouldn’t be in the line of duty.

CHAPTER 04
    The Dante family reminded Sean of his own.
    They were large, close knit, and obviously enjoyed each other’s company. They also knew how to have a good time, if the free flow of wine and spontaneous bursts of song were any indication. But while any friction in his family was subterranean, with the Dantes it was right out in the open. Michael and Anthony were shouting at each other one minute, hugging the next. And despite pointing her out to him, Gemma hadn’t spoken with her mother all evening.
    Gemma. Gem-ma Dan-te.
    Her name sounded musical to him. Lyrical. They’d spent almost the entire party together, and he was seriously attracted to her. She seemed gentle and sweet, a genuinely good person. A bit New Age-y—he was skeptical when she suggested some herb for the carbon monoxide headaches he got from eating smoke. Meditation, herbs, vegetarianism—they weren’t his thing. He was a man who liked steak for dinner, aspirin for headaches, and when he wanted to relax, he read Alan Furst or watched the History Channel. But she was just trying to help. He liked how she looked,