Chapter 14 #3
“You’re being rude,” I say hotly, feeling a flush rise into my cheeks.
He’s right, though. I haven’t spoken with anyone at Hidden Italy.
I felt self-conscious about trying to go over there after Nonna Francesca’s ban, but the real reason was that I hadn’t wanted to run into him.
“We’re trying to have a private conversation. ”
He lifts his palms up. “Of course. I’ll entertain myself.”
And he actually does. He quietly studies his phone while Hudson and I exchange small talk about Hideaway Harbor, my classes, his work at the fire department, and his family.
The server reappears to set Enzo’s dish down in front of him, momentarily distracting me, and walks off to get ours.
Then Hudson’s phone issues a loud beep. He pulls it out of his pocket and checks the screen, instantly swearing under his breath.
“I’m so sorry, Lucy. I almost never get called in when I’m not on shift.
I’ve got to go. I’ll settle up with the server, but can we do this again sometime? ”
“Of course,” I say, wondering if he means it or if it’s part of the act. “I totally get it. I had a lot of fun tonight.” I mean it. He’s a nice guy with plenty to say, but if Eileen and Erica sensed even the slightest hint of flirtation between us, they’d probably send out wedding invitations.
Besides, there’s no real chemistry, no click. I can’t imagine him kissing me, let alone undressing me.
Not once did I feel like the restaurant had narrowed down to only the two of us.
Hudson and I both stand. I hug him, feeling nothing but a pleasant awareness of his very impressive strength, and he leaves after nodding to Enzo.
“Alone at last,” Enzo says as soon as he’s out of earshot. “You know, he wouldn’t be half bad for your random sex plan. He’s good-looking, nice enough, and he wouldn’t tell anyone. Too bad Erica’s his mother. She’d have you in a white dress before Christmas.”
Is he a mind reader, too?
“How do you know I haven’t already found someone for my devious plan?” I ask. “For all you know, I’ve already done it.”
We have a stare-off for several seconds, his dark, heavily lashed eyes making me squirm.
Finally, he says, “You haven’t.”
“That’s what you think.”
He grins at me. “Is my next line ‘I know you are, but what am I?’”
“You do act like a playground bully most of the time,” I retort.
His grin stretches wider. “There we go, the perfect segue. I know you are, but what am I?”
Damn it, I’m half tempted to laugh, but I hold it in. He doesn’t get to make me laugh. If using my vibrator while thinking of him would be a loss, then so would that.
“I’m getting my dinner to go,” I say tightly, annoyance making my blood hot. Yes, totally just annoyance.
He gets up and sits in the other chair at his table, placing him across from me, where he can look directly at me.
“You’d prefer eating at home alone? I thought you loved downtown Hideaway Harbor.
” He waves to the window and the view of the harbor stretched out in front of us. “This isn’t doing it for you, Lucia?”
“You keep calling me that, but you know my name’s Lucy.”
“In Italian it would be Lucia. You look like more of a Lucia to me.”
My body pulses with need, but I push it down, refusing to give in to that either. “You don’t get to choose my name.”
“You can give me a nickname, too, if you like.”
“Will you answer to asshole?”
He grins at me, a devastating smile that lights up his usually serious, broody face and makes him look like the devil himself, fashioned to lure a woman into sin. “If you call me that, yes, I believe I’d answer.”
His words travel through me like a shock wave, but I steel myself against them. “Why did you want to have dinner with me, anyway? We don’t like each other.”
“Who says I don’t like you? Maybe I’m just sour that you’re using my balls for target practice.”
“You’re the one who gave me the idea.”
“See.” He raises his eyebrows. “It’s not so bad, letting me be in control.”
“I am not sleeping with you,” I say. “So you can stop asking.”
Of course, that’s when the server walks over to check on us. She looks at me like I’m a madwoman, and I clear my throat and ask for my food to go.
“Sorry, Nadine,” Enzo says, taking out his thin leather wallet and removing his credit card. “Could I possibly have mine to go too? We’ll both be leaving.”
She looks a little put out, but she gives him a tight smile as she picks up his plate. “Of course. No trouble at all.”
I wait until she’s several feet away and then say, “I am not leaving with you.”
“I’d like to help you with your app.”
“You didn’t even know about my app until a few minutes ago.”
“But now I’m deeply invested. I’d like to earn a place for Hidden Italy on it. I hope you won’t let your dislike of me cloud your opinion of our family business.”
“Your grandmother’s the one who originally banned me,” I remind him. “Besides, the app is just a silly class assignment. It’ll probably never amount to anything else. There’s already a town app, anyway.”
He shrugs. “It’s shit.”
I try not to laugh. “How do you know mine isn’t?”
“I know. As for my grandmother…” He glances around, then leans across his table toward me, his smile fading into something more serious.
“Between you and me, Lucia, Nonna Francesca shouldn’t be working anymore.
She’s a Cafiero, though, and she’s having a hard time giving it up.
I’m not saying she’s never banned anyone from the shop before now, but usually she’d be more reasonable about it. ”
Surprise radiates through me. It’s obvious he’s telling me something real, something that’s been bothering him.
“I upset her yesterday,” I say ruefully, feeling a stirring of guilt.
“Yes, but these days she’s easily upset. A few days ago, she ranted for hours about a tourist who didn’t realize there would be cheese on his chicken parmigiana sub.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, meaning it this time. “I know what it’s like to watch someone decline. Your grandmother seems…”
He laughs darkly. “She’s not a nice woman, no, not like your Eileen. But she’s loyal and strong, and she makes the best parmigiana known to man.”
I nod. “She does. I’ve missed it.”
He grins smugly, but I don’t mind. He can have this round.
“I wasn’t going to keep Hidden Italy off the app,” I add. “I just asked Eileen about your family business instead of your brothers and grandmother. Eileen knows a lot about this town, and she’s always fair.”
“She is. And thank you for being fair to us, too,” he says. “I expected nothing less.”
“You want something,” I accuse, because he’s being much too nice to me.
The way he looks at me in response has me squeezing my cloth napkin.
“You know what I want,” he says, his voice husky.
I check all around me for listening ears before answering in an undertone, “You want to prove you’re not bad in bed.”
He shrugs one shoulder, his expression entirely smug. “If you’d like to look at it that way.”
“It’s never going to happen,” I say, my heart thumping faster as vivid images begin assailing my head. Enzo dipping his head to kiss me. Enzo unzipping his pants. Enzo—
My mouth is suddenly as dry as the desert. I sip more bad wine, then frown at the bitter taste.
“Take mine if you like,” he says, nodding to his glass. “Or your friend’s. I doubt he’ll be back.”
“I like my wine,” I lie. “But I think you’re an arrogant jerk.”
“I am an arrogant jerk. But let’s set that aside for now. I’d like to give you a personal tour of Hidden Italy and answer any questions you might have. Can we have a temporary truce, for the sake of Hideaway Harbor?”
I hope I look as unimpressed as I am. “You’ve made it very clear how you feel about Hideaway Harbor.”
“Nevertheless, my brothers and my grandmother live here, and my sister will come back someday. I care about Hidden Italy and Hideaway for their sake.” He taps his forehead.
“Something tells me this app of yours will be more than just a class assignment someday, and I want our deli to be part of it.” A grin stretches across his face.
“If they ever fix the problem with the internet.”
It feels like a moment of truth.
If I walk away, maybe he’ll leave me alone.
If I go with him, then…
I have no idea what will happen, and there’s something thrilling about the not knowing.
Maybe that’s why I roll my eyes but find myself nodding at the same time. “Okay. But I’m only doing it for Hideaway.”
“Of course.”