Chapter 26 #2
“I said a lot of things,” I tell him wryly, embarrassed. I’ve barely told anyone about my idea other than the professors I’m working with at the school and Charlie.
“This one made more of an impact than what you said about cheese curls. You told me it was for caregivers.”
“Yeah,” I say, feeling a swell of nerves.
I don’t know much about what Enzo used to do, other than that he’s a successful businessman.
So he’d probably know whether or not it’s a stupid idea.
Knowing him, he might very well tell me if it is.
“It’s just…I spent all those years with my mom, when she was sick, and it occurred to me that there should be one app that supports caregivers by reminding them about things like an exercise schedule and medicines, but also helps them take care of themselves.
That’s always the hardest part. Remembering to eat.
To wash your hair. To read a book or do something else for yourself.
” I shrug self-consciously. “Anyway, there are probably a million different alternatives out there, but I have a unique idea for how to structure it, and I wanted to learn how to do it. I like teaching myself new things. It makes life more interesting.”
“I’d like to see it,” he says again, his forehead furrowing. “It’s a good idea.”
We rock a little more as I consider his offer. “CareWise is mostly at the idea stage. That’s why I’m trying to develop my skills. But I built the app for the town shops in a similar way.”
“You only really need for it to be at the idea stage,” he says, raising his eyebrows.
“If it’s a good idea, you can hire other people to build it and oversee their work to make sure it’s what you want.
But you’ll have to establish an office outside of Hideaway sooner rather than later.
The internet’s not consistent enough here. ”
“I’ve thought about that, but it wouldn’t need to be far away. There are people who commute.”
He nods. “You wouldn’t have to go all the way to Bangor, just away from the mountains. Might be hard during the winter, but you could make it work.”
I can only smile at him. “Already solving all my problems and setting up my fictional office. That’s a very Enzo way of doing things.”
“And insisting on doing everything yourself sounds like your way of doing things. You were your mother’s caregiver for years, but you don’t need to take care of everything yourself. You can delegate.”
My smile stretches wide. “Is this your way of letting me know other people can do things for me?”
“Yes.”
I give him a searching look, contemplating a nagging thought. “Are you responsible for taking care of the ‘Jingle Bells’ doorbell for me?”
“That depends. Do you consider it another instance of overreach?”
I give a theatrical shudder. “No. I’m too grateful.”
“Then yes. Perhaps I sent it to sleep with the fishes. Or had a friendly adult conversation with Eileen about it.” He hesitates before saying, “I’m interested in this app. It may be useful for my brothers and me, taking care of Nonna Francesca. I’ll help you.”
I turn toward him in disbelief. “You want to help me with CareWise?”
“Is that so hard to believe?”
“Yes, actually.”
He clutches his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Lucia. But if you need it to be a bargain, we’ll make one. Those Advent calendar challenges you get from Eileen every day…I’d like to work on them with you. If you’ll let me do that, I’ll help with your app.”
I narrow my gaze at him, searching for his angle, almost wanting to find it. Because I’m afraid to believe he might mean it. “Not a very good bargain for you. Both of those things would both benefit me.”
“I’m glad to hear you enjoy my company so much,” he says with a smile, but it falters slightly. “I want to see what you see when you look at Hideaway Harbor. I want to know if I still can.”
This shakes me to my core.
I want to believe him. I want to think this strange relationship between us can grow and change—that we can too. But I’m so afraid to feel things for a man who already has one foot out the door.
“It’s not really in keeping with the frenemies-with-benefits agreement,” I say at last. I’m not sure which of us moved to face the other—maybe both—but only inches separate our mouths now. His face looks more intense, cast in shadow, and I feel my pulse pick up.
“Maybe I’m sick of following the rules,” he says, his gaze lowering to my mouth.
He leans in slightly, and I feel myself doing the same, but I stop with a couple of inches still left between our lips. “You’ve never liked following rules. You make them your own.”
“Yes,” he says, the words practically whispered into my mouth. “And it just so happens I’d like to change your rule.”
“Oh?” I say, my lips even nearer to his.
Anyone walking past could see us in here, nearly kissing, but the thought doesn’t make me retreat.
“Yes. You called us frenemies with benefits. Lucia, I’m not sure whether you’ve realized this, but that implies we’re friends and enemies. Friends spend time together. They don’t just—”
I press my finger over his lips and glance through the front window, worried that Nonna Francesca didn’t go upstairs like she said and is spying. Or maybe she has crazy sonar hearing.
He sucks my finger into his mouth, and I gasp at the unexpected sensation. “Enzo.”
“Although I have no problem fucking you whenever you want either.”
“You’re bad,” I say.
He presses his forehead to mine. “Yes. But I still think the Italian Stallion is a terrible name. Let’s call our cappuccino the Frenemy.”
“Not romantic enough. It needs to be romantic.”
“Feels pretty romantic to me,” he says, edging close enough that I can feel him forming the words.
Then he leans in and kisses me there, on his grandmother’s swing, on the front porch of her house, and I can feel the walls surrounding my heart crack for him.
We make out on his grandmother’s porch like teenagers, pausing every now and then to talk, until she cracks open the door who-knows-how-long later.
“Stop this nonsense and come inside to fix my television. I need to watch my programs.”
I’m mortified, but I don’t miss the small, satisfied smile on her face.
After I return to my own place later that night, I pull out the letter from my neighbor. My plan was to open it when I got home, but I don’t. I keep it in its envelope beside my bed.