Chapter 27
ENZO
Ismile when I see the whiteboard sign outside Love at First Sip. “The Frenemy” is written on it with a green Sharpie, perhaps because I still have Lucia’s red one—along with the promise that I can use it to write on her face at a time of my choosing.
Beneath it is scrawled,
You decide if you love it or hate it, and enter your vote!
Lucia has an eye for marketing, it seems. Now I’m even more interested in seeing her plans for the app.
I hadn’t planned on going into the café until later, but I push through the door of the Sip as if gravity is indeed messed up and it’s Lucy who changed the laws.
I escorted her home last night—to the door I’ve left all those notes at—and she told me she’d consider my offer. And also that we shouldn’t sleep together again until we’ve renegotiated our rules.
I almost told her that I was Lobster Stalker. I wanted to tell her.
But I’m still worried she might be disappointed…or, worse, that she might shut me out entirely.
Eileen is behind the counter of the café, but there’s no sign of Lucy.
“Oh, do come in,” she says cheerfully, with a broad smile. “I’ll make you a Frenemy.”
There’s only one other customer—the old-timer who’s been here on every other occasion I’ve come in. I consider my options, then settle on staying and let the door shut behind me.
“Where’s Lucy?” I let myself ask.
“At home working,” Eileen says. “She has the next two days off to finish her online classes. But she sent me the recipe for your special drink, and I just had to put it on the menu today.” She considers me shrewdly before she starts making my drink, humming under her breath.
“It’s too sweet,” the old-timer mutters.
Eileen gives him the kind of cross look I didn’t think she had in her, then continues working with the machines.
“I’ve heard all about your plans for cross-promotion, of course,” she tells me.
“Lovely Audrey next door told me about the whoopie pie, and I’ve spoken with Portia about the candy.
It’s an inspired idea. I hope this means you’re considering staying in Hideaway Harbor, Enzo. It would mean so much to all of us.”
I scratch the back of my neck. “That depends…”
Her gaze lifts to mine, piercing. “On my young friend?”
“Yes,” I admit, figuring I might as well go for honesty. I love my family, but if I stay, it’ll be because of Lucy. “But she doesn’t seem inclined to take me seriously. I guess you can say I’ve gotten in my own way.”
She pauses, a smile spreading across her face. I feel a trap closing around me, but if she wants to set me up with Lucy, we have complementary goals.
“Oh, Enzo, I’m so pleased. I knew you were much too honorable to trifle with her heart.”
“I don’t know about that,” I say, rubbing my chest. Feeling like a bit of an asshole for the way I’ve pursued Lucy.
“I gave you an opening, you know,” she says with a grin. “Erica and I did. When she texted me about your auction, I asked her to bid on you for Lucy.”
“Lucy told me about that last night. She said Erica made a mistake,” I say, my pulse speeding up.
“Erica and I never make mistakes. Now, I will admit we would have been equally happy had she fallen in love with Hudson, but that was never meant to be. There’s no fire there.”
“Maybe because his job is to put out fires,” I say, still feeling a little salty about Hudson. Ridiculous, obviously, but there it is. I’m annoyed at any man who’s ever held her hand.
“Oh, aren’t you funny,” she says, then finishes making the cappuccino.
Two cappuccinos, I realize, when she pours them into two to-go cups.
“Well, you’ll bring her this cappuccino, of course, and perhaps you’ll go next door to ask Audrey for one of the test whoopie pies she’s been working on.
But you’ll need to do more than that to charm our girl.
My dear Lucy will want to know you’re earnest about exploring Hideaway Harbor’s magic with her. ”
“She told you about that, did she?” I ask, embarrassed.
“Of course, she tells me everything.”
Jesus, let’s hope not.
“This weekend, you have the perfect opportunity to show her you mean business. I’ll give her both days off, of course. There’s the Santa Fun Run, caroling in the town square, and I heard a certain famous actor will be roaming around town.”
“Amanda Willis.”
“No, Brody King,” she says, her eyes practically sparkling with expectation.
I’m guessing I don’t give her the reaction she’s looking for, but honestly, I have no idea who he is and care even less. Still, maybe Lucy would be into all the festivities, so I shrug. “Okay.”
“And on Sunday, I know Lucy signed up to read stories to the children at the library. You can read with her.”
The thought makes the back of my neck itch again. It reminds me a little too much of reading stories like that to my brothers and sister when I was younger. Trying to keep their excitement alive, though mine had died in the process.
“Maybe,” I hedge.
“Then there’s the woolen sock race that afternoon.”
I nearly swear, but catch myself. “That’s a lot of activities. Has anyone ever considered relaxing over the holidays?”
“Oh no,” she says after handing the cups over. “We have the rest of the year to relax.” She snaps her fingers just as I’m taking a sip of my drink. “Make sure you ask her about her vagina. Women love it when men take an interest in their hobbies.”
I choke on the cappuccino.
“You’ve killed the boy,” the old-timer remarks from his table.
“He’s perfectly fine, Wayne,” she grouses. “Maybe you can even come to our next Crochet Club meeting, Enzo. We don’t only crochet vaginas.”
“Yeah, no thanks,” I say, relieved her advice was about yarn. Then I lift the cups. “Thank you for these, and for the advice. Can I pay you?”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Not a great way to run a business, Eileen,” Wayne says.
The two of them start bickering as I head for the door, and I’m surprised to find myself smiling.
There’s something about them that reminds me of Lucy and me.
But I pause on the threshold and turn back. Eileen and Wayne are in between verbal jabs, giving me an opening to ask something that’s been on my mind lately. “Eileen, are you Lady Lovewatch?”
She laughs. “Why, of course not.”
“You think she’d admit it if she were?” Wayne asks with a grunt.
“Well, no, I suppose I wouldn’t,” Eileen says, frowning, “but it isn’t me, all the same. I’m no more her than I’m the Hideaway Elf.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if she were both, but I just nod and leave the Sip.
I head next door, where Audrey gives me a whole box of whoopie pies.
A sense of purpose pounds in my chest. I’m going to show Lucy I mean business. But as I’m passing the stairway leading down to Hidden Italy, I hear my brother calling my name.
It’s Giovanni, standing in front of the door. “You got breakfast, and you’re holding out on me?”
Giovanni and I have discussed the developments with Lucy—loosely, because there’s no way I’d speak disrespectfully about her—and his advice has stayed consistent. Stop being a putz and show her you’re interested.
I also told him more about the situation involving my job. Because he was right—he deserved for me to stop treating him like I was his problem solver and just be his brother.
“I’ll be back,” I say, feeling a powerful need to get to Lucy, as if a cord is tugging me back to the apartment building.
“Somebody called for you,” he says, giving me a searching look. “Said they couldn’t get through to your cell phone.”
“Shocking,” I say with a laugh. “I’ll call them when I get back.”
“They said it was urgent. Something about business, and it was a New York number, Enzo.”
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end.
New York. Business. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe I left a framed photo of my family in my office, and they’re offering to give it back before they throw it in the bin.
But I’m starting to trust my instincts again, and my instincts are telling me this call is significant in some way.
Still, I say, “Can’t be too urgent if it’s a call from New York. I’ve got more important things to do.”
“Yeah, you do,” he says with a cheesy smile. “Damn straight.”