Chapter 7
seven
. . .
Miles
“Susan, have I told you how much I appreciate and value you?” I asked my office manager, who returned my praise with a deadpan stare.
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling because I knew this look.
She knew how grateful I was that she and her husband Don had come with us from NorCal to San Diego. But she hated when I gushed.
“If you’re making a pass at me after all these years, I’ve got to tell you that Don is starting to take Krav Maga and can flatten you like a bug.” She walked out of my office, leaving my door wide open like my mouth.
“Did, did you just make a joke?” I blurted out to her retreating back.
“You wish, Austin.” With that, she disappeared. I couldn’t wait to tell Luke about this. He had tried to get her to smile for years, which was hilarious, since they had been mirror images of each other until Sofia came into his life.
I leaned back in my chair and ran my fingers through my short beard. I thought I’d seen a gray hair there the other morning while brushing my teeth, and it almost made me choke. Thirty-two wasn’t old, but some days my body reminded me that my twenties were a distant memory.
Why this thought made my mind drift to Vicky wasn’t a mystery after the group text Luke and I received last night. Picking up my phone and scrolling back to it, I let out a resigned sigh. There was no need to read it, since I had memorized it word for word.
My thumb hovered over the words anyway, as the same feeling of dread washed over me as when I first got the text.
Enzo Lazzara: Hey, guys. I meant to reach out when Vicky first got there. Please look out for my baby sister. She’s never really experienced, well, anything outside of Rome. If she needs anything you know of, please let me know. Thanks.
Luke: Hey, man. Vicky’s doing great. Miles needs a decorator, so he’s her first client! Be proud of her. We’re all looking out for her.
Enzo Lazzara: Just as long as she stays focused on work. Nothing else.
Me: Will make sure of it. Don’t worry
I groaned as the thought echoed in my mind.
Enzo was making it perfectly clear: Stay away from his younger sister.
As if the glare he shot me at his wedding last year hadn’t already made that obvious.
I just wish he could see her the way I did.
She was just out of university and moved to another country to pursue her career. Who does that?
Yes, she was only twenty-four, but she had a magnetic pull within her that drew everyone around her in. Her shyness was sweet. Adorable really. But beneath it all, there were glimpses of a strength and courage her own brother didn’t seem to recognize in her.
His baby sister.
I scoffed and pushed my phone aside. Yeah, that’s not what I saw when I looked at Victoria Lazzara.
I was convinced that there were layers to Vicky that I’d be lucky to discover.
I heard her laughing when I entered the house the other night, and it was like listening to the most beautiful music.
Her amber eyes held a depth I wanted to delve into.
The way she looked and smiled at my daughter rendered me speechless. MJ had her full attention, and I could see Vicky scribbling in that notebook, trying not to miss a thing. The thought of the two of them dancing in her room was enough to keep me awake at night.
And those curves. Blowing out a loud exhale, I rubbed my face and tried to erase the image of her in those jeans.
“Inappropriate, Miles,” I muttered to myself, getting back to work. “She doesn’t need some guy drooling over her.” Why did I say that? Now the thought of some guy drooling over her was like swallowing a rock.
“Miles?” A knock on my open door startled me, and I looked up to find one of my new coders, Nathan, staring at me. “You okay? Is this a bad time?”
Shaking my head, I practically shouted, “No, no. Come in. Let’s get started.” I desperately needed the distraction.
A few days later, on Friday night, I was rushing around my house, grabbing toys and books and putting them in place because Vicky was coming over to discuss some design ideas with me.
She had emailed me a few options for the living room earlier in the week.
MJ and I had picked out a gray upholstered L-shaped sectional that ended up being made of an incredibly soft fabric.
She and I fought over the chaise after the sectional arrived two days ago.
There were also two matching wide chairs, one large enough for two people, where MJ and I now read together before bed.
It didn’t surprise me at all that Vicky listened and chose exactly what I’d want from my brief description.
It was as if she understood without me having to explain it.
She seemed to notice small details others might have missed.
Like how my daughter loved what she called “fuzzy” pillows.
So, when the furniture arrived, there was a separate box with six perfectly matched fuzzy throw pillows, along with a note.
“MJ, here are your new pillows for the sofa. I hope you love them!” -Vicky
She squealed when the box was ripped open and she saw two sets of three different pillows in various shapes and shades of gray and yellow. Well, goldenrod, to be exact, according to MJ. She couldn’t believe that Vicky had remembered her saying it was her new favorite color.
Straightening them out as I checked my watch for the twentieth time since I got home from work, I praised myself for insisting that we meet here instead of at my office.
Vicky discovered that our office buildings weren’t very far apart downtown and offered to visit me there after work.
Pushing away the thoughts of her intimidating brother pummeling me for wanting to spend my time with her in a more relaxed setting, I reminded myself once again that this was just a job for her.
When the doorbell rang, all those normal thoughts melted like cotton candy at a kid’s party. Suddenly, I felt like I was back in high school with sweaty pits and palms. Quickly checking both, I fluffed the pillows again. That wasn’t something I thought I’d ever do.
“Don’t be ridiculous, you idiot. This isn’t a date.”
I really needed to stop talking to myself. Vicky was here to show me her plans for MJ’s room. Nothing more.
Deep breath in and out. Okay, now I’m prepared.
Taking one last look around the house, I strode to the door and wrenched it open.
Oh, boy. I was wrong. I was so not prepared.
Vicky stood in my doorway, laptop bag slung over her shoulder, her phone in hand, and a smile on her face.
She wore a wrap dress, similar to the one she had worn to her brother’s wedding in Positano, but this one was emerald-green.
It had a deep V-neck but not scandalous.
Around her neck, covering the empty space, was a gold necklace with a large brown stone pendant.
Long, thin earrings, resembling wind chimes, dangled from her ears.
I had no idea when I started paying attention to women’s fashion, but here I was, admiring her outfit like I was on one of those reality fashion shows.
Her smile grew wider as she watched me, one eyebrow raised in amusement.
Oh no. Was I staring? I was staring, wasn’t I? Say something!
“You’re here!” I exclaimed.
Yeah, it’s official. I’m an idiot.
“Hi. Yes, I am,” she answered, blinking at the assault on her ears, her head tilting back a bit.
When she shifted her feet, I looked down and saw she was in heels.
I had to fight the urge to bite my fist. She shifted her laptop bag, which was perched on her shoulder, higher.
I lunged for it, thinking it might be heavy.
She instinctively pulled back in surprise, her heel catching on the welcome mat my mom had put there a few days ago.
Apparently, turning into Superman, I tossed the bag over my shoulder while simultaneously grabbing onto her wrist with my other hand just before she fell back. I must’ve pulled a little too hard because we landed chest to chest, both of us breathing heavily from the near fall.
Yeah, that’s why you sound like an asthmatic, Miles. Sure.
Her perfume, the one I caught a whiff of at the wedding, filled my space, and it was all I could do not to bury my nose in her neck, which was now just inches from my face.
That wouldn’t be awkward, would it?
“Vicky, I’m so so sorry,” I finally managed to croak out. I took a step back, my mind protesting wildly.
“It, it’s alright. Um, hi,” she said awkwardly, making me chuckle at how ridiculous this was. She snickered, and before we could stop ourselves, we were both laughing so hard that she was wiping away tears from her eyes.
“Wow, can’t take me anywhere. Here. Please come in before I do anything else that would embarrass me. Again.” I stepped back into the house, holding the door open for her.
“You have no idea how much I needed that laugh. It’s been a tough week at work. Thank you. I feel so much better now,” she said, slipping out of her heels once inside and leaving them at the door.
Turning to me, she asked, “Sorry, this okay? I don’t think I could take them a minute longer.”
Seeing her so suddenly at ease with me revealed how much I wanted that. Her long lashes blinked once as she looked up at me to confirm her request.
“Of course, of course. Take off whatever you’d like.”
I froze, frantic that she might have misunderstood me. Looking away, I waited for her to slap me.
“Oh boy, I did not mean it that way. I’m so sorry.
I, I just wanted you to feel comfortable here.
Please don’t be offended. I was not trying to be smooth.
Don’t think I have ever been smooth, just so you know.
I’m a computer nerd, a geek to the core.
So very not smooth.” I was rambling like a fool and wished for a time machine.
But when I looked down at her, she was pursing her lips together, obviously trying not to laugh. Grateful that she just accepted my dorky side, I sighed in relief.