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Ella went quiet for a moment. “No,” she said with a sad laugh. “I mean I love my family and the restaurant, of course, but it’s not my passion. It’s my grandfather’s and my brother Enzo’s. I gave up my passion when my grandma died to help my grandfather get back on his feet.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Six years.”
Lucas eyed her curiously. “That’s a long time.”
“Who can put a timeframe on healing?”
“You can’t, but you also can’t let life pass you by because one day you’re going to look back and wonder, and you don’t want that.”
“I’ve kind of accepted it for now.”
“What were you going to school for?” he asked.
“Interior design. I love working with people and transforming their spaces into a representation of who they are. A well-designed room can tell you a lot about a person.”
“Really?”
“Tell me what your place is like back in California.”
“I have a couch, a desk, a TV, a couple stools at the island in my kitchen. That’s about it.”
“You lean on the side of practical. You don’t care about what the space looks like as long as it’s functional. You probably don’t spend a lot of time there, so creating an atmosphere isn’t much of a concern either. Am I close?”
“I never actually heard it put into words before, but yes. You hit the nail right on the head.”
“See.”
“So why step away from it? You can still work at the restaurant, help your family and do interior design on the side. Just like your friend with the ice cream shop.”
“I do. My brother Marco let me decorate his place. Enzo said come fall I can take a stab at his place. And I helped Krissy with hers.”
“Did you charge them?”
“Of course not! I would never charge family. Besides, I’m not doing it to make money. I enjoy it and I want my family to live in a space that best evokes who they are.”
“You’re selling yourself short. You could totally charge for your services. Make a business out of it.”
“I never even finished my degree.”
“A designer doesn’t need a piece of paper to prove their talent. They just need to show what they’re capable of. You should take pictures of your brother’s place and Krissy’s and start a portfolio. It couldn’t hurt. Then one day in the future, if you decide you want to pursue a career, you’ll already have the foundation to get you started. You can build a website, get business cards made, and hand them out around town.”
She laughed. “You are such a business man.”
“Sorry. Sometimes I can’t turn it off.”
“It’s okay. It’s kind of adorable actually.”
“Is it now?” he asked, moving closer to her. He framed the sides of her face with the tips of his fingers and lowered his mouth to hers. His lips moved against hers and the tip of his tongue slid past her teeth.
Every nerve ending in her body sparked to life as he deepened the kiss. She relished in his warm embrace, the tender thrust of his tongue, and the sweet caress of his hand on her cheek.
He pulled back, resting his head against hers. “You make me lose control.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Depends.”
