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“As soon as they replace me.”
I’ve already told everyone. It was especially hard to break the news to my mom and brother. I’m so close to them both that it’s difficult to imagine a week without either of them. But the trade-off is pretty sweet. As if he can hear my thoughts, Enzo looks back at us.
Atme.
“He’s crazy about you,” Lisa says with a smile.
Gian gives his brother a nudge. It’s Enzo’s turn.
“I’m crazy about him too.”
Thankfully, people are a bit more used to seeing Enzo here than they were that first night. And although we spent most of the week at Chateau LeMonte, whenever we emerged I was reminded that my boyfriend isn’t just any guy. Everywhere we went, people watched, some more subtly than others.
And now I’m a part of that world.
As if dating him weren’t enough pressure, I now have my own business to build. The possibilities keep me awake well after Enzo falls asleep at night. And for the first time, I think I understand him a bit better.
I won’t be working for someone else. Every idea, every success or failure, will be mine. There’s a certain power to that. It’s also intimidating as hell.
“You OK?” Lisa asks, giving me a nudge.
“Yeah. It’s just . . . this whole job thing is scary.”
“I bet. But exciting too, right?”
Exciting. That’s a good word for it. Before Enzo came back into my life, it had fallen into a routine that was both safe and boring. Now I’m plunging into uncertainty, head-on. All week Enzo has been preparing me for life as a business owner.
“Super exciting,” I agree.
“Finally,” Lisa says, gesturing to the shuffleboard table. “I didn’t think anyone was going to beat them.”
Gian and his friend pump their fists into the air in victory and then shake hands with Enzo and Devon. They’ve lost, but there’s an upside to it.
As Enzo approaches me, I shift on my barstool to face him. He stands between my parted legs, kissing me as if my best friend and brother aren’t two feet away.
“Get a room,” Devon quips.
I’m not usually one for PDA, but all bets are off. Enzo and I are still celebrating our reunion and savoring each other. I hope we never stop.
“We have a room,” Enzo says as he ends the kiss, stepping out from between my legs. Nodding to Mike for another drink, he stays firmly planted next to my stool, one hand on my upper thigh. Taunting me.
“I’m gonna have to get used to this,” Devon says. “It’s still hard to believe.”
“Chari and Enzo?” Lisa asks. “What’s it like to have your best friend dating your little sister?”
“Ouch.” Enzo reaches across my body to grab a beer from the bar. When he leans this close, I can smell his cologne. Resisting the urge to taste it too, I let his neck pass by untouched. “You make it sound like I’m robbing the cradle. She’s only two years younger than Devon.”
Enzo moves his hand up to rub my arm.
“You cold?”
“Nope.” I might have shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold.
As Devon and Enzo verbally spar with each other, I listen to them, realizing with something like wonder that the two friends will actually be related someday. Last night Enzo asked how I felt about the idea of getting married. He quickly assured me that he wasn’t rushing me—he was just curious.
I told him I liked the idea, a lot. But we both agreed we have a lot to do in the interim. Including one business to launch, and another to launch further into the stratosphere of success. So I have no idea what the timeline will be, but I do know I’m not letting this guy get away anytime soon. Our short brush with a breakup felt like it lasted a lifetime.
“Excuse me?”
