“Ah, you’re such a shitty liar. Wine?”
“No, I want to go to bed and slip into oblivion.” I get off the couch. Leaning down, I kiss his cheek. “Night.”
“Night.” I stumble into my bedroom and push off my clothes, but when I get into bed there’s no sleep, no oblivion. There’s just Enzo’s eyes, wide with shock and pain as I flung his father’s sin in his face.
9
Enzo
“Oh Dante, it’s beautiful. I love it. I want it.” Bethany exhales.
“Babe, we haven’t even made it out of the foyer. There has to be a reason Enzo didn’t pick this one.”
“I told you already, there wasn’t enough room for a pool and the other one’s lot was more private.”
Bethany’s forehead knots. “This isn’t private? We’re on the corner and it didn’t seem like anything was right behind us.”
I shrug. “It’s not bad, but I prefer the other one. Take a look for yourself. I’m starving, I was promised brunch.”
Dante nods. “I wonder where the hell Chloe is. It’s not like her to be late.”
“Chloe is coming?” He sure as hell didn’t mention her when he called me this morning, asking me to show them my place after they finished looking at this house. I would get brunch for satisfying Bethany’s curiosity about what my place looked like.
“Yeah, I figured she’d be able to answer any questions we had. She’s shown this place so many times I’ve lost count. I have some info on it from the listing, but I’ve never been here before. None of my usual clients want anything further north than Lincoln Park.”
Fuck. Before I can make an excuse to leave, the front door opens. Chloe sees me, and her eyes go big as they shimmer a steel gray. She takes a step back, I turn away as I bite my tongue, frustrated by the pr
esence of Dante and Bethany. Those big eyes have dark shadows beneath them, her long hair is in a thick braid I’m dying to undo, and my cock aches at the way the dark blue wrap dress hugs her curves.
“Chloe, I was just wondering where you were. I have no idea where Bethany went...” Dante and Chloe disappear into the house, I step out front, not trusting myself to not say something. Damn it, all over again I’m angry at her. Fucking livid at the idea of her actually going through with having a baby all by herself. And she’ll do it too. Determined, stubborn, beautiful...what the fuck is it about her that makes those things appealing? And if I could get over it real fucking quick, I’d be happy.
Bethany comes out of the house, followed by Dante and Chloe. “Oh my god, I can’t believe your house is better than this one. I have to see it now. Is it really right down the street?”
I nod. “What did you think of the kitchen?”
Dante shakes his head. “It’s not bad. I like Chloe’s idea of blowing the wall out to make it a family room, and open kitchen like we have in the condo. What the hell with the basement? All this time and no one could do something with it? I’ll need to sink in fifty K for it to be livable.”
Chloe is walking toward her car. “I’ll leave you guys alone now. I’m—”
“Woah, no way. I promised you brunch for getting you out here. Come on, you can tell us about the plans for Enzo’s place.” Dante takes it for granted she’ll follow, and she does.
“The basement in mine isn’t much better. That house just seemed like more stuff was needed.”
Bethany sighs as she bumps me with her hip. “It’s not that bad. Don’t harsh my buzz. I can’t wait to make it ours. I think it’s going to be fun picking out colors and tile together.”
“I don’t know, there’s a saying demolition equals divorce, so we’re going to take it easy.” Dante hugs her close as we check the street before crossing.
“We’ll be fine. Those are people looking for excuses. Wow, talk about curb appeal. Stunning. This lot is huge.”
“It’s on six lots. Your place is on five and a half, but there’s two thousand less square feet of house here, which is why the lot seems so big.” I unlock the door, going in ahead.
“Ah, another piano. Are you going to keep yours? I think it will be nice to keep the one in our place and the one Dante already has.”
I shrug. “I’m not sure yet.”
“Chloe mentioned your kitchen isn’t so great either. Ouch, she wasn’t kidding this is way worse than our kitchen. Why are there two stoves?” Bethany asks as she opens an oven.
“I have no idea, but I’m getting rid of them both.”