Chapter 50: Chapter 50

◇ KEL ◇

"Did you like the food?"

"Yeah." I got up from my seat and put on a smile. "Thank you for dinner."

"Sure. Need to go home now?"

"Uh...no. Not really," I replied to the guy standing next to me. The question surprised me as we walked side by side back to the hotel lobby.

It was almost empty, save for the receptionists and the poker-faced security personnel guarding the front entrance. Like the spacious hotel rooms, the decor looked elegant, clean, and filled with relaxing earth colors. Some golden streaks here and there.

"I'll drive you back to your place," Enzo said. His warm breath smelled of wine now. Like me, he was wearing a plain shirt and dark-colored boardshorts.

Mine were shorter, though.  "Thanks. I'll help you pack first," I suggested.

We were both tired from swimming, but the least I could do in return was help him with his luggage. He mentioned he was exhausted and sleepy, basically in no mood to pack for his flight back to Italy tomorrow. It kind of reminded me of my modeling days.

Our chat over dinner had been brief. He was still on the clock as far as I could tell. He would get some calls every half an hour or so, which I noticed was part of his routine even on weekends.

"Mi piacerebbe molto." Enzo sighed before he placed his arm across my shoulders.

It was a gesture I had become somewhat used to. At times I would feel a tad uncomfortable whenever he got a little hands-y.  But that's probably just me.  Italians were warm, friendly, and affectionate by nature.  I should just stop being such an introverted recluse and appreciate his efforts to make me feel like we're actually good friends now.

It wasn't like he made me feel uneasy whenever he hugged me in public, or whenever we were alone. What made me feel anxious was the possibility of his girlfriend seeing us and knowing about us hanging out, having dinner, and all that.

Not to mention Miles.  Would he be upset if he heard I was hanging out with Enzo again? Most definitely.  So I wouldn't mention it if ever he asked.

That is—once he finally stopped ignoring all my calls and texts.  Darn it.  I still had to ask him about the money.  Hopefully he would pick up later and talk to me about it.

"Can I ask you something?"

Enzo led me into the elevator. His bodyguard stayed right behind us, just watching our backs.  "Open book. You can ask me anything," Enzo murmured with a faint smile.

"Did the cops find them?"

"Find who?" Enzo took out his phone when it rang again.  He frowned after reading the name on the screen. After two more rings,  he sighed to himself and declined the call.

Someone named 'Libby' was calling him.  Female name.  Italian?  I wasn't sure.

Was it his girlfriend?  Possibly.  I never asked him about personal things.  To be polite, I often asked him how his family was doing, but, I never asked him about the more private matters.  "That morning, when you and Cloe..."

"No. Leo's taking care of it," Enzo mumbled in response while he got busy with his phone.

Obviously he didn't want to elaborate. But maybe he just didn't know much about the suspects, like Cloe. I shut my mouth and tried not to lean against the elevator wall. My back and limbs felt strained from our swim, but at least I got to work on my cardio this weekend.

We reached the hallway to his hotel room in just seconds.  Enzo made a quick phone call while I stood beside Berto.

I smiled at the dutiful bodyguard, unsure if he slept in the same hotel room as his boss all the time. Probably not.  "You're leaving tomorrow afternoon?"

"Four. Busy guy," Berto said in his faint accent. He scratched his clean-shaven chin and glanced at Enzo.  His cropped haircut and casual clothes made him look younger than his actual age.

"Where's your room and the other guys'?" I asked. As far as I remembered, Enzo didn't travel in and out of Italy with just one bodyguard.  "Lele and...Gino. Right?"

"Next room." Berto pointed to the room nearest to the elevator.  "I'll drive you back to your apartment if you have to go now."

"Thanks. Maybe in half an hour. I'll just help pack up his stuff." I looked at Enzo.

He stood outside his hotel room, slouching, one hand on his hip, looking preoccupied as he talked to someone on the phone. His deepening scowl and snappy tone said enough.

Whoever it was on the other line, I had a feeling he or she was part of the reason Enzo imbibed three glasses of strong red wine during dinner.

"Lovers' quarrel. Again," Berto muttered with a small smirk as he stood closer to me. He crossed his burly arms over his chest while we waited for Enzo to use his key card.

I stared at Berto while he regarded his boss with a knowing grin.  Was he talking about Enzo?  Enzo was arguing with his girlfriend?

Oh.  So her name's Libby.  I leaned against the wall and maintained a good five feet of distance away from Enzo.  This was him having a bad day? I wouldn't have assumed so if I hadn't caught him settling his issues with his girlfriend over the phone.

"Apologies if he's been moody all day."

"No; don't worry," I replied in a muted voice while Berto stood next to me. "He wasn't."

"Mykaela."

I turned to Enzo. Did he want me to step into his room now?

He no longer held his phone over his ear, and he had just unlocked the door to his hotel room. The serious look on his tan face made his eyes look more deep-set while he stared at me.  "Give me a minute. Then I'll drive you back."

Oops. Bad day, indeed. It was clear he wanted some time alone now.  "No; it's fine. Berto can drive me back to the apartment."

"Coming with you." Enzo rushed into his hotel room and left me with Berto in the hallway. "Give me a sec."

"Okay."

◇

◇ Schenectady, NY ◇

All my ignored calls, the unanswered texts I'd sent him, all the lonely days and nights I put up with...

All of it just flew out the darn window the second I saw his genuine smile and piercing hazel eyes.  No.  I shouldn't give in.  I shouldn't just forget all of it like it didn't happen.

My reaction should be nothing more than a disinterested blank face, or a mild frown at best, but a few seconds of mute indifference was all my overwhelmed self could fake. My dazed mind couldn't even get past the fact that his new coat and black jeans made him look like he just stepped off a catwalk.

I stared at his stiff six-foot-two figure, and then at the vehicle by the gates.

A matte black SUV had parked outside the fence. Must be his driver and personal detail. I leaned against the doorjamb, just waiting for him to say something while the thumps in my chest grew as loud as my scrambled thoughts.

Did I look okay? Did I comb my hair before dashing to the front door? I couldn't remember. The nap just left me groggy and even more exhausted. Did my dress look too wrinkled now?  I'd been lounging on the sofa with Gaia all afternoon, preparing for exams again.

Crap. I should have dabbed on some lipstick. My mouth felt as dry as a sand dune on a summer day, and more so after his cheeky grin widened at my stoic response.

"Happy birthday." Miles took a step closer and showed off his deep dimples. He just kept staring, like he was busy reading every single one of my thoughts. "Did I miss it?"

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