Summer turned her gaze toward me and batted those big green eyes at me.
“Fine, I’ll go, but only as your plus one. I’m not joining the app either,” I said, totally caving. But what else could I do? It would be like crushing Bambi’s spirit.
“Yay!” Summer exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “You’re the best, Whit.”
I nodded, already dreading the thought of having to go out and mingle with strangers in two days.
I took a breath and told them what I’d been dying to say all week.
“You’ll never guess who my new boss is. Or, rather, my boss’s boss.”
“Who?” Summer asked eagerly.
“Luca.”
“Shut the front door!” Summer shouted, then looked sheepish and lowered her voice. “The hottie from Campanella’s?”
“The very one.”
“Wow, what are the chances?” Margo asked wryly.
“I know, right? I nearly died when I found out. Then he tricked me into having lunch with him.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m sure it was a hardship.”
“Ohhhh, did you have fun?” Summer asked.
“Actually, I did,” I admitted. “I thought it was going to be awkward and awful, but he was really easy to talk to. Well, once I got over how handsome he was and the fact that I’d be seeing him all the time.”
“And have you? Seen him all the time?” Margo asked.
“No, actually. I haven’t seen him since we had lunch on Monday. He’s a partner … well, actually it’s a family business. His family’s business, Russo Accounting Firm. He’s Luca Russo and his father is the owner.”
Margo nodded and said, “I thought he’d looked familiar.”
“You know him?” I asked, ignoring the small seed of jealousy when I thought about what she’d said at Campanella’s. About trying the men on for size. Surely she would have told me if she’d recognized Luca as a man she’s slept with, right?
She shook her head and the little seed evaporated.
“Not the son, the father … and not in that way,” Margo said with a chuckle when my eyes widened. “Our companies have worked together, that’s all.”
“So, are you going to see him again?” Summer asked. “Like on a date?”
“No, I don’t think so. I mean, he’s still too young for me and now I work for his company. We’re a recipe for disaster. It’s best if we keep things professional.”
“Did you tell him that?” Margo asked.
“No, but I’m sure he feels the same way, right? I mean, I’m one of his employees.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. A man like Luca wouldn’t let that stop him for going after something he wants, and if the way he looked at you last week was any indication, he wants you bad.”
I frowned at Margo and turned to Summer.
“What’s the dress code for Saturday?” I asked, changing the subject. I couldn’t handle thinking of Luca wanting me. It did funny things to my insides.
“It’s just happy hour at a bar and grill, so whatever you feel comfortable in. Nothing fancy. I’ll probably wear jeans and a blouse.”
Yeah, and I bet she’d make it look amazing.
I was stopped from fretting over what I’d wear when our food arrived.
My stomach rumbled as a plate of steaming enchiladas were placed in front of me.
Carbs … Yum!
Ten
Luca
“I’m so glad we did this, I feel like I haven’t gone out into the world in ages.”
“Me too,” I told Damon, my best friend since forever.
We’d grown up on the same street, our families had spent holidays together, and we’d shared everything. First loves, heartbreaks, and loss of family members. If there was one person on this planet I trusted with my life, it was Damon.
“So what have you been up to? How’s the family?” Damon asked, lifting his beer glass to his lips.
“Good, man. My dad’s actually taking my mom to Italy next month.”
“Mr. Russo is taking a vacation? Holy shit. Did hell freeze over?” Damon joked. “Your ma must be over the moon.”
“Yeah, she fainted when she found out.”
Damon laughed. Dramatics in my family was a regular occurrence.
“Good for them,” he said. “How about you? Working too much?”
“Always. You?”
“Same. But I’ve been able to get some painting in.”
Damon was an architect, commercial mostly, but his real passion was painting.
“Have you given any more thought to having your own show?” I asked. Damon was extremely talented and my sister, Charlotte, and I had been trying to convince him to have a show for years. Char was on maternity leave now, but when she wasn’t she worked for a local gallery.
“I don’t know, Luc, I don’t think I’m ready.”
“You know when you are, Char is ready to help you out.”
“I know and I appreciate it … both of you.”
I finished the last bite of my burger and chased it with beer, then signaled to the server to get us another round.
“God, I forgot how good the burgers are here,” Damon said with a groan.
I grinned at him and was about to agree when loud chatter by the bar snagged my attention.
“Wonder what’s going on over there.”
There was a group of about twenty men and twenty women who were all filing in the large banquet room by the bar, led by a girl wearing glasses and carrying a clipboard.
“Maybe a birthday party or something?” Damon guessed.
“Maybe,” I said absently, my eyes stopping on a petite curvy blonde with a big smile. She looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t remember why. Until the person she was smiling at came into view. “Whitney.”
“Who?”
“This woman I’m interested in,” I replied. “She’s over there with the group. The brunette in the green dress.”
Damon leaned forward in his chair to get a better look.
“She’s cute,” he said. “But the blonde she’s with … Wow!”
He’d always had a thing for blondes.
“I’m going to go say hi,” I said, already rising to my feet.
“I’ll join you.”
We moved through the dining room toward the back. I’d almost reached her when Whitney and her friend stepped into the banquet room and out of view. I was about to follow when Clipboard stepped into my path.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“Yes, we’re with this group,” I said, giving her my most charming smile.
“You’re with TrueLove.com? What’s your name?”
“Luca Russo,” I said. “And this is Damon Voltare.”
She looked down at her clipboard and then back at me. “You’re not on the list.”
“Oh, see, I meant to sign up but forgot,” I lied.
“Sorry, but we work hard to keep things evenly matched, that way everyone gets a chance to pair up.”
“It looks like there are twenty women in there and nineteen men,” Damon said from behind me.