Page 77 of Daring Enzo

Isit in front of the mirror preparing for my date with Enzo tonight. A smile spreads across my face as I remember last week - the graduation ceremony we attended for Ruben. Seeing Enzo interact with the kids was incredible. He was so caring and gentle, a side I'd never witnessed before.

My smile falters slightly. Over this past week, one nagging thought has plagued me: does Enzo see a real future with me? I want nothing more than to be his wife and to build a life and family together. But I can't shake my doubts.

What if he doesn’t wish to marry me?

The thought settles painfully in my chest. I can’t force him to marry me, no matter how much I wish he would. What would I do if he chose not to marry me?

What if he isn’t ready for such a serious step yet?

While I don’t know how to broach the topic, I also don’t wish to leave it alone.

Relax, Kelly. He has a date planned out for you so enjoy it and then, maybe later, you can think of a way to get what you want.

Just then, Enzo knocks gently on the door before peeking in.

"Almost ready, babe?" he asks.

I turn and meet his warm gaze in the mirror. "Just about. How do I look?"

Enzo steps fully into the room and comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. "Beautiful as always," he whispers, before placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

Looking into his eyes, I see the love and sincerity there. My doubts vanish. I know what we have is real.

With one last glance in the mirror, I take Enzo's hand.

"Ready for our date?"

Molly is babysitting Camillo. She’s been such a great help ever since we returned to New York. She came to take care of him whenever I asked, even when she had prior engagements.

“Auntie Molly, thanks again,” I say gratefully.

“Oh, stop thanking me already. He’s my nephew… I’ll show up whenever you need me to babysit him. I enjoy doing it, so you don’t need to worry yourself so much,” she says, holding Camillo up to her face. “We enjoy each other’s company, don’t we?”

Camillo giggles at the baby voice she affects. It makes me smile. Molly turns to me. “Well, there you have it. Camillo loves hanging out with his aunt just as much as I enjoy hanging out with him. Now, off on your date and make sure you have fun.”

I frown when she winks at me. “Why do I feel you know what the date is when I don’t?”

She laughs. “Of course, I know what the date is. I bullied it out of him. Don’t worry, it’s a fun one.”

“Ahem…” Enzo says as he mock glares at Molly.

“Oops.”

“Oh, come on. Just tell me already,” I say, folding my arms like a petulant child.

Enzo rolls his eyes but gives in. “Fine. We’re going on a treasure hunt.”

My eyes widen. “Really? I love treasure hunts! Oh, get ready to lose!”

He laughs at my sudden serious expression. “We’ll see about that.”

All through the ride, I’m unable to sit still as I wait to reach our destination. Treasure Hunt has always been my favorite game, and the fact he did this solidifies my desire to marry him. I glance around the park as we arrive, spotting several hidden corners, and run off the moment the car stops. I hear Enzo’s laughter behind me. I turn to see him go in the opposite direction and scoff. He is going to lose because there’s nothing there. I check underneath a rock, coming up empty. I go up to a fake tree, planted solely for this game. I dig in the hole in the middle, finding nothing.

I reach behind a bush, defeated when I find nothing. I turn to leave when an object catches my eye. It’s buried behind a rock. I pick it up and scream when I realize it’s the object. I run to find Enzo, doing a victory dance as I gloat.

“Oh, yeah, I told you I would win.”

He chuckles as I dance around him. “Well, maybe you should open it and see what’s inside.”

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