Page 66 of The Holiday Hate-Off
“I amnotsleeping with you,” I say. “So you can stop asking.”
Of course, that’s when the server walks over to check on us. She looks at me like I’m a madwoman, and I clear my throat and ask for my food to go.
“Sorry, Nadine,” Enzo says, taking out his thin leather wallet and removing his credit card. “Could I possibly have mine to go too? We’ll both be leaving.”
She looks a little put out, but she gives him a tight smile as she picks up his plate. “Of course. No trouble at all.”
I wait until she’s several feet away and then say, “I amnotleaving with you.”
“I’d like to help you with your app.”
“You didn’t even know about my app until a few minutes ago.”
“But now I’m deeply invested. I’d like to earn a place for Hidden Italy on it. I hope you won’t let your dislike of me cloud your opinion of our family business.”
“Your grandmother’s the one who originally banned me,” I remind him. “Besides, the app is just a silly class assignment. It’ll probably never amount to anything else. There’s already a town app, anyway.”
He shrugs. “It’s shit.”
I try not to laugh. “How do you know mine isn’t?”
“I know. As for my grandmother…” He glances around, then leans across his table toward me, his smile fading into something more serious. “Between you and me, Lucia, Nonna Francesca shouldn’t be working anymore. She’s a Cafiero, though, and she’s having a hard time giving it up. I’m not saying she’s never banned anyone from the shop before now, but usually she’d be more reasonable about it.”
Surprise radiates through me. It’s obvious he’s telling me something real, something that’s been bothering him.
“I upset her yesterday,” I say ruefully, feeling a stirring of guilt.
“Yes, but these days she’s easily upset. A few days ago, she ranted for hours about a tourist who didn’t realize there would be cheese on his chicken parmigiana sub.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, meaning it this time. “I know what it’s like to watch someone decline. Your grandmother seems…”
He laughs darkly. “She’s not a nice woman, no, not like your Eileen. But she’s loyal and strong, and she makes the best parmigiana known to man.”
I nod. “She does. I’ve missed it.”
He grins smugly, but I don’t mind. He can have this round.
“I wasn’t going to keep Hidden Italy off the app,” I add. “I just asked Eileen about your family business instead of your brothers and grandmother. Eileen knows a lot about this town, and she’s always fair.”
“She is. And thank you for being fair to us, too,” he says. “I expected nothing less.”
“You want something,” I accuse, because he’s beingmuchtoo nice to me.
The way he looks at me in response has me squeezing my cloth napkin.
“You know what I want,” he says, his voice husky.
I check all around me for listening ears before answering in an undertone, “You want to prove you’re not bad in bed.”
He shrugs one shoulder, his expression entirely smug. “If you’d like to look at it that way.”
“It’s never going to happen,” I say, my heart thumping faster as vivid images begin assailing my head. Enzo dipping his head to kiss me. Enzo unzipping his pants. Enzo?—
My mouth is suddenly as dry as the desert. I sip more bad wine, then frown at the bitter taste.
“Take mine if you like,” he says, nodding to his glass. “Or your friend’s. I doubt he’ll be back.”
“I like my wine,” I lie. “But I think you’re an arrogant jerk.”
