Page 33 of Gin & Trouble

“Oh boy, this sounds like the kind of conversation that needs beer.” Marco nodded to the coolers Enzo’s staff had set up.

I grabbed a couple of cold ones and joined him at a table in the back corner of the lawn.

He took a swig and sighed. “What’s up?”

I wanted to ask him if he was happy. If having a wife and a new baby girl made up for everything he’d given up. If he had to do it all over again, if he’d make the same decisions, but I already knew what he’d say. Yes, yes, and hell yes.

Instead, I went with what I hoped was vague. “How’d you know Nico was the one?”

“I’ve been in love with her since we were kids.” He gave me a goofy grin that reminded me of the old Marco. The never-take-things-too-seriously guy I considered my best friend.

“Right, but let’s say you didn’t grow up with her. How would you know?”

He downed half his beer. “The fact you’re asking me that question tells me you already know, but the answer scares the hell out of you.”

“That’s just it. I’m not afraid of being with her. I’m afraid she won’t give me the chance.”

“I thought the same thing about Nico. Worked my ass off to convince her we were good together.” He wiggled his brows. “But that’s the chase. The real fear starts once you’ve caught them.”

Sitting back, I mulled over the little nugget of wisdom.

It didn’t ring true. Not for me and Julia. “We fell for each other over the freaking internet. All I wanted was to have what we had online with her in the same room. Is that too much to ask?”

“So what’s stopping you?”

Good question.

“She says she had a bad experience with a workplace romance or some crap.”

“Let me see if I got this straight.” He sat the empty bottle on the table. “You’re into her. She’s into you. But she won’t cross the line because you’re her boss?”

“I’m not her boss, but yeah. That’s the gist of it.”

“Simple. Fire her or quit.”

He’s a moron.

Picking at the label on my bottle, I said, “I highly doubt firing her will make her want to ride off into the sunset with me.”

“Then quit.”

I opened my mouth to remind him half of my job was looking out for his stupid ass, but he interrupted me.

“I’m not saying stop doing what you’re doing. Sell off your shares of Marchionni Corp and use the cash to start your own security firm. I’ll hire you outright. I’m sure our brothers will do the same. Solves the problem with the girl and gets you out from under the family business.” He held his arms out wide. “A win-win.”

He had a point. A good one. With my own company, I could hire staff and take on other clients, or not and still make enough money to keep myself in the lifestyle I’d enjoyed since birth.

I had nothing to lose. If it didn’t pan out, my old job would still be there.

“That could work.” My brain spun with possibilities. Pretty much my entire life happened in my family’s office building. I worked there, had a condo there, and ate most of my meals at the restaurant on the bottom floor. It’d be good to finally cut the umbilical cord and stand on my own.

He sat back with a smug expression as if he thought he were a king on a throne imparting wisdom. “You can say it. I’m a genius.”

“More like an idiot savant.”

“They don’t use that term anymore. It’s offensive. You moron.”

“Har har.” I pulled my ringing phone from my pocket, checked the caller ID, and sucked in a breath.

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