Page 55 of Secret Babies for the Italian Mafia Boss

“No,” he laughs, shaking his head as if I’m crazy. “No one has his number.”

“Perfect. Just. Perfect. Thank you.” Something shatters, and I run to the counter and notice they have broken the glass shelves where I place the pastries.

“We’ll fix that. It probably needs to be gutted anyway.”

“Great. Perfect. You’re doing great.” I try and remain calm and take a deep breath. That man…I can’t believe he’d do this without talking to me first. He would know that I wouldn’t be okay with it. This is my store. He can’t just come in and save the day because he thinks he can. This is my responsibility.

I cross my arms and walk out of the store. Taylor is waiting for me.

“Are you okay?” he guides me across the road to his bookstore and opens the door for me. The smell of books calms me as soon as I enter, and his employee Sam is there behind the front desk.

He gives me a small wave while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Hi, Camilla. How are you?”

“I’m good, Sam. How are you?”

“Great. Fantastic, actually. We just got some special editions of a book I’ve been wanting, so I’m excited.”

I snicker, loving how cute he is when it comes to books. I don’t get to see him often because he is a full-time student, and he only works here a few days a week. I haven’t seen him in a while, now that I think about it.

“You’re mad,” Taylor whispers in my ear.

“You could say that,” I mumble.

“Why? Isn’t it great that he is fixing the store for you?” He guides us to a table surrounded by bean bag chairs, and I plop down, sighing.

“I should really get one of these.”

“They are my favorite chairs in the world but don’t change the subject. What’s going on?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Nothing. I’m being proud and stubborn. I’m used to doing things on my own and taking care of myself.”

“But that’s not the case anymore; plus, you’ll have to get used to it. Especially when you tell him about the kids.”

“Yeah, I know, but he could have talked to me about it.”

“You aren’t wrong there, but you have to remember who you are talking about. This is Luca Bianco. He isn’t a man who communicates first. He’s all about action. Doing. In his world, that’s how things get done. That’s how things are accomplished in his world. He isn’t a normal man, Camilla. If you want a communicator, Luca isn’t the guy you need to be with. He is a doer. He’ll do before he says, and you need to be ready for that.”

A large family comes into the bookstore, and Taylor pats my knee. “I have to go help them, but stay as long as you like, okay?”

“Thank you. I think I’ll head to my apartment and take a nap. Thank you for everything. You’re such a good friend.”

Something passes over his eyes, and the feeling in my gut twists again, screaming at me that something is wrong, but again, I don’t know what it could be.

“No problem. Do you need me to get the kids from daycare?”

My heart slams against my chest as I think about them with someone else again. Alvize and Luca have been enough. The kids took to them so easily, and I don’t want to risk them being with someone they don’t know. I’m not ready for that. Yes, they have seen Taylor, but they haven’t hung out with him like they have with Luca.

“No, it’s okay. I told them I’d get them for dinner today.” I lie. Why do I lie to get out of Taylor being kind? “Thanks for everything. I’ll see you around.”

“I’ll be seeing you, Camilla.”

I open the door and let the cold air hit my face, not bothering to look back at Taylor because I feel his eyes on me.

I think I’m being paranoid. “You’re used to being alone. He’s being nice. Calm down,” I tell myself, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. I pass the construction crew, taking out slabs of drywall and countertop space.

And as I watch them, I feel relief.

Relief that it isn’t all on me. Relief that I don’t have to scramble for funds to save the bakery. Luca took it out of my hands, so I didn’t have to worry about it. If I complained to him right now, I know what he would say.

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