Page 257 of Most Eligible Billionaire CEO

“Hey, Levi!” a brunette exclaims when I step inside, hand-in-hand with Jules.

“Hey, Carmela!”

“Come stai, bello?” the forty something-year-old woman asks in Italian.

“Va bene, bella,” I respond. My Italian is limited. Carmela is a born and raised Los Angeleno, but she’s fluent. “It’s good to see you again.”

She huffs and shoots me a dubious side gaze in response—the kind your mom gives you when she doesn’t believe a word of your lie.

Carmela Santini is Josefina’s niece. Despite the ups and downs of the neighborhood, the feisty, old Italian woman refused to relocate her restaurant. After her passing a few years ago, Carmela took over. There’s no doubt about it, she elevated the place to new heights without losing its authenticity.

She comes and stands in front of me with a hand on her jutted out hip. The expression on her face says she means business.

“What?” she asks. “Now, you’re too good for us?”

I let go of Jules’s hand and drop it on Carmela’s shoulder. “No, carina, I’ve been very busy lately and I’ve also been spending a lot more time in Europe on business. That’s why you haven’t seen me in a while.”

“You work too much,” she complains.

“Says the woman who practically lives in her restaurant.”

“I have to keep myself busy or else I’ll go crazy. Not to mention, it’s the only way for me to get away from four teenage boys.”

“It’s the same for me, minus the teenagers.”

She laughs.

Her dark brown eyes shift to the blonde standing next to me. “You bring a beautiful girl to my restaurant?”

“Carmela, this is Jules.”

“Your girlfriend?!”

Carmela loves to meddle in my personal life. She’s tried to hook me up with her cousins, nieces, friends, and even some of her female patrons.

“A friend,” I correct.

“Well, that’s a first,” she says before turning her attention to the blonde standing next to me.

She’s right. Other than Dad, Linc, and Micah, I never bring anyone here.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Carmela,” Jules says with a little wave.

“Likewise,” Carmela says. Dark brown eyes bounce from mine to Jules’s. “You know…” she starts, eyes still ping-ponging, “You two make a stunning couple.”

Great.

“And we’ll be sure to send you an invitation to the wedding. Now can you please take us to our table? I’m starving and I can’t wait for Jules to discover how delicious your food is.”

“Nice aversion tactic, Levi.” Carmela is onto me.

“I do my best.”

She laughs.

“Follow me,” she waves. “I reserved your favorite table when I saw your name pop up on our reservation app.”

I wrap Jules in my embrace and follow Carmela. She’s still laughing.

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