Each seductive word he utters chips away at my defenses, because already I can feel his lips on mine. His hands too.

  “You sound like you have it all figured out.” I try to infuse amusement in my tone over the breathlessness.

  Nathan chuckles. “With you, I have nothing figured out. You’re a hard woman to get to know Lucia Giordano.”

  The fact he’s making an effort says a lot about him. Next to me, Enzo shifts and stretches.

  “Enzo is waking up from his nap,”I tell him. “I should probably get going. I need to ask Rory if she’ll watch him for me, anyway.”

  “If she can’t, I’ll talk to my mother. I know she would be happy to meet her grandson,” Nathan says pointedly.

  It’s clear that I’m not going to convince him otherwise, and truthfully, how I thought it was a good idea to deny Enzo’s obvious parentage is beyond me. “Let me talk to Rory first. At least he knows her and is comfortable with her.”

  Whose fault is that?

  “You have my number now. Just give me a call. Otherwise, I will see you at seven tomorrow night.”

  “Alright.”

  “And Lucia?” he pauses.

  “Yes?”

  “I’m really looking forward to our date.” The prolonged silence after that proclamation signifies that he hung up.

  I set the phone on the nightstand just as Enzo opens his eyes. “Hello, sleepyhead. Did you have a nice nap?”

  He scoots to sitting and rubs his face again while nodding. I move across the room and climb onto the bed beside him, pulling him against me and brushing my fingers through his hair. I’ve never talked to him about his father. There hadn’t seemed to be any point. Not yet, anyway. We live in England and Nathan lives here. I’ve avoided thinking about what I’ll tell Enzo when he gets older and starts asking. There’s no more pretending, because Nathan is a part of our lives now, for better or worse. Am I really ready to do this? Not at all.

  “Do you know that nice man, Nathan, that took us to the park for dinner the other night?” I ask.

  Enzo lifts his head to stare up at me. “Uh huh.”

  “Well, he wants to take me out on a…date tomorrow night. How would you like to spend some time with Auntie Rory? Would that be okay?” Does he even understand what I’m asking? I’ve always treated him like he’s a small adult and had full conversations with him. I never used baby-talk, even when he was a baby.

  He smiles up at me. “See Auntie Wowy?”

  I return his grin and nod. “Yes.”

  Hopefully she’ll be fine with me volunteering her child-watching services and she and Jack don’t already have plans. If so, I suppose the alternate of asking Nathan’s mom is available, although I’d rather not. It feels far too familial. Aside from the first day of daycare, I’ve never left him with a stranger.

  “Okay,” Enzo agrees like it’s that simple.

  I nod. “Okay. How about we head to the park for a while?”

  He climbs out of bed and we make a stop in the bathroom before strolling through the hotel and onto the sidewalk. Beside me, he chatters about this and that, mostly his drawings and the things that piqued his interest at Coney today. I’m sure Enzo will be talking about the seagulls and the Ferris wheel for the next month at least. Once he fixates on a topic, there’s nothing else he wants to discuss.

  I push him on the swings for a little while and while he’s playing in the sandbox, my phone rings. Is it Nathan calling again? I quickly answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “Lucia? Hi, it’s Val,” he says on the other end.

  I jerk. “Val, um, hi. How did you get my number?” No one but my family and Nathan have it.

  “Edoardo gave it to me. I mentioned that I’d run into you and wanted to see if we could grab that dinner one of these nights. I never would have guessed you’d moved all the way to London. That sounds exciting.”

  Anger at my brother bubbles inside me.

  “You’re awfully quiet. Is everything okay? Was he not supposed to give it to me or something?”

  “Of course, no, it’s fine,” I say, trying not to wince at the hurt in his tone. “It’s great to hear from you.”

  “It’s been far too long,” he says. “I would really love to see you again. Especially if you’re going to up and disappear on me like you did before.”

  Val chuckles like he made a joke. I do the same and finally relax. He’d been right the other day. We had been friends and I’d left without even saying goodbye. “I really am sorry for that. You know how it was after Michele was killed. I didn’t handle it well.”

  He sighs. “Which is why I wish you would have talked to me. You didn’t have to leave. I’ll always be here for you, Lucia. Just like I was back in the day.”

  “I know. You were a great friend, not just to Michele, but to me as well.”

  “Then how about dinner? As friends. We can catch up. I’d love to hear where you’ve been all this time and what you’ve been doing with yourself.” Val pauses. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.” I glance at Enzo, who’s using a stick to draw in the sand. What would my life have been like if I hadn’t left all those years ago? If Emilio had found the crazy person bothering me? Would I have met Nathan? Had our son?

  “Luce, you still there?” Val asks.

  “Sorry.” I blink. “Yeah, I’m here.”

  “I asked about meeting tomorrow night.”

  “I’m actually really busy until the wedding. Rory and I are still working on party favors, and we have the rehearsal dinner. Maybe Sunday would work?”

  “Sunday would be great,” Val says with enthusiasm. “There’s this fantastic new restaurant I really think you’ll like.”

  “That sounds wonderful.” I try to garner the same excitement, but part of me holds back. What would Nathan say to you having dinner with another man?

  “Excellent. How about I pick you up around seven, then? Where are you staying?”

  “I’m at the McCarren in Williamsburg. Near where we ran into each other.”

  “Okay, well then I’ll see you on Sunday. I’m really looking forward to it,” Val says.

  “Me too.”

  “Have a good night, Luce.”

  “Thanks. You as well.” I end the call and rest an elbow on my crossed legs, my arm dangling down. Something like guilt swirls around in my belly. I push it away. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’ve known Val for years. Since I was nineteen. We were friends. It’s just dinner to catch up. Nothing more than that. Except I can’t let go of the sensation that it’s a bad idea.

  Chapter 14

  Nathan

  * * *

  I check my reflection in the mirror for the third time. I’ve never cared more about a first date and making a good impression than this one. I run my fingers through my hair again, brushing down the sides that keep wanting to stick up everywhere. Should probably get a haircut soon. I rise up and smooth my tie that’s already been smoothed what seems like a hundred times. The fabric shines from how much I’ve run my hand over it.

  There’s not a wrinkle to be found in my pressed dress shirt. If Jack or Paddy saw me taking this much care with my appearance they’d be howling with laughter and give me shit for the rest of my life. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good for a woman. Forcing myself to one final glance, I give a short nod of approval before exiting the bathroom. I spray my cologne, grab my wallet off the dresser, and jog downstairs.

  Just as I grab my keys off the side table, my phone rings. Paddy.

  “This better be important or I’m hanging up,” I tell him.

  “I heard from Maddox,” he replies, stopping me halfway down the hall.

  “And?” I growl.

  “It’s not much. Almost nothing, really. Black, nondescript SUV. The driver was male, wearing a ball cap pulled low and aviator sunglasses. About the only distinguishable feature was that they had dark brown hair. Plates were removed, so no way to track the driver that way,” Paddy remarks with obvious annoyance. “Maddox tapped into a bunch of traffic cameras and was able to follow their route for a while, but they entered a parking garage and then all contact was lost. He did say that at the time of the collision, the driver of the SUV appeared to jerk the steering wheel of his vehicle.”

  “So it wasn’t an accident,” I reply.

  “Doesn’t seem to be the case. I think you need to talk to Emilio. He’d want to know that someone may be targeting you in his territory. For everyone’s sake, but especially Brenna’s, I hope he doesn’t have anything to do with it.”

  I nod. My gut tells me this was personal. “I’ll call him tomorrow.”

  “Watch yourself, little brother,” Paddy warns.

  “Will do.” I pocket my phone and head out the door, my thoughts racing.

  It has to be more than a coincidence that the minute Lucia gets back into town and could have been seen with me that someone runs me off the road. Especially considering that whoever was stalking her six years ago knows she’s in town. He’s obviously pissed. I guess I’ll have to try harder to draw him out. I smile at that. Because the minute he’s out in the open…he’s a dead man.

  It’s far too long a drive to Lucia’s hotel. I offer the keys to the valet and step through the open door the bellman holds for me.

  “Good evening, sir,” he greets me with a nod.

  I return the gesture and head into the elevator. Then, I’m knocking at her room. The door opens and I try to hide my disappointment that it’s Rory standing there. I obviously don’t do a great job, because she laughs and steps back.

  “Lucia is just finishing getting ready. Come on in.”

  I stride past her. Enzo is sitting on the too-tall office chair, his feet dangling down, with papers scattered around him. His smile pings at my chest. Needing to be closer, I move across the carpeted floor until I’m standing right next to him. “Hi, Enzo.”

  “Hullo. Wanna see?” Without waiting for an answer, he passes me one of his drawings.

  I study it intently, giving it all the attention it deserves. It’s the first time I’ve seen them up close. And they’re fantastic. Not perfect by any means, but for a child his age? They’re incredible. “This is wonderful. You’re very talented.”

  Enzo grins happily up at me and a wave of pure love smacks me dead center so I nearly stumble back from it. This is my son. I hand him back the image just as Lucia walks out of the bathroom. My breath leaves me. She’s absolutely stunning. Her hand runs over her hair in a nervous gesture, but she smiles a bit shyly. I can’t look away.

  “Hello, Nathan.”

  “Lucia.”

  Rory coughs quietly and breaks the silence that falls. We both blink and glance away from the other.

  “I guess we should get going,” I say.

  “Um, yes, so we won’t be back too late.” Lucia crosses the distance and her floral scent surrounds me as she bends down to kiss Enzo. “Be good for Auntie Rory, okay. Mama will be back soon.”

  He nods and reaches up for a hug. She wraps her arms around him and kisses him again. My whole body shakes with the need for the same treatment, but I hold myself back. One of these days.

  “Have a good night, Enzo,” I tell him instead, my voice a bit gravelly with emotion.

  Lucia turns to Rory and hugs her as well. “Thank you for watching him for me.”

  “Of course. You two have a good time. We’ll be here having fun until you get back.” Rory winks at Enzo.

  My hand goes to Lucia’s lower back, and I guide her out the door, hopefully to the first of many dates our future might hold. Once we step outside, I thread my fingers through hers. She glances over at me, but doesn’t pull away.

  “I hope you’re okay with walking a few blocks. We have reservations for a nearby restaurant. I figured you wouldn’t want to be too far away from the hotel just in case Rory needed you for something,” I say.

  “Not at all. Thank you for thinking of that. Besides, it’s a beautiful evening. I couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather while I’m here. It’s already starting to get cool back home.”

  The way she says ‘home’ makes disappointment surge. It’s obvious how much she loves England in how she speaks about it. “You like London, then, I take it?” I ask anyway.

  “I really do. It reminds me of Brooklyn in a way, but with much more history. The architecture is incredible. Victorian and Georgian are my two favorites, followed by Edwardian. I could walk the streets all day long admiring the houses and other buildings. I love the culture there. The West End is one of my favorite areas. I’ve always enjoyed the theatre.”

  With each word, the more animated Lucia grows. Her eyes sparkle with it. Even her steps are lighter and bouncier. She’s absolutely breathtaking.

  “It sounds like you’re really happy there,” I note.

  She glances at me with a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I tend to get a bit enthusiastic about it. But, yeah, I’m really happy there. My job is amazing. Demanding, especially after my recent promotion, but I love what I do. I’m not sure there’s anything else in the world I’d rather be doing or any place I’d rather be.”

  I squeeze her hand. “I’m glad for you. Truly.”

  “Thank you. Aside from Rory, no one takes my career seriously. Especially my brothers. Even though I’ve been doing this for six years, and I make great money, they still think of it as a mere hobby. That my time would be better spent trying to find a husband,” she says with a disgusted scoff.

  I understand her frustration. Grand-da was like that. A woman’s place was under a man’s thumb. It’s a common mindset of not just the Italians, but some of the Irish as well. Lucky for her, I’m not of a similar mind. “I can’t imagine my sister, Caitlín, staying at home either. She would make a terrible housewife.” I chuckle at the image.

  “What does your family think of that?” Lucia asks.

  “My parents want their kids to be happy. They know we all have a duty to the organization and that it should come first, but my mother is also of the mind that happiness is what you make of it. Besides, you already know that Rory isn’t a housewife. Neither is Anya. They both have jobs they love.”

  She sighs. “You’re right. I guess I’ve just been unlucky enough to have much older brothers who live by different standards. My whole life has been nothing but lecture after lecture.”

  I stop just as we reach the front door of the restaurant and turn to Lucia. “I’m not your brothers. I would never try to keep you from doing what you obviously love. That would be like trying to hold back a storm.”

  Her eyes dart over my face and before I can guess her intent, she rises up, her palms on my chest, and presses her lips against mine in a fleeting kiss. She lowers herself and stares up at me with soft eyes. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Our gazes stay locked for a beat longer until I force myself to break it. I turn and open the door for her. The evening is already going far better than I’d planned.

  Chapter 15

  Lucia

  * * *

  I haven’t been able to take my eyes off Nathan all evening. Not after what he said outside. Michele never approved of my wanting to work at a museum. It’s one of the many things we fought about. I can’t help but compare the two men.

  “Thank you for a lovely dinner,” I tell him, setting my napkin on my empty plate. The food had been incredible. The company even more so. A begrudging admission.

  “Of course. I’m glad you enjoyed it. We don’t have any authentic Italian restaurants in Bay Ridge.”

  My hand goes to my chest in horror and I gasp. “You poor thing.”

  Nathan chuckles. “I know. All this great food I’ve been missing out on my whole life.”

  “Indeed.”

  Our server returns and lays down the bill. I reach for it, but before I get close, Nathan snaps it up.

  “You don’t have to pay for me,” I tell him.

  He narrows his eyes. “You don’t have to be independent with everything. This is a date, and I’m still old-fashioned enough to believe that if a man asks you out, then he’s paying.”

  I sit back in my seat with a conciliatory grin. “Fine, you win. This time.”

  Nathan cocks an eyebrow. “That sounds like there will be a second time. I’m on board with that idea.”

  My lips quirk as I hold back a laugh. He’s incorrigible. He winks and I can’t control my giggle. I just shake my head, although inside my pulse leaps at the thought of spending more time with him. Except, I’m leaving soon. Don’t think about it. Just enjoy Nathan’s company while you’re here.

  Finally, the bill is paid and he rises from his seat to circle the table and pull back my chair. He holds his hand out. “How about that river walk, I promised?”

  Without hesitation, I place my palm in his and he helps me up. Our chests collide and his scent fills my nose. I want to breathe in a little deeper and savor it. Once again, we’re hand-in-hand as we stroll through the restaurant and out onto the sidewalk. The evening sky is full of red and purple hues, the clouds a random slash of white in the canvas above us. I stare up at it for a moment and wish the stars were visible.

  Turning my head, I find Nathan staring at me. My breath catches at the intensity in his gaze.

  “I don’t think I told you how beautiful you look tonight,” he says.

  My cheeks heat with the compliment. “Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself.”

  “Even for a twenty-four-year old?” he smirks.

  I bump my shoulder against him and laugh. “Even for a twenty-four-year old.”

  Nathan winks again and tugs me along. He pulls me close and I loosen my fingers from his and instead loop my arm around his elbow and rest my head on his shoulder as we leisurely walk toward the river and the park that abuts it.