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His eyes shift away from me. “Mm-hmm.”

I search my brain for a quick topic to switch to as recovery. “Enzo brought a girl home to meet the family?” I ask.

His expression shifts, and he gives me a warm smile. “Don’t worry about it. She was nothing.” He lightly pats my upper arm. “It was nice to meet you. Welcome to the Valenti inner circle.”

Inner circle?

Does Vin sense something bigger going on? I want to protect Enzo’s reputation if Vin is that observant.

Ally comes out of her office with a manila folder in her arms. “Here, Tilly.”

“Thanks. I’ll bring them back once E’s signed, or he’ll come by.”

“No worries,” she quickly replies and turns away toward her office.

I hop back into the truck and set the file on the passenger seat. I press my forehead to the steering wheel.

I just want you better, E, so I don’t have to deceive your family about what’s going on.

I pull myself back together, so I can get home to Enzo. And much to my dismay, I have to reverse, but there’s nothing anywhere near me.

Oh, no.

What was the button for ‘downhill mode’? The truck has so many, and I know it’s not the trailer one. I guess I’ll just go slow and somehow make it back to Enzo’s in one piece and pull into the driveway next to my car. I find Enzo sitting at the breakfast nook, with a salad and a big glass of water in front of him, and I beam that he’s hydrating and eating healthy on his own.

“Hey, how was it?” he asks. “I made you a salad. It’s in the fridge, but I was too hungry to wait.”

“It’s okay. Glad your appetite’s back.” I set the file in front of him, and Enzo slides it closer to him, keeping his eyes low on the folder. I turn to the refrigerator. “Um, but everything was fine. I met your dad and Alex.”

“How was that?”

“Good.” I look over my shoulder at him and raise my eyebrow. “But Alex mentioned you haven’t brought a girl home in a long time.”

“Ugh, not more of my history.” His tone is lighter now, but I notice he adds a nod. “It’s true. I haven’t.”

“Would you mind if I asked who the last one was?” I ask, sitting across from him at the table. “Your dad said she was nothing.”

Enzo sighs. “He’s right. I dated Mick’s older sister for a year.”

My breathing stills for a beat. “You did? What happened?” I ask.

Enzo shrugs. “We broke up. After a year of being with someone, I was thinking about proposing, but she didn’t want to get married or have kids.” And now I know Enzo’s timeline—a year. “Not for a long time is what she said. When I was with her, she had a remote job. She might still have it. I don’t know, but her friend got a job in San Francisco. One day, she told me that she and her friend wanted to get a place together there. That was the end of that.”

Mick… barefoot, pregnant, in the kitchen.

“Thanks for telling me.”

“Of course. She was never wife or mother material. I think she was only with me for my dick.” I grimace, and not to make excuses for him, but he’s still not thinking as clearly as he should.

“It all makes sense now. When I picked up my car from Mick, he warned me you were traditional. He said you wanted the barefoot, pregnant in the kitchen type.”

Enzo rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Fucking asshole,” he says under his breath. “He has only half the story. And he was trying to manipulate you.”

“Because you haven’t manipulated me?” I raise my eyebrow at him. He looks away quickly, confirming what I already knew. “Thought so,” I say under my breath. “He also said you seemed different recently.”

His jaw flexes, and he still keeps his gaze away from me. “I can’t believe how much it changed me.”

I touch his hand. “You were just trying to cope. Don’t be ashamed.”