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“Something like that, but ultimately, I want to open a new restaurant. Our profits support the possibility, but Papà won’t consider it.”
“Where would you open it?” I hadn’t heard anyone talking about another restaurant. Mr. G., as I liked to call him, loved having one restaurant where his entire family worked together.
“I’m not sure yet. I haven’t gotten past his skepticism that a second location would overextend us. But I think we can manage it. Especially since I’d do the heavy lifting.”
“I had no idea you wanted to open a second location.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I have so many ideas on how to improve the business, and Papà isn’t interested in hearing them. I want my own space to create and run the business. I don’t want him hovering forever. At first, I thought he’d take a step back, but he’s not showing any signs of slowing down, and Mom says that he’ll never retire.”
I chuckled. “She does say that.”
“I think he enjoys being in the restaurant, greeting the customers. He’d be bored if he left.”
“So, you want him to have that restaurant while you lead a second?”
He glanced over at me as if surprised I was interested. “That’s right.”
“If you approach your father with the plan and the projected numbers, you’ll have a better shot.”
Leo sighed. “I can have Carlo take a look at the numbers.”
Carlo was the brother who oversaw the books. I’d never spent this much time with Leo, and I sensed being around him wasn’t good for this attraction I had for him. It only made it worse. He wasn’t an ancillary figure in my life. He was becoming a bigger part of it.
He drove me to his parents’ house on the outskirts of town, where I’d dropped off Evie earlier this afternoon. “I’ll grab Evie. Mamma’s probably already asleep.”
“Thank you.”
I’d left my car at their house earlier to ride with Gia. I hadn’t expected her to stay the night at the hotel, but it worked out. I got into my car and turned it on, opening the back door so Leo could put Evie inside without waking her.
But nothing prepared me for when he came out the door with Evie cradled in his arms. I’d never seen him carry her like how a father held his child.
My heart thudded in my chest as he carefully lowered her into the car seat and pulled the straps over her tiny shoulders. He clipped her in and tested the tightness of the straps over her shoulders. Leo’s actions were sweet and protective and sent pangs through my heart.
What would it be like to have this help all the time? A man to watch Evie while I worked. Someone to pick up the slack when I was exhausted. Instead of going down that road, I steeled my shoulders as he straightened, gazing down at Evie with a soft look. “She didn’t wake up.”
“She usually doesn’t once she’s asleep.”
His lips twitched. “She’s so sweet when she’s sleeping. When she’s awake, she’s constantly on the go.”
I smiled indulgently. “That’s my Evie.”
He closed the door.
“Thanks for carrying her. She’s getting heavy for me,” I said, trying to cover how affected I was.
“You’ll be okay getting home?” Leo asked as he opened the front door for me.
I slid into the seat. “I make this drive all the time.”
Leo leaned an arm against the frame of the door, considering me. “I worry about you.”
I gave him a tight smile. “You don’t need to. I’ve got this.”
He cocked his brow. “But who's gotyou?”
My body flushed with heat. I took his question to mean something else entirely. Was he offering to take care of me and my needs? No one had done that in such a long time, and certainly not well. I had a feeling Leo knew his way around a woman’s body, and I’d love to find out. But I was sure he’d meant who was taking care of me in other ways.
“The Giovannis. Always.” Or at least I hoped so. If they found out that I’d harbored a crush on their eldest son, they might not feel the same way.
