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“Good enough for anybody,” Cassiel replied with just enough of an eyeroll to show that he meant it.
“Alright then,” Jimmy replied, pleased. He turned to the big arc of the wood-fired oven and took out a long paddle to turn a few things cooking in there. “You go sit. I’ll bring it out. You want chianti?” he asked.
“No!” Cat hollered as she went to sit in the warm, cozy back by the side of the oven. “Don’t give us any of that paint thinner you serve.”
“Two chiantis,” Jimmy said stubbornly.
Cat sat and looked up at Cassiel as he sat across from her. She shook her head. “Seriously, don’t drink the wine.”
He was smiling and frowning at the same time, and Cat didn’t know how he accomplished that.
“Is the truffle oil guy Ashton Ellis?” Cassiel asked.
She tried not to gape at him. “Yes,” she said, half swallowing the word. She didn’t come here to talk about her private life. “You said we needed to have a conversation,” she began, hoping he’d take the hint. He didn’t.
“You’ve been dating him for over a year now. Can’t figure out if you live together,” he said.
“We don’t,” she said, although as soon as she said it, she regretted it. They weren’t supposed to be talking about her, they were supposed to be talking about him.
“He’s over a lot,” Cassiel said.
Something occurred to her, and she froze, mid-breath. “Are you watching my house?” she asked, absolutely floored.
“I’m watching everything about you, Catherine Murphy from Southie,” he said, leaning slightly closer across the table. She got another whiff of that honey and wood scent of his and had to blink to clear her head. “The only person in your life right now who knows more about you is probably your priest,” he continued, his voice soft. “And I bet I’m gaining on him.”
She felt like she’d just been nailed to her chair. “Are you threatening me?” she whispered.
“Threatening you?” he repeated, shocked like he’d never even considered what she was suggesting. “I’d never hurt you,” he replied so spontaneously she knew it had to be true.
She relaxed somewhat. “Then why are you following me?”
“Why areyoufollowingme?” he asked in turn. “Why are you following my family?”
She felt consternation cloud her mind.Because you’re interesting and rich and the public has the right to know everything about you because wewantto know everything about youjust didn’t hold up when she tried to put the sentiment into words. Especially now when she’d just experienced what it felt like to have someone watching her. It was suffocating.
“Because you’re a public figure,” she said, sidestepping the issue, even though an uncomfortable sliver of doubt about what she was doing to the Lorings had entered her awareness.
“No, I’m not,” he replied. “I’m a regular person.”
“Your family is a public insti—”
“Don’t you dare sayinstitution,” he said, shaking his head. “We’re not the courthouse or the Department of Water and Power. We’re just a family.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and sat back in her chair. “You’re notjustanything, any more than a hurricane isjusta little wind and rain. The things you do and say, the things you want, and the way you spend your money, shape a lot of other people’s lives.”
He leaned back and mirrored her cynical look. “You’re a reporter. I could say the same about you. Which is why I’m following you.”
They stared at each other, both of them flushed and breathing a little harder than they should.
“One pepperoni, hold the snob sauce,” Jimmy said, placing the steaming circle of pizza on the table. He looked between the two of them, then wiped his hands on his apron. “I’ll get the wine,” he said, scuttling away.
Cat took a breath to yell after him, but Cassiel interrupted her. “Just let him bring it,” he said, smiling. “Eat your pizza.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she said, but since she was trying not to smile back at him it didn’t come out with any sting to it.
They had a few bites and Cassiel nodded at his slice, like he was having deep thoughts about it. “This is really good.” Jimmy came with the unwanted wine. “This is really good,” Cassiel repeated, this time to Jimmy.
“Glad you like it, buddy,” Jimmy said and left them with a satisfied smile on his face.
