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“Sorry!” Enzo shouts as she throws her hand over her eyes. “I didn’t know you were busy, Uncle G. I came to bring Maya her bag since she obviously isn’t in the guest room.”
As if someone threw a bucket of cold water on both of us, we come back to our senses, breaking apart quickly. My cheeks heat instantly and I bury my nose in his chest. Not only am I making out with my ex-boss, but his nephew caught us. However, deep down, I’m thankful he showed up and broke the spell I was under. There’s no telling what I’d have done if Giulio and I were left alone for much longer. Just the brush of his lips against my skin short-circuited my brain and sent all my plans out the window.
Giulio chuckles, taking a step back and putting some space between the two of us. “I was just showing Maya her room.” He gives Enzo a wink over his shoulder before directing his focus back on me. “I’ll be back to pick you up for our date at seven?”
“Date?” Enzo’s eyes widen in surprise as his head swivels back and forth between us.
I’m sure he is even more confused than I am about these recent changes in circumstances between his uncle and me. Someone needs to explain to him what is going on. He’s just a kid, but I’m sure he picks up on everything going on around him. At least I did at his age. The last thing he needs is to be confused about our relationship or lack there off in this case.
“Yes, a date, and I need your help. We have one chance to convince Maya she should fall madly in love with you and be your new auntie.”
I turn and narrow my eyes in his direction. That was not what I was expecting as an explanation, but I don’t know why I expected anything less. Ever since I laid eyes on Giulio, he’s made it perfectly clear what he wants from me.
“Oh, I’ll call Morgan! Maybe you can have dinner by the pool at sunset, or take her to the winery and have her a tasting, or—”
Giulio raises his hand, and he stops talking immediately. “We can talk about it all in a few minutes. Right now, we need to leave Maya to rest and prepare for our date.”
“I promised dinner, not a date.”
“Semantics.” He grins at me before planting a kiss on my forehead and heading down the hall.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to my Uncle G, but keep it up.” Enzo flashes two thumbs up in my direction before scurrying down the hall after his uncle.
I wait until they are on their way down the stairs and out of view before closing the door and leaning against it.
I’m not sure what it is about Giulio, but everything in my body is telling me that this non-date could change the course of my life forever. If agreeing to this is a mistake, it’s still up for debate. My heart and my mind aren’t on the same page for the first time in my entire life. My heart wants me to jump in feet first, like I always have, and see what happens, but my head says this is ridiculous. There’s no way a successful vineyard owner would take one look at me and fall madly in love. I’m a sucker for fairy tales, but that stuff doesn’t happen in real life.
It did for the girls.That nagging voice in the back of my mind reminds me for the millionth time. If my three best friends can travel across the world to find their true loves, why can’t I?
This could go down as the worst mistake of my life. But what other choice do I have? I agreed to have dinner with Giulio and figure out what is going on between us. I wanted an adventure and I’m getting one. I only hope that I don’t lose my heart in the process. I need this job.
I push to my feet and stride toward the bed and take a seat. I have a few hours before I need to get ready for my non-date and should probably take a nap, but I need someone to talk things through with. After mentally calculating the time difference between my three best friends’ locations, I settle on calling Charlotte. If she doesn’t answer, I’ll try Ava or Rory next, since they are only an hour behind.
Thank goodness my parents insisted on getting me an international phone line or this call would cost me a fortune. I hit the speed dial button on my phone and wait impatiently for her to answer the phone.
“Hello.” She giggles softly as I hear Bryce’s deep voice in the background.
“Please tell me you didn’t stop having sex to answer your phone,” I groan, not really wanting to know the answer to that question.
“Do you really think I’d let that happen?” Bryce chuckles into the phone before Charlotte shoos him away.
“Sorry about that, Maya. We were just trying out a few new recipes. So, what’s up?”
“I met my Prince Charming like the three of you and now I don’t know what to do.” I wail into the phone.
It’s kind of ironic that I’m having this conversation with Charlotte, of all people. I practically had to call and intervene with her mother’s help to make sure she stayed with Bryce in France instead of coming home and working at her family restaurant in New York. Now I’m calling her for almost the same advice in return.
Charlotte doesn’t say one word, letting the silence settle between us. I wait for a few moments for her to say something, but nothing. “Umm, are you still there?”
“Yes,” Charlotte deadpans but doesn’t say another word.
“If you’re going to just sit there and not help, I can call someone else.” I throw my hands in the air as if she can see them. “Say something, for goodness’s sake.”
“What do you want me to say, Maya?”
“I want you to tell me what to do?” I huff, flopping back onto the bed.
“You know I can’t do that,” Charlotte grumbles. “Besides, I feel you and I had the same conversation about Bryce.”
