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I sigh, knowing she’s right. I’ve felt something pulling me here since the moment I laid eyes on the agency’s advertisement. Going with my gut has never failed me before, so there is no reason to believe it will happen this time. I’m going to take a leap of faith, just like I asked my friends to do.
“Fine, I’ll give you that one. But if this doesn’t work out, you all owe me huge.”
“Why are you always such a pessimist, Maya?”
“I’m not being a pessimist. I’m being realistic. I’m twenty-two years old with no real direction in my life. Sure, he likes what he sees, but we barely know each other. What happens if he…” I throw my hands in the air in exasperation.
I love Charlotte, but it’s her job as one of my best friends to make me feel like I could take over the world in a single glance. The truth is, I put on a big front, but I’m nothing more than a lost twenty-two-year-old girl with no direction in her life, making me an easy target for just about anyone.
“You’re lucky I’m not there or I’d smack some sense into you.” I can just picture her with her hands on her hips, shaking her finger in the air. “You’re a catch, and any man would be lucky to have you. If he can’t see that, then he isn’t worth it. You need to see yourself more clearly.”
“I see myself just fine,” I respond, rolling my eyes.
I’m not the worst-looking person, but I’m nothing to write home about either. I’m barely over five feet, with dull brown hair, and am a little curvier than most Italian women. We sit in silence for a few moments as I mull over her words.
“Enough about my not-date with the Giulio. Tell me about this new recipe you and Bryce are creating.” I giggle before lying down on the bed.
Charlotte thinks this is going to be some magical date where I’m swept off my feet and Giulio and I go riding off into the sunset together, but I’m not holding my breath.
CHAPTERFOUR
GIULIO
“What’s wrong with my ideas?” Enzo whines as he flops down on my bed.
“Nothing.” I smile, ruffling his hair before checking my watch for the millionth time. “I’m just wanting to have something a little more intimate.”
Ever since I left Maya standing at her bedroom door, I’ve been counting down the minutes until I get to see her again. Usually, I’m counting down the minutes until I can get away from a woman, but something about Maya calls to me, bringing out a part of me I never knew existed.
Maybe Morgan was on to something when she took the initiative and sent the agency a request for a nanny. Never in a million years would I have willingly called them, but then I never would have met Maya. The moment I laid eyes on her, my world was turned upside down.
“Why can’t I come on your date, Uncle G?” Enzo whines, picking up one of my ties from the bed and making a face before dropping it back down. “I want to know more about Maya too.”
He has every right to know the woman I plan on spending the rest of my life with. She’ll be his new aunt, after all. But I don’t want to share. I want to ensure I have her full, undivided attention, not having to fight Enzo for it. He’s young, adorable, and women always fawn over him whenever they come to the vineyard, pinching his cheeks and promising to bring him sweets next time.
“I’m jealous of my nephew,” I mumble, shaking my head, trying to find the right way to answer his question. “I know you want to get to know her, but sometimes grown-ups want to spend time together by themselves first. We can all have dinner together tomorrow night. How does that sound?”
“Boring.” He rolls his eyes before hopping down off my bed. “Oh, I called Morgan and told her about your date. She said she’d be here in—”
Just as he’s about to finish his sentence, my bedroom door flies open, and Morgan comes storming through. Her inky black hair pulled in a messy bun on the top of her head with a pencil sticking out of it.
“You thought you could go on a date with the freaking nanny and not tell me about it?” She huffs, dropping the two large bags hanging from her arm on the floor in front of me. “Thanks for the call, buddy.”
“Anytime, Morgan.” Enzo gives her a wink before heading for the door. “Since I’m not allowed to go out with you and Maya, I’m going to go play video games.”
His entire demeanor changes and he heads toward the door. His shoulders slump forward, and he collapses right in on himself. The last thing I want to do is make Enzo feel unwanted.
“Only for a little while, then you and I have a date of our own tonight,” Morgan calls after him, making him pause in the doorway.
“Are you trying to get rid of me, Uncle G?” he asks.
I can see the hurt in his eyes about not being wanted, which is the last thing I want.
“Of course he isn’t,” Morgan chimes in, saving me for the second time today. “I haven’t been able to spend any quality time with my main man in weeks. Your uncle let me off work a decent time today and there’s no one I’d rather spend that time with.”
“Awesome!” Enzo throws a fist pump in the air before running to Morgan and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.
“Now go pack a suitcase ’cause we’re having a sleepover too!”
