◆ Closer To You ◆

◇ KEL ◇

"Ciao."

"Ciao, Signore Tomassini." I grinned and approached the guy leaning against a shiny gray convertible.

As per usual, he gave me a hug, then a kiss on both cheeks. Except...when he kissed me this time, his lips lingered a little too close to mine, and the kiss lasted a moment too long. Just like his hug.

Not too tight, and not pervy in any way. But the gesture still pricked tiny needles deep into my gut. I didn't back off, though. I missed him.

We hadn't seen each other in weeks. I would text him twice a week. Check on him. Ask about his family and all. Some nights, he would call me and we would video-chat for an hour or two. But I still craved his company.

Sheesh. Not a good sign. It's my fault, though. I just hoped I wouldn't blurt out something he wasn't ready to hear yet.

"You look beautiful today." Enzo smiled faintly and pulled away to regard my glittery top.

My dark skirt also had something shiny on the side. "Just today?" I snickered when he blushed. A frequent thing lately—not exactly sure why. I loved seeing his face turn pinkish during our banters. It made me feel like I was getting better at holding spontaneous conversations. Never been my strong suit. But with him, I mostly felt at ease.

"Sorry." He lightly pinched my cheek. "I meant more beautiful."

"I was at Gaia's birthday brunch. Hence the outfit."

"Right. I should greet her."

"Just text her. Or email her."

"Yeah."

"She's on her way back to Jersey. They have a new big-timer client." I grabbed his arm to pull him away from his staff, his well-dressed bodyguards following suit.

They respectfully kept their distance, though, and we were in a hotel lobby. We were an hour away from the city. Somewhat safer and with enough privacy.

I looked at Enzo's clothes.

He didn't look too shabby himself. No tailored Italian designer suits this time, but he still looked absolutely ready for a picture. Handsome. Manly. But also refined. Confident.

No. Not just handsome. To be honest, he looked annoyingly gorgeous no matter what he wore. Seeing him in his high-priced suits often intimidated me. Lately, though, seeing him in casual clothes, like now, also made me feel certain things.

I didn't know why. Putting it into words was a challenge. "Rest enough before your flight?"

"Five hours of sleep," he sighed. "You?"

"Enough sleep." I glanced at him, making sure he actually wanted to be here. When he smiled at me again, relief quelled my worries. My chest and insides stopped coiling despite some remnants of days-old anxiety. "Wanna go somewhere?"

"You mean now?"

"Yeah. Unless you're too tired."

"No. I'm good." The warm wind disheveled his wavy hair. Enzo pulled a face and combed it back with his fingers.

It looked so modelesque. My throat suddenly felt dry and constricted. I still harbored a secret crush on him. A top secret, growing admiration he didn't need to know about.

"Just had to finish a video conference after meeting with the board. How's the family?"

"Good. Meesha can't sleep without the dolls you bought. Mommy says she misses your jokes and your fancy wines." I giggled. Like Jill, my mom thought Enzo and I were an item now. I denied it, of course, but they always believed what they wanted to believe.

Enzo laughed. "I'll bring her another bottle next time."

"How was the meeting?"

"Not fun." He yawned. "Wanna have fun?"

"Yeah. Sure." I tried not to react when he fastened his strong arm around my waist as we strolled around the hotel. Actually, when he said yes to my invitation despite his busy schedule, I was just ecstatic and could barely contain my excitement around Gaia.

Especially now that he made time for me this afternoon. He also needed a break from his demanding work life.

"Wanna go somewhere sunny?"

"Yeah." Enzo grinned and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Lead the way."

◇

That somewhere was a big carnival just an hour away.

He was game for anything, he said, and I wanted him to just unwind today. It's the weekend again. He should let loose once in a while, instead of working impossible hours every week and drinking himself to sleep with all the sophisticated wines he could afford.

These days he seemed a bit more uptight than I was. A few ideas lingered in my head, but perhaps he just didn't want to dive into that conversation just yet. I was sure they included his father's recent death and his brother getting arrested. Plus the daily pressures caused by Enzo's job.

Being the CEO of a new company...not quite a walk in the park, I imagined. He loved his work, though. Almost like it's a compulsion for him. "Gaia emailed me about the contract again," Enzo mumbled, breaking off the silence. A frown wrinkled his forehead and etched a deep crease between his brows.

"Yeah. She told me."

"Told her to just forget about it. She offered to pay me. I didn't know what to say. I haven't responded to her last email."

Standing beside a juice stand while he sipped his lemon cucumber drink, I stirred my melon shake and tried not to laugh. I just recalled Gaia's almost violent reaction when I mentioned Enzo hung out with me every time he was here. Well, every time he told me he was in New York. "She probably told my mom we're on another date."

"Great." Enzo chuckled.

"She feeds inaccurate intel to my mother every time I don't answer her call."

"Yeah. You tend to do that."

"Do what?" I pulled a face.

"Shut out people when you're busy. And I get it. You're always busy. Honestly, I just try not to mind it."

"Look who's talking..." I squinted at him, trying not to giggle at his deadpan humor.

We stood by the rainbow-themed kiosk while he finished his drink. He seemed more relaxed, his posture slackened, his blue eyes more vibrant every time the afternoon sun caught his face. "Yeah. Well...just givin' you a dose of your own medicine."

"You don't say." I laughed a little. Okay. I might have been uncommunicative lately. The reasons: my last year in med school plus my complicated, never-ending BFF drama with Miles. I was trying to be more communicative with both of them, though.

"Yeah. You've mastered it," Enzo muttered with a nonchalant shrug. "I guess I learned from the expert."

I slapped his arm and pinched the side of his waist—his most ticklish body part. "You know I ingest two to three books a day; of course I gotta stay focused."

"Alright. Use that card." He chortled when I pinched him again.

"Seriously, though. Would anyone mind?"

Enzo turned quiet and stared at me, his lips a little crooked to the right. "Mind what?"

"If we were actually dating."

He coughed away from my face. Like he almost choked on his drink.

"You okay?"

"Are you asking if I'm seeing someone?"

"Do I have to spell it out? Jeez..." I rolled my eyes. Did he really have to phrase it like that? I was aiming for subtlety to not seem desperate, but, of course he saw right through me.

My eye roll made him laugh. Enzo drank the rest of his drink and threw the paper cup into the trash can, his back facing me now.

A rather awkward silence lingered. I waited and stood close to him, my heart thudding away in my chest, the anticipation making me regret that I asked him to unequivocally confirm he's single.

Then he faced me again. Enzo looked me in the eye with a squint and a mild frown. Was he bothered that I asked about his dating life?

Friends did that all the time. Right?

Well, I rarely asked him personal questions. In the past, I almost never asked about his private life, mainly because I expected a guy like him would have all types of women trying to befriend him. Always trying to sneak their way into his inner circle. Just waiting for a real chance with him.

"You seriously think I have time to date?" Enzo scoffed. He didn't bother faking a grin to mask his initial reaction.

But how did he actually feel about it? Was he going to leave me guessing? "I dunno," I murmured. "You talk to girls all the time, so..."

"All the time?" His brows knitted. Then he crossed his arms over his chest. "You mean, you're confused that I still talk to Libby?"

Busted. "Yeah. I guess..."

"Rafa and I still do business with Olivia. So we talk on the phone sometimes."

"Right. Okay." Stop talking to your lying and cheating ex who didn't give a rat's ass about you, was what I really wanted to say.

"Wait. Where's this coming from?"

"Nothing." I shrugged faintly. Now every body part beneath my short blouse and thigh-length skirt felt warmer for some reason. "I guess, I always thought, you weren't the type to stay single."

"Why?"

"Because you're you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Enzo chuckled, but it just sounded fake.

I cringed inside. The nervousness warmed my armpits, making me sweat even more. I stared at him as his frown deepened. My hands felt clammy now. "You're just that likeable."

He arched a brow. "I would say the exact same thing to you."

"Don't steal my lines. Make up your own."

Enzo smirked and shook his head. Without any warning, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me towards the carousel. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I bought a house."

A house? "Here? In New York? When?"

"New Berkshire. Just now." He grinned lopsidedly. "It's an hour away from your place."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah. Signed all the paperwork this morning."

"Wow. Congrats. But, where exactly?"

"30 Chancellor Drive. Up on the hills. Nice view."

"Oh. But you're gonna sell it later? Like flipping houses?"