Page 125 of Matteo

Rio: Makes sense

Rio: NOT

Rio: Since when do you plan a trip around your employee’s vacation?

Rio: We need to talk

Rio: Alone

Rio: We need the low down

I don’t bother to reply, because I know he’ll only get more information out of me.

So much for wanting to keep this quiet and between me and Elizabeth. I understand it—their curiosity and shock. My brothers didn’t even know that we were together, though I thought Enzo had an idea that something was going on. Still, this is rare, and unexpected, me going on vacation with someone I haven’t known for long, and someone who happens to be an employee.

Now they think it’s got to be special if I'm taking Elizabeth to visit Mama.

Except that I’m not.

But I’d like to, and it did occur to me to ask Elizabeth if she wanted to come with me, but in this instance I need quality time with Mama. I need her advice on donating my kidney to the man she despises.

I set my phone to silence, not wanting Rio’s nosiness to ruin my evening.

Hours later we've had dinner, and brochures and paper are strewn all over the kitchen island. Elizabeth and I sitting on bar stools, side by side. She's on her phone, finalizing last-minute details. We're flying the day after tomorrow, but I have a secret planned for her.

“I finally get to meet the mysterious Vlad.” From my periphery, I can see her glancing at me. “Does he know about me?” I ask, when she doesn’t say anything.

She shifts, curling her hair around her fingers.

“Only that you're coming. I don’t know much about his fiancée either, so ...” She peers at me. “What are you wearing to the wedding?”

I slide my elbow onto the countertop, resting my jaw on the flat of my hand and flashing a cheesy grin. “What do you want me to wear?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Will it be a formal wedding? Informal?” I ask her. “I don't have much to go on and I'm flying blind.”

“With Vlad, I never know.”

Questions hurtle through me but Elizabeth turns to her phone again. I'm convinced she’s doing that because she doesn't want to discuss this further, but how can she not know? He’s supposed to be her close friend. Someone whose wedding she feels compelled to attend.

What does ‘With Vlad, I never know,’ even mean?

“I have smart suits. I can do smart, if you need me to.”

“Hey, no. I mean it,” she says, suddenly giving me her full attention. She swivels on the stool, turning to face me, her legs positioned between mine. “You can wear what you want. I love your chains and your bracelets ...” One hand encircles the bracelets on my wrist, and the other goes to the chain around my neck “Wear whatever you feel comfortable in.”

I dip my head and drop a kiss on her lips. “With you, I’d rather be naked.”

She rests her forehead against mine. “Wouldn’t be practical.”

“No.”

“What time is the flight?” she asks.

I’ve been wanting to tell her. “About that ...” I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and brush my lips against hers again.

“I need to know what time we're taking off.” She swipes her tongue along my lower lip.