167

167
Gianna’s POV
I wasn’t sure when the shift began-when Matteo’s steady presence stopped feeling like a burden I had to bear and started to feel like something I relied on. But as I sat in my office, staring at the flowers someone had sent over after a successful deal, the thought hit me like a punch to the chest.
He’d been patient. Too patient, if I were honest.
I pushed back my chair and stood, pacing the length of the office. The blooms on my desk taunted me, bright and celebratory. They were from a client, a token of gratitude for all the work I’d done to close a deal. But the truth was, Matteo had done just as much.
More, maybe. Truth be told, he was the one who closed the deal. I was just the figurehead.
A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I called, straightening my blazer as though that would help.
Matteo stepped inside, a folder in his hand. His sleeves were rolled up, and his tie was just slightly askew, the kind of imperfection that felt deliberate.
“Budget reports,” he said, setting the folder on my desk. “You’ll want to look over these before the meeting tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” I said, hoping my voice didn’t sound as awkward as I felt. I wondered if he could see everything I’d been thinking on my face. With Matteo, I felt more like an open book than I’d like to admit.
He didn’t leave right away, which wasn’t unusual. Matteo had a habit of lingering, even if he didn’t say much. Today, though, there was a wariness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
“Nice flowers,” he noted, nodding towards the bouquet on my desk.
“From a client. As a thank you. Successful deals and all,” I explained, waving a hand like it was nothing. “All thanks to you, by the way.” I added. He gave a curt nod.
“How’s everything going?” he asked instead, his tone light but cautious.
“Fine,” I said automatically. Then, after a pause, I added, “Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”
He tilted his head slightly, waiting.
I hesitated, the words tangling in my throat. What was I even doing? But it was too late to back out now. “Do you have plans tonight?”
He blinked, clearly surprised. “Uh, no. Why?”
“I thought maybe…” I trailed off, feeling ridiculous. This wasn’t like me. Since when did I start asking men out on dates? “Never mind. It’s not important.”
“Gianna,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “What is it?”
I took a deep breath. “I thought maybe I could take you out to dinner. As a thank-you. For all the extra work you’ve been doing lately.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Dinner?”
“Strictly professional,” I added quickly, feeling my face heat up. “It’s not… I just think you’ve earned it.”
He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. “Okay,” he said finally, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I’d like that.”
We ended up at a quiet little Italian place Matteo recommended. It wasn’t the kind of restaurant I usually frequented-no white tablecloths, no pretense-but that was probably why he suggested it.
“This is my favorite spot,” he said as we slid into a booth near the back. “Best pasta in the city. Trust me.”
“I didn’t realize you were a food critic,” I teased, picking up the menu.
“You’d be surprised at the many talents I have,” he replied, his tone light.
The waiter came by to take our orders, and Matteo didn’t hesitate. “The carbonara,” he said with confidence. Then, turning to me, he added, “You should try it.”
“I’ll have the same,” I said, handing the menu back.
Once the waiter left, an awkward silence settled over the table. I fiddled with the edge of my napkin, suddenly unsure of how to act. This felt… different.
“So,” Matteo said, breaking the silence. “Is this your way of admitting I’ve been carrying the team?”
I rolled my eyes, grateful for his attempt to lighten the mood. “Don’t push your luck.”
He chuckled, leaning back in his seat. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
The conversation flowed easier after that. We talked about the recent deal, about the chaos of the upcoming quarter, about everything and nothing all at once. Matteo had a way of making things feel effortless, even when my mind was spinning.
But it wasn’t until the food arrived that I realized how much I’d been holding back.
“You were right,” I said after taking a bite of the carbonara. “This is incredible.”
“Told you,” he said, his grin widening. “I don’t mess around when it comes to pasta.”
“Right,” I replied with a playful roll of my eyes. We both laughed.
For a moment, we ate in comfortable silence. It felt strange-sitting across from him like this, outside the confines of work. But it also felt… nice.
“Thank you,” I said suddenly, the words surprising even me.
Matteo looked up, his fork paused mid-air. “For what?”
“For everything,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. “For being patient. For putting up with me.”
“You make it sound like a chore,” he said, his tone light but his eyes serious.
“Sometimes I think it is,” I admitted, forcing a small laugh.
“It’s not,” he said firmly. “You’re worth it, Gianna. I hope you know that.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I looked down at my plate, suddenly fascinated by the swirl of pasta.
“You don’t have to say anything,” he added after a moment. “I just wanted you to know.”
The rest of the meal passed in a blur. By the time we left the restaurant, the sun was beginning to set, making the sky seem kind of orange-ish but beautiful nonetheless.
“Let me walk you to your car,” Matteo said as we stepped outside.
“You don’t have to-” I began but he cut me off.
“I insist,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
We walked in silence, the cool evening air wrapping around us. When we reached my car, I turned to face him, unsure of what to say.
“Thank you,” I said again, because it was the only thing I could think of.
“You already said that,” he pointed out, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“I know,” I said, smiling despite myself. “But I mean it.”
He nodded, his expression softening. “Anytime.”
As I slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, I couldn’t help but glance at him one last time. Matteo stood there, hands in his pockets, watching as I pulled away.
And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel so alone.