Matteo
“One of my classmates used to live in Grand Haven,” Liss says, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She turns back to me and leans against the counter. “She said it was pretty, and the people there are super nice, but the prices weren’t worth it. Besides, tourists flock there every season, so, you know, see for yourself. ”
I hum, mindlessly scratching Dolce’s ear. “That’s what I would expect from a beach town. I mean, I wouldn’t want to live there. It must be different when you go there as a tourist.”
“Sure, you’re right. It’s still worth visiting if you want to stay close to Chicago.” Liss shrugs and takes a sip of her coffee before checking the clock. “Wait a second. Romeo! Are you ready?”
She pushes herself away from the counter to walk to the living room when we hear the tapping of Romeo’s steps on the stairs, and he jumps to the first floor with a loud thud. I see Liss purse her lips-she thinks it’s dangerous for him to jump like that, but I don’t mind, so Romeo keeps doing it anyway. I mean, he’s just a boy. When I was his age, I couldn’t go down the stairs without jumping over two at once.
“Yes, Miss Liss, I’m here.” Romeo barges into the kitchen with a wide grin and his backpack on his shoulders, looking around. “What do we have for breakfast?”
“No, first you leave the backpack by the door.” Liss quirks an eyebrow and points at the entrance. “And then you can come back for hash browns and eggs.”
Romeo pouts his lips in a displeased grimace. “I don’t like eggs.” “You liked them on Tuesday.”
“Yes, but I don’t want them now.”
Liss puts her hands on her hips and gives him a flat look, ready to say something, but I beat her to it.
“Romeo, you can’t talk like that,” I say with a strict note, giving him a long look until he purses his lips and casts his gaze. “Miss Liss got up
early just to make you a special breakfast. You could at least try it before refusing to eat.”
Romeo says nothing, only puffing his red-stained cheeks, but Liss turns to me with a small smile and shakes her head. “It’s alright, Matteo. I don’t want him to force it. If you’ll only eat hash browns, it’s fine, just remember that you won’t have anything until school lunch. Do you want apple juice?”
He immediately perks up with an excited smile and nods a few times. “Yes! Thank you, Miss Liss.”
“Yes, yes, but don’t forget about the backpack.” Liss gives him a pointed look, and Romeo quickly runs to the hallway while she turns to the stove with a hum. “Sorry for going against you. I didn’t want him to feel pressured to eat.”
“It’s alright. Don’t worry about it.” I smile and take a sip of my coffee, absentmindedly watching her pour apple juice into Romeo’s glass. She has small and quick hands, and for some reason, I just enjoy watching her do something.
“Actually, it’s something that I wanted to ask you.” Liss glances at me from the corner of her eye. “Do you think I’m being too soft with him?”
I hum. Well, maybe sometimes, but…
“I think you know how to handle him better than anyone.” I shrug with a smile when she looks at me with surprise. “Romeo is much happier when you’re around, Miss Liss.”
And I mean it. Ever since Liss appeared in our life, days have been so much brighter and everything has been so much easier. I can see the change for the better in Romeo’s habits, grades, and everyday mood, and it’s the biggest sign that I made the right choice when I chose Liss over other candidates.
At first, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to live with her at all. No matter how charming she is, I’d never allowed a person into my life so quickly. I’d always been wary of hiring live-in nannies just because, well, isn’t it the
same as allowing a stranger into your own house? Nobody knows what they have on their minds.
But with Liss, it’s different. Since the very first day, it’s been so natural to have her around. I feel so comfortable around her, and I can see how much Romeo enjoys her presence and how much better his behavior has been lately. Liss has become almost a part of the family, and sometimes I can’t help but think what it would be like if we were actually-
Wait.
Damn it, Matteo.
I huff under my breath, staring into the depths of my coffee. I should stop thinking about her as anything but Romeo’s nanny. I mean, isn’t it
weird? She’s twenty years younger than me, and she’s technically my employee! No matter how I look at it, having feelings for her is a bad idea
-but a few moments later, my gaze inevitably darts to Liss.
She’s leaning on the counter, giggling about something with Romeo, with her hazelnut hair tucked behind her ear and her t-shirt emphasizing her slender figure, and…I’m not blind, okay? I can’t look at her and not admit that she’s pretty. Liss has this vibrant energy of youth, and that’s exactly why I shouldn’t even think about her.
Why would a girl like her be attracted to a forty-year-old widower with a child in tow? But when Liss catches my gaze and gives me a little smile, I can’t help the feeling that there’s something in the air between us. That I’m not the only one feeling that warmth whenever I look at her.
But Liss looks away after a moment, taking away the intensity of her gaze, and I finish my coffee in two gulps and stand up from my stool. I have no idea what to make of it. My thoughts are all messy, so it’s better to go back to my office and focus on work.
“Have fun at school, buddy.” I ruffle Romeo’s hair as I walk past him, earning an undignified grunt, and glance at Liss. “Thanks for the breakfast. I’ll see you later.”
And only when I reach the stairs do I realize that I’m smiling.
Thankfully, I don’t have to wait long until the workload grows to the point that I forget all about my own weird thoughts. I’m in the middle of checking on a new waiter in one of our bars and sending directions for Louis to meet a Russian dealer in Bridgeview when I receive a message from the morning patrol.
Thomas reports that ten minutes ago they saw a car driving away from our borders, and after dispersing and checking the streets around, they found a demolished truck at the property of one of the local delivery services. It’s just a truck, right? It’s not supposed to be a big deal. But when Thomas sends me the photo of the truck and its location, I go still for a moment before dialing Paolo’s number.
“It can’t be a coincidence,” Paolo repeats for the third time, and I can hear Luna crying in the background as he paces around his house.
“They knew which truck it was, and they knew how to get there. Goddamnit, we received this batch like two days ago!”
“I know,” I say and lean back in my seat, keeping my calm in the face of Paolo’s hot temper. “And I don’t understand how they found out about it. They couldn’t have just guessed.”
“No, of course not! Gerardo, that goddamn piece of shit-”
“Paolo!” I hear Jacinta’s strict voice in the background, and Paolo cuts himself off. Oh, I wonder what exactly she didn’t like: that Paolo
cursed, or that it was directed at her father.
“Alright, that goddamn freak-is that better? He’s planning something again. I’ve heard from our spies that he’s spreading his network through Chicago, and who knows how far it reaches.”
Shit. I don’t like where this is going.
“Do you think his people are among us?” I frown and lean forward on the desk, mindlessly skimming through the conversations on my screen. Could it be one of them?