Mine to Promise (Southern Wedding #6)(35)

“Really?” She looks down. “Wait, your shirt doesn’t leak milk?” She rolls her eyes. “Watch your nephew while I clean up.”

“Clean up in aisle ten.” Presley makes a joke at Clarabella’s back. She just lifts her hand high in the air and flips her the bird. “Good morning,” she greets, picking up the car seat and bringing it with her.

I turn around and start the emails. I have a whole list of questions I have to ask Sofia when she gets in. The time flies by, and when I hear the door open, I expect it to be Sofia. So when I look up with a smile, it quickly disappears when I see Stefano walking in. He’s wearing black jeans and a white short-sleeved shirt that makes his arms look bigger than they were yesterday. He pushes his aviator glasses on top of his head, the smile on his face filling it when he sees me.

“What are you doing here?” I don’t even move from my chair because I can’t. It’s as if all motions have left my body.

He holds up the brown bag I didn’t see in his hand. “I brought you lunch.”

My mouth opens to say something but nothing comes out, I just close it and then open it again. But, in that little bit of time, Clarabella comes out from the back and the front door opens and Sofia steps in.

“I just left you like ten minutes ago, so how are you here?” she huffs at Stefano.

“First off, I left you guys an hour ago,” he corrects, “and second, your shirt is all buttoned wrong.”

She looks down and laughs.

She quickly fixes it and glares at him. “What do you want?”

“I brought Addison lunch,” he says, walking toward my desk and my legs finally decide it’s okay to stand.

“Interesting,” both Clarabella and Sofia say at the same time before crossing their arms over their chests.

“Nothing is interesting.” I walk around my desk toward Stefano, the smell of him making my mouth water and my stomach twinge which makes a certain part of me tighten. “Thank you,” I say, grabbing the bag from him.

“See you later.” He smirks at me and then a smile fills his face. I want to punch him in the face, but I also want to climb him like a tree, so the two parts of my brain are working at the same time.

“Yes,” I grit between clenched teeth, then bite down before I say something I shouldn’t.

He turns and puts the glasses on. “Ladies, have a great day.” He pushes the door open, and when it slams shut behind him, I close my eyes.

“Oh my God,” I hear Sofia mumble, but all I can do is shake my head.

“It’s nothing.” I avoid even looking at them before heading back to my desk.

“It’s not nothing,” Clarabella declares. “It’s lunch from Luke’s.”

“If he got her a whole combo, you know he means business,” Sofia adds.

“If he even got her a drink, he’s been thinking about her the whole day.” Clarabella looks at her, then at me. “Open the bag,” she demands of me.

I open the bag, and my eyes scan a sandwich, a bag of chips, a little something else that looks like a dessert, and a bottle of tea. “It’s a bag of chips, and I think, a dessert.”

“You’re lying,” Sofia scoffs and takes a step forward, but I close the bag before she gets too close, making them both laugh.

“It’s a phase.” I say the only thing I can say. “He just found out he has a daughter.” My hand trembles as I put the bag on my desk. “He’ll move on as soon as everything gets settled.” The words feel like acid in my mouth. He’s going to leave in a matter of time, and I’m going to have a heartbroken girl to deal with.

“He’s buying a house,” Sofia states, and just like that I’m more surprised than I was five minutes ago. “Apparently, that is a huge deal.”

“But—” I start to say, my head spinning. “But he is a city guy.” If I could bang my head on my desk, I think I would bang it over and over again. Just like they do in the cartoons.

“People can change,” Sofia reminds me, “look at me.”

“You grew up in the South,” Clarabella throws out, laughing. “Look at me, she says,” she makes fun of her.

“On a farm,” Sofia counters, throwing her hands in the air. “This is as city as it can get.” She tilts her head to the side. “Buckle up, buttercup, and welcome to the family.”





stefano

. . .

I walk out of her office, the door slamming behind me, and I immediately want to go back in there. I know showing up threw her off. I knew the minute she looked up and saw me that she was not expecting me. I also knew I was going to bring her lunch, especially when she said she doesn’t eat to save time and leave early. I didn’t even know what she ate but I asked for the most popular item, so that is what she got.

My phone buzzes in my back pocket and I take it out to find a text from Matty.

Batmobile lands in ten minutes. Where are you?

On my way.

I get into the car and put the phone in the cupholder when another text comes in.

You went to take her lunch?

Yes, why?

Why? Why do you think? The question is why did you take her lunch?

She has to eat. I can’t text, I’m driving.