“This is your chance, so lose the fucking suits while you’re out here in the middle of nowhere. Throw on jeans and a t-shirt, the shit she remembers you in. Play that up and remind her how amazing you were together.”
I barked out a laugh. “Are you a dating guru all of a sudden?”
“Who says it’s sudden?” He grinned. “Women love me. I love women. Youshouldlisten.”
“I’ve got other things to worry about.” Like the Russians. The unknown threat to Matteo. Being in close quarters with the love of my life.
“Sure,” he said easily. “But not twenty-four hours a day. Lots of long, lonely nights out here in Lucky.” He wiggled his brows. “Just sayin’.”
I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling despite myself. “I’ll take it under advisement,” I said diplomatically. “You staying for dinner?”
His expression brightened. “Definitely. I need to go get the security guys settled though. There’s a guest property about a mile to the south. They can see the property,” he explained. “Just press six on any phone and it’ll connect right to them.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Luca.”
“Anything for my brother.” He grinned and left me alone with my thoughts, so full of Ren and the looming danger.
My mind was too full of Ren to do anything but seek her out, and I found her and Matteo in the kitchen, which smelled heavenly. “What smells so good in here?”
“It’s just vegetables, Papa.” Matteo’s voice was so full of disappointment I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Vegetables are important if you want to get big and strong like yourpapa,” Ren teased. “Don’t forget to stir.”
My son stood on a stool beside Ren at the stove. They wore matching aprons and smiles as they cooked. “Like this, right?”
“Perfect, Chef.”
He giggled.
“Will there be enough for Luca? I invited him for dinner.”
She nodded. “Thesegrossvegetables are going into a lasagna,” she said more to Matteo than to me. “You’ll love it, and that’ll be all the thanks I need.”
The door opened and Luca strode in wearing a satisfied grin that usually came after he did something mischievous. “Evening, Serenity. Boys.” He patted his belly. “It smells amazing in here, Serenity. Marry me?”
She grinned and rolled her eyes. “So easy,” she teased.
He shrugged. “It was worth a shot. But since I can’t possibly be here with that kind of rejection sitting between us, how about me and you go have dinner with the guys, Mattie? They’re having pizza.”
His eyes lit up, darting from Luca to me and then to Ren.
“Go on. I’ll save you some lasagna,” she said, flicking a gaze to me. “If it’s okay with your dad.”
“It’s fine,” I sighed reluctantly.
Matteo hopped off the stool with an excited grin, removing his apron and grabbing Leo in one hand, taking Luca’s hand in the other. “Let’s go!”
“Real smooth, Luca,” Ren said, laughing as they disappeared.
Luca winked at me before they left.
Meddling asshole.
I waited for Ren to make up a reason to get away from me, but she didn’t. Instead, she moved silently, finishing up the sauce before she layered the lasagna, covered it, and popped it into the oven. “The second-best part of making lasagna is the wine you drink while waiting for it to cook.”
I took the hint and opened a bottle of red, pouring two healthy glasses. “For the chef.”
She grinned as she accepted the glass, removing her apron before she flung herself into one of the seats. And then she surprised the hell out of me. “So,” she said, swirling her wine, “what is it exactly that you do, Enzo?”
