“See?” Cat said to me. “It all depends on the guy. If she likes you, she’ll get over it.”
“Shedoeslike me.” I grinned. “I can tell.”
“Well, as soon as something happens, I wanna hear all about it!” Cat exclaimed.
“So do I!” Alessandra chimed in.
“Me, too!” Raffaelo said with the same lisp, and all of us laughed again.
At that very moment, Adriano walked in with Valentino.
“What’s so funny?” Valentino asked.
“Just talking about Giorgio’s love life,” Cat replied.
“And that’s funny?”
“His love life ishilarious,”Raffaelo said in his regular voice, but deadpan.
“More like nonexistent,” I said.
“That’s not true!” Cat protested.“Something’sgonna happen with that girl in the coffee shop – trust me!”
Adriano gave me a sharp look.“Whatgirl in the coffee shop?”
“It’s nothing, boss,” I reassured him.
Cat made a face like,Oh shit, what did I say?
Adriano narrowed his eyes and repeated, “WHAT girl in the coffee shop?”
I sighed inwardly.
I knew Adriano. He wasn’t going to let it go.
“She works in the café next to your wife’s store,” I said.
Adriano raised one eyebrow.
“Okay, nowI’minterested, too,” Valentino said.
“Why?” Cat said, poking her husband in the ribs. “You wish you could be single again?”
“Nope,” he said, grabbing her from behind and encircling her waist with his arms. “Couldn’t be happier to be off the market. But shouldIbe jealous thatyou’reso interested?”
“No,” she said with a grin as she turned her head and kissed his cheek. “It’s just fun – like a real-life soap opera.”
“Yeah, well, this little ‘real-life soap opera’ better not get in the way of work,” Adriano warned me.
“It won’t, because thereisno soap opera,” I reassured him. “We’ve only talked once.”
“That’s it?!” Adriano said, then turned to Cat.“That’swhat you’re getting so excited about?! You need to get out more.”
Caterina turned to Val and said, “Hear that, baby? Adriano says you need to take me out more.”
“Oh,I’lltake you someplace,” he said, and started pulling her by the arm out of the kitchen.
“No!” she said with a laugh. “No, I have to – ”
