Page 6 of Tailored for You

Lorenzo? I only ever knew him as Enzo, but that made sense. Enzo was a nickname. There was so much I didn’t know but wanted to ask.

I punched down the desire to learn more about him, which would either ruin the fantasy I'd built of him in my head or confirm it—and in that case, being around him would become infinitely worse.

“Do you work with Serena often? Or is this new?” she paused, slicing her eyes to me before going back to Enzo. A slow, mischievous smile formed on her lips. “Partnership?”

I needed to end whatever this was and stop whatever game Minnie was thinking up. Last time I saw that smile, she sat me down and told me she was going to pay my divorce lawyer and stick it to her son.

“Minnie, did you need something? Or did you just come to visit?” I asked, trying to distract her.

“Oh, I just wanted to visit my favorite ex-daughter-in-law. You know how I worry about you, especially when my son pulls his typical bullshit.” She leaned toward Enzo conspiratorially. “My son, Charles, is a fool. Ruined the two best things he had in his life. So, tell me, Lorenzo, what do you do for work, and are you single?”

I nearly choked on my own spit. I had to shut this down. Minnie was wonderful, but I doubted she would be excited to learn what Enzo did for a living.

I glanced at Enzo, trying to gauge his reaction. He turned his head to me, a glint of amusement in his eyes. His tongue poked into the inside of his cheek, like Harper did when she tried to keep from smiling.

“Minnie,” I sputtered. She turned, barely an inch, but I knew she was trying to block me out of the conversation and pretend she didn’t hear me.

“Minnie,” I said again, my tone harsh.

Her shoulders dropped, and I stepped between them.

“He’s a client,” I whispered.

Minnie rolled her eyes, but she knew how important it was for me to have this boundary. If there was one rule I stuck to, it was never crossing that client-service provider line.

She looked over my shoulder, to the hulking man behind me, and let out a resigned sigh.

With Minnie in line, for the moment at least, I motioned for him to follow me. It was a short distance to the door. I stopped and turned.

From this close, I could smell him, all clean laundry, coffee, and something faint and masculine that made my chest tighten. My pulse jumped. For a moment, I wanted nothing more than to press myself against him, to feel a touch that wasn’t motherly or polite but filled with desire and recognition, as if I mattered in a different way.

I mentally shook my head, trying to chase the thought away. What is wrong with me?

He tilted his head, watching me, and I felt my body betray me with a tiny shiver. My hands curled into fists at my sides, and I shifted my weight from foot to foot, unsure where to look.

“It’ll only take me a few days to get the order,” I said, forcing my voice steady. Internally, I scolded myself for letting my mind wander.

He leaned a fraction closer, his gaze never leaving mine. “There’s no rush. Whenever you have time to fit it in your schedule,” he said, smooth, calm, commanding.

I swallowed, aware of the small space between us, the closeness of his frame, the subtle heat of his presence. His eyes traveled over me, head to toe, and for a beat, I wondered if he saw more than the designer, more than the professional barrier I’d built around myself. Then he straightened, stepped back, and left, the door clicking softly behind him. My pulse thundered in my ears, and I had to lean against the wall for a moment to remind myself to breathe, forgetting I had eyes on my every move.

I sighed in relief. If he looked at me any longer with his assessing gaze, I was going to start blushing.

“Well,” Minnie said from where she stood, a dreamy smile on her face as she stared at the closed door. “Isn’t he something?”

I shook my head and walked over. “Stop.” I pointed at her.

Minnie blinked at me, her face the picture of innocence. “Stop what?

I rolled my eyes, adjusting some fabric on the table to my right. “You’ve got that ‘planning something diabolical’ expression again.” Minnie loved matchmaking, and thus far I’d managed to stay out of her clutches. “I'd like to remind you that Enzo is a client, and I’m his tailor. I work for him. He pays me.”

“No. Don’t you dare do that.” She jabbed a finger at me.

“Do what? Outline the nature of our relationship, if you could call it that.” I shrugged and started moving around, looking everywhere but at Minnie.

“That is a man, with a capital M, who is interested in more than you taking in the seam of his pants. He wants to get into yours. And I, for one, think you should let him.” Minnie nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “Even if it’s for one night. You deserve one night.”

My chest tightened, and I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t say anything in response. I came with baggage. I was a single mom whose time was limited, and I’d had my heart shattered in a way I wasn’t sure could be repaired. If I were being completely honest with myself, which I tried to be, I hadn’t really made any attempt at piecing my heart back together.