Page 65 of Tailored for You

“Serena,” I said, walking up to her, getting so close she took a small step back. “We’re going on a date.”

Idiota. I didn’t mean for it to come out as an order.

“Excuse me.” Serena narrowed her eyes at me.

“I’ve planned an evening for us,” I said. “Harper will be with Martina and Minnie for the night”—or the weekend if all goes well— “and we will have our date.”

She blinked and stared at me. Did I break her? Why isn’t she saying anything?

I said the wrong thing. I should have asked about Harper having a sleepover. That was an overstep.

My phone went off in my pocket. I grabbed it, glancing at the screen. Relief washed over me.

Perfect timing. It was like I planned it.

Martina’s face popped up, a little too close. “Let me talk to her.”

I held the phone out to Serena. “Mommy! Gran and Marty came to get me. We’re having a sleepover. I’m so excited.”

Harper gushed over the phone. Serena’s face went from confused to resigned, and I knew that, whatever internal battle she was dealing with, I had come out the victor. All because of Harper.

I was going to get that kid whatever she wanted, not that I wasn’t before, but it was a sky’s-the-limit deal now.

“That sounds so fun,” Serena said. “Can I come?”

“No.” Harper hung up the phone.

“Should I call back?” Serena asked, confused that her daughter hung up on her, like it wasn’t a regular occurrence for Harper to walk away in the middle of a conversation when she was done participating in it.

“No.” I closed the distance between us. Softening my voice, I twirled a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail around my finger.

“Serena, come on a date with me. I promise you won’t regret it.”

She closed her eyes and nodded.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the dock before she changed her mind.

CHAPTER 21

Serena

There was a small boat on the dock.

Helping me onto the boat, Enzo sat me on the small bench next to him and started the boat.

We pulled out into the water, and I tried not to freak out. I was going on a date with Enzo Lombardi.

The guy I’d had a crush on for the past year. A man I never thought I stood a chance with had somehow managed to get me on a date with him.

He didn’t have to try very hard to convince me. Harper was with Martina and Minnie, who waved to me in the background when I had a two-second conversation with Harper, doing whatever they had planned.

Work was a lame excuse. Plus, I already told him I had finished my work for the week.

And if I was honest with myself, I wanted to go on a date with him. I wanted to be wined and dined by Enzo Lombardi.

I wanted Lorenzo Lombardi, and I was finally going to allow myself to believe I could have exactly what I wanted.

If only I had time to prepare. I’d imagined what it might be like to go on a date with him, but in those daydreams, I was wearing a sexy dress. My hair was curled and perfectly styled, skin was glowing, and my makeup had never looked better.