Page 34 of Bobby

I don’t hesitate to do just that. I trust Marco with my life as well as the girls’. And I really need to have a few words with our boss.

The elevator seems to be the only thing on my side, as it opens immediately on my floor and drops me off almost as quickly at his. When the doors open, I walk right into the foyer of his home, just like last time. The fact that the elevator goes directly to his apartment, and he doesn’t seem to care who has access to it, makes part of me worry for his safety. Silly, really, since he has Marco and also owns the building. I saw the security downstairs when we first arrived last night. I’m sure they guarantee no one comes up who isn’t supposed to be here.

Unlike last time, when I was hopping mad from a bad wake-up call in the form of knocking on the door, that time a sugar delivery for breakfast that had the girls screaming too loud for me to do anything but be pissed at Bobby for, I don’t just storm to where he is. I take my time, admiring that the entire top floor belongs to him. There are windows, just like in his office, but nothing seems to cover the view. There’s even a staircase inside the apartment, with the kitchen under it. It’s those stairs I travel up when I hear Bobby talking.

His home speaks of wealth, but not in a stuffy way. It feels lived-in, even if it’s just essentially a second office. He has more laptops lying around than I think any household should have. I spotted one on the counter in the large kitchen, another on the coffee table, and I know I saw one on the dining table when I came up earlier. Granted, it was closed, like the others, while he was having breakfast, but it was there.

Just the memory of seeing him this morning sends a shiver through me. It’s the first time I’ve seen him out of a suit. Dark blue jeans and a gray fitted tee. It was a simple outfit, but it put him fully on display for my wandering eye as I ate up every bit of detail. It was his features alone that made my brain stop functioning and instead focus my anger on the disbelief that he could look even sexier than usual.

Bobby in a suit makes GQ cover models look average. A relaxed Bobby with his hair only a little off his perfect style was… well, it’s downright sinful. If he were in the apple’s place, I’d totally get why Eve took a bite out of it.

I slide my hand over the banister, looking out at the giant U-shaped cream-colored couch below, and can’t imagine ever having one in my house with the girls. Kids are messy. Light colors never last long in a home with them.

Slowing my steps, I come to Bobby’s open door and see him looking at a painting of what appears to be a scene from Tuscany, based on the trees and vineyard. I stay still so I don’t disturb him as he talks to someone on a speakerphone.

He’s still wearing the same clothes, and I feel as if I’m looking at the wizard behind the curtain. He seems almost relaxed, though deeply annoyed, as I can see his eye roll from here when whoever is on the phone says they can’t do what he’s asking for another month.

I giggle at the simple act that I never thought in a million years I would witness from him.

He turns his head at the noise, and I cover my mouth, forgetting that the other person could probably hear me as well.

He gives me a soft smile and rolls his eyes again as the guy on the phone keeps droning on. I might not know the topic, but I do know an excuse when I hear one.

“Barry,” Bobby cuts him off without doing more than saying his name on a sigh. “I’ve given you two extensions already. I think I will look for a new supplier. My team will be in touch to draw up an early withdrawal from the contract. Good?”

“Wait.” Barry’s panicked voice followed by silence has Bobby looking at me with an evil grin as he raises an eyebrow.

“Yes? Was there something else you had to say?”

“Tuesday. We can get it there by Tuesday.”

“That’s lovely. Thank you, Barry. See you then.” He hangs up the phone just as Barry starts speaking again.

“Is that how you do all of your negotiations?” I ask. “Make them think you’re going with another company unless they do what you say?”

“It’s effective. And it wasn’t a threat. If I arrive on Tuesday and the products aren’t there, I’ll have another supplier deliver them on Wednesday,” he says with a shrug of confidence as he leans against the desk.

“What is it exactly that you’re trying to get?”

“Flour.”

“Flour?” I take a step closer to his giant desk that takes up half the room.

“Imported from Naples, Italy. It’s what makes the pizza taste so good at Da Nonna Leone. We’re a month behind on a shipment, and we’re running low enough to force us to take it off the menu for a bit.”

“Can’t you just get another type of flour? I find it hard to believe that New York doesn’t have what you’re looking for.”

He stands and comes around the desk. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that. Part of the reason Da Nonna Leone is so unique is that we don’t get flour from just any supplier. We get the best. And if Barry can’t supply it with his shipping business, then I need someone who can.”

I get it, but I still find it ridiculous. And I know he can tell based on my smile.

He grabs my hands, pulling me closer to him as he perches on the corner of his desk. “Now tell me, what brings you up here to see me?”

Right. I need to stay focused on why I keep coming up here and not let him distract me with all his good looks and side missions I keep learning about him. Like that he’s strategic but also caring.

Before I can even open my mouth, he voices my concerns. “The deliveries? They’re too much.” He states it rather than asks it.

“Did Marco text you?”