Page 108 of Enzo

I can't believe my ears.

“Are you sure?”

Doesn't he have work to do?

“We might as well make the most of it.” His gaze lingers longer than usual, and I wonder if he’s hiding something. Another media report.

“Did … did something happen?”

“Matteo says that things are dying down and we could leave here tomorrow. It seems that my father’s interview has pushed our news out of the cycle.”

“We can leave tomorrow?”

Relief comes first. I can go home. Back to Chicago. Back to my apartment, my school, my normal life.

Then something else follows.

I have to leave Enzo.

“You won't have to hide out much longer,” he tells me.

He should sound pleased. He doesn’t.

I rub my hands together in excitement, hoping to improve Enzo’s mood. “Then we have to make the most of today.”

“Yes. Though, when I next come to Chicago, I expect we’ll meet again, courtesy of Mr. Valizar.”

I swallow and fake a smile even as my mouth turns dry. I pick up my croissant even though I don’t want it anymore. I need to let Penelope know my final decision.

“What are we going to wear this time?” I ask, trying to sound more cheerful than I feel.

Soon Enzo will discover that I asked to come off the project. I bite off a piece of my plain, buttery croissant. I will miss this breakfast. I’ll miss this apartment, but most of all I’ll miss Enzo.

He sets down his coffee cup. “How about we stick to the tourist sweatshirts and baseball caps? Those are better than the quite noticeable disguises we had yesterday.”

I knew it. I could tell he was worried that we’d be recognized. But it all worked out just fine in the end.

“We can be tourists again,” he suggests.

That is an option. It won’t be as fun as dressing up like an old lady and a professor, but it will be interesting. “You’ll have to suffer the sweatshirt and baseball cap and disposable camera,” I caution.

He scratches his chin. “It beats wearing the fake beard.”

“You didn’t like that, did you?”

“No.” He walks away. “Ready in ten?”

That’s a shock. I thought he might want to get a little work done first, but he seems restless, like he can’t wait to get out again.

“I’ll be ready.”

I return to my bedroom and quickly get changed into my tourist outfit. It's not really an outfit; not compared to the old woman’s garb that I had on yesterday. That was so much fun and I'm shocked we didn't get noticed.

By the time I come out of the room Enzo is already standing there. I howl with laughter because this time he’s wearing the disposable camera around his neck.

“You’re really playing the part.” My hands go to my mouth. He's turned his cap back to front so that the lip is at the back. “I'm so used to seeing you look like you’ve walked out of man's magazine. Now you look like a tourist.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You don't like me like this. You prefer me the other way?”