Page 123 of Enzo

“That’s because I know that later I’ll find whatever it was I was looking for. I know I will.”

She assumes ‘later’ will be better. It doesn’t surprise me that she forgot to pay her bill. Molly is the type of person who assumes that all people are good. That mistakes can be fixed. That life will unfold the way it's supposed to.

How does someone live like that?

I couldn’t.

Chapter 32

MOLLY

Enzo offered to clear up after breakfast, but I refused.

And then he refused to back down. So in the end we both ended up washing our own dishes. I found it hilarious. I think he did, too, only, he put on that serious face of his. But I know that underneath that seriousness is a softer man.

He said he had a few business matters to take care of. So much for not wanting to work today. We worked quietly for a few hours. He sat at the kitchen table, while I grabbed my laptop and sat on the couch, checking a few things.

There are a few emails from Miss T and some school matters I need to catch up on before we go back.

There’s also an email from Penelope. She hopes I made it back to Chicago safely after everything that happened in New York.

She says she hopes seeing the depot helped me understand that I don’t need to be an architect or developer to have something valuable to contribute.

My fingers hover over the keyboard. I want to type out a reply so that I don’t have this hanging over my head, but it makes me feel like I’m running away.

Maybe I am.

From the project. From Enzo. From the one thing that would give me a reason to keep seeing him. It’s going to be difficult telling him, but it can wait. He seems pleased that we’ll be working on this together, and I don’t have the heart to tell him I won’t be.

But who do I put forward in my place?

Not Kiki.

She doesn’t have the best interests of the school at heart, and I doubt she’d be interested. She also wouldn’t have a vision for how it could help the school. She only has a vision for leaving Oakleigh, and becoming an influencer.

My hopes instantly lift because Mrs. Chen would be a great candidate. She has more years of teaching and she’d be the best candidate for this. I’ll tell Penelope that there are teachers with more experience than me. Teachers who would be better placed on the project. And I’ll tell her why Mrs. Chen would be ideal.

I start typing out my email, determined to get this over and done with, when I look up. Enzo leans against the kitchen doorframe watching me.

My stomach gives an uncomfortable little twist.

I slam my laptop shut, like I have something to hide. I’ll finish that email later.

“Finished for the day?” he asks.

“Yes. You?”

“I’m not turning my laptop on for the rest of the day.”

I raise my eyebrow. “So, we’re going to be cooped up inside doing nothing?” I set my laptop to the side, because I suddenly have a plan. “Meet me at the kitchen table.”

He frowns.

“Trust me,” I insist.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” He disappears into the kitchen. He doesn’t want to work, but he also doesn’t want to risk going outside. That leaves only one thing.

I bring out my Jenga and set it on the little kitchen table.