Under My Skin

Chapter 2

I slept until the sun illuminated my face, which meant that half the day was gone. I checked my phone. Of course, Jeremy had not texted or called since last night. However, there was a text message from an unknown number at seven-fourteen in the morning.

Good morning, Miss Lucia. I am your aunt's neighbor, Enzo. She made a very compelling case for us to meet up. Are you available between 1:30 and 2:30? I take my lunch at that time.

Do I want to leave the house today? I glanced at the clock. With more than an hour, there was ample time to get ready. My cousin's suggestion, and Nonna's advice, scratched at the back of my mind. It's good to meet someone new.

Hi Enzo. Sorry for the late response. I can make that time work. Where should I meet you?

He texted me an address. Without a second thought, I googled it. The address belonged to a brand-new bistro that served breakfast and lunch with an extensive coffee and espresso menu. It even offered shots of anisette for the espresso, like Nonna drinks. After all these years, I'm surprised she still had any taste buds left from drinking it every morning and sometimes with dessert.

I slipped on my white sneakers and grabbed my crossbody bag before my father stopped me. The short-lived interrogation began.

"Where are you going?"

"Out to meet Aunt Gioia's neighbor," I stated before the jury of one.

"Where?"

"Downtown."

"With who?"

"Myself."

"What's his name?"

"Don't see how that matters, but it is Enzo."

My father eyed me, head to toe, before handing me the keys to my civic. I never understood why he asked these questions if he never stopped me or seemed to care about the answers. Every time I left the house it was like this, ever since my teenage years. I wasn't even a bad kid. My mom used to bribe me to go to parties instead of doing my homework.

"Don't forget you're closing the store tonight," my father reminded me before leaving my side to sit at the kitchen table. I forgot he put me back on the work schedule today.

At the bistro, I approached the hostess standing behind a mahogany podium. It was positioned just outside the front doors and under the burgundy awning. She looked at me with a dazzling smile. That, in combination with the sun, filled me with warmth.

"Hi, I'm not sure if the person I am meeting is here yet. His name is Enzo. I just realized I don't know his last name."

The hostess raised an eyebrow as her smile dampened. She checked over the list, but her eyes stood still. She licked her lips and tapped her nail on the wood twice. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but a male voice calling my name shifted my attention.

My breath left my body for a moment. That had to be Enzo with eyes as green as flawless peridots. The way his eyebrows framed them with a dark and stern shape made them glow in the afternoon sun. I was caught in his shadow. Based on his custom suit, he had to be some kind of high-ranking business professional who worked with numbers - the over nine-digit kind of numbers.

"Enzo Vitale. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lucia."

Enzo outstretched his hand for me to shake when he noticed I was staring. However, I clasped my own hands together, tucked them towards my body, and gave him a nod with a polite smile. He donned an awkward grin and slowly dropped his hand back to his side. The hostess watched the entire introduction fall apart.