Page 106 of Irreplaceable
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
As soon as I opened the door to the house, my mouth started watering. “Oh my god. What smells so good?” I called out, kicking off my shoes.
“Ciao, bella.” Enzo smiled from the kitchen and rounded the counter to give me a kiss. He knelt to the floor and kissed my belly. “Ciao, bimbo.”
I smiled and set my bag on the counter. Between the pregnancy and the paparazzi, it was getting more and more difficult to do my job. My ability to travel was limited, and I sensed my boss’s impatience, despite how happy she was for me. Then there was the pack of paparazzi who’d tried to follow me around as I’d scoped out local sites. I’d never been more grateful for the security team.
“You’re cooking?” I asked, my eyes widening. Why was he cooking?
“Sì. Come sit down.” He pulled out a chair for me at the table, and I took a seat.
He busied himself in the kitchen, asking me questions about my day.
“Why don’t you just quit?” he finally asked, bringing two dishes of pasticcio to the table.
“You made your nonna’spasticcio?” He’d never cooked his nonna’spasticcio for me. This was huge, and it was enough to distract me from his suggestion to quit my job. At least temporarily.
For the moment, I decided to ignore it and focus on the meal he placed before me. I didn’t want to fight with Enzo. I was too tired.
It smelled amazing, and my stomach growled in anticipation. I already knew it was going to be an orgasm in my mouth. It almost made me forget about my crappy day.
“What’s the special occasion?” I asked, cheese oozing out when I sliced into it. “I thought cooking was a chore.”
“I actually found it quite enjoyable. Maybe because I was excited to see what you’d think of it.”
“Um. It’s freaking delicious,” I said around a bite, not caring if I looked like a rabid animal. So, so good.
He chuckled and took a bite before saying, “And it seemed like a fitting dish to celebrate.”
“Celebrate?” I asked. “What are we celebrating?”
“I was selected for the Italian national team. I’m going to the World Cup.” He grinned.
“Oh my god. That’s amazing.” I jumped out of my seat and went over to hug him. “Enzo, I’m so proud of you.”
He pulled me into his lap, and I could see how happy he was. But there was something else there too… Hesitation? Why? Was it because his dad wouldn’t be there to watch him play?
I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him close, hating that they couldn’t share this moment. “I’m sure this is bittersweet.”
“You have no idea.” He smoothed his hand up and down my back. “I wish you could be there with me.”
My heart clenched in my chest, and I tilted my forehead to his, hoping he’d hear the sincerity in my words. “Me too.”
We’d known this might be the case all along, but that didn’t make it any easier. The World Cup was in Abu Dhabi and well past the date that I could travel internationally. It was unusual for the World Cup to be held in the winter, but as Lauren had pointed out, Abu Dhabi summers were way too hot for an outdoor tournament. Well that, and allegedly some serious bribery and corruption had been involved.
Enzo shook his head. “Unfortunately, that’s not all.”
“No?” I asked, wary.
“I have to leave for Italy in a few days for training. And I’ll be gone for a month.”
I swallowed hard. “Wait. What?” This felt so sudden. My due date was fast approaching. “You’re going to miss the baby shower. And…”
“I know it’s not ideal, but it’s the World Cup. This is my one shot. This was what my dad and I worked so hard for.”
I nodded but said nothing as I returned to my seat and picked at my meal. What could I say? Don’t go? It was his last chance and his biggest ambition. Of course he should go.
“What did Knox say about the incident the other day?” I asked, ready for a change of topic. There was no point discussing the World Cup. He was going to go, and he should. I just…wished the timing were better.