Page 75 of Irreplaceable
Jo returned with the cake, and everyone started singing “Happy Birthday” to my dad. As I glanced around at their smiling faces, I realized how happy I was. I’d missed my family, and part of my grief over my previous losses was rooted in mourning the idea of the life I’d wanted. Moving home. Raising my children here.
Dad blew out the candles, then turned to me with a smile. “My wish already came true. I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandpa again.”
“Aw, Dad.” I smiled.“You’re going to make me cry.”
He hugged me to him as the cake was passed around. Not surprisingly, Enzo declined the dessert, but no one remarked on it. They were too busy talking about soccer and the local wineries.
After I’d finished my cake, I yawned, and Dad placed a hand on my back. “Why don’t you go to bed, Harper?”
“I’m not that—” I yawned again and finally said, “Yeah. It’s been a big day. I think I’m going to turn in.”
Enzo handed Stella to Jo. His eyes seemed to linger on my niece a moment, and I was surprised by what a natural he was with a baby. How easily he held her and how relaxed he seemed.
“You two are just upstairs on the right,” Mom said.
“Oh, um—” I glanced at Enzo, but he was grinning. If we were sharing a room, I couldn’t avoid him. “I figured you’d have Enzo stay in the guest room.”
“Oh please.” Mom laughed. “You’re a thirty-seven-year-old woman. And it’s not like he can get you pregnant again.”
“Mom!” I glared at her. Had she really just said that?
Enzo chuckled, and I elbowed him in the side. “Well, good night,” I said in a cheery voice and went inside before anyone else could say anything else.
Enzo followed me into the house and up the stairs to my room. It was down at the end of the hall, and I resisted the urge to peek back at him. Instead, I kept my attention focused ahead, wondering how I was going to share a bed with Enzo and not end up having sex with him.
A floorboard creaked beneath his feet, and I realized he’d paused to look at something. He studied an image of my parents holding hands on the back porch. “Did you take these?”
I joined him and smiled. “Yeah. That’s one of my favorites.”
“You’re such a talented photographer. Why did you never pursue that as a career?”
I lifted a shoulder. “I considered it—briefly. But then I sort of fell into film location scouting, and it took over my life. I figured it still allowed me to use my photography background while providing more stability. Plus…travel.”
He chuckled. “Right. But you could travel as a photographer. That’s why I was in Bali, you know.”
“Really?” I frowned. “You never told me that. I thought you were there on vacation.”
“I was, but I also had a photo shoot.”
“Ah.” I tilted my head back. “That’s where you disappeared to that first morning I was at the house.”
He nodded and placed a hand on the small of my back. “Thank you for allowing me to come home with you. Your family is lovely.”
“Thank you.” We continued down the hall to my room. “I think you made quite the impression on them.”
“Oh yeah?” He grinned. “And what about you?” He turned to me, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “What’s your impression of me now?”
I shook my head and turned away, busying myself with my bag. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me,” he said, coming to stand behind me.
“Honestly? I’m impressed.”
I was impressed by how he’d handled my family. By their reaction to him. And I was impressed by the way he’d jumped in to help, whether it was with the cleanup, holding baby Stella, or whatever.
He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me back to him. “Impressed, huh?”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” I teased.