Page 4 of Bittersweet

I smile, standing to give her a kiss on the cheek, then prepare to lavish the little rugrat with all the kisses, but when I lift the canopy cover, he’s sleeping soundly. Awww.God, babies are just life. A tiny snore fills the stroller and sends my heartfluttering.

“Good to see you too. And it’s not like I spend all my time here.”Just the hours from nine to three. “You had a luckyguess.”

“I hopesomeone’sgetting lucky.” Emma flops into the chair opposite me and shoots a look at Elio, who waves goodbye to the last of the morning rush. I roll myeyes.

“Keep it down, will you?” I ask, sinking back into my seat. “I think we both know that getting lucky with him is not in thecards.”

"Romy, when are you going to just grow some lady balls and ask himout?"

"I can't!" Iprotest.

"Why not?” She gives me her best “mom” face, and even though Isaac is only her first child, the woman’s scarier-than-thou expression is already on point. “Give me one goodreason.”

"Well, firstly because if it doesn't work out, I'll have to move. You can't sleep practically on top of a man once you've slept under him," I pointout.

"Ifit doesn't work out.Ifthings don't go well." She pauses for dramatic effect. "But if it does, you get to have a booty-call guy who spends all day beneath you. Sounds pretty tempting tome."

"You don't understand. Elio is like . . ." I search the shop for inspiration, finally stopping on the delicate custard-filled pastry on the counter. "Elio is like one of thosesfogliatella. He's perfect to look at, and to admire on thesurface."

"But?"

"But I don't want to know the ugly truth underneath. I don't want to learn about his past, what his bad habits are, or why he's still single when he looks like that." I gesture to his ass—I mean, the man in question—as Elio bends to pick up a stray receipt from the floor. My gaze darts back to the pastry again before he can catch me staring. "I likesfogliatella. I just don't want to know how to make them, wash the dirty dishes afterward, or discover how many calories they really have and what they will do to myhips."

"That's it, huh?" Emmasighs.

“Yeah, that’sit.”

She shakes her head. "You're still afraid of gettinghurt."

"Maybe a little. It's only been a year since Jeremy . . ." Just three hundred and sixty-nine days since I found my fiancé in bed with anotherwoman.

"What he did was terrible, but you have to get over this fear, Romy. Embrace your new life. Go on adate."

"I've been ondates!"

"With men who are dreadful for you. You don’t have to marry the first man you have sex with after your ex. Go get naked with Mr. Hunky McBakerson over there and see where it leads," Emma says, and I widen my eyes, stifling my response with a long sip of mycoffee.

“Can I get you ladies anything to drink?Eat?”

Shit!Coffee sprays from mymouth.

Elio laughs, stepping to the side of the table like some sort of stealthy jungle cat. A delicious stealthy jungle cat who I want to crawl under the table and hide from becauseoh my God. Did he just hear what Emsaid?

My friend pastes on a bright grin. “No, I’m fine, thank you. Just thought I’d drop by and say hi to Romy while Isaac and I were on our morning walk. I’m sure she could use some attention though. Isn’t that right,Ro?”

I kick her under the table, but to her credit, she doesn’t so much asflinch.

“Sorry, Romy. It’s been a little busy in here this morning.” Concern flashes over Elio’s features. “Need arefill?”

“No, I’m good, thanks.” I smile up at him, then shoot daggers back at Emma. “I was just about to finish up, and thenwewere going to headupstairs.”

“Actually, I think Isaac is waking.” Emma continues to smile brightly, gesturing to thestroller.

Her baby is soundasleep.

I’ve never seen a better impersonation of alog.

“So I’m going to head off and leave the two of you to it. Bye.” She gives us both a tinkling wave and practically sprints out of the café, leaving me feeling even more like a desperate idiot thanusual.

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