Page 3 of Deadline for Love

“You’re already getting married. Why are you so into this?”

Amara playfully slapped my arm. “Because I’m genuinely thinking about you, and I feel like it will be an amazing evening!’’

“Thank you for worrying about my love life. But I’ve got everything under control,” I said with gritted teeth.?

“I know, but still. Just try to have fun.”

Her remark made me slump down in the passenger seat. Then I looked at my little apartment on the second floor; I would have liked to fall onto my bed and sleep! But maybe it was a good thing to change the mood.

Chapter 2

Amara stared at me with a huge grin as we stood before my favorite pizzeria.

It was a family restaurant that was very popular. “Casa Santiago”—you needed a reservation to get a table. It wasn’t a fancy restaurant, but it was cozy and nicely decorated; our boss often stopped for a meal here to celebrate even the most minor successes…

“Like I said, it will be a great evening.” Amara swayed her brows and then opened the door.

We were greeted by classical music, laughter, and mumbling from people, as well as the scent of fresh dishes. The familiar smell relaxed me and made me realize I was starving.

“Bella, Amara, good evening!” A short man with full gray hair approached me with a welcoming smile. I instantly felt like a warm breeze was moving around my heart. Enzo Santiago, the head of the family and head chef of this store, quickly approached us and shook our hands.

He did this every time he greeted regulars, although Enzo and I had also shared a good time in the past. I used to work forhim part-time when I was still at university. Also, we used to be neighbors when I was a child. We’ve known each other for so long, and I consider them my family. Enzo was a great man! He was in his early sixties and in better shape than ever—plus, I loved his food.

It was a few months ago that I visited this locale. Seeing him again after a long time really made me happy.

“Long time no see, boss man.”

“Don’t call me boss! And yeah, that’s true, it’s been a really long time. Maria misses you. We just talked about you yesterday. You should come and visit.” His gray mustache moved while he talked funnily and playfully tapped my shoulder. His smile reached his big green eyes.

Maria was his wife; and she was like my grandmother—Plus, even after I started my job as a journalist, I had been visiting her so that she could tell me her stories. You could say that she acted as my source who could give me insider tips. After all, the place was trendy, and many people gathered, and some of them chatted very loudly, which can be interesting… even for newspapers. Hearing about rumors and checking them out is really helpful.

“I’ll be happy to pop in over the weekend if possible. You seem busy,” I said, pursing my lips while pointing to the full restaurant.

“We always have time for you, my dear. We wanted to thank you for the last article since you gave our place an excellent review, which brought us a lot of new customers. And Amara, you took beautiful pictures; yours made me look about two decades younger.”

Amara and I couldn’t stop smiling.

“You still look young and fit. It’s not the photo,” she answered sheepishly.

“Oh, stop it, I know I’m an old man. Come with me. I’ve left you the best spot.” He winked and gestured for us to follow him.

We were led to a table by the window; a four-seater and beautiful flowers were arranged around the chairs. Some candles were even decorated on the side of the window. The view was the empty street, illuminated by streetlights.

Looking back at Enzo without peeking at the people who occupied the seats, I noticed he was happier than usual, so I asked him if something good had happened lately. “I have some great news, but you’ll guess it later,” he hurriedly said.

I looked after his rushing figure until a beautiful, deep voice caught my attention.

“Hi, I’m Nathan Blake. You must be Bella.”

A shadow had towered over me. I turned around and was greeted by broad, muscular shoulders dressed in a black shirt. I had to look up; the man in front of me was well-built and almost two heads taller than me. He looked powerful and confident. His skin was lightly tanned. He had full, beautiful lips and a straight nose. His eyes were deep brown, and his full, slightly curly, dark brown hair gleamed in the light. Looking fresh and smooth as they were slicked back.

I looked down momentarily, seeing that he wore dark jeans, emphasizing his legs. One hand was stretched out to greet me, but I didn’t take it.

My eyes moved up again, processing this moment.

This man stood there, devilishly handsome.

I was in awe. Was this Justin’s friend? Amara didn’t lie when she said he was handsome.

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