Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Buongiorno.” He smiled.
Damn, him speaking Italian made his already ten-out-of-ten looks shoot up to a twelve. “Buongiorno.”
He lifted his hand and dangled a key. “For you.”
“What is it for?”
“My home, though the key is gratuitous. I do not lock the door since the day I move in.”
I smiled. My grandmother never locked hers either. “But why are you giving this to me?”
“To shower or take a bath. I leave towels in the bathroom on the first floor for you.”
“That’s very sweet. But I can use the sink until I get a new tub and shower.”
Matteo extended his hand with the key. “I insist. This is how neighbors treat each other around here.”
He wasn’t lying. Last time I’d spoken to my grandmother, a family down the road had been having some work done on their house, and they were all staying in her little apartment upstairs. She hadn’t even known them very well before they moved in for a full month. Still, it would feel odd to shower in the house of a man I’d met not even twenty-four hours ago. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll be okay. Though why don’t I hang on to the key in case I need it?”
He nodded. “I hava-to drive up to Florence today, so I’ll be gone most of de afternoon. Help yourself whenever you want.”
“Thank you.”
“Ciao.”
As he walked away, I couldn’t help but notice that Matteo looked as good from the back as he did from the front. And I almost got caught ogling his ass when he turned back.
His lip twitched. Maybe I had gotten caught. “Pavarotti is blind now,” he said. “Call his name before you enter. Or he pees on da floor.”
I felt my face wrinkle. “Excuse me?”
“Your grandmother’s lab. He lives with me now.”
I blinked. “My grandmother’s dog’s name was—” Ohh… “Because he’s a howler. I get it. Lupo lives with you? I just assumed…” I shook my head. I actually hadn’t assumed anything, except that someone else was taking care of things here after Nonna passed. Apparently, that someone else was the neighbor. “That was very nice of you.”
“He is a good listener.”
I smiled. “Well, I suppose that’s important if he’s blind now.”
Matteo chuckled. “Make sure you yell to him before you open da door. Otherwise, you’ll be cleaning a puddle.”
“Will do.”
He eyed my cat, still relaxing in an antique fruit bowl. “He’s not a fan of cats.”
I laughed. I’d forgotten my grandmother’s seventy-five-pound lab was terrified of small animals. “Oh, I know. My grandmother had to put a rubber mat at the door in case he saw a squirrel when he was looking outside.”
Matteo smiled and waved, and I repaid the kind neighbor for taking care of my grandmother’s property by sneaking another peek at his ass as he walked out. Then I went back to sizing up the antique store. I had no clue what I was going to do with all this stuff, but I figured I might as well flip the Open sign around if I was going to be here. Maybe some of it would sell and there would be less I’d have to deal with a few months from now.
My first customer rolled in a few hours later, while I was busy outside weeding the garden, so I went inside the shop while she parked.
“You must be Allegra!” A woman I’d never laid eyes on before pulled me in for a hug and kissed both of my cheeks.
“Umm… Yes, I am. How did you know that?”
“Sissi Napoleone, she tell Angelina Distefano who see Lucia Antenucci at-ta the market this morning.” The woman plopped a box on the counter. “Lucia and I power walk together. Me, I am Paola. You can join us if you’d like.”
I wasn’t sure if she meant at the market or for power walking, but I figured the latter and smiled. Power walkers were a big thing here. Though not my nonna’s thing. What had she called the ladies who constantly passed by? The walkie-talkies. She’d sworn they were faster at spreading gossip than the telephone.
I pulled off a work glove and wiped sweat from my brow. “Thank you. I just arrived yesterday, but maybe once I’m settled in.”
She tapped the box she’d set on the counter. “You pay me sixty-three euro.”
“I’m sorry. I pay you? I owe you money?”
She nodded. “Your nonna. I found piece of her tea set.”
I felt like I’d missed half of a conversation. “Her tea set was missing?”
“She collect. I help her look for the pieces.” She waved her hand around. “It must-a be here somewhere.”
“Oh. Okay. I guess I didn’t come across it yet.” My wallet was upstairs, but the cash register was right next to me. I pushed a button to open the drawer, and not surprisingly, there were bills inside. So I counted sixty-three euro and held it out. “Here you go.”