Chapter 11

A handsome guy with messy brown hair and that slightly brooding, boyish charm stepped up to the reception desk. His sharp jawline and easy smile caught the eye of everyone in the room. He was the kind of guy who made sunglasses look effortlessly cool, even when he wasn't wearing them.

He slid them off with a casual grace, giving a warm nod. "Hi, good afternoon," Leo said, his voice smooth like a familiar song.

Chloe, standing behind the desk, blinked a few times. She was so caught off guard by the guy's presence that it took her a second to remember how to speak.

She cleared her throat, trying to look professional, but her eyes were glued to him. Hot. Hot wasn't even the right word. He was like... a character from a movie you'd watch on a lazy Sunday, the one you don't mind getting really invested in.

Focus, Chloe. Focus.

"How can I help you today?" she finally managed, her voice coming out slightly more breathy than she'd intended.

Leo gave her an easy grin, clearly amused by her reaction "I'm here to visit Elly. I'm her friend."

Chloe's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, yeah! She's here. Allow me to guide you to her office." Her feet were already moving, probably too eager, but hey, she had to do her job.

Chloe knocked on Elly's office door, hoping to shake off the distraction of Leo's perfect smile.

"Come in!" Elly's voice was cheerful and familiar from the other side.

Chloe opened the door. "There's someone here to see you."

Elly looked up from her desk and froze for a second, her face breaking into an instant smile when she saw Leo. "Leo! What are you doing here?"

She jumped up, practically launching herself at him for a big hug.

Leo laughed and wrapped his arms around her, a teasing smirk on his lips. "I missed you."

Elly swatted his arm playfully. "Ha, ha, very funny."

"So, are you still drowning in paperwork, or can I steal you for lunch?" Leo asked, his eyes sparkled with that familiar, easy confidence.

Elly gave him a dramatic look. "I'm always busy, but... I guess I could use a break. You're treating, right?"

"Of course!" Leo grinned, giving a mock bow. "Where's the best place to grab a bite around here?"

"There's a Greek restaurant nearby," Elly said, grabbing her coat.

They sat at a table in the cozy restaurant, laughing as though time hadn't passed at all.

Leo watched Elly with a half-smile, feeling that familiar flutter in his chest. They had been classmates at culinary school, so he knew her well—knew how she could brighten any room just by being in it.

Just as they were digging into their food, Elly's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and smiled. "Hi, Mom!"

On the other end of the line, Mrs. Stefano's voice was firm, yet full of love. "Elly, I'm inviting you to dinner tonight, and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. You've been hiding out in that office for months, and your dad keeps going on about how busy you are. You're becoming just as much of a workaholic as him!"

Elly groaned, but she couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, okay. I'll come. What time?"

"7 p.m. sharp. Don't be late, young lady," Mrs. Stefano insisted before hanging up.

Leo, still sitting across from her, raised an eyebrow. "How's your mom?"

"She's the same," Elly said with a sigh, but there was a fondness in her voice. "She's been begging me to come over for dinner forever. Honestly, she's the one who keeps track of my schedule better than I do."

Leo smirked. "She sounds like a force to be reckoned with."

Elly shrugged. "She is. And, you're coming with me tonight."

"Me?" Leo leaned in, caught off guard.

"Yeah," Elly said, her voice casual but with a playful glint in her eyes. "I want to bring you along. She hasn't seen you in two years, and honestly, I think she'd love the surprise. She doesn't even know you're in town."

Leo's eyebrows shot up. "You're serious? You want to spring that on her at dinner?"

Elly grinned, clearly enjoying the thought of pulling off the surprise. "Why not? She'll probably be so happy to see you, she won't even remember that I'm the one who actually lives here."

Leo laughed softly, trying to hide the slight flutter in his chest. "Alright, alright. But if she decides I'm her new favorite, don't say I didn't warn you."

Elly rolled her eyes, the teasing tone in her voice all too familiar. "Pfft. As if. You're my backup for surviving the evening."

Dinner at the Stefano House

The atmosphere in the Stefano household was warm and bustling as the family settled into the dining room. Mrs. Stefano had outdone herself with a spread of home-cooked Italian food that had everyone's mouths watering before they even sat down.

Leo, who had been in culinary school with Elly years ago, was already feeling the familiar comfort of the place. Mrs. Stefano's hospitality had always been legendary, and tonight was no exception. When she saw Leo at the door, her eyes went wide with delight.

"Oh my goodness, Leo! You're here!" Mrs. Stefano exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "I can't believe it! Elly never mentioned you were in town!"

Elly, who was standing nearby, rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Mom, you know Leo's a busy guy with his restaurant. He's not going to just pop in for a visit."

Leo grinned, feeling the heat of her mom's embrace and secretly wishing he could enjoy a hug from Elly like that. "It's great to see you too, Stephanie. I couldn't pass up the chance for a home-cooked meal," he said, his voice warm and genuine.

"Well, sit down, sit down! We'll catch up over dinner!" Mrs. Stefano ushered them all to the table with a smile.

Dinner was a whirlwind of laughter and conversation.

"Leo," Mrs. Stefano began, after taking a sip of wine. "Tell me about your restaurant! I've heard so much, but I've never had the chance to hear it from you."

Leo chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "It's... well, it's chaos, but in a good way," he said with a laugh. "Every day is a new challenge. I'm surrounded by amazing chefs, but also by, well, everything. There's always something on fire or someone in the weeds. But it's what makes it fun."

Elly, rolling her eyes but smiling, chimed in. "That sounds like every shift with you, Leo. He can't go a day without causing a small fire in the kitchen. He's practically the restaurant's mascot for disaster."

Leo laughed, playfully bumping her shoulder. "Hey, I only start fires when the food is too good."

The table erupted with laughter, Elly included, though her laugh was mostly at Leo's expense. Leo was just grateful for the easy rhythm between them—he could joke with her all night and never get tired of it.

"Actually, the kitchen misses Elly," Leo said, his voice suddenly a little softer, more serious.

Elly glanced at him, surprised. She raised an eyebrow, silently warning him not to continue down that road.

But Leo didn't notice her subtle warning. "Seriously, the place was never the same since you left. It's like... a part of the magic went with you."

Elly's eyes narrowed, but she laughed nervously, trying to redirect the conversation. "Okay, okay, that's enough of that. We're not talking about me anymore."

Elly's dad, who had been quietly enjoying his wine, looked up at the sudden shift in tone. "Well, Elly seems to be enjoying her current job, and by the looks of it, she's pretty successful at it," he said, clearly pleased, though he didn't realize how his comment could've sounded.

Elly, clearly a little flustered, took a long sip of her wine. "Of course, Dad," she replied. "I'm very successful... managing chaos." She shot Leo a pointed look, trying to steer her dad away from anything that might make things awkward.

Leo, sensing the tension, quickly jumped in. "You, Marcus. How's business going?"

Marcus gave him a short answer, "Business as usual," he said, shrugging. "Nothing changes. Same old, same old."

The table broke into laughter, everyone relaxing again.

After dinner, the conversation shifted to the guys hanging out in the living room while the women cleaned up in the kitchen.

Leo, Marcus, and Mr. Stefano were all chatting, each holding a glass of wine or whiskey. Leo was leaning against the counter, trying to stay relaxed.

"You know," Leo said, trying to keep things casual, "It's funny—Elly's always been so focused, even back in school. But I don't think I've ever seen her quite so... together as she is now."

Mr. Stefano chuckled, taking a swig from his glass. "She's got her head on straight, that's for sure. We did teach her well. And she's a damn good worker. Takes after her old man."

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Elly and her mom were cleaning up together.

Mrs. Stefano, wiping her hands on a dish towel, looked over at Elly, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "So," she started, leaning casually against the counter. "Are you two a thing?"

Elly froze mid-movement, then glanced at her mom like she'd just been caught in a lie. "No, mom," she replied quickly, her tone light. "We're just really good friends."

Mrs. Stefano raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because both of you look so good together." She leaned in with a smirk. "And he's a good guy. You could do worse, you know."

Elly, trying to escape the conversation without outright saying no, let out a nervous laugh. "Come on, Mom. If you ever knew how his farts stink, you wouldn't be saying that."

Her mom's eyes twinkled mischievously. "You sure he's just your friend?"

"Positive," Elly replied, trying to dodge the subject by busying herself with cleaning the counters. "Now, help me with these dishes, will ya?"