MAFIA’s OBSESSION

Chapter Six

The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air, mingling with the steady hum of conversation. The Sunday brunch crowd at Brew & Bloom was in full swing, couples on awkward first dates, families pretending to enjoy each other’s company, and the occasional group of hungover twenty-somethings nursing their regrets with overpriced mimosas. I’d driven down from my parents house in Hudson to catch my weekly brunch with Kim and Vee and possibly grab the rest of my stuff from Josh because I’m certain that there’s no going back to what we had.

At our usual table, Vee stirred her cappuccino with unnecessary intensity, eyes flicking between Kimberly and me. “So let me get this straight,” she said, voice laced with amusement. “Not only did you get suspended for stopping a grown ass man from licking a statue, but you also walked in on Josh playing a reenactment of 365 days on your bed? All under twenty-four hours?”

Kimberly shot her a look. “Vee.”

“What? I’m just confirming.” Vee leaned forward, chin resting on her hand. “That’s a lot for one day, Cleo. I mean, you’re basically living in a telenovela at this point.” I sighed, swirling my orange juice with my straw. “Yeah, well, I didn’t even get a dramatic soundtrack or a slow-motion reaction. Just me standing there like an i***t while my dignity packed its bags and walked out the door.” Kimberly reached across the table, squeezing my hand. “I’m so sorry, Cleo. I really, really am.”

I gave her a small smile. “I know, Kim. Thanks.”

Vee, of course, had no such patience for emotional moments. She leaned back with a smirk. “I still can’t believe Josh of all people. That man wears socks to bed and once argued that cologne was just spicy deodorant. You could’ve done so much better.”

I groaned. “Please, let’s not turn this into a ‘Cleo’s questionable taste in men’ intervention.” Kimberly’s lips twitched. “Sweetheart, it’s not an intervention. More like… a gentle observation.” Vee nodded sagely. “An observation backed by years of evidence.”

I gave them both an unimpressed look. “Okay, new rule: no insulting my romantic choices while I’m still emotionally recovering.” Kimberly put a hand over her heart. “We’d never.”

Vee took a sip of her coffee. “Give us a week.”

I let out a half-laugh, half-sigh and slumped in my seat. The truth was, as much as their teasing annoyed me, it also reminded me that I wasn’t alone. That even when my life felt like it was unraveling, these two would be there armed with caffeine, unsolicited opinions, and possibly a shovel if necessary.

Kimberly suddenly straightened, as if hit by divine inspiration. “That’s it. You need a reset, we all do.”

I blinked. “A what?”

“A reset,” she repeated, eyes shining with excitement. “You’ve been through hell, Cleo. You need a break. A real one. No job stress, no ex-boyfriends, no responsibilities.” Vee raised an eyebrow. “Are you about to suggest a dramatic haircut or an expensive yoga retreat?”

Kimberly rolled her eyes. “No. Something better. A vacation.”

I snorted. “Kim, I just lost my job. Going on a vacation right now will be the worse financial decision in the entire history of terrible financial decisions.” She waved off my concern. “Not just any vacation Naples, Italy.” I choked on my drink. “I’m sorry, did you say Naples?”

Vee perked up. “Ooh. You know, I do look great in Mediterranean lighting.”

Kimberly turned to me with a knowing smile. “My parents’ estate is empty this time of year. We’d have the whole place to ourselves. Sun, sea, unlimited pasta. You could take long walks on the beach, flirt with an Italian bartender, not catch your boyfriend cheating on you.”

I hesitated, my brain fighting against the sheer appeal of it. “Kim, that sounds amazing, but I can’t afford that right now.” “ I know, that’s why I’ll be taking care of the expenses, we could borrow daddy’s private jet” She retorted. “No way, I’m not letting you pay for everything .” She waved a hand. “Who said anything about letting? I’m insisting. This is an emergency, and I’m your very wealthy first responder.”

Vee leaned in, grinning. “Honestly, if you don’t go, I’m going to start questioning whether you enjoy suffering.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “I can’t just mooch off you, Kim.”

Kimberly softened. “You wouldn’t be. You’d be doing me a favor, actually. That place is too quiet when no one’s there. And if it makes you feel better, you can pay me back whenever you get a new job.”

I exhaled slowly, the weight of the last few days pressing down on me. Maybe a break wasn’t the worst idea. Maybe, just for a little while, I could step away from the disaster that was my life and breathe again.

I looked between them, my best friends in the world. They were waiting for me to say yes, ready to drop everything just to make me feel okay again.

A small smile crept onto my lips. “Fine. But if we end up in some mafia-related drama, I’m blaming both of you.”

Vee grinned. “Please. If anything, you’d be the one seducing a mysterious crime lord.” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, right.”

Kimberly clapped her hands together. “Then it’s settled! Pack your bags, ladies. We’re going to Naples.”

For the first time in days, something other than dread settled in my chest. Hope.

I hesitated at Josh’s door, the key cold in my palm. Olivia and Kimberly stood on either side of me, their expectant silence making it clear I had no choice but to move forward. They had both insisted on accompanying me to grab my stuff, but while I hoped to the stars not to run into Josh, Vee on the other hand was hoping he’d be here so she could, she said and I quote ‘teach him a painful lesson.’ I exhaled sharply and pushed the door open. The familiar scent of Josh’s overpriced cologne hit me first, followed by the sight of our, his apartment exactly how I remember it. The throw blanket I had folded still sat on the couch. Photos from when we visited Paris still on the wall. The betrayal in the air was almost suffocating.

“Okay, let’s do this fast,” I muttered, stepping inside.

Kimberly got to work immediately, neatly folding my clothes into a suitcase as if this was just another day. Olivia, on the other hand, wandered into the kitchen, her sharp gaze scanning the space like she was hunting for something.

“Oh, would you look at this,” she mused, lifting a framed photo of Josh grinning like an i***t.

“Vee,” I warned.

“What?” She turned it over in her hands, her voice dripping with faux innocence. “Oops.”

The frame slipped from her fingers, landing on the hardwood with a sharp crack. I winced. Before I could protest, she reached for his favorite coffee mug labeled ‘Sherlock Code’ and inspected it for half a second before casually dropping it into the sink. The crash of ceramic against metal was oddly satisfying.

“Vee.”

“What?” she said again, this time with a smirk. “Just helping clear some clutter.” I sighed, but I didn’t stop her. Maybe some things deserved to be broken.