WHEN FOREVER FOUND ME

Chapter Ten-Enzo

I had never expected him to ask.

For two months, Azul had never asked me my name.

Not once.

He had never tried to write it down.

Never pointed at me and asked.

Never even seemed curious enough to demand an answer.

And then, after everything that had happened that evening, he had stood beside my car with that tablet in his hands and typed four simple words.

What is your name?

I had stared at the screen longer than I should have.

It shouldn’t have surprised me.

But it did.

For some reason, the question affected me more than it should have.

Maybe because I had known his name from the beginning.

Azul Bellini.

I had known where he lived.

I knew where his café was.

I knew his family.

I knew about his farm.

I knew about his business.

I knew things about him that he didn’t even know I knew.

And he didn’t even know my first name.

That realization did something strange to me.

So I told him.

“Enzo.”

He looked at me.

Then I gave him the rest.

“Enzo Vitale.”

The second I said my surname, I saw something change in his eyes.

Recognition.

Fear.

Maybe both.

Vitale wasn’t a name people heard in Palermo and simply forgot.

I watched his expression carefully.

He didn’t ask anything.

He didn’t type.

He simply held the tablet against his chest.

And I knew immediately that he had heard my name before.

Of course he had.

Everyone had.

I didn’t say anything else.

I started the car.

I knew exactly where I was taking him.

Home.

I didn’t need directions.

I already knew where Azul lived.

He sat quietly beside me, staring out of the window.

After a few minutes, he looked at me.

Then at the road.

Then back at me.

He was wondering how I knew where he lived.

I could see the question in his eyes.

But he didn’t type it.

Good.

Because I wasn’t ready to tell him just how much I already knew about him.

We drove in silence.

When we finally reached his family’s house, I slowed down.

The Bellini farm appeared ahead.

It wasn’t luxurious.

It wasn’t some enormous estate.

It was a decent, middle-class family home surrounded by the quiet life they had built for themselves.

There were fields.

Animals.

A small farmhouse.

Vegetables growing nearby.

A few chickens wandering around.

It was peaceful.

Almost painfully peaceful.

Nothing like my world.

Nothing like the places I had grown up in.

Azul reached for the door.

I watched him.

He was about to get out.

And then I heard myself speak.

“So you’re not going to invite me in for dinner?”

He stopped.

Slowly, he looked at me.

Then he shook his head.

No.

I almost laughed.

“Well, thank God I’m an adult.”

He stared at me.

“Because I can invite myself.”

His eyes widened.

I opened my door.

“I’m coming in.”

I didn’t know why I wanted to meet his family.

I didn’t know why I cared.

But I did.

Maybe I wanted them to know me.

Maybe I wanted them to know that I was in Azul’s life.

Maybe I wanted to mark my territory.

The thought was f*****g ridiculous.

But it felt right.

I wanted the people closest to him to see me standing beside him.

I wanted them to understand that I wasn’t some stranger who occasionally visited the café.

I was going to be something more.

I just hadn’t decided exactly what yet.

Azul got out of the car.

I followed him toward the house.

He opened the front door.

“Azu, are you back?”

A woman’s voice came from somewhere inside.

Then silence.

A moment later, she appeared.

She looked at Azul first.

Then at me.

Her eyebrows lifted.

“Who is this?”

She looked at Azul.

“Did you bring a friend home?”

Azul immediately shook his head.

I almost smiled.

He hadn’t even had the chance to answer before I stepped forward.

“Good evening.”

The woman looked at me.

“Good evening.”

“My name is Enzo Vitale.”

She smiled politely.

“I’m Elena Bellini.”

Azul’s mother.

I already knew that.

But hearing her introduce herself made something strange happen inside me.

This was the woman who had raised him.

The woman who had cared for him after his accident.

The woman who had watched him grow up without his voice.

I suddenly understood why I wanted her to like me.

“Are you staying for dinner?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Azul turned his head sharply.

I ignored him.

Elena smiled.

“Of course.”

Azul gave his mother a look.

A look that clearly said:

Why did you invite him?

His mother ignored him.

I almost laughed.

I liked her already.

For the next few minutes, I sat in the living room while Azul helped his mother.

He moved around the kitchen quietly.

His mother would occasionally look at him.

Then at me.

Then back at him.

Azul pretended not to notice.

It was adorable.

I had never used that word about another person in my life.

But there was no other word for him.

He was adorable.

Especially when he was uncomfortable.

Eventually, his father came home.

A tall man with a tired but kind face.

Azul immediately looked up.

His father noticed me.

He stopped.

There was a brief silence.

Then I stood.

“Good evening.”

He looked at me carefully.

“Good evening.”

“I’m Enzo Vitale.”

“Luca Bellini.”

We shook hands.

His grip was firm.

I respected him immediately.

He didn’t seem intimidated.

Not yet, anyway.

We sat down for dinner.

The table was simple.

Homemade food.

Fresh bread.

Vegetables.

Pasta.

Nothing extravagant.

But it was probably one of the most peaceful dinners I’d ever had.

Then the front door opened.

Everyone looked toward it.

A young man walked inside.

Mateo.

Azul’s brother.

I had seen his file.

Gambling problems.

Trouble.

Family stress.

He stopped when he saw the people sitting around the table.

His mother smiled.

“Oh, you’re back.”

“Yeah.”

“Grab a plate.”

Mateo nodded.

He took a plate and started serving himself.

Then he finally noticed me.

He froze.

He looked at me.

Then looked at Azul.

Then back at me.

“Wow.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Hi.”

He cleared his throat.

“Good evening.”

I nodded.

“Good evening.”

He sat down.

The meal continued.

But the atmosphere had changed.

Everyone was wondering the same thing.

Why was I there?

Why was I sitting at their dinner table?

Why had Azul brought me home?

I decided to answer the question before anyone else could ask.

I put down my fork.

“I suppose you’re all wondering why I’m here.”

Everyone looked at me.

Especially Azul.

His eyes widened.

I looked at him.

Then at his parents.

“I’m here because Azul is going to be my soon-to-be boyfriend.”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Azul nearly choked.

His mother stared at me.

His father stopped eating.

Mateo’s mouth fell open.

And Azul?

He looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him.

I couldn’t help it.

I smiled slightly.

“Yes.”

Mateo finally spoke.

“Soon-to-be boyfriend?”

I nodded.

“That’s what I said.”

Azul shook his head rapidly.

I looked at him.

“What?”

He grabbed the tablet.

His fingers moved quickly.

Then he turned it toward me.

I never said that.

I looked at the words.

Then at him.

“I know.”

His eyes widened.

“So?”

He stared at me like I was completely insane.

Maybe I was.

I looked back at his family.

“I intend to change that.”

His mother slowly smiled.

My heart practically settled.

His father studied me carefully.

Mateo looked between us like he had just walked into the middle of a story he didn’t understand.

And Azul?

Azul looked mortified.

I found it strangely charming.

After dinner, Elena walked me toward the door.

“You should come again.”

I smiled.

“I will.”

Azul looked at his mother.

The expression on his face was priceless.

It clearly said:

Please don’t invite him again.

His mother only smiled.

I stepped outside.

Azul followed.

We stood near the car.

The night was quiet.

I looked at him.

“Give me your phone.”

He hesitated.

Then handed it to me.

I put my number in.

Then called myself.

My phone rang.

I saved his number.

Now I had another way to reach him.

I handed his phone back.

“I’m going home.”

He nodded.

“I’ll call you later.”

He nodded again.

I looked at him.

His long black hair fell around his shoulders.

Those mismatched eyes looked up at me.

Blue.

Gray.

Beautiful.

Before I could think about what I was doing, I leaned down and kissed his cheek.

Just once.

Softly.

Azul froze.

Completely.

His eyes became enormous.

I pulled away.

He stared at me.

I didn’t know why I had done it.

Maybe I was marking my territory.

Maybe I wanted him to understand that this was his new reality.

Maybe I simply wanted to know what it felt like to kiss him.

Whatever the reason…

I didn’t regret it.

“Goodnight, Azul.”

He didn’t move.

I got into my car.

As I drove away from the Bellini farm, I felt strangely happy.

Happy.

That was another thing I wasn’t used to.

I had spent the entire day furious.

I had been ready to kill a man because he touched Azul.

I had dragged Azul into my house and interrogated him.

I’d acted like a f*****g lunatic.

And yet now?

I was smiling.

I’d met his mother.

His father.

His brother.

I’d eaten dinner at their table.

I’d told them I was going to be Azul’s boyfriend.

Soon-to-be boyfriend.

I almost laughed at myself.

I had practically introduced myself as their future son-in-law.

Maybe I was moving too quickly.

No.

I didn’t care.

I knew what I wanted.

And I wasn’t used to wanting something I couldn’t simply take.

When I reached my mansion, I went upstairs.

I showered.

Changed clothes.

Then walked into my bedroom feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

I picked up my phone.

I stared at Azul’s number.

Then I typed.

What are you doing?

A few minutes passed.

Then my phone vibrated.

Nothing. I’m just preparing for bed.

I smiled.

I typed back.

Okay.

I stared at the screen for a second.

Then typed the words that had been sitting in my head since I left him.

I miss you already.

I waited.

Nothing.

One minute.

Two.

Five.

Finally, his reply appeared.

Oh, okay.

I stared at it.

I blinked.

Then read it again.

Oh, okay.

That was it?

I sat up.

“What the f**k?”

I looked at the message again.

Didn’t he miss me?

Didn’t he want to see me?

Didn’t he think about me the way I thought about him?

I tossed my phone onto the bed.

Then picked it up again.

I stared at his name.

I was losing my f*****g mind.

This man had been in my life for two months.

He barely spoke.

He barely gave me anything.

And somehow, I was sitting in my bedroom at midnight, annoyed because he had responded to I miss you already with two words.

I rubbed my face.

“What is wrong with you, Enzo?”

I already knew the answer.

Azul.

It was always Azul.

He had gotten into my head.

Into my thoughts.

Into my f*****g life.

And now I couldn’t seem to get him out.

I looked at his name again.

My future boyfriend.

I smiled despite myself.

Soon-to-be.

Whether he knew it yet or not.