Page 7 of All's Fair in Love and Pizza
“Yo, Cuz! What’re you doin’? We got a full house here!” Vanni griped, gesturing for me to come over.
I shot one last irritated glance at the papered windows of the bagel shop and sighed. “I’m comin’, I’m comin’.”
4
ROB
You know that saying, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes?” Yeah, well…until recently, I’d assumed that old adage could never apply to me. I rectified the noise escalation by having Amber deliver a stack of coupons next door, requesting that she give them to anyone other than Mateo. I hoped a free bagel and an apology would appease Boardwalk Pizza’s owners and customers. The last thing I wanted to do was ostracize our neighbors, but damn it…Mateo was a real SOB.
But only to me.
Everyone else loved the guy.
Terrence, the mailman: “You got great neighbors here. They’re good people. But you probably already know Mateo from college, so you know he’s a sweetheart. And a hard worker too.”
Mary Flannigan, a fiftysomething woman who’d introduced herself as a sixth-grade teacher while her energetic labradoodle ran circles around her on the sidewalk:“I’ve taught all the locals, like the Cavarettis. Let me tell you that Mateo’s an angel—a good family man. He takes care of his mom and his aunt, and you should have seen him with his father at the end. God rest his soul.”
Carly, the barista at Boardwalk Coffee: “If you played football here, you probably know Mateo…you know, from Boardwalk Pizza? OMG. He’s so fine.”
Uh-huh.
And don’t get me started on Amber.
“I have a huge crush. Huge! Mateo is hunkier now than he was in college.”
“Is he, though?” I’d scoffed.
Amber had giggled like a besotted schoolgirl. “That would be a big, fat yes. And you know it! C’mon, he’s totally your type, too. Dark and broody with a sexy smile and bedroom eyes and?—”
I’d stuffed a bagel bite into her mouth to shut her up and hopefully end the conversation. I hadn’t been in the right frame of mind to deny or defend myself. We both knew she was right. If he wasn’t an annoying jerk, I’d admit that Mateo was obscenely hot.
And yes, after everything she’d been through, it was nice to see Amber gush over a good-looking guy. But I sincerely hoped she didn’t start something with that dickhead.
“You can do better than him. Much better,” I’d assured her.
“Hmm. I dunno. I might have a thing for Italians who know how to knead dough.” She’d batted her lashes while I’d rolled my eyes. “Lighten up, Robbie. And be nice. We’re the new kids in town. We need friends, not enemies.”
Friends with Mateo? Yeah…probably not happening any time soon. My best bet was to avoid him altogether. At least for now.
Starting a business and settling into a new groove in a place I hadn’t called home in years kept me busy. I spent most of the summer getting reacquainted with the town and reestablishing old connections. It wasn’t enough to hang a sign and hope for the best. No, I had to schmooze.
I met with the mayor and her husband, the president of Haverton and his husband, and Coach Mulveney, who I fully credited with steering me to a career in the pros. If he wanted them, Coach could feast on free bagels for as long as the Big H was in business. My grandfather had taught me that it was important to acknowledge the folks who’d played a part in your success.
“A complimentary treat might seem like a silly token of esteem, but an everything bagel with extra cream cheese goes a long way,” Grandpa had insisted.
I believed him. Grandpa’s loyal customers hadn’t just loved his bagels. They’d loved him. He’d been a Philly institution, a friendly familiar face who’d often tell his middle-aged customers that he remembered them as babies. And at the end of the day, everyone wanted to be remembered.
Mateo and his cousins had the advantage there for sure. His dad and uncle had been legends when we were in college. Somehow, they’d known everyone’s name. Even mine.
“We gotta football hero in the house! That was some game the other night, huh? What can I get ya?” Mr. Cavaretti had been quick with a fist bump, a wink, and a gentle nudge toward the special of the day. Drinks had always been on the house for the football team, and after a big win, Mateo’s dad had offered free slices of pepperoni too. To be honest, I couldn’t swear that he knew my name, but he’d made me feel important for a minute or so, and that had made an impression.
And the pizza was damn good.
But so were Grandpa’s bagels.
Gramps had sold a variety of flavors and thankfully, had left copious notes with his recipe book.
Add pinch of cinn on CR.Code: cinnamon raisin.
