In fact, he spent the evening saving me, keeping Rome in near-constant conversation. The two talked about various countries they had both visited and popular restaurants around the city.
Alexandra kept me occupied, sharing her plans for a future business she was working on. However, I was being a bad friend, because I couldn’t help but be distracted by Rome all evening.
He was leaned away from me, his body completely turned from mine, and barely made eye contact when he did briefly look my way. The press wouldn't see it, thankfully. Hell, the couple on the neighboring table wouldn’t… but I did. I could feel the chasm between us and I hated it. I needed to fix it.
Alexandra must have read my mind because as our dessert trays were being taken away, she stood quickly, pulling Maverick up with her, interrupting him mid-sentence.
“Well, I guess we’re going,” he mumbled as he pulled on his jacket.
“It was great to see you both,” Alexandra declared, pushing Maverick away. “But we need to go. Urgent matters to attend to and … stuff. Yeah, okay, bye! Love you!” She blew me a kiss over her shoulder as she elbowed a laughing Maverick out the door of the restaurant.
While I was grateful to finally have Rome alone, I wasn’t sure how to fix the issue between us. I didn’t have a model for proper conflict resolution while growing up, and I definitely did not have time to call Will and ask for his advice.
I guess I was winging it tonight.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out, fully turning to face Rome. His eyes grew wide, and I could tell I had caught him by surprise. “I don’t hate you. I don’t even dislike you.”
“It’s fine, Bec. You don’t need to like me. I’m just your bodyguard… another one of your employees,” he tried to placate, taking my hand in what should have been a reassuring move. I instead grasped it like he was my lifeline. He glanced down briefly, a look of confusion flashing across his face, before he continued to speak. “I should have kept things professional from the start. I’ve made the adjustment and will behave accordingly moving forward.”
“No,” I interrupted, holding him tighter. “You’re my friend. But you have to see… I’m bad at friends… and this whole people thing. Put me in a conference room? I’m golden. Put me in a one-on-one conversation with a friend? Well… there’s a reason everyone calls me the ‘Ice Queen’. It’s a wonder Alexandra keeps me around. I’m a horrendous friend, Rome. I don’t know the first thing about it.”
He eyed me for a moment, but I could see that light coming back as he looked at me. “Then why did you say all those things? About me being obnoxious? Loud? Everything else? I don’t want to be a bother to you. You have enough on your plate. There’s no reason for me to add to it.”
I laughed quietly, using my free hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, “In my defense, youareall of those things… but it’s not bad. In fact, I think those are all the reasons I like you.”
“Like me?” he asked, confused.
“As a friend,” I blurted out, even though I wasn’t sure that it was the truth. Rome made me feel… feel what? I wasn’t so sure. “Look, Rome, I’m sorry. I miss you. Can we go back to how things were? Please?”
He smiled softly and nodded, “Thank you for the apology… sincerely.” But then he paused and my heart sank to my gut, thinking he was about to turn me down. Then he looked me in the eyes and with the slightest smirk said, “We can go back,ifyou promise to be a smidgen nicer to me.”
I sighed in relief, resting back into my chair. “I promise.”
“You’re something else, you know that?”
I nodded, “Why do you think the board hates me? Trust me, I’m aware.”
“Well, I like it. It makes you interesting,” he remarked and leaned back into his dining chair. Our hands still intertwined, now resting on the table between the two of us. “I need to apologize, too. A lot went down on my last assignment, and I really fucked things up and hurt people close to me. I… I don’t like talking about it. I don’t like thinking about it. Honestly, I do my best to ignore it all. When you asked, I was already in a bad place, and I snapped. I promise I’m okay to work. Work makes it easier.Youmake it easier, Bec. I’m sorry I snapped at you when you were only trying to talk.”
“It’s okay, I understand. We both had a lot of shit simmering under the surface and took it out on each other.” I leaned my elbow onto the table, resting my chin on my hand, “Look at us, having a mature conversation for once.”
He laughed softly and began to gently play with my fingers. I wasn’t even sure he was aware of the actions, but the motions sent fireworks up my arm. “We’re both shockingly bad at that.”
“I think we’re better than most.”
“Is this apology of yours why Alexandra ran out of here like a bat out of hell?” He asked, pointing in the direction she had run off to.
I nodded. “I was panicking about it before you came. There is a highly likely possibility that I was driving her absolutely crazy.”
Rome let go of my hand and looped his pinky through my own. The move was unexpected, but comforting in a way I had never experienced before. “You don’t need to panic when it comes to me, Bec. I may have my bad days and say things I don’t mean, but I will never intentionally be cruel. I would rather die than hurt you.”
I smiled softly, “Sorry, I was kind of the worst when you first started working for me.”
He raised an incredulous brow.
This time I laughed, genuinely laughed. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry I was kind of the worst until last week.”
“You’re forgiven,” he remarked. “Now let’s get you home before it gets too late.”
