I’ve simply been staring, mesmerized. He has confidence in his words and wisdom in his voice that go beyond his age. I suppose that can happen when the responsibility of a billion-dollar company lands on your shoulders right after college. Losing both parents within such a short time must have been devastating. One from a brain aneurysm, and what most don’t know is that the other was intentional two years later—from heartbreak.
“What?” he asks. I must have been silent too long as I pondered how to word my next question.
“Were you angry at your dad for what he did? Or are you still?” If he can let go of that, then there’s got to be hope for me.
He takes a sip of wine, and I can see the gears spinning while he formulates his answer.
“I was initially. I mean, there we were, recently home from getting our MBA, thinking we would play a bit while learning the ropes, and then bam, suddenly we’re in charge. We were both angry at first, but Sebastian’s anger turned into a sense of abandonment, which made him never want to love anyone he could lose, whereas mine turned more into curiosity. What would it be like to care about someone so wholeheartedly that you felt you couldn’t live without them? Plenty of people find love a second time, and I was pissed that he didn’t eventry. But then I considered how he must’ve felt about my mom to have taken such drastic measures, and….” He hangs his head and shakes it. “While I try my best to understand, I’m not sure I fully do, which leaves room for bitterness, I suppose.”
“So do you believe there’s more than one true love out there, then?”
He blows the air out of his lungs and raises his brows. “That’s a heavy question.” Turning to stare into the room, he contemplates before shrugging one shoulder. “How about I’ll answer that when I’m eighty and have experienced one or the other. Rain check?”
I laugh. “I’ll hold you to it.”
“What about you? Any theories on love?” he asks, taking me off guard. I didn’t expect the tables to turn.
“Oh boy. Huh… I’m not sure I can answer that. I’ll take a rain check as well.”
“Have you been in love?”
“Definitely not. I’ve never had sex with anyone for this long, for crying out loud.”
“Has it always been just sex for you? Is that allthisis?” he asks calmly.
Oh shit, this is uncharted territory—time for a break.
“Shoot. I need to check on Poppy and then use the bathroom. Do you mind if I do that real quick?”
He chuckles knowingly, resigning. “Not at all. Go do that, and I’ll bring the wine to the bedroom and meet you when you’re finished.”
“Thanks,” I say, kissing him quickly before retreating down the hall with my tail between my legs.
“Hey, girl, how did your date go?” I ask when she picks up.
“Why are you talking so quietly?”
“I’m at Eli’s.”
“Then why the heck are you calling me? Don’t you have better things to do?”
“Ugh. Yes, but we were talking, and things took a serious turn, so I fled. Now tell me about your night.”
“Girl, you are crazy pants.”
“Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don’t know. I’m assuming it didn’t go well since you’re not already gushing about it?”
“Meh. It was so-so. He was cute, but not enough to get over hisStar Warsobsession, which he talked about one too many times. He wants our second date to be the first movie since I told him I hadn’t seen it.”
“Ooooh, a Netflix and chill night. Sounds like he wants in your pants. Did he kiss you goodnight?”
“I awkwardly dodged him, and we hugged. I might go on one more date, but not for movie night. You, however, need to get your chill on instead of talking to me. Let’s chat more tomorrow when you can fill me in on this serious talk you ran from. Have fun, bye!”
“Okay, fine, bye.”
Luckily for me, the only thing on Eli’s mind when I entered the bedroom was one thing, and one thing only. Crisis averted.
9
