Before I can pull out my phone, I hear it ping in my pocket.
“There,” he says. “You can follow me, but now you have my address just in case. Hey, want to get something to eat first?” He opens the door as he asks.
The sadness that had been hanging around him has completely lifted now. I can’t stop my smile. He’s… excited to hang out with me.
I nod at his question and follow him outside. I’m even more excited when he doesn’t even look at the girls hanging around. His focus is on me alone.
“Cool. Do you have a preference? Or allergies?”
I shake my head. “Just not too spicy, if that’s okay.”
“Yes, absolutely. Oh! How about Italian? I know the perfect place close to my house. It’s soooo good.”
“Sure. Sounds great.”
“Awesome! I’ll text you that address too. Just in case we get separated. Or you can ride with me. Where do you live? Are you close?”
“I’m not close,” I admit. “It’s an hour.”
Hugo stops. “You live an hour from here?”
I nod.
“Ouch. My drive is twenty-three minutes, and I think it’s too long. Um… I can bring you back to your car later if you want to ride with me? But then you can’t leave when you want to.”
“I’ll ride with you,” I say before he can talk himself out of it. Honestly, I’d go anywhere with him.
Hugo grins. “Okay, cool. This way. That’s my car. Which one is yours?”
He doesn’t have an enormous, expensive car like so many others do. It’s an Audi, so not like, uber cheap but definitely not the cost of a middle-class house either. I feel sheepish pointing to my Toyota.
“Hybrid! Sweet. That’s my next one. Everyone keeps pushing the stupid electric cars, but I have this irrational fear of getting caught in L.A. traffic and my battery dying. Then what? The charge lasts far shorter than a tank of gas.”
He continues to talk about electric and hybrid cars as he opens the passenger side door for me. I’m not sure he even realizes he does so. I bow my head to hide my blush as I climb in. He waits until I’m situated before shutting my door. His voice cuts off as I’m left in the silence of his car. As soon as he climbs into the driver’s side, he’s talking again.
I can’t help but smile. I love how he talks a lot. Even about electric cars and why he thinks they’re a stupid, irresponsible, and unreasonable idea unless they’re going to make the highways charged so you can drive and charge your car at the same time. Apparently, some countries are doing that.
There isn’t much for me to say while Hugo drives. He carries the conversation for the entire twenty-minute drive, which leaves me smiling as I listen. As soon as he parks outside the restaurant, he abruptly stops talking.
I’m surprised to find that he’s flushed a little. “Sorry,” he says sheepishly. “I tend to ramble sometimes, but you can interrupt me. I don’t mind.”
I shake my head. “It’s okay. I enjoyed listening to you.”
Oh god, what did I just say? Was that corny? Or did it sound flirty? Fuck, was I just blatantly flirting with Hugo?
There doesn’t appear to be any reason to be concerned though, because Hugo’s big smile is back. “Come on. This place is great. I love their food.”
He opens the door as I unclick my seatbelt and follow. Hugo’s already around to my side, opening my door for me. I’m not sure if he does so intentionally, but the way it makes my heart race is going to give me palpitations.
I follow him inside and we stop at the host stand. There’s an older gentleman there that smiles as soon as we walk in. “Good afternoon, Mr. Bladen,” he greets, inclining his head. His hair is curly and graying on the sides.
“Hi, Tony. This is my friend, Torin.”
Instantly my face heats when Tony looks at me. “Hello, Torin. Welcome to Antonio’s. Have you been here before?”
I shake my head.
“Ah. You’re in for a treat. This way.”
