“Luca loves fish,” I say as Rachel, Damien, and I watch him from the table. Deep Blue is one of Las Vegas’ fanciest seafood restaurants, and I was surprised Luca picked it. Now that we are here, I know why.
“I can’t believe he knew that this place has fish tanks for walls,” Rachel says, spooning a lobster stuffed mushroom onto her plate.
“I can,” I smile. “He reads a lot. On the ride here he told me that he secretly knew about the fish tanks.”
“He’s five,” Damien says.
“He is. He’s an avid reader. He’s advanced for his age, which makes it difficult.”
Damien furrows his brow, and his eyes flash from Luca to me. “Difficult how?”
“Kids don’t know how to relate to him. Teachers don’t know what to do with him. The usual for an unusual kid,” I answer, and Rachel sighs with an empathetic smile.
“Aren’t there other schools? Private ones?” Damien asks. I nearly choke on my wine.
“I can’t afford private schooling,” I say.
“You can now,” he says, and my cheeks flush again. He’s not wrong.
“A kid like your son should be educated somewhere that challenges him. He’s viewed as different at his school because he’s intelligent and is easily bored with the curriculum.”
My eyes meet his. “I thought you weren’t a family man.”
“I’m not, but I understand him,” he says. Then he stands up and walks over to the tank to stand next to Luca.
“He’s really something,” Rachel says as we watch them.
“I know,” I smile. They’re too far away for me to make out what they’re saying, but Damien is pointing at different fish and if I had to guess, Luca is telling him exactly what they are off the top of his head. “Maybe Damien is right; maybe I’m not doing enough.”
“I was talking about Damien,” Rachel says, and I look over at her curiously. “He’s quite a catch.”
“He’s my boss.” I say with a nervous laugh.
“I know. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were up to something. All those late nights you’re working…” she says, raising her eyebrows up and down.
“What about them?” I ask, maybe too quickly, because she catches it. My cheeks flush a shade of rose, and I know I’m screwed.
“Wait. I was just joking. But you’re into him, aren’t you?”
“No. Of course not. That would be inappropriate.”
“So?” she pressed with a smile.
“I can’t date my boss,” I tell her. I’m not lying. Our contract states that we can’t date.
“Logistics,” she waves her hand. My sister is a romantic. A dramatic romantic. Either way, she’s not going to let this go. She thrives on this stuff.
“Yeah, logistics that fucked me over the last time I mixed work and pleasure,” I add. As if that’s not what I’m alreadydoing. Our attention shifts back over to Damien and Luca by the floor to ceiling fish tank as Luca laughs. A real, genuine chest laugh. What the hell could Damien have said that merited a chest laugh from my mostly unsocial child? I’m a little aggravated that I can’t see Damien’s face. Is he smiling?
Meanwhile, Rachel is just staring at me with a know-it-all grin.
“Stop,” I plead.
“Never. Listen, El. There is nothing wrong with being into your boss.”
“Oh my God,” I let out, “I am not into him. You’re a terrible sister.”
“And you’re a terrible liar,” she says as she bites her lip.
