I’ve seen Niyi serious at work, flirtatious on the dance floor, but this is the first time I’ve seen him look…tired.
“Relationships with parents can be hard,” I say.
“But we gotta do it.” Niyi shrugs. I don’t know the specifics of the relationship with his dad, but it’s evident it bothers him.
“There’s always a different option,” I say.
“For others, definitely. For me, unfortunately not.”
Part of me wants to push, but I barely know him. It wouldn’t be right.
Instead, I relish in the silence. Even walking quietly with bated breaths in the cold, I’m having a better time than I did with Julian. A low bar, but still.
“Sorry for being a downer,” Niyi says after we’ve been walking in circles for a while.
“Heavy topics elicit heavy reactions. It’s okay, I understand.”
“This should be your time, and I took too much of it talking about myself.”
“Am I complaining?” I retort.
Niyi falters. “No…”
“Then we’re all good. Besides, this has given me time to think about what I want in a partner and why I’m dating.”
“Great!” Niyi perks up. “Ready to share?”
It’s my turn to hesitate. The thoughts are still forming. And there are other things I need to consider that I’d rather do alone.
As if reading my mind, Niyi says, “How about we call it a night? I can give you the questionnaire and you can let Merc know when you want another meeting to discuss.”
“How about I just email you when I’m done?”
“Are you changing our rules?” Niyi teases.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I playfully hit his well-defined bicep. The contact reminds me of my physical attraction to him. A fact I had shockingly forgotten about while we’d been talking.
“It’s more convenient cutting out the middleman,” I clarify, putting on an air of nonchalance.
“If you say so,” Niyi says, and then stretches out a palm. I look at it, confused. “Your phone, so I can put in my email.”
Oh, yeah.
He puts in his emailandnumber, saving it under Niyi-Cupid’s Bow.
“If you wanted to give me your number, you could’ve just said so,” I tease.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he plays along. “But seriously, if you’d rather call to talk about your responses versus setting up a whole meeting, I’m down. I’d love to hear your responses before you have your second date. Wouldn’t want it to be like the first.”
The mention of the second date brings me back to reality. He is helping me with my love life. I can’t get that twisted, even if things feel natural.
“Goodnight, Moyo,” Niyi says, extending his hand for a professional goodbye.
“Night, Niyi,” I mirror his actions. When his hand meets mine, it fits like a glove. Our fingers glide against each other, my subtle callouses pairing well with his smoother skin. When we part, a jolt of electricity hits me. I jerk back, while Niyi stares at his palm.
As I walk to my T-stop, I can’t believe a simple conversation with someone contractually obligated to talk to me is making me feel this way. Niyi’s only doing his job, and I need to get it together. To remember the plan: UseCupid’s Bow, get a perfect match, and fall in love in the most risk-averse manner.
I can’t find true love if I’m crushing on my off-limits coach.
