I snort, shaking my head as I lift the glass and take a swallow of my beer. “No. Your ex-wife?”
“Paige,” he tells me her name. “Yeah, she said she would be. In fact, she called me earlier to kick my ass into gear.”
“She sounds amazing.” Too bad I’d never meet her. I think we’d get along.
“She is. My daughter reminds me of her, and my son is like my mini me.” He shares a little more about his children with me. “They’re my pride and joy. When I was younger, I never dreamed of having kids. I planned to go through life living it to the fullest. But my parents wanted grandchildren, and I felt pressured to do that. I knew Paige wanted children too and I couldn’t deny her that.” He sighs.
“And now you love them more than you can imagine and couldn’t imagine a life without them.”
“How did you know that?” he asks.
“My dad said the same thing.”
We both go quiet. I still don’t get how I can go without even breaking a tear about my parents then out of the blue, a memory hits me, and I long for the time with them I’ll never have.
“Bradley,” he starts while reaching for my hand, but I shake my head, not wanting to hear the pity or sadness in his voice. We’re here for him, not for me.
“When are you doing it? I think you should do it sooner than later because the need to keep it a secret is what’s holding you back.”
He presses his lips together and his brows furrow, and I imagine he’s mulling over what I said.
“I don’t know. But let’s get back to you. What are you going to do with your life?”
Isn’t that the million dollar question. What am I going to do?
We spend the rest of dinner talking about lighter topics, making this look more like a date than what it really was. The more I talk to Malcolm and he tells me stories about his childhood, college, and travels, the more I find myself falling for him.
He’s perfect. Everything I wanted in a man. But then, so is Jefferson. It is as if each of them hold aspects I love that draw me in. Jefferson is carefree and fun, and Malcolm, though reserved, can hold a conversation and enlighten me on topics I never imagined wanting to know about.
All I know is that I can’t let myself get attached to Malcolm. He’s in love with someone else, and he’s working to win him back. I can’t compete with a first love. A soul mate.
“Is there anything else I can get for you?” our server, Vanessa, asks.
“Just the check.” Malcolm tells her as he places his napkin on his almost empty plate and pushes it away, before picking up his beer, drinking the last of it.
“That was so good I feel like I’m headed for a food coma,” I tell him, leaning back in my chair and placing my hands on the table.
“Still want to go for that walk?”
I think about it. While I’m stuffed, he seems to want to do it and I don’t want to hinder him. “Yes.”
The server steps back up to the table placing the bill at the edge, right in the middle of the two of us. I go to reach for it but Malcolm’s quicker, slapping his hand on top of it and pulling it to him.
“Malcolm, I was planning to pay for it.”
“Tsk tsk,” he jokes, waving his finger back and forth. “I booked this weekend, and the guidelines state all costs are on me.”
“But our time ended like three hours ago or something like that. So, I’m no longer on the clock and there’s nothing stating I can’t pay for it,” I argue in my defense.
It doesn’t work. He slips his credit card into the tiny slot and places it on the table after lifting it to show the server. She doesn’t hesitate, passing by our table, picking it up quickly.
“Well, thank you. But I have breakfast then.” Malcolm laughs in response to my statement, but little does he know I can be sneaky, and I’ll make sure to find a way to pay for it.
The server brings back the receipt and card and he signs, adding on the gratuity.
“I’m going to the restroom real quick. Meet you up front?” I push back my chair and stand, weaving through the tables as I make my way toward the back of the restaurant.
After pissing, I wash my hands and step outside, stopping in the small hallway to check my phone. It vibrated earlier and I don’t want to miss a job.
