He appears to sense my obvious turmoil and lets out a defeated breath. “Yeah, okay,” he answers. “And forget about my laptop. I was planning on getting a new one.”
It’s probably a lie, but I’m still grateful. He begrudgingly sits down next to me, and I quickly sit as well, straightening my posture like I’m gearing up for a job interview.
“So,” I say in the most chipper voice I can muster, “I should introduce myself. My name is Violet.”
He makes eye contact but in no way returns my smile. “I’m Matt.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Matt.” I then initiate a stiff business handshake and he drops my hand so fast that you’d think I casually licked my palm right before we made contact. I’m not quite sure how to cope with his barely veiled contempt, but thankfully, a waiter appears and asks what we would like. I order a cappuccino, and Matt asks for an Americano. The man walks away with a grimace, which I can only assume is due to my making such a scene a minute ago.
“So I’m batting a thousand in the popularity department today,” I joke.
“Don’t worry about Giuseppe,” Matt says evenly. “I come here all the time and he’s only ever scowled at me.”
“Yeah, but you seem like someone who doesn’t particularly mind scowling.”
The thought somehow slips out of me, and I’m hoping it didn’t come off as offensive. Matt only shrugs.
“I’d rather a scowl than a fake smile.” He looks at me pointedly and my permi-grin falters.
M-kay, Matt. Let’s not be an ass.
“Good manners cost nothing,” I answer easily.
Matt sits back a degree in his chair. “I think you can be polite without being fake. Why should I alter my personality to make other people feel better? I used to do that, and it was draining. And people still didn’t like me.”
I consider personally attesting to his last statement but stop myself. Instead, I say, “I’m sure there’s a difference between altering your personality and presenting yourself in a way that doesn’t come off as rude.”
The corner of Matt’s mouth pulls up in the smallest hint of a smile. “Is that how I come off to you? As rude?”
More like a disproportionally handsome bridge troll, but maybe it’s best not to mention that.
I move the tips of my fingers over the surface of the table, trying to concoct another noncommittal answer before returning my hand to my lap. “Not necessarily,” I go on to tell him. “I guess I could say that you come off as honest.”
“As honestly rude?” he teases. I somehow end up smirking despite myself.
“Perception is subjective, isn’t it?”
“It is,” he agrees. “For example, to some people rudeness can be categorized by someone being aloof, and to others it could be someone’s flagrant destruction of personal property.”
“I apologized about your laptop!” My near-shout surprises even me. This isn’t how I operate. I’m a people pleaser. Ineedpeople to like me. I don’t yell at strangers, especially strangers I’m trying to appease. Matt seems amused and something about him makes me itch. I want to punch him, but I also kind of want to make him laugh. It’s disconcerting. Taking a breath and forcing myself to relax, I say, “I’m sorry. It was rude of me to raise my voice.”
Matt smiles then. Smiles like he means it, and the result is jarring. Bridge trolls aren’t supposed to smile like that. At least, not unless they’re about to devour their innocent prey.
Is Matt about to devour me?
Where in the hot hell did that come from? I inwardly scold myself and shake off the ludicrous thought, sitting up straighter and clearing my throat.
“I really am sorry about your computer,” I go on. “And about your coffee.”
“You apologize too much.”
Matt’s eyes and tone are filled with arrogance, and every muscle in my shoulders tenses. Maybe I need everyone in the world to like me,excepthim.
He tilts his head a little. “You can say what you’re thinking, you know. I won’t mind.”
I bet he wouldn’t. What am I to him? Nothing. And it’s with freeing clarity that I realize I feel the exact same way about him. I answer in a voice that’s pure calmness. “I was just thinking that I’ve never been more okay with someone hating me in my entire life.”
Matt smiles again and it’s exceedingly irksome how I’m pleased by it.
