“We can go as friends.” As if going as friends made all the difference. I might have friend-zoned him, but he clearly liked me. Even Falina thought so.
“Isla,” Chris called from the kitchen door. “Someone’s asking for you on line two.”
“That’s strange.” I wiped my hands on a rag and headed for the phone on the wall. Saved by an unknown caller. Ihoped Jon would forget about asking me to the game, but he probably wouldn’t. “This is Isla.”
“Don’t hang up.”
“Ciro?” My heart seized. “How dare you bother me at work.”
“You weren’t answering my calls or texts.”
“For good reason. I don’t want to talk to you.” Was he for real?
“Please let me explain.”
“No. And don’t call here again.” I ended the call.
I knew Ciro well. He wouldn’t call here again. It surprised me he tried the bistro at all. He must’ve been desperate.Good.
Jon nudged my shoulder. “So, how about the game? Just as friends.”
“When is it?”
“Friday at seven.”
It was rare for me to have a Friday off. Going out could be fun and if Ciro came like Paolo said he would, then Daddy Ciro could spend the evening babysitting.
“I do like baseball,” I replied to Jon. I remembered that my dad was a huge Dodger fan and never missed a game on the television.
“Is that a yes?” A hopeful grin stretched across his face.
“Yes. As friends.” I needed to get on with my life, and there wasn’t a better time to get on with it than the present.
“Fantastic. We’ll grab dinner at the stadium, unless you don’t like that sort of thing. I’m open to anything you want.” If he didn’t seem so dang innocent, I’d think he was letting me know he’d give meanythingI wanted.
“No, no. We can eat at the game. My ex might be here to see the baby, so we won’t have time to grab dinner before the game.”
“Here to seeonlythe baby?” he asked.
“Let’s just say, things are complicated right now.”
“Fair enough.”
Jon went out into the dining room, and I returned to chopping veggies. He was a decent man. Kind and funny. Hell, he was going to be a doctor. Jon was every parent’s dream for their daughter. Maybe going on a date with him, even as friends, was what I needed to get over Ciro.
Not that I wanted to get over Ciro, but I needed to. It was apparent he hadn’t changed and was otherwise involved.
I shouldn’t be so angry. He was a free man, like I was a free woman. It just hurt a lot, especially so soon after we had sex and he’d been saying all the right things.
Stupidly, I had let myself start to hope.
Jon strutted into the kitchen with a broad smile. He acted like all he wanted was a chance to prove to me he could make me happy. Part of me believed he probably could. The other part of me knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I’d compare him to Ciro.
No more. I wouldn’t let Ciro or my father have so much power over me. My dad had shown me men couldn’t be trusted. I’d just refused to believe all men were like him.
I quietly laughed.Stupid, stupid Isla.
Ciro hadn’t been some great mystery. He’d been upfront with me in the beginning, never hiding his true colors. He hadn’t lied about who he was or what his expectations were.
