I point to the logo.
“No, that’s impossible, he isn’t listed under the owners.” Tomás proceeds to bring up another document to tell me who is, but I beat him to it, saying my mom’s name. First and last, with it being her maiden name, not Tesoro.
“For tax purposes he put the company in my mom’s name, but rest assured it’s also his.”
“Of course he would own this. He’s been nothing but a fucking thorn in my side since Ralph put me in charge of securing him as a client. No offense.”
“None taken. That’s all he knows how to be. Looks like he ruined both of our mornings. I know what I’m about to say is going to sound fucked up, so please know I don’t mean it to be, but I envy how much you miss your dad. I think the only thing I’ll feel when my dad’s time comes is relief.”
“Why is that?” he asks, his voice nothing but sincere.
“That’s not important. I’m not going to burden you with my problems.”
“It’s not burdening if I’m asking you. I want to know.”
“I don’t even know where to begin.”
“How about with whatever he did to you this morning?”
I laugh, dry and sarcastic. “Oh, you mean when he left me this?” For reasons unknown to myself, I grab my phone and play the voicemail my dad left for me. An instant regret because the way Tomás’ face looks reminds me how it did when we were at Luxe, when he was defending me against James.
“Yes, you do,” Tomás says as I stash my phone in my back pocket once the message ends.
“I’m not following.”
“I’ll be your date.”
“Why?” I ask, not used to someone wanting to be nice without wanting something in return.
“Because,” he starts out, though just as quick as the words pour out of his mouth, he pulls back, as I’ve noticed he has a habit of doing. Forever caught between a push and pull battle within himself. “Because I feel most useful in life when I’m able to help others.”
For some reason his honesty travels straight to my heart, and it’s making me feel a sense of vulnerability that I’m not used to.
Wanting to get rid of this feeling immediately, I deflect.
“But what will Ralph say?”
Tomás lets out a sigh. Clearly not thinking this through but then it dawns on me.
“Actually, scratch that. Ralph will be ecstatic.”
“I fucking doubt that.” Tomás goes on to remind me about the extensive fraternizing rule.
I wave my hand at him. “He doesn’t need to know it’s a date. Just my parents. And this way my dad will be forced to give you the time you need to deliver whatever business pitch Ralph has tasked you with.”
He sits considering what I’m telling him, for longer than I was expecting. This should be a no brainer. A win-win, but he doesn’t seem convinced.
“It’s going to work,” I reassure him.
“It’s not, because I can’t in good conscience do business with your dad. Not after that.”
“After what?”
He motions his chin to my phone. “After the way he spoke to you.”
I want nothing more than to downplay how my dad spoke to me like I have for the entirety of my life. Always excusing his poor behavior. Justifying it somehow.
Tomás goes on. “With all due respect to you, I knew your dad was a dick, but hearing the way he speaks to you? I don’t think I’d be able to bite my tongue around him, let alone deliver a business proposal.”
