I had to laugh. “You’re a piece of work, Ayako Russell.”
“I don’t know why you don’t you just go for it. You’ve been meeting with this guy for like a month and every single week you’re more into him than the last.”
I waved my hand up and down indicating she was raising her voice. “Shhhh. Also,” I whispered furiously, “go for what? Tom has not made a single move in the direction of taking things further.”
“Ah-ha!” She winced at her loudness and continued in a lower tone. “So youwouldbe up for it.”
“Maybe.” I cocked my head genuinely mystified. “I don’t want to disappoint Melissa or ruin things for this project. I?—”
Ayako walked up to me shaking her head. “A: He probably hasn’t come on to you because he doesn’t want to abuse his position. B: You’re both adults and he has given no indication he’ll be the type of asshole who would refuse to finish the domestic violence shelter renovation he’s funding if thingsbetween you guys don’t work out. C: You fuckingglowevery time you see that guy. I’ve known you for way too long not to know that a man who has not tried your patience after a month is a fucking keeper.”
I nodded to the door. “I’m aware of the fact that Tom Hughes is fucking perfect. It’s just not that simple.”
She nudged me as we walked out of the shelter and into the lobby of the building. “Just don’t talk yourself out of something that could be great.”
“When have I ever denied myself something that could potentially feel good?”
People always said my eye rolls were over the top, but Ayako’s were next level. “I’ll tell you when: if it involves your mother or your job, your own needs automatically drop to the very bottom of the list.”
I could deny it, but what would be the point?
We parted ways then and as I walked the couple of blocks to meet with Tom, I kept thinking about what Ayako said. I knew she was right. By this point I had a very good idea about the type of man Tom was.
As I was about to walk up to the restaurant, my phone buzzed with a call from my mom, as if Tom needed any more women in my life rooting for him. “Hey, Mama.”
“Milito, are you off work?”
“No, I’m about to go meet with the donor.”
“Ooooh.” Dinorah perked up immediately, the recaps from my meetings with the “Handsome Billionaire” were her new favorite telenovela. “Well I don’t want to keep you then. Don’t be too grumpy with him, Milito. He sounds like such a nice man.”
For fuck’s sake, like Tom was some kind of helpless kitten. If anyone needed help, it wasme. The struggle to keep my clothes on whenever I was around him was no fucking joke.Iwas the one in need of assistance.
“I won’t be grumpy, Ma, but I have to go, I’m already late. Love you.”
I slid my phone back in my bag and stood just on the corner before the Red Rooster for a moment. Maybe I needed to, for once, take romantic advice from my loved ones and see where Tom Hughes and I could go.
chapter eleven
tom
The buzzing on my phone from Priya’s text gave me the jolt I needed to get myself together.
Priya:Are you going to do it?
I looked around before responding, then tapped a message on my phone.
Tom:I think so.
Priya:Good luck! I feel really positive about this. *heart eyes emoji*
I had to laugh at Priya’s close monitoring of my love life.
I put my phone on the table and looked up. I noticed him as soon as he walked in, and when I saw what he was wearing, every nerve in my body lit up.
Today he had his hair up in a ponytail and he wasn’t in his usual business casual. It’d been an unseasonably warm October day, and he was wearing leather Vans without socks and tight black yoga pants looking things. A loose black tank top under an oversized denim shirt and a patterned gray scarf wrapped around his neck. He had black leather cuffs on his wrists, and I could see black nail polish on his fingernails.
He looked edgy and a little flushed, his gray eyes bright, like he was glowing from the inside. More than one head turned as he made his way to the table. When he saw me, he smiled wide and waved as he came toward me. At that moment, I wantedhim to be mine so badly. I wanted to stand up and meet him halfway, so everyone could see the most beautiful man in this place belonged to me.
