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I quiver as a blush seeps across my cheeks. Oh—Xavier’s givingmethe power to choose. Well, if that’s not the most considerate thing, I don't know what is.
"Start with your profession."
"I’m a trader at a hedge fund here in Sicily. We primarily focus on futures and derivatives contracts—index and equity options."
"You must be smart."
"I lucked into it." Xavier pushes out a laugh. "Growing up, my buddy next door was super into finance. I wasn’t—I'd always been more of an artistic type. You could find me doodling in class and creating cartoons."
My right brow snags up. "Cartoons?"
Xavier blushes sheepishly. "Yes, boy. I wanted to be a cartoonist—in Italy’s national newspaper… It’s a shame that I never got the chance to follow my dreams. Being a cartoonist is a tough gig. There are only so many slots for comics, and if you can’t produce quickly—one cartoon a week—you’re out of luck."
A tear slips down my cheek. "I bet you were amazing."
He snorts. "I went into finance instead. I don't regret my career choice—not everyone makes it in the arts. In fact, some say that making it as a performer, actor, cartoonist, novelist, or designer is ten times more difficult than if you go into business."
I nod. "That makes sense. You have to provide what people want—what they’ll pay for."
"Finance is easy to me. I check weather reports, try to predict how sun and wind patterns will affect crops, and make informed bets with that information."
My jaw drops. "You…gamblefor a living?"
Xavier chuckles. "Not exactly. I mean, everything in life is a gamble—there’s no denying that. But I’m mainly on the risk management side of the business. Farmers contact me if they’re worried about their seasonal yields and I help them hedge."
A cheesy joke springs free from my lips. "I didn’t know you were a gardener."
"I’m not."
"You saidhedge." I kiss his chest. "You must trim them. Right?"
Xavier snort-chuckles. "No, boy.Hedgingis when farmers buy or sell futures contracts to protect themselves against unexpected events. They’re in the 'gambling' business as much as anyone in finance—they’ve got to protect their crops. That’s riskier than what I do, in my opinion."
Xavier’s words flow through my head without finding a grounding point. Christ—Christ.I can’t believe how smart he is.
I’ve never been great with numbers. Other students in my class growing up could solve math equations without issue—sometimes, without even taking the steps I had to. I had a best friend named Josiah who could do complex division without ever putting his pen to paper.
It all occurred in his head—as if by magic.
I, on the other hand, needed to jot down my thoughts every step of the way. Starting with the basic ones and moving toward the most complex. If I didn’t, I'd lose myself in the equations and never finish my assignments.
I run my palm down his chest. "You’re a genius."
Xavier blushes. "I wouldn’t say that."
"You are." My breath hitches as I stare into his eyes. "I could never do what you do. Keeping track of bills and expenses is tough enough—sometimes, I can’t even remember what’s on my credit card statement."
Xavier trails his thumb across my cheek. "You’re in luck, boy. That’s something I’ll help you with—you have nothing to fear anymore."
Xavier’s joking. He must be.
My brow stitches. "Don't lie to me. It’s not nice."
"I’m serious."
"No, you’re not."
A vein pulses in Xavier’s forehead. "I am."
