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I almostdied.
I fan my face. This man is my father’s “friend” and yet spending time alone has been telling. The beauty of his home. The way he takes care of me. He's the kind of man I’d want in my life and I’m tired of ignoring it.
I slide on a pair of flats and step out of the room. He should be home from work any minute now.
I walk along the polished hallway, my eyes raking over the set of doors down the hall. I wonder if he’s always lived here alone, whether he has any relatives or family. As I head down the stairs, I see him walking in with two food containers.
Seeing him go about his daily activities with freedom makes me miss those days when I could go out as I liked. Right now. I feel like a bored full-time housewife.
"I picked up dinner." He sets the bags on the dining table and pulls a chair out for me.
"Thank you so much." I slide into the seat and open the container. It's fries and a grilled chicken sandwich.
He walks to the refrigerator and brings back bottled water. I take note of the fit of his suit, his dark hair styled away from his face, and his alluring eyes. The dark blue suit fits his chiseled body, and I know it’s custom.
"The dress looks good on you." He places the bottles on the table and sits across from me.
I smile. "Thank you. How did you figure out my size?"
He picks up the plastic fork and begins to eat. "I've seen you more than once."
"Oh, I see."
I fork the fries into my mouth, chewing. Our eyes meet, and he smiles. I smile too. I'm not sure why we're both smiling, but I like the atmosphere. We eat, making small talk and stealing glances at each other. He wipes his mouth and clears his throat.
"We've spent two weeks under the same roof. You should be used to me by now," he says after our meal.
"I'm trying. You know, I really never liked you being around my father because my mother always thought you influenced him negatively."
His full brows knit. "How?"
"Jeff started gambling."
Tristano shakes his head. "That had nothing to do with me. Your father had a mountain of debt before we met. As a matter of fact, we became friends after he lost his entire payroll. I agreed to loan him the money after he begged, saying he had a family to provide for."
I shake my head slowly. "Are you serious? "
"Yeah. He’s a decent guy, but he has a twisted perspective."
"So, all this time, we've been blaming the wrong person?"
"But a part of me gets it. He loves his family, but this life isn’t for the faint of heart. His desire to give you and your mother the best could cause any man to test their luck."
“What about you?”
“What about me?” He lowers the bottle staring me straight in the eyes.
“Would you gamble to provide for your family?”
“Nah. Fast money never lasts.”
“But you lend people money.”
“In exchange for ownership in profitable businesses. I’m not banking on them returning the money or the interest. I’m banking on getting my hands on their business.”
“Like the hotel.”
He shrugs. “Yes, like the hotel. But I would have never paid nearly a million for that hotel.”
