Chapter 19 #2
I sighed, trying to center myself, afraid I’d cross the line and say something I could not take back. “I understand you were trying to show my mom a nice evening, and she did have a lovely time, so thank you for that. However, I don’t appreciate what you did tonight.”
He didn’t respond right away and I could tell he was trying to figure out where he’d fucked up.
“You mean the tickets? I’m sorry I got those without asking, but I figured it would be nice for all of us to sit together. In the end it turned out to be such a great show.”
Okay. He was missing the point, so I was just going to have to explain it.
“The seats were great and the food was delicious. What I didn’t like was the fact you made decisions for me all night long,” I said in the calmest tone I could manage. “You even decided what I was going to eat and drink for fuck’s sake. I know how to read a menu and order my own damn meal, Tom.”
His face got serious, like he was getting pissed off, too. This wasn’t going to end well.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what is so bad about me planning a nice evening for us.” He was careful to use a neutral tone, but I could hear the frustration beneath it. “Sure, I did make some decisions without consulting you, but it worked out in the end. Right? Dinorah had a nice time.”
I gripped my hands together on my lap, so I wouldn’t start waving them all over the car.
“That’s not the point though,” I said leaning into the space between our seats.
“The issue is that all of it could have still been amazing, if you’d asked me whether I wanted whatever fucking meal that isn’t even on the menu you decided we would eat.
” His face was stony, but I was on a roll and there was no stopping me now.
“I don’t like people making decisions for me, Tom.
I don’t like people taking away my choices.
” I tapped my chest as I spoke. “That is my problem, not the grilled octopus you ordered.”
“Okay.” He said it like he was trying to talk down a raging tiger. “I understand. In the future I’ll try to be mindful of that.”
Tom stayed quiet for a minute like he was deciding whether or not he should say whatever he was thinking.
We stayed like that for a few minutes until we were at the garage by his house.
We parked and got out of the car with a heavy silence between us.
Neither of us had spoken a word by the time we came up to his house.
“You could have said something at the restaurant, Camilo.”
I stopped so I could look at him. Because if he wasn’t done, if he wanted to do this here, on the sidewalk…okay we’d do it here.
“Said what?” I snarled at him, “Don’t order my food for me because I’m an adult and I can read? I thought that was pretty fucking obvious.”
He put his hands up, exasperation clear on his face. “Okay I think we should probably have this conversation at another time when we’re both in a better head space. I’m tired and we had some wine—”
Oh he did not just fucking imply this was about me being a drunken mess. That “we” sounded a lot like he meant so say “you” and I was so close to losing my patience. I forced myself to stay where I was instead of getting right up on his damn face like I wanted to.
“So now you’re making it about me being a shitty drunk? You know what, Tom? I think you’re right. I think we just need to call this a night. Nothing good is going to come out of this conversation.” I turned to go get myself a cab home.
“Camilo, that’s not what I meant.” He sounded so desperate I stopped to look at him, the panic on his face making it seem like he finally realized how bad he was fucking up with me.
“I wanted this night to be perfect and I clearly missed the mark. I’m sorry I didn’t consider how you’d feel about me making all these arrangements without asking. ”
The genuine concern in his voice and the way he cautiously held back from touching me diffused my anger a little bit. I was still frustrated, but at least I felt like he was finally hearing me. I was about to suggest we go in when his phone rang with Maxwell’s ringtone.
He looked annoyed as he pulled it out of his suit jacket.
“I’m sorry but it could be about Libe.”
I just waved my hand and turned to go up the steps to his house.
“Is something wrong, Maxwell?” he snapped out, his face looking more pissed by the second as he heard the answer.
“Then we can talk about it tomorrow, good night.” He ended the call without another word and quickly ran up the steps to meet me at the front door.
I could tell he wasn’t sure if I was going to go in or not, but I glanced up at him and then nodded.
He let go of a long breath that was pure relief as he went to open the door.
As soon as we stepped inside, he grabbed me by the waist and bent his head so his mouth was against my neck. My body immediately softened to his touch, like the traitorous bitch it was when it came to Tom Hughes.
“I’m sorry, mi vida.” He lifted his mouth to kiss me, and I let him because he was my kryptonite. How the fuck was I supposed to stay mad when he was calling me his life? Also, after feeling pissed and scared things would blow up between us, I was feeling needy as fuck.
I pulled back after a moment, already pliable as putty in his hands. “I’m still pissed at you, and I’m dead tired of Maxwell interrupting shit for no good reason.”
I could tell he was trying not to laugh as he nodded and nuzzled my neck.
“I’ll talk to him. He needs to know things are different now.
I have someone in my life. I’m not available all the time like I used to be.
” He shook his head then, and I could see how spooked he was about our fight.
“I don’t want to do anything to mess with this, Camilo.
I’m crazy about you. Even though I was off base by a mile tonight, what I wanted was for you and your mom to be able to enjoy yourselves without worrying about anything.
” He grimaced at that, his eyes full of regret.
“I hate that instead I made you feel uncomfortable.” He looked so fucked up, like the fact that he’d done anything to upset me was physically paining him, and with that the last little bit of annoyance I was holding on to went completely out the window.
“You don’t ever need to use your money to show me you care, Tom.
” I put my hand on his face, trying to smooth out the worry lines there.
“I don’t need that. What I want is you and your company, your presence and support.
I can take care of myself. And even if I can’t afford orchestra seats or the chef’s table at a fancy restaurant, I’m still capable of going to a show and having a nice dinner. ” He hung his head then.
“I’m so sorry, mi vida.”
“I know.” I shook my head again, trying to gently press my point one last time. “I’m just not impressed by stuff like that.” I hugged him tight and pushed up for a kiss. “This, you and me, is what I’m here for. Nothing else.”
He nodded and gave me that rueful smile I knew only happened for me.
“Me, too. This is all I want.”
I tightened my arms around his neck and put my mouth close to his ear. “Let’s get to bed then, but first I need water and some ibuprofen. Because I did have too much wine and don’t want to wake up with a headache.”
He laughed but at least had enough of a self-preservation instinct to refrain from saying “I told you so” as he followed me up the stairs.
“Water and Advil first, then maybe we could make up properly?”
I looked over my shoulder, trying and failing to give him a serious expression.
“Don’t push your luck, Tom Hughes, you’re still on thin ice.”
The look he gave me let me know he was one hundred percent sure how solid the ground he stood on with me was.
Damn if I had it in me to argue.