Chapter Ten #2
”I have read through the file a few times now.
I know facts about you, but it doesn’t explain who you are.
I can read all about your mom’s restaurant with her husband, but I can’t see the way your eyes light up when you talk about your sisters.
I have dossiers on thousands of people, but the only way to truly know someone is to ask questions and have conversations. Spend quality time with them.”
Bec never failed to surprise me. “Do you know me?”
Her eyes searched mine… for what? I wasn’t sure.
”I’m starting to.”
I smiled softly. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us as we danced, but they faded from existence. All that mattered in that moment was Bec. “Wanna grab some cheeseburgers or something before you get dropped off?”
“I don’t want to have to wait somewhere or call Andi to make a reservation,” she complained.
I raised a brow, “That’s why fast food exists, sweetheart.”
She rolled her eyes, “Don’t call me sweetheart. And I’ve never had fast food.”
I stared at her, dumbstruck. She couldn’t be serious. Could she? “You’re lying.” She shook her head.
I stopped our dancing quickly and took her by her hand, all but running to the exit.
“Rome,” she said with a laugh, “I need to say goodbye to Alexandra.”
“Call her,” I stated, not even turning around and leaving no room for argument. “We have a Mickey D’s run to make!”
“Rome!” She exclaimed again, still laughing.
“McDonald’s!”
BEC
We didn’t end up at McDonald’s, but instead, some hole-in-the-wall burger joint that Rome pointed out on our drive.
So here we were, both concerningly overdressed, eating the juiciest cheeseburgers I had ever had in my life.
There was no press, no expectations, I could just be. It was an unexpected turn in the night.
The place that he’d found had cracked, black and white checkered floors, and one of the lights flickered in the corner. The waitress couldn’t have been older than twenty, with long braids fashioned in a bun on the top of her head.
“Can I get you anything else?” She asked with a pop of her bubblegum.
Both Rome and I shook our heads, our mouths full of deliciousness. She nodded my way in acceptance before throwing a wink at Rome and walking away.
I held back an eye roll at her obvious flirtation. “Has it always been like this for you?”
He looked at me, confused, as he wiped his face with a napkin, “What do you mean?”
“You know… the flirting, the winks, the girls practically throwing themselves at you.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Why limit it to just women? I’ve had my fair share of male suitors come my way,” he said with a wink. “But, to answer your question: no, it wasn’t. I wasn’t always this hot.”
I smiled at the comment despite myself, “You’re really full of yourself, aren’t ya?”
“Oh, come on.” He leaned back and motioned down his torso. “Who wouldn’t be? You could be full of me if you played your cards right.” He wiggled his brows at the insinuation.
I rolled my eyes and took another bite of my cheeseburger.
“Honestly, I had a growth spurt my senior year, but before that… you should have seen me,” he explained. “I had braces, acne, the mouthguard, all of it. It wasn’t a cute sight.”
“I need to see a picture of this.”
He laughed and shook his head, “Over my dead body.”
I smirked, “I have my ways. I’ll find it.”
He laughed again, but ignored my comment. “What about you? What was high school like for you?”
I sighed and leaned back into my chair, “It was fine. I went to this stupid private school on the Upper East Side. I had to wear a uniform…”
“Some guys are really into that,” Rome interrupted, “but it was never my thing.”
I laughed, “This uniform would make even the most beautiful woman in the world look homely. I looked like a nun. I had to wear knee-high socks and this god-awful plaid skirt. It was not cute.”
He smiled as I spoke, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Rome was completely free with his smiles, giving them to everyone… even strangers. He didn’t reserve his true smile for only a few. I envied that freedom.
Our waitress stopped by, dropping the check on the table. I picked it up before Rome could snatch it, and it gave our waitress the in she had been waiting for.
She leaned down to Rome’s ear before not-so-subtly speaking, “If you’re free tonight, give me a call.” She handed him a small piece of paper before walking away, an extra sway in her hips.
Something deep within me burned with what almost resembled jealousy, which couldn’t be correct. There was no way I was feeling jealous over Rome. It must have been heartburn from the food.
Rome rolled his eyes and crumbled the paper.
“Hey,” I protested, fishing a couple of hundreds out of my purse and sticking them in the check, “She’s cute, maybe give her a chance.”
Rome gave me an incredulous look, “We’re obviously together, and she still hit on me, right in front of you. She’s disrespectful.”
I waved off his comment, “We’re not actually together. You could still take her out.”
He shook his head. “For as long as we’re doing…” he paused, looking for the right words, “whatever it is we’re doing, you’re the only lucky lady in my life.”
I smiled at his kindness and, oddly, felt lucky.