Chapter 46 - Better Man #3
Hard to argue.
Tori continued—
"He could be the nicest man in the Philippines."
John nodded solemnly.
"Unlikely but possible."
Tori ignored him.
"He could be richer than Lia."
John looked at me.
"Also unlikely."
I looked at him.
"John."
"Sorry."
Tori almost smiled.
Then returned to her mother.
"He could have everything you think I should want."
Pause.
"And I still don't want a man."
There.
Simple.
Final.
Tita Elena's eyes filled.
Again.
But Tori didn't retreat.
"I need you to stop trying to prove that I just haven't met the right one."
Her mother's voice was quiet.
"I worry about you."
"I know."
"I worry you're choosing something difficult."
"I know."
"I worry you'll regret it."
"I know."
Then Tori squeezed my hand beneath the table.
"But you don't get to make me date people to make your fear smaller."
There.
Tita Elena looked at our hands.
This time—
didn't look away immediately.
Then she looked at me.
No résumé comparison.
No small-business tone.
No—
what about children?
Just—
"You really care about her?"
I nodded.
"Yes po."
Tori looked at me.
Her mother asked—
"And if you break up?"
Honest question.
Painful.
I answered honestly.
"Then we'll have broken up."
Tita Elena frowned.
No reassurance.
I continued.
"But I won't make Tori's choices less real now just because something might end later."
Silence.
John looked down.
Tito Ramon watched his wife.
I said—
"She doesn't owe any of us a guaranteed future before she's allowed to choose her present."
Tori's fingers tightened around mine.
Her mother went quiet.
Long enough that I thought maybe—
finally.
Then—
"But John wants children."
Tori dropped her forehead onto the table.
"MA."
Chaos.
Again.
Bea screamed into her napkin.
Marco stood up and walked away.
John looked at the ceiling.
Tito Ramon—
"Elena."
I laughed.
Couldn't help it.
Absolutely couldn't.
Tita Elena looked around.
"What?"
Tori lifted her head.
Eyes wide.
"HOW ARE YOU STILL HERE?"
"I am just saying!"
"NO MORE SAYING!"
John raised his hand.
"For clarification, I'm also not committed to having children."
Tita Elena stared at him.
"What?"
He shrugged.
"I said maybe."
She looked betrayed.
"You told Ramona—"
"My mother exaggerates."
Tori started laughing all over again.
"Oh my God."
John continued—
"I also don't want to date someone who doesn't want to date me."
Excellent.
Tita Elena stared.
"Obviously."
"Then we're aligned."
He looked at Tori.
"No offense."
"None."
Then at me.
"Also please don't let this affect Crestview."
I laughed.
"Your romantic availability is not part of due diligence."
"Great."
Tori wiped tears from her eyes.
"Professional boundaries."
"Very."
When John finally left, he shook Tori's hand.
"Nice meeting you properly."
"You too."
Then me.
"I'll wait for formal feedback."
"Yes."
"Not asking anything else."
"Please don't."
He smiled.
Then lowered his voice.
"Seriously, though—Saturday review?"
I stared.
He grinned.
"Okay, okay."
I liked him.
Unfortunately.
Before leaving, he looked back at Tita Elena.
"Thank you for dinner po."
She nodded weakly.
Then—
"My mother will probably call you."
Tita Elena brightened slightly.
Tori pointed immediately.
"No."
John laughed.
"I'll handle it."
He left.
Outside later, Tori stood beside my car.
Silent.
Then—
"I am so embarrassed."
"Why?"
"My mother."
"Not your behavior."
"I know."
"So don't absorb it."
Tori sighed.
"She found a COO."
"Yes."
"A COO."
"Yes."
"Because apparently Carlo wasn't strong enough."
"Executive recruitment improved."
She gave me a look.
I smiled.
Then—
"He already knows you."
"Yes."
"His company already knows you."
"Yes."
"You reviewed them."
"Yes."
"Saturday morning."
"Yes."
Tori stared.
"What are you?"
"Busy."
She laughed despite herself.
Then—
"Were you going to buy them?"
"Maybe."
"How close?"
"Still evaluating."
"Would you?"
"If the numbers make sense."
"Even after tonight?"
"Tonight has nothing to do with the numbers."
Her expression softened.
There.
"I knew you'd say that."
"Why?"
"Because you're annoyingly fair about things that actually matter."
I smiled.
Then she leaned against me.
Tired.
I wrapped an arm around her.
After a while—
"My mother is never bringing another man."
I looked toward the house.
"Confident?"
"No."
Fair.
"Want odds?"
"No."
"Twenty percent chance Round Three."
Tori pulled away.
"Do not manifest that."
"I didn't."
"If she finds the CEO of your next acquisition, I'm moving countries."
I laughed.
"That would actually be statistically remarkable."
"Lia."
"Fine."
She leaned back against me.
Then—
"You saw him and tilted your head."
"Yes."
"You really couldn't remember him?"
"No."
"That's awful."
"I see a lot of executive decks."
Tori laughed softly.
"Imagine being so rich you don't remember the executives your company reviewed."
"That's not why."
"Sure."
"His photo was small."
"Worse."
"Very small."
She laughed again.
Then looked up.
"Can I kiss you?"
"Yes."
She did.
Long enough that the house behind us disappeared for a little while.
When she pulled back—
"My mother probably sees us."
"Do you care?"
Tori thought.
Then—
"No."
So I kissed her again.
Her choice.
Current.
Visible.
No résumé required.
On the way home, Mama messaged.
nagustuhan ba ulit nila cassava cake
I stared.
Of course.
yes
Then another message.
mabait ba parents ni tori
I paused.
Looked out the window.
Then typed—
complicated
Mama replied—
ah okay. basta mabait si tori
I smiled.
That simple.
Apparently.
Then—
dalhin mo ulit dito next sunday
I laughed.
Tori's family was conducting executive recruitment.
My family was conducting lunch.
I knew which one I preferred.