I quiz her. “Have you met them? What are they like?”
“I have met them, but I’m not going to give you any extra information you wouldn’t normally have.”
“I heard you think Xavier and I are a good match?” Of course, Natalie knows that I’ve heard this, since cameras are almost always watching.
“I do.” The woman’s game face doesn’t slip, and I can tell that I won’t be getting any further details from her on the subject.
“I’m just curious, then – why were you pushing me toward Johnny?”
She’s focused on her tablet as she answers. “I’m making a TV show. Anyway, I knew he wouldn’t last.”
I’m still irritated that people like Johnny make it through casting, but deep down, I get it. I’m a fan of the show myself, and I have to admit that I’ve enjoyed watching similar bad types and the drama they create.
I meet Xavier on a Los Angeles city street. He’s in jeans and an olive green shirt, and he smiles big when he sees me approach. He pulls me into a hug, followed by a delicious kiss. “I’m excited to be going out with you again.”
“Two dates in one week,” I say. “That’s a lot.”
“But it’s not nearly enough.”
He keeps me tucked under his arm as we walk up the street and around the corner to a taco truck. As I look over the menu, Xavier points to an item. “The carnitas are my favorite.”
“Then that’s what I’ll have.”
He orders for us, and when the food is ready we take it to a picnic table that’s on the side of the truck. After just one bite, I can’t help but gush over the flavors. “This is delicious!”
“Right?” He leans in close and lowers his voice. “They might even be better than my mom’s, but please don’t tell her I said that.”
The reminder that I’ll soon be meeting his mother flares my nerves. “What do your parents think of you being on the show?”
“They’re supportive. They’ve been wanting me to find someone special. They’re not sure this is the best way, but they’re hopeful. What about your parents?”
“I think they feel the same way about the show. I don’t know, though; it’s been hard not having any contact with them.”
Xavier takes a sip of his soda. “You’ll get to see them next week, right?”
I nod. I can’t believe I’ll be going to Four Points in just one week. There’s so much going on in the next few days, and so much to figure out.
“If I were to choose you,” I say, “how do you imagine our lives going? Where would we live?”
“I’m open to moving, if you wanted to stay close to home. I can open an east-coast division of my business.”
“Really? You could be flexible?”
“All of those details can be worked out when people are in love.”
When we’re done with our tacos, a car takes us to Xavier’s parents’ home. Along with his mother and father, his older sister, Niki, is also there. I give his family a fancy box of chocolates that production supplied for the occasion, and his mother opens them immediately, offering me a piece.
The chocolates turn out to be a good icebreaker, and the conversion flows from food, to what we’ve been eating on the show, to where we’ve traveled, and to what I think of their son. Xavier’s mother drives the conversation. His dad is quieter, and his sister is friendly but watchful, like a protective older sister would be.
Xavier has a warm but teasing relationship with his mom, and he cuts her off when she asks anything too personal. I do manage to tell her that I think her son is pretty special, and now that I’ve met his family, I can see where some of his great personality comes from. They’re lovely people, and they make me feel right at home.
After maybe forty-five minutes of chatting, production tells us that it’s time to go. We say goodbye to Xavier’s parents and walk down the street to an empty playground, where we sit on the swings.
“They loved you. I knew they would,” he tells me, tangling his feet with mine.
“I wish we could have spent more time with them. This week is so hectic.”
I’m immediately sorry that I brought up my schedule, because I can tell it reminds him that I’ll be having dates with the other three men. His brow furrows slightly, but he’s quick to smile.
“I hope you have a good week, and I hope you think of me every day, and every night.”
Then he kisses me in a way that guarantees he’ll be on my mind.
29
A dog as a bonus
After a night of travel, I meet Samuel in St. Paul.
I have a lot to accomplish in a short time on today’s date, because during the flight, before I was able to fall asleep, I realized that there’s a lot I don’t know about Samuel – most importantly, how he feels about me.