I nod. It's a classic concept.
"You said you got your MBA. At Columbia." He nods at me. "What else would you have liked to do?"
He shrugs. "I don’t know. It’s a question that I don’t dare to ask about myself. There’s no fighting fate. The sun will rise, the sun will set, and I'll take over the family business."
I want to ask more, but he steers the conversation away from him. Again.
"What about you?" he asks. "Tell me why you want to be a psychologist."
"I told you. There are so many people out there who need help."
"There are other ways to help people," he says. "Like becoming a doctor, for instance."
I shake my head. "The medical field is well-developed. They know a lot about the human body, now. Enough to save lives by the thousands. The human mind, the psyche, the emotional setup? It isn’t nearly as concrete. It’s undiscovered territory. I want to find out what there is that we don’t know yet."
"You don’t take the easy road," he says. "I find that admirable."
I shrug. "It’s not that simple, but yes. I don’t like whatever comes easy. Every person is different. Every past is different. All interpretations are different. It’s a wonder any of us can co-exist at all."
Thomas nods. "And yet, some of us get along so well. You can find a soul mate in this wild world and be happy."
I swallow. I don't believe it's that easy. "Most people will agree with you," I say.
Thomas smiles. "But you don’t."
I shake my head.
"I didn’t think you would," he says.
"Why?"
"That would make you like everyone else. You think differently. You’re unique. It’s what makes you so attractive."
I blush, again. I know my ears are bright red. Thomas’s smile grows.
"You’re beautiful when you blush," he says.
I shake my hair out of my face, trying to get rid of the flames on my cheeks.
"You’re insufferable," I say. "Throwing compliments at me like confetti."
"A woman like you deserves them."
I laugh. "That's so corny," I say.
"That doesn’t make it any less true."
He pins me with his gaze. My face isn't the only part of me getting hot now. I have no idea how to respond to Thomas. I'm not used to anyone being as forward as he is. Most people dance around things. He charges straight ahead and addresses things directly.
Lucky for me, Adam appears again, giving me a moment to compose myself.
"Have you decided what you’ll have for your entrée?" he asks.
Thomas shakes his head and picks up his menu for the first time. "We haven’t even looked. The conversation was too good. Give us two minutes."
Adam nods and disappears again. Thomas glances down at his menu. I take the time to study his face. His hair is a darker blonde with whatever product he used to style it with. It works with his liquid eyes. He has a strong jaw and a straight nose. Something about him reminds me of statues of ancient Roman emperors. He has a sort of majestic bearing to him.
By our very nature, women are attracted to a man who has strong features. It's a plus for reproduction. If the man is strong, the children will be strong, too. Not that I'm thinking about having children with him.