I tip my chin at him, then lock eyes with Sofia. She has some explaining to do, and she had better do it fast. “Sofia?”
She crosses her arms and leans back, building space between us. “David and I are in a business meeting. Can you come back in an hour?”
What the fuck? She’s kicking me out instead of him? I haven’t seen her in weeks, and she’s kicking me out. My nostrils flare as my eyes narrow at her. I don’t say it, but I’m sure my features do: Tread lightly, Sofia. This doesn’t look good.
“No, no need,” David interjects. “Sofia, we discussed nearly everything we needed to. I’ll email you the proposal, and we can set up a conference call next week after you’ve reviewed it.” Then he turns to me. “And it was great meeting you,” he says.
Then David turns to Sofia, clasps a hand around her upper arm, and leans in to give her a kiss on the cheek. Sofia glares at me through their goodbyes. As David walks out of the bar, I close my eyes and count to ten again.
I follow Sofia as she walks back behind the bar, putting the counter between us.
“What the fuck was that, Bren?” she asks.
“You tell me.”
“I think you were being a jealous dick again. We were having a business meeting.”
“Do all your business colleagues kiss you goodbye?”
Sofia rolls her eyes. “He’s Hispanic. I’m Hispanic. We kiss goodbye. It’s part of our manners. You’re European. Don’t you know this shit by now?”
“Just a business meeting?” I ask.
“Yes. A business meeting.”
“Okay,” I say as I relax my shoulders.
“Okay?”
I nod.
“Bren, I know I’m new to the relationship thing, but I meant what I said in Seattle. I consider us exclusive.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I’m not Emma. And sure, I’ve never particularly believed in relationships, but I’ve always honored loyalty, and as long as you and I are together, I’ll be loyal to you. Can you please trust me?”
She is right. I measure her with the wrong yardstick. If I keep acting like the jealous boyfriend, I will only push her to retreat further and further away, like a scared little fawn. I need to take things at a glacier pace with Sofia if we have a shot at what I want—a future with her.
Because I’m starting to suspect she’s the one. There can never be anyone else because Sofia was made for me. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and I’m complete putty in her hands. Life on the road, on tour, jaded me to women and their expectations of me. Then I meet Sofia, who expects nothing from me, needs nothing from me—but I’m the one who needs her.
“I’m doing my best. I didn’t yell or say anything mean to him, did I?”
Sofia’s features soften, and she offers me a weak smile. “And you didn’t storm out like you tend to do. I consider that progress.”
She walks around the bar to my side and steps up on her toes to reach for a kiss. “Thank you,” she says. “For working on that possessive temper of yours.”
I grunt with annoyance, but say, “Anything for you, Sofia.”
TWENTY-ONE
Bren
Though Sofia is an even greater neat freak than me, her apartment is a bit more cramped than what I’m used to. One week there is more than enough, and now that the penthouse condo is ready, we can relocate there.
But first I need to tell her.
“Keep your eyes closed,” I tell her as the elevator reaches the top floor. Before the doors open, I decide to play it safe and place my hands over her eyes.