Seeing You

by Michelle Lynn

  My heart constricts from the disappointment filling his matching brown eyes. I should have known to warn my family about Davis coming.

  “I’m sorry, sir. I had no idea I was a surprise.” Davis turns to look at me, raising his eyebrows.

  “Well, you’re here now.” Dad sits back down. “Enjoy the food cooked by my mother-in-law, because it’s a hell of a lot better than anything you can make.”

  I cringe. Leaving my dad in the family room, we move toward the dining room.

  “Amelia?” Davis softly questions.

  I stop in the entryway.

  “I’m sorry, Davis. I should have given my family a heads-up.” I cast my eyes down to his shirt.

  “Hey.” He waits for my eyes to reach his. “It’s okay. Let’s have a fun time.”

  “Okay. I’m sorry.”

  “Dinner!” my mom calls out from the dining room.

  Footsteps stomp to rush in there.

  “Come, Davis, have a seat.” Where did my mom come from? She stands behind a chair with a welcoming smile on her face.

  Here’s her money ticket to get her daughter married with kids.

  “Thank you. You must be Mrs. Fiore?”

  She places her hand on his shoulder. “It’s a pleasure to have you. Please, call me Bianca.”

  “Thank you, Bianca.”

  I notice Davis relax instantly. Having an ally in the Fiore household eases the pressure.

  Todd emerges with my brothers, and they place all the dishes out on the table. Todd sets the pasta down and glances up through his eyelashes.

  Once everything is seated, he hugs my grandma and turns to leave. “I’m gonna get going. Enjoy the meal, everyone.”

  “No!” everyone at the table shouts.

  But Todd shakes his head. “Don’t worry.” He lifts a take-out bag from my grandma. “I’m taken care of.”

  “Are you sure?” My mom stands back up and circles around the table. “It won’t take long to eat.”

  “Yes, thank you, Bianca. I have some things to do.”

  She hugs him, and his eyes lock on mine for a second. Bruno follows his eyes to me, and I can see he’s curious as to why the man who can’t get enough food at our Sunday dinners is suddenly fleeing.

  I scoot out my chair, and the screeching across the wooden floor brings everyone’s attention to me. “I’ll walk you out.”

  Ignoring everyone’s greedy, gossipy eyes, I round the wall to the small foyer, finding Todd standing in the doorway, already waiting for me.

  “Why are you leaving?” I try to whisper as discreetly as possible, since I’m positive a few ears are pressed against the wall.

  “I forgot about something I have to do.”

  “What?”

  “Just something I’m not ready to talk about, especially with my boss here,” he whispers the end. “Things have been kind of stressful in the kitchen lately.”

  I place my hand on his arm. “Really? I haven’t noticed.”

  “That’s a good thing, but I don’t want to get into it, especially with Davis being two feet away.”

  He backs further away from me, but I wrap my arms around him.

  “Bye.”

  He squeezes my arms tight and pushes me back. “Be careful. Meeting the family is a big step.” All his mannerisms are sweet, how they should be, but at the same time, they’re off. What is going on that he isn’t telling me?

  “I will.”

  He turns around, and I watch his slumped shoulders as he descends the steps of my parents’ house. I wish I could go with him.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Amelia

  Davis and I breathe white puffs of air into the darkness as we climb down the steps of my parents’ house.

  “That was nice. Thank you for inviting me.” Davis’s hand finds mine, and he links our fingers together.

  A warm feeling takes residence in the pit of my stomach from his affection.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. Four brothers aren’t exactly every guy’s cup of tea.”

  “They weren’t bad. I’ve been through worse.”

  I fight my curiosity even though I want to question how many meet-my-family dates he’s been through. With ten years between us¸ I assume he has truckloads of more experience than me. That’s not even taking into consideration the rumor I heard about his failed marriage last year.

  “I think your celebrity status won you some extra credit.”

  He squeezes my hand and I glance over to his smiling face, dimples and all.

  “Not my winning personality?”

  If I didn’t already know he was joking, he lets me know with a wink.

  “That, too.” I nod.

  He laughs the most boisterous and welcoming sound that makes me smile even wider.

  “Let’s walk for a while. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.” He leads me around a corner, the opposite way of the subway.

  “Oh.” My stomach drops, and the elation I was feeling moments ago turns to worry.

  Is this the time when he says he’s done? Maybe he has no time for me and is too consumed with his career to date. Ugh, and right after I introduce him to my family. Relax, Amelia.

  “Hey.” He stops us under a streetlight.

  My back presses against the black metal pole. My heart flutters.

  “It’s nothing bad. You’ve let me in, and I want to do the same.”

  My throat dries, and I choke out, “Okay.”

  He only laughs again. I’m glad my insecurity is humorous to him.

  He grips my hand tighter, and we wander down the street that’s quickly becoming desolate due to it being a late Sunday evening.

  “I was married.”

  “I know.” Crap. I spoke when I shouldn’t have. Damn it. Maybe I should fess up right now. Yes, I Googled you and saw the tabloid pictures of how horrible your divorce was.

  His footsteps slow, but he never looks my way. “I figured.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. That’s the thorn from being in this business. Everyone knows everything.”

  His whole demeanor changes, and I immediately wish I had kept that as a secret between Tatiana and me.

  “Still, I should have waited for you to tell me.”

  I’m not going to stand next to this man, who’s setting off fireworks inside of me, and lie. He deserves better than that.

  “I wish you had waited to hear my side without the influence of the papers and magazines. Damn, I think she even did a YouTube video, bashing me.”

  This time, I stop, so he’ll see in my eyes that I believe him, not her. “No, Davis. I don’t believe the accusations she’s spouted.”

  He tips his head down. “Thank you for that.” His lips curl up, and his perfect white teeth shine from the streetlight casting down on the sidewalk.

  “You don’t have to tell me anything. It’s none of my business.”

  Davis starts walking again, ignoring my comment. “We quickly dated and went right into marriage. I have a habit of getting serious fast. My friends warned me, said not to do it when I called them from the airport.”

  Questions ping in my head. How long until you proposed? Did you even meet her parents? Was a prenup signed? But I keep them to myself because it’s none of my business.

  “We were dating for two weeks before I proposed.”

  “Wow.” My eyes widen, and I’m thankful it’s dark outside, so he can’t see my reaction even though I’m sure he heard my gasp. Seriously, I need some duct tape to shut my mouth.

  “Yeah, it was one o’clock in the morning, and we were talking on the phone. I don’t know. Everything seemed so perfect at the time. I hopped on a buddy’s plane and popped the question on her doorstep in the middle of the night. I had no ring, and I picked up a bouquet of flowers from a street vendor. I should have realized when they died a day later that it was the wrong decision.”

  He stops us by a bench and leads me to sit down.
I stare out to the water in front of us, and he rests his arm on the back of my shoulders.

  “That’s the problem when you have too much money. It enables you to make foolish decisions.”

  I give him a small smile, and he draws me closer and kisses my temple.

  “I don’t have that problem,” I say.

  A chuckle vibrates from his lips. “Oh, Amelia. One day, you will. I promise.”

  A couple passes us by without a second glance our way.

  “We went to Cartier and bought her a ring. Then, we got married at the courthouse.”

  “That’s romantic.”

  He cocks his eyebrow to me.

  “I’m serious. You loved her and didn’t worry about what others would say. You listened to your heart, Davis. That’s admirable.” I face him, tucking my leg under the other.

  He shrugs. “In a way, and maybe if we had made it work, in fifty years, I would have thought the same.”

  “You guys flew to Fiji for the honeymoon, right?” I could sit here and act dumb, but I don’t.

  “Yeah. Two weeks of bliss, or so I thought. I didn’t worry about anything. As you can tell in the restaurant, I’m pretty OCD about what goes on. You could say I lost myself with her.”

  I want to place my hand over my heart and sink into the wooden bench. He did exactly what I wish a guy would do for me someday. I wish I could make a guy that crazy in love that he’d forget everything, except for me. It’s too bad that I look nothing like his five-nine stunning blonde of an ex-wife.

  Jealousy quickly tries to overtake my thoughts, but I push it back, remembering how his marriage shattered and died a quick death.

  “You know what happened, though. She said she caught me in bed with another woman. Trashed my name anywhere that would give her the time of day.” The pain is evident in his stern lips and tense shoulders.

  “Why?”

  His palm lies on my leg, and he rubs it back and forth. “We got into a fight when I told her we had to move to New York. She said she had a career that was ready to take off in LA. My life was here, and I was egotistical enough to think she’d known that before she agreed to marry me.”

  “Was she a model?”

  “Aspiring actress.” He rolls his eyes.

  “Oh.” I don’t like the way he said that. It reminds me too much of when my mother would use air quotes for the word artist when she refers to me.

  “No, Amelia. She wasn’t even going on casting calls. She hung out with a bunch of friends who she worked with at a restaurant. If she were serious about her career, I would have respected it.”

  “How did you meet her?” My curiosity is so far in the atmosphere that I can’t hold back the barrage of questions spilling out.

  “She was the bottle girl at my buddy’s bachelor party in Vegas. She just happened to be moving to LA the next weekend.” He shakes his head, and his palm rubs down his face. “It all sounds so stupid now.”

  “Just because you wanted her to move to New York, she said all those lies?”

  “Before we got married, I was smart enough to have a lawyer put together a prenup, but if I were caught cheating, it would be voided.”

  I nod, realizing the whole reason for her lie. “So, she doesn’t own half of everything you had?”

  He smiles. “Nope.”

  He didn’t cheat, and I knew he didn’t.

  “She thought allegations would be enough.”

  In the whole conversation, it’s the first time I’ve seen him pleased with himself.

  “Still, I think you’re a true romantic, Davis Morgan.”

  I slide closer, and his hands cup my head in them.

  “Maybe. But I haven’t found my princess yet.”

  “I’m sure she’s out there.”

  “Or here.”

  He bends down, and I know he’s about to kiss me. All I can do is let him as my eyes droop and I completely swoon over him.

  He graces me with a gentle and patient kiss but ends it sooner than I would have preferred.

  “There’s one more thing.”

  Shit. I can’t take this anymore.

  “I have to go to LA for a month. We’re filming a reality show, and it’s easier if I stay out there.”

  What am I supposed to say? No? “Okay.”

  “I’m going to try to come back, but last time, it just delayed everything. Plus, I’m working on this cookbook with a few other chefs.”

  “Davis.” I place my hand on his leg. God, his thighs are rock hard. “You don’t owe me an explanation.”

  “Hold on, I have one more thing for you.” He digs into his back pocket. “Here.”

  I look at the folded piece of white paper and back up to him.

  “Open it.” He pushes.

  It’s a printed itinerary.

  “I want you to come out to LA for a movie premiere I’m in. I’ll be finished with everything, and then you can join me for the weekend.”

  That warm pit in my belly grows more for him. “I don’t know if I can get off work.” I bite the inside of my cheek.

  He gradually eases me onto his lap and grabs my ass. “I think I can convince your boss.”

  “You think? He’s kind of a stickler.”

  “Stickler?”

  “He’s handsy, too.”

  “Really?” He slaps my ass.

  “Yes.” I nod.

  “You don’t like his hands on you?”

  He squeezes my ass more, and I squeal.

  “Well . . .” I scrunch my shoulders up.

  “That’s what I thought. Now, kiss your very handsy stickler of a boss.”

  “Nothing would please me more, sir.”

  * * *

  I walk through the door of my apartment after a long good-bye to Davis outside. I almost begged him to take me back to his apartment, but he never asked. It injured my ego slightly that I wasn’t that irresistible for him to claim me before he leaves for a month.

  My back rests on the door.

  Tatiana stares up to me from her computer screen. “What are you fawning over?”

  “Who is more like it.” I reluctantly move my feet forward and collapse on the chair.

  “Davis, right?”

  “Do you even have to ask?” I swing my legs over the side and steal a chip from her plate.

  “Well, I thought maybe someone else might be in the running.” Her fingers fly on the keyboard, and she shuts her computer screen. Relaxing on the couch with her legs outstretched on the coffee table, she chomps on a chip of her own.

  “Who’s on the other end of those emails?” I raise my eyebrow and pop another chip into my mouth.

  “Oh, no, you don’t. I want details.” She gets up, grabs the bag of chips from the counter, and flops back down.

  “What? Are you waiting for a show?”

  “Your life is about to turn into a movie.”

  I tilt my head, not understanding what she means.

  “You honestly don’t see it?”

  “See what?”

  “Todd?”

  “I’ve seen all of Todd,” I joke.

  She purses her lips. “You know what I’m talking about.” She places the bag of chips down on the coffee table and leans forward. “Davis sounds great, from what you’ve told me, but I’m certain Todd is going to step up soon.”

  My body warms, and I can’t fight the smile that wants to shine through. “What? We’re friends.”

  “I don’t want to burst your happy bubble.” She sits up straighter.

  “You just popped it.” I bring my legs up to my chest and hug them to my body.

  She buries her head in her hands. “I don’t want you to hate me.”

  “I’d never hate you, Tati. What is it?”

  Concern fills her eyes. “I know you really like Davis, and I know I haven’t met him. But . . .” She stops.

  “Come on, Tati. You’re driving me crazy.”

  “Okay, okay. I think Todd’s the one for you.” She bites her li
p, but there’s a devilish smile begging to emerge.

  “Tati, we’ve been over this.” More times than I can remember.

  Todd doesn’t want anything serious with anyone, let alone his good friend.

  “We’re friends,” I say.

  “And I believed that—until Davis came into the picture. Haven’t you noticed how different Todd’s been acting? How he seems down and not his usual sarcastic self?”

  She hands me the bag of chips, and I swipe it from her.

  “Thought you’d need those,” she says.

  “You don’t understand, Tati. I honestly thought you were right months ago. He’s firm that he doesn’t want anything with anyone. Seriously, why would he ask me to flirt with Davis if he were interested?”

  “What? He did?” Her eyes glance down and her lips purse. “Maybe he didn’t realize it himself until he saw you with Davis. Yep, that’s it.” She has a smug look on her face, happy she was able to come up with something so fast.

  I can’t deny that my interest in Todd has been there since he moved in. Every girl on this planet would be attracted to him, but he’s not at all what I stereotyped him to be. But I’m not naive enough to think I could change a guy, and Todd has been clear on the fact that he’s not looking for forever and always.

  “Lia, you need to have a heart-to-heart with Todd. Get it out in the open.”

  “I’m with Davis now, Tati. It’s over.” If only my heartbeat wouldn’t speed up with the hope that Todd actually has interest in more than friendship with me.

  Her shoulder pops up. “Do what you want, but I’m telling you, he likes you.”

  “Doubtful.”

  Her cell phone dings, and she grabs it off the coffee table. She smiles wide.

  “Go, Tati.” I shake my head.

  She giggles. “You’re good, though, right?”

  “Go!”

  Tati leaves the room, and I pull my phone out of my pocket.

  Me: Are you going to the gym tomorrow?

  Todd: I’m doing a cycling class at nine.

  Me: I’m game.

  Todd: I’ll save you a bike.

  Me: Thanks.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Todd

  Davis stops me in the hallway. “I’m going to LA for at least a month.”

  “Okay.” There isn’t much else to say, except for ’see ya’.

  In the past few weeks, he’s been a thorn in my personal and work life. He refuses to take my suggestions about the menu. He spread the word to investors not to go into business with me. The topper was pulling the shit with Noodle. The fact that she believed his bullshit story goes to show how much she must like him. I’m grateful for the opportunities he’s given me over the past few years, but it’s time for me to move on.