My Fake Fling

“And now?”

“Now, well, the verdict is still out,” she said, laughing. “What have you been doing with your life these last ten years? I hope it hasn’t been all work and no play.”

“It’s been a lot of work,” I admitted. “Too much work. But I guess I can tell you about my late uncle’s many illegitimate children.”

“Oh, that sounds juicy,” she said. “Do tell. I like a good family scandal.”

I laughed and sipped my wine. “My uncle had a gaggle of sons with random women. It’s all just coming out. My dad went to New York to try and play mediator or something. I really don’t know what his end game was besides reconnecting with my aunt.”

“Your aunt?”

“More of a sordid story, but my dad and my aunt were a thing before my uncle swept in and claimed her as his own. Anyway, I went out with him to visit the new cousins. I guess they aren’t new, but new to our family. I met one of them. He’s a builder as well. He runs a nonprofit building tiny homes for veterans. Not just random homes here and there. He builds communities for the vets that have been homeless. It’s really cool. I gave him a donation for another property there in Manhattan and I’m hoping to get one started here.”

“That’s ambitious,” she said.

I got the feeling she didn’t really believe me. “I’m serious about doing it,” I said. “It’s a good idea. Every city should have one. I’m just not sure where to get started. If my dad was here, he would guide me. He would pull some strings and find me some cheap property to build on. He would know how to get a nonprofit started here. I’m almost forty and I’m still counting on my dad.”

“It’s a huge project,” she said. “I could help you with the nonprofit stuff, but I have zero knowledge of land and zoning laws.”

“My cousin told me there was a lot of pushback from the communities,” I explained. “I’m sure I’ll run into that here as well. I will, but my dad wouldn’t.”

“I have no doubt in my mind you will get this project off the ground if you put your mind to it,” she said. “I think you should start doing some of the legwork. Put together a report and present it to your father when he returns. You can still take credit for the legwork with just a little help from your dad.”

I liked that she was encouraging me. This was what I needed in my life. I needed someone to push me along while standing at my side. I needed someone that understood me. I didn’t think I would ever forgive myself for being such a damn fool and dumping her.

“I’m going to look into it,” I said, nodding.

“Let me know if you need any help with the nonprofit stuff, but I’m sure you have a whole team of lawyers that will do that for you.”

“But you’re prettier than any of them,” I said, smiling.

“You are such a player.”

The waiter returned with our meals.

“I’m not,” I argued after he left. “I haven’t been in a long time.”

“I thought after you dumped me on my ass you would have gone buck wild,” she said. “I thought for sure you would have been sowing your wild oats all over Canada. Maybe even the US.”

She was teasing but it was hard to hear her opinion of me. “I wasn’t any good at it,” I said.

“Liar,” she said. “Isn’t that why I’m here? I’m rehabbing your image.”

“No, you’re keeping the media from asking me stupid questions about my personal life,” I replied.

“Because there are so many stories about your personal life,” she said. “Those stories didn’t just fall out of the sky. I’m guessing you have fueled those rumors with your choices.”

I felt like I was being scolded. It was in a nice way, but it was still a deserved lecture. “Touché,” I said.

We dug into our meals with the sounds of the city drifting up from below. It was nice to be relatively alone while being outside. The roof of the building was taller than any others in this particular area. No one could see us.

We were alone.