I watched her walk away and the smile slid from my face. What had started out as the usual chase was fast becoming something else, something more. Much more!
The more time I spent in her presence as limited as it has been so far, the more I want to get to know her. When she wasn’t glaring at me, she was warm and engaging with the other customers and her coworkers.
She also had the most endearing affectations. Like the way she bit the corner of her lip when she was concentrating, or the cute way she has of constantly pushing her escaped hair behind her left ear with her right hand.
It drew the eye to the delicacy of her wrist and made me think of how vulnerable she was, all alone in the world. That one always gets me in the gut.
At night alone in my bed I think of her instead of going over spreadsheets the way I’d always done in the past before meeting her. And the kicker is, it’s not just in a sexual way, but more like someone who genuinely cares for someone else; which is fucking nuts.
I find myself thinking about her at odd times throughout the day. Almost like a specter in the corners of my mind. She had taken over my thoughts to the exclusion of everything else.
My phone went off on the table and I read the screen before answering. “Hi mom.”
“Hi son, you haven’t forgotten about tonight have you?”
“About that…” My eyes travelled across the room to where she was putting a glass and the bottle of sparkling water I’d ordered on a tray.
“Oh come on Cade, you’ve cancelled twice already, it’s becoming rather rude and I’m running out of excuses to give the Roberts.”
I rubbed the place between my eyes where I could feel a headache already brewing. “Mom, something has come up. I don’t think…look I know you and Irene are really jazzed about me seeing her daughter and I didn’t have a good enough excuse before, but I think I have one now.”
“What? what does that mean, work? You work too hard son I’ve told you that before. Mindy is a very nice girl, you’ve known her your whole life.”
Where is it written that a man has to get married once he reaches a certain age? Ever since my last birthday she’s been on my case about settling down.
If I hear the grandchildren argument one more time I’ll lose my mind. It was her go to when she wasn’t getting her way when it came to ruling my life.
I didn’t mention Zandi to her. One, because I wasn’t sure where we were headed if anywhere, and two, I wasn’t ready to share her yet. Not with my family, not with anyone.
Even though she still wouldn’t give me the time of day, for some reason the thought of going to meet another woman, even one I’ve called a friend for most of my life, suddenly felt wrong.
There is no way I’m going, not even to please my mother who I make a point never to disappoint. I couldn’t even remember what Mindy looked like unless she was standing in front of me.
And I’m sure she’s never stayed on my mind five minutes after we’ve parted ways in the past. Zandi on the other hand has been imprinted on my heart.
Mom’s heart was in the right place. Like any mother she wanted what she thought was best for her son. But she’d stopped knowing what that was since I was about ten.
To her, since I’d made my mark in the business world, all that was left was for me to settle down and fulfill her greed for grandkids. It’s like a map in her head that she has to follow or some shit. Mothers tend to be that way I guess.
Too bad for her this one had come along and put a monkey wrench in the works. Not that I would’ve given serious thought to dating Mindy. I wasn’t even a little bit attracted to the girl, for all mom cared.
She was more friendly acquaintance than love interest and there was no way in hell I would subject myself to a life with someone I didn’t love. The thought of a cold bed was not in the least bit appealing.
“Mom you’re right. I’ve known Mindy my whole life, so I should know by now if I had any interest in her that way, and I’m sorry but I don’t. It might be best if you gave up any hopes of the two of us becoming the couple of the century.”
Her sigh of disappointment was loud and clear but it couldn’t be helped. I wasn’t about to waste my time and hers on something I knew wouldn’t add up to a hill of beans.